by Tina Martin
“My apologies, Mr. Wesley. Shall I roll up the partition?”
“Please.”
When the partition is up, my full attention goes to the box in my hand. I told myself I wouldn’t open it until I arrived at my suite, but I’m dying to know of its contents. I miss her already and it’s only been twenty minutes since I left her house.
I open the box. Instantly, I smell her candles, and sure enough, there are two of them here – the Sweet Mornings coffee candle that she loves and another one. Enchanted. I unscrew it and smell it. It must be new. I’ve never seen her burn this one.
She’s given me a bottle of sweet almond oil, black soap, a jar of Oatmeal Milk & Honey lotion and a deck of Uno cards. I open the lotion – smell her skin. This is all she wears. I take some on my index finger, rub it on my hands. The smell – oh, this smell makes me feel like I have her with me. In the box is also a check – a one-thousand-dollar check. And there’s a letter.
I unfold it. The sight of her handwriting has me ready to tell Percy to turn around so I can have the satisfaction of kissing her lips – something I fought hard to restrain from doing when we parted. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever restrained myself from anything or anyone in my life. I see it, I want it, I get it. But not with her. She’s different. She’s special. I’m in awe of everything that she is.
As I begin reading her letter, I can hear her voice in my mind:
Cain,
I want to apologize first for not quite knowing how to say goodbye to you. It’s something I thought I’d never have to do. I imagined you’d get a job around here somewhere and we’d be the best of friends. Thought you’d become a permanent part of my life but somewhere in my mind, I knew you’d only be here for a short time.
I was right.
It’s Saturday night and I’m up writing this letter because I can’t sleep knowing that tomorrow, you’re leaving. I miss you already. I’ll miss coming home to you. Seeing you walk toward my car when I get home from work. I complained about this nonstop, but I’ll miss you taking charge and helping me out around here. I don’t know what I’ll do without you, but I know I’ll make a way somehow.
To cope, I’ll remember our dinners together. Remember sharing laughs and watching movies with you. I’ll remember how you broke into my house to unplug my crock-pot. Good times! I’ll look at the garden you made for me and think of my mother, and you. I’ll remember the moment you got on your feet and took charge of your life to do better for yourself despite what’s happened to you in the past. You’re a strong man. I believe in you. I know you’ll be somebody. Just don’t forget the little people who helped you along the way.
Lastly, I just want to say thank you for being a part of my life for the short while you were here. I strongly believe people come in and out of our lives for a reason. The reason you were here? It wasn’t for me to help you. I think it was more for you to help me. You taught me something valuable – taught me not to judge people and to show more compassion. We need more of that in the world, especially with everything the way it is now.
I’ll miss your smile. I’ll miss your voice. I’ll miss your brown eyes. They’ve always enchanted me and even inspired a new candle scent – Egyptian musk. I named this one, Enchanted. Every time I light it, I’ll think of you. Thanks for the inspiration.
With Love,
Ahmalee
I place all the contents of the box back inside, set it in the seat next to me and drop my head.
“What have I done?” I hear myself asking aloud. “What have I done?”
It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. The lies. The deception. Ahmalee gave me her all, and all I gave her in return were lies.
The truth is, I’ve never been homeless. Never been married. I have an excellent relationship with my parents. They never lost a company over something I’ve done. I’m self-made. I’ve never had to struggle for anything.
Who am I?
I’m the multi-millionaire, CEO of Immersive Media Production Studios based out of Charlotte, North Carolina.
And my name is not Cain.
* * *
To Be Continued….
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading When I Needed You (An Unlikely Love, Part I). Please leave a review. I appreciate your support.
When I Needed You was a story that came out of nowhere – well, actually, I can’t say it sprung from nothing. I guess if I had to tell you where the inspiration came from, it would be a lot of what’s going on in the world. Human compassion is lacking in this me-first world and I wanted to emphasize compassion in this book – a story that pulls at your heartstrings and show you how we’re all one no matter what our current circumstances are. Of course it’s a romantic suspense, so the passion had to emerge at some point, and since it’s a suspense, you – the reader – are clued in on something that the heroine (Ahmalee) doesn’t know.
