SECOND CHANCE
PART 1
CHAPTER ONE
The ocean breeze was strong as Mallory Linden walked out of her editing class and looked around the skies to see clouds gathering above. She sighed and tugged the teal hat that covered her thick honey colored hair down a bit before she took a step forward and gripped her messenger bag closer to her body. The Spring season could be so touch and go here on the Monterey peninsula and she winced as another breeze tore through the air and she found herself losing her balance as she yelped loudly. “Shit!” She was waiting to hit the ground when she realized that someone was holding onto her tightly before she looked up with wide blue eyes. “Oh my…thank you so much. Let me get my balance here.” Mallory knew that she wasn’t a light girl and it didn’t bother her at all, though she didn’t need a guy holding onto her for too long.
What a guy he was. Despite him being dressed in thick workout pants, Mallory could see how muscular his legs were along with the worried look in his eyes that were the color of a deep green forest. His arms were tense and strong and he helped her up even as she struggled. “Are you alright?” There was an accent to his soft voice as she stared at him and nodded slowly. “That could have been a bad fall. I’m glad that I was here.”
“I…yeah. Me too.” She blushed furiously and stood up to see that he was a good six inches taller than her five foot seven frame, at least. “Thank you.” She gave him a nervous look and licked her full lips. “Do you go here?”
“Yeah, I’m a senior here and I’m helping a friend coach the rugby team. My major is sports medicine though I’d rather play than assist other guys.” He gave her a charming crooked smile and watched as she lifted her head and took a deep breath. “I’m Declan Meadows. Most of my friends here call me Deck.” He chuckled and shook his head. “That’s the polite name for me. I’ll spare you of the others.”
“I’m Mallory. Mallory Linden. I’m a sophomore. You don’t play? You only coach?” She asked him curiously as he seemed to narrow his eyes.
“I do but the assistant coach has a personal emergency. I’m just coaching until they figure out what to do, though I’ll step in if we’re down a man or two.” He shook his head. “I do love it here but even if I didn’t make it in America, there’s always home to play in.”
“Home? Your accent…is it English?” Mallory asked him as the trees blew violently around them. She looked up and frowned as he glanced around. “I’m sorry. If you have to go or anything, I don’t want to hold you up.”
“It’s not that at all. A bit chilly out is all. Do you have any classes coming up?” He seemed to study her face closely as she shook her head. “Something to drink then?”
“I’ll buy since you saved my life today.” Mallory smiled he shook his head and cracked another smile.
“It’s nothing at all, lass. My car is over here if that suits you.” Declan told her as he gestured forward to the huge parking lot with one large hand. They headed over as she pressed her lips together. “Yes, I am from England. I was born there but my Dad is originally from Ireland. I think my accent is a mix myself.” She raised an eyebrow when he unlocked the door of an immaculate black sports car that Mallory didn’t know the name of, though she knew enough to know that it was very expensive. Declan opened the door for her after hitting something on his key chain and she slid in as she took another look at him.
Clearly, he was a rich kid but he said he was a student. Family money maybe that belonged to a guy that still wanted to do something, that had a skill. Either way, it made her beat up SUV look like a complete piece of shit.
“What is your major, Mallory?” The way her name sounded with his slight accent gave her the shivers and she looked over at him as he pulled out of the parking lot. De clan was the picture of confident as he leaned back in his seat and drove, with his dark hair in waves around his shoulders as she watched him pull it out of the bun that it had been in. So few men could pull that off to begin with but she couldn’t decide if she liked it better up or down.
“Film. I’m studying all of the aspects of it to see where I want to end up.” She responded after a moment and a look from him, followed by a nod.
“I would think you’d want to be in the movies, not behind the camera.” He delivered the compliment with a careless ease that almost made her believe him as her thighs heated up along with her face and neck.
“I think I’m more of the behind the scenes kind of girl. I just love when an idea forms in my head. The movie starts playing out almost too fast for me to jot down.” Mallory admitted, feeling the fire inside of her that sparked up whenever she talked about her passion in life.
“I feel that way when I play too. It’s like a high that you can’t get enough of, isn’t it?” De clan mused out loud as she nodded before glancing at her at a stoplight. “I was thinking of a pub for some fish and chips. Does that sound good?”
“Perfect.” Mallory responded, mesmerized by the way his cheekbones sloped down his face to his full lips. He was a big guy and muscular to boot but his face was gorgeous and he was making her move away from the business type that she’d seemed to date since school started. They drove into the better part of Carmel and he parked effortlessly on the curb and smiled at her before he opened his door and walked around.
“It’s a perfect time for a late lunch.” De clan told her as he pulled her door open and leaned in to help her out.
“I agree.” She was captivated by the way that he looked at her as she took his hand to get out of the low vehicle. Heat slid up her arm as they made contact and forced her eyes to his as she took a slow breath.
Declan was everything that Mallory should stay away from but she found herself stepping closer to him as he closed the door behind her.