Sweet Do-Over

Sweet Do-Over

Melissa McClone · Completed · 47.9k Words

1.1k
Hot
1.1k
Views
342
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

A marriage proposal gone wrong—a second chance to get it right.When architect Marley Patterson goes out with Von Ryan, she never expects her practical, cautious life to be turned upside down by the handsome contractor. Von is the definition of fun, until his proposal sends her into a panic. Marriage is too serious a commitment to make after dating for only six months. Even though she cares for Von, they are too different, so she breaks up with him.Being rejected hurts, but Von blames himself for not reading the signs or Marley better. He finds solace in work; however, his construction company’s success isn’t enough. He wants to share his life with a woman who’ll love him as much as he loves her. She’s out there. All he has to do is find her and, this time, be patient for the relationship to develop on its own.After Marley is assigned to Von’s new project in Indigo Bay, he treats her the same as everyone else—professionally and with respect—though neither can deny a strong mutual attraction still exists. Soon Marley realizes she may have been the problem with their relationship, not just Von’s proposal. She wants a second chance, but after breaking his heart once, will he give her a do-over?

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

“Coming into work on a Sunday afternoon is one more sign I need to get a life.”

Keys in hand, Marley Patterson entered RMF Architecture and Design. Fred Carlisle, a founding partner, had asked her to meet him there on her way to her parents’ house for their weekly family dinner. So here she was. Yawning, because Fred’s call had woken her up from a nap.

“Though sleeping the day away in my apartment isn’t much better than being at the office on the weekend.”

Way to go. Talking to myself. Someone besides my sister and brothers will think I’m crazy.

But she needed to do more than work, sleep and occasionally date.

With a flick of a switch, lights illuminated the office. The taupe color scheme appealed to business clients, but the flashes of teal accents drew in homeowners and more artsy types. In order to foster an open environment of community and teamwork, no cubicle walls were allowed. A desk and a drafting table defined each working space. The only offices belonged to the partners, financial staff, and HR department.

Making partner was her goal. Her dream. Her everything.

She’d been striving for that since she graduated college, completed the mandatory internship program, and passed the state’s architect registration examination. Each design gave her additional experience and brought her one step closer. Her family expected her to succeed and to do great things given her grades and test scores were the highest among her siblings. She wouldn’t let them down.

Marley only needed more projects that would bring the necessary visibility, but she could do it. Several women worked at the firm, so someone breaking the glass ceiling was only a matter of time. She would love to be the first female partner.

As Marley placed her keys and purse on her desk and then sat, footsteps sounded.

“Hope you’re enjoying the weekend, Patterson.” Fred wore shorts, a turquoise-striped polo shirt, and tennis shoes. For a guy in his early fifties, he looked younger. He’d never been in the military, but his father had and it had rubbed off on Fred, who wore a buzz cut and called everyone by their surnames. “Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.”

“Not a problem.” Even if she’d been distracted during her drive here and nearly missed a left turn because of worrying over the reason for the meeting. Clients praised her work, so she didn’t think she was in trouble. “So what’s up?”

There. She’d taken control. Well, as much as she could with an unknown situation.

Fred’s grin deepened the laugh lines around his mouth. “You’re a hard worker. Always willing to do extra for RMF.”

“Thank you.”

“You’ve been putting in long hours.”

Marley was dating but only casually—since she hadn’t met anyone she wanted to go out with more than twice—so she had the extra time to work. “Just doing what needs to be done.”

“Happy to hear that. Because we need more from you.”

“Okay.” Except it wasn’t. Marley balled her hands. She hated not knowing what he was talking about. That kind of uncertainty, what she’d been feeling since Fred’s phone call earlier today, made her jittery. She flexed her fingers. “Am I being assigned to a new project?”

Fred nodded. “Golden resigned. He’s accepted a position with Curb Appeal.”

Her mouth dropped open. Rhett Golden, a lead architect on partner track, defected to their biggest competitor? RMF was Charleston-based, while Curb Appeal Designs and Engineering had offices across the US and abroad, but the bitter rivalry was well known in local business circles. Shrewd clients often played the two firms off each other. But Rhett leaving...

“I’m shocked.” She forced the words from her tight throat. Rhett was as much a part of RMF as the three founding partners. He’d trained her. They’d worked together on projects. The guy talked about RMF as if he were a lifer. She hadn’t seen him around the office lately, but that was nothing new given the number of projects he worked on. “Rhett quitting makes zero sense.”