If your jaw dropped, I did my job (LOL). My jaw dropped when I wrote it. (No exaggeration.) It’s the suspense in me. TV shows do it all the time and since I believe I write as if I’m writing a movie, I wanted to give you that jaw-dropping, to be continued effect. Not to worry, though. I won’t make you wait two months for the finale. In fact, you don’t have to wait one month. The finale – When You Needed Me – will be released on July 31, 2020!
Until then, pull yourselves together and forget everything you think you know about Cain Wesley.
Until we meet again,
Tina
Discover other books by Tina Martin:
The Boardwalk Bakery Romance Series
{Available on Kindle Unlimited}
*This is a continuation series that must be read in order.
Baked With Love | Baked With Love 2 | Baked With Love 3
____
St. Claire Series
{Available on Kindle Unlimited}
Royal | Ramsey | Romulus
Regal | Magnus | Monty
Honeymoon With a St. Claire
____
An Unlikely Love Series
When I Needed You
When You Needed Me
____
Seasons of Love Novelettes
Hot Chocolate: A Winter Novella | Spring Break: A Spring Novella
____
The Marriage Chronicles
{Available on Kindle Unlimited}
*This is a continuation series that must be read in order.
Life’s A Beach | Falling Out | War, Then Love
____
The Blackstone Family Series
*All books in this series are standalone novels and are full, complete stories.
Read them in any order.
Evenings With Bryson | Leaving Barringer
Forever Us: Barringer and Calista Blackstone
The Things Everson Lost | Candy’s Corporate Crush
____
A Lennox in Love Series
*All books in this series are standalone novellas and are full, complete stories.
Read them in any order.
Claiming You | Making You My Business | Wishing That I Was Yours
Caught in the Storm with a Lennox | Before You Say I Do |
Winter Wonder | Winter Wedding
____
Mine By Default Mini-Series:
*This is a continuation series that must be read in order.
Been In Love With You, Book 1 | When Hearts Cry, Book 2
You Belong To Me, Book 3 | When I Call You Mine, Book 4
Who Do You Love?, Book 5 | Forever Mine, Book 6
____
The Champion Brothers Series:
*All books in this series are standalone novels and are full, complete stories.
Read them in any order.
His Paradise Wife | When A Champion Wants You
The Best Thing He Never Knew He Needed
Wives And Champions | The Way Champions Love
His By Spring | A Champion’s Proposal
____
The Accident
al Series:
*This is a continuation series that must be read in order.
Accidental Deception, Book 1 | Accidental Heartbreak, Book 2
Accidental Lovers, Book 3 | What Donovan Wants, Book 4
____
Dying To Love Her Series:
*This is a continuation series that must be read in order.
Dying To Love Her | Dying To Love Her 2
Dying To Love Her 3
____
The Alexander Series:
*Books 1-4 must be read in order.
The Millionaire’s Arranged Marriage, Book 1 | Watch Me Take Your Girl, Book 2
Her Premarital Ex, Book 3 | The Object of His Obsession, Book 4
*Books 5-8 can be read as standalone books.
Dilvan’s Redemption, Book 5
His Charity Challenge, Book 6 (Heshan Alexander and Charity Eason)
Different Tastes, Book 7 (Tamera Alexander and Preston Michaels)
As Long As We Got Love , Book 8 (An Alexander Family Novel)
____
Non-Series Titles:
*Individual standalone books that are not part of a series.
Secrets On Lake Drive | Can’t Just Be His Friend
Falling Again | Vacation Interrupted
The Crush | The Baby Daddy Interviews (Available on KU)
Wasn’t Supposed To Love Her
What Wifey Wants (Follow-up to Wasn’t Supposed To Love Her)
Man of Her Dreams | Bae Watch (Available on KU)
How To Love Me | Weekend Fiancé | For Ruby
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tina Martin is the author of over 70 romantic suspense and women’s fiction novels. When she’s not writing, she enjoys watching Hallmark movies, traveling, running, trying new recipes and spending time with her family. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and two children.
Tina loves to hear from readers. You can reach her by email at: [email protected]
Visit her website for more information at
www.tinamartin.net.
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