“We feel the same way, but the move was...a monetary one.”

Wait, what?

Rhett talked about being debt-free after paying off his college loans and mortgage. He’d mentioned saving money for his kids’ college funds and retirement. He didn’t seem the type to leave a stable and enjoyable position for a larger salary.

“I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what else to say.

“Rhett’s not the first to jump ship, but we hope he’ll be the last.” Fred leaned against her desk. “His departure, however, leaves a gap. One we want you to fill.”

Anticipation shot through Marley’s body to her fingertips. She’d been itching for more responsibility to help her get closer to her goal. “I’m ready.”

“Excellent, because tomorrow morning is the kick-off meeting for one of Rhett’s projects. That’s why I wanted to speak with you today. We need you to take over.”

Marley was known for being practical and cautious. She’d learned spontaneity and risk-taking could lead to disappointment and heartbreak. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d squealed or acted rashly, but she was wiggling her toes like crazy now.

Clasping her hands on her lap, she inhaled deeply. “I’m happy to do that.”

Her dad had told her hard work would pay off. It finally was. She couldn’t wait to tell her family about this over dinner.

“You’ll want to tour the site since you haven’t seen it before,” Fred said.

“I’ll be sure to dress appropriately.” An above-the-knee skirt, short-sleeved blouse, and low-heeled pumps should do for a client meeting. Since it was June, a matching jacket wasn’t required due to the heat and humidity. She would make sure to have an extra pair of shoes with her so she could explore the lot.

Somewhere in the office, a phone rang.

That seemed weird for a Sunday.

“There’s one more thing we need to discuss.” Fred’s tone matched the serious gleam in his eyes.

“About the project?”

Fred nodded. “Von Ryan is the contractor.”

Von.

Her pulse spurted, and her palms sweated. His name hadn’t been mentioned in months, but she’d been thinking about him, remembering his devastation the last time they’d spoken. Her breaking up with him two weeks after saying no to his marriage proposal had caught him off-guard. She’d never meant to hurt or embarrass him, but she had.

Badly.

Still, she stood by her decision because his over-the-top flash mob proposal in front of her family and his, complete with a camera crew, showed her Von didn’t know her at all. Not the way a man who wanted to spend the rest of his life with her should.

“If working with him will be an issue, I’ll find someone else to take over the project,” Fred said.

“It isn’t an issue for me.” A touch of emotion laced each word. She fought the urge to sigh. She couldn’t allow any personal feelings to come into this. “I haven’t spoken to Von in almost seven months, but he’s as professional as they come. One of the best contractors in the state.” She’d met him working on a project over a year ago, and they’d started dating. “I have no problem working with Von. I, however, can’t speak for

him

.”

Rumor had it that Von’s construction company hadn’t bid on any projects within the Charleston city limits. Had he been trying to avoid her?

Marley hoped not. She only wanted what was best for him. She wasn’t it. They were too different. Opposites, really. Even if she had yet to meet a man who treated her as well as Von had.

Fred’s posture relaxed. “If you’re okay working with Ryan, I’m sure he is, too, but I wanted to leave the choice up to you.”

“I appreciate that.” No one from the firm had known she’d been dating Von because she kept her business life separate from her private one. Her coworkers had only found out when the proposal video went viral. “What do I need to know about the project?”

“It’s a high-end remodel. Rhett’s plans are on his drafting table. They’re still waiting for approval from the county, but that should happen any day.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

Fred nodded. “You may need to be on site more with this one. Randall Starling is the homeowner. We need this project to go smoothly.”

Randall Starling was a local, successful businessman with the Midas touch. “Is this a pet project of his?”

“His new vacation home, but bids are due in August for a multimillion-dollar commercial project. RMF wants that contract. It’s our top priority this summer. You need to show Starling we’re the only firm he should consider.”

She assumed Curb Appeal would bid, too. Did having Rhett on their staff give them an advantage, since he’d created the plans for Mr. Starling’s vacation house? That might make her job harder.

Her confidence wavered, but she kept a smile on her face. “I’ll do my best.”

“We have faith in you,” Fred stated.

She hoped so. “Where is the project located?”

“Indigo Bay.”

Where Von lived. “Close to Charleston.”

“It’s not that far, but if you have early meetings, go ahead and expense a room and meals, so you don’t get caught in traffic and show up late.”

Marley straightened. “I will.”

She’d never been offered that kind of compensation. Granted, her projects had been in Charleston, but the offer told her how important the upcoming Starling commercial project must be to the firm. If she succeeded, she might find herself on partner track sooner than expected.

Fred glanced at his phone. “Review the blueprints tonight. If you have questions, see Ron or Todd before you head to Indigo Bay in the morning.”

The other two partners. She’d had fewer interactions with them since they focused on the commercial side of the business. “Got it.”

“The meeting starts at nine at the house. Leave enough travel time so you’re not late. Starling is a stickler for punctuality. That’s all I have for you.” Fred straightened. “Good luck, Patterson.”

As he made a beeline for the lobby, she headed to Rhett’s drafting table. “Let’s see what you left me, Golden.”

Then she was going to stop by the store to buy champagne on the way to her parents’ house. This was worth celebrating.

Even if it meant seeing Von again, and all the trouble that might bring.

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

Omega Bound

Omega Bound

2.1m Views · Completed · Veronica White
Ayla Frost is a beautiful, rare omega. Kidnapped, tortured, and trafficked to rogue clans and corrupt alphas to do with as they pleased.  Kept alive in her cage, broken and abandoned by her wolf, she becomes mute and has given up on hope for a better life until one explosion changes everything. 

Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life. 

Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
Alpha Nicholas's Little Mate

Alpha Nicholas's Little Mate

1.2m Views · Ongoing · Becky j
"Mate is here!"
What? No—wait… oh Moon Goddess, no.
Please tell me you're joking, Lex.
But she's not. I can feel her excitement bubbling under my skin, while all I feel is dread.
We turn the corner, and the scent hits me like a punch to the chest—cinnamon and something impossibly warm. My eyes scan the room until they land on him. Tall. Commanding. Beautiful.
And then, just as quickly… he sees me.
His expression twists.
"Fuck no."
He turns—and runs.
My mate sees me and runs.
Bonnie has spent her entire life being broken down and abused by the people closest to her including her very own twin sister. Alongside her best friend Lilly who also lives a life of hell, they plan to run away while attending the biggest ball of the year while it's being hosted by another pack, only things don't quite go to plan leaving both girls feeling lost and unsure about their futures.
Alpha Nicholas is 28, mateless, and has no plans to change that. It's his turn to host the annual Blue Moon Ball this year and the last thing he expects is to find his mate. What he expects even less is for his mate to be 10 years younger than him and how his body reacts to her. While he tries to refuse to acknowledge that he has met his mate his world is turned upside down after guards catch two she-wolves running through his lands.
Once they are brought to him he finds himself once again facing his mate and discovers that she's hiding secrets that will make him want to kill more than one person.
Can he overcome his feelings towards having a mate and one that is so much younger than him? Will his mate want him after already feeling the sting of his unofficial rejection? Can they both work on letting go of the past and moving forward together or will fate have different plans and keep them apart?
Goddess Of The Underworld

Goddess Of The Underworld

765.7k Views · Completed · Sheridan Hartin
Left at a pack border with a name and a stubborn heartbeat, Envy grows into the sharpest kind of survivor, an orphaned warrior who knows how to hold a line and keep moving. Love isn’t in the plan…until four alpha wolves with playboy reputations and inconveniently soft hands decide the girl who won’t bow is the only queen they’ll ever take. Their mate. The one they have waited for. Xavier, Haiden, Levi, and Noah are gorgeous, lethal, and anything but perfect and Envy isn’t either. She’s changing. First into hell hound, Layah at her heels and fire in her veins. Then into what the realm has been waiting for, a Goddess of the Underworld, dragging her mates down to hell with her.

When the veil between the Divine, the Living, and the Dead begins to crack, Envy is thrust beneath with a job she can’t drop: keep the worlds from bleeding together, shepherd the lost, and make ordinary into armour, breakfasts, bedtime, battle plans. Peace lasts exactly one lullaby. This is the story of an orphan pup who became a goddess by choosing her family; of four imperfect alphas learning how to be better. Steamy, fierce, and full of heart, Goddess of the Underworld is a reverse harem, found-family paranormal romance where love writes the rules and keeps three realms from falling apart.
A pack of their own

A pack of their own

1.9m Views · Completed · dragonsbain22
Being the middle Child ignored and neglected, rejected by family and injured, She receives her wolf early and realizes she is a new type of hybrid but doesn't know how to control her power, she leaves her pack with her best friend and grandmother to go to her grandfather's clan to learn what she is and how to handle her power and then with her fated mate, her best friend and her fated mate little brother and grandmother start their own pack.
The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

2m Views · Ongoing · Jaylee
Soft hot lips find the shell of my ear and he whispers, "You think I don't want you?" He pushes his hips forward, grinding into the back of my ass and I groan. "Really?" He chuckles.

"Let me go," I whimper, my body trembling with need. "I don't want you touching me."

I fall forward onto the bed then turn around to stare at him. The dark tattoos of Domonic's chiseled shoulders, quiver and and expand with the heave of his chest. His deep dimpled smile is full of arrogance as he reaches behind himself to lock the door.

Biting his lip, he stalks toward me, his hand going to the seam of his pants and the thickening bulge there.

"Are you sure you don't want me to touch you?" He whispers, untying the knot and slipping a hand inside. "Because I swear to God, that is all I have been wanting to do. Every single day from the moment you stepped in our bar and I smelled your perfect flavor from across the room."


New to the world of shifters, Draven is human on the run. A beautiful girl who no one could protect. Domonic is the cold Alpha of the Red Wolf Pack. A brotherhood of twelve wolves that live by twelve rules. Rules which they vowed could NEVER be broken.

Especially - Rule Number One - No Mates

When Draven meets Domonic, he knows that she is his mate, but Draven has no idea what a mate is, only that she has fallen in love with a shifter. An Alpha that will break her heart to make her leave. Promising herself, she will never forgive him, she disappears.

But she doesn’t know about the child she’s carrying or that the moment she left, Domonic decided rules were made to be broken - and now will he ever find her again? Will she forgive him?
The Human Among  Wolves

The Human Among Wolves

710.4k Views · Ongoing · ZWrites
"You actually thought I cared about you?" His smirk was sharp, almost cruel.
My stomach twisted, but he wasn’t finished.
"You're just a pathetic little human," Zayn said, his words deliberate, each one hitting like a slap. "Spreading your legs for the first guy who bothers to notice you."
Heat rushed to my face, burning with humiliation. My chest ached — not from his words alone, but from the sick realization that I had trusted him. That I had let myself believe he was different.
I was so, so stupid.
——————————————————
When eigteen-year-old Aurora Wells moves to a sleepy town with her parents, the last thing she expects is to be enrolled in a secret academy for werewolves.
Moonbound Academy is no ordinary school. It's here young Lycans, Betas and Alphas train in shifting, elemental magic, and ancient pack laws. But Aurora? She's just...human. a mistake. The new receptionist forgot to check her species - and now she's surrounded by predators who sense she doesn't belong.
Determined to stay under the radar, Aurora plans to survive the year unnoticed. But when she catches the attention of Zayn, a brooding and infuriatingly powerful Lycan prince, her life gets a lot more complicated. Zayn already has a mate. He already has enemies. And he definitely doesn't want anything to do with a clueless human.
But secrets run deeper than bloodlines at Moonbound. as Aurora unravels the truth about the academy - and herself - she begins to question everything she thought she knew.
Including the reason she was brought here at all.
Enemies will rise. Loyalties will shift. And the girl with no place in their world...might be the key to saving it.
Accardi

Accardi

924.5k Views · Completed · Allison Franklin
“I thought we discussed this earlier, Weakness? I warned you. His death is on your hands.”
“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.


Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
Let Them Kneel

Let Them Kneel

225.4k Views · Ongoing · My Fantasy Stories
Kaelani spent her life believing she was wolfless.
Cast out by her pack. Forgotten by the Lycans.
She lived among humans—quiet, invisible, tucked away in a town no one looked at twice.

But when her first heat comes without warning, everything changes.

Her body ignites. Her instincts scream. And something primal stirs beneath her skin—
summoning a big, bad Alpha who knows exactly how to quench her fire.

When he claims her, it’s ecstasy and ruin.

For the first time, she believes she’s been accepted.
Seen.
Chosen.

Until he leaves her the next morning—
like a secret never to be spoken.

But Kaelani is not what they thought.
Not wolfless. Not weak.
There is something ancient inside her. Something powerful. And it’s waking.

And when it does—
they’ll all remember the girl they tried to erase.

Especially him.

She’ll be the dream he keeps chasing… the one thing that ever made him feel alive.

Because secrets never stay buried.
And neither do dreams.
Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

Rise of the Banished She-Wolf

366.6k Views · Completed · Lily
"White wolf! Kill that monster!"
That roar stole my eighteenth birthday and shattered my world. My first shift should have been glory—blood turned blessing into shame. By dawn they'd branded me "cursed": cast out by my pack, abandoned by family, stripped of my nature. My father didn't defend me—he sent me to a forsaken island where wolfless outcasts were forged into weapons, forced to kill each other until only one could leave.
On that island I learned the darkest edges of humanity and how to bury terror in bone. Countless times I wanted to surrender—dive into the waves and never surface—but the accusing faces that haunted my dreams pushed me back toward something colder than survival: revenge. I escaped, and for three years I hid among humans, collecting secrets, learning to move like a shadow, sharpening patience into precision—becoming a blade.
Then, under a full moon, I touched a bleeding stranger—and my wolf returned with a violence that made me whole. Who was he? Why could he wake what I'd thought dead?
One thing I know: now is the time.
I have waited three years for this. I will make everyone who destroyed me pay—and take back everything that was stolen from me.
Invisible To Her Bully

Invisible To Her Bully

539.8k Views · Ongoing · sunsationaldee
Unlike her twin brother, Jackson, Jessa struggled with her weight and very few friends. Jackson was an athlete and the epitome of popularity, while Jessa felt invisible. Noah was the quintessential “It” guy at school—charismatic, well-liked, and undeniably handsome. To make matters worse, he was Jackson’s best friend and Jessa’s biggest bully. During their senior year, Jessa decides it was time for her to gain some self-confidence, find her true beauty and not be the invisible twin. As Jessa transformed, she begins to catch the eye of everyone around her, especially Noah. Noah, initially blinded by his perception of Jessa as merely Jackson’s sister, started to see her in a new light. How did she become the captivating woman invading his thoughts? When did she become the object of his fantasies? Join Jessa on her journey from being the class joke to a confident, desirable young woman, surprising even Noah as she reveals the incredible person she has always been inside.
The Lycan Prince’s Puppy

The Lycan Prince’s Puppy

3.2m Views · Ongoing · chavontheauthor
“You’re mine, little puppy,” Kylan growled against my neck.
“Soon enough, you’ll be begging for me. And when you do—I’ll use you as I see fit, and then I’ll reject you.”


When Violet Hastings begins her freshman year at Starlight Shifters Academy, she only wants two things—honor her mother’s legacy by becoming a skilled healer for her pack and get through the academy without anyone calling her a freak for her strange eye condition.

Things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that Kylan, the arrogant heir to the Lycan throne who has made her life miserable from the moment they met, is her mate.

Kylan, known for his cold personality and cruel ways, is far from thrilled. He refuses to accept Violet as his mate, yet he doesn’t want to reject her either. Instead, he sees her as his puppy, and is determined to make her life even more of a living hell.

As if dealing with Kylan’s torment isn’t enough, Violet begins to uncover secrets about her past that change everything she thought she knew. Where does she truly come from? What is the secret behind her eyes? And has her whole life been a lie?
Falling For The Biker: The Vice President's Girl

Falling For The Biker: The Vice President's Girl

300.4k Views · Completed · Lily S.W
"Do you feel that, Wren? That pull between us?"
His eyes darken, flicking to my mouth.
"It's wrong. Your brother would slit my throat for just standing this close. But tell me, little bird" his breath ghosts my skin, "are you trembling because you hate me… or because you've wanted this just as much as I have?"
Wren thought she'd buried the chaos of New Orleans for good—the clubs, the blood-soaked loyalties, the men who lived and died by their kuttes. Seattle gave her everything she ever wanted: freedom, love, a future.
But one betrayal shatters it all.
Dragged home by tragedy, Wren finds herself under the watchful eye of Ezra Jax—the Raven Reapers MC's vice president and her brother's best friend. He's infuriating, dangerous, and far too tempting for a man she should never touch.
And the deeper Wren is pulled back into his world, the more she realizes nothing about her past—or about Ezra—is what she believed.
In the chaos of gang wars, mounting debts, and old betrayals, he becomes the one constant. The more she fights him, the harder she falls. And the more he pushes her away, the more lethal his pull becomes.
Because in this world, love isn't sweet.
It's brutal. Bloody.
And it's bound to break them both.
When loyalty is everything and love can cost your life, will Wren risk her heart on the one man she was never meant to love?