by Iona Rose
“Ok, fair point,” Erika says with a small smile.
It makes my heart soar to see her smiling.
“So you thought Jeremy had hurt me. And I’m guessing you’re the one who set all of this up?” she says.
I nod my head.
“Yes. Jeremy followed me to the hospital today, and this time, he didn’t just threaten me. He threatened you too, and that’s when I knew I had to make sure he didn’t get away with this. I told Jeremy I was going out of town tonight and to stay away from you, knowing he would take the bait. Then I convinced Nadia to help me by getting you out of the house this afternoon so that Officer Prescott could sneak in. I told Officer Prescott everything. She was skeptical at first, but she agreed to be here. And the rest, as they say, is history.”
Erika is quiet for a moment and then she glances at Nadia.
“That’s why you seemed so nervous before you went out wasn’t it? You didn’t really have a date,” Erika says to Nadia.
Nadia nods.
“Yes. I’m sorry I lied to you,” she says.
“I’m sorry about that too,” I say.
“I understand why you didn’t tell me at first, but why didn’t you tell me about the plan for tonight? Even if I thought you were jealous, I would have come around when you told me you’d even managed to convince the police about this,” Erika says.
“I wanted to tell you, but I figured if I was wrong, I didn’t want to scare you half to death for no reason. And if I was right, for this to work, you needed to act natural around Jeremy. If you were too much on edge or acting like you were scared of him before he even started with the threats, then he would have known something was up and he would have walked away from this without being punished. There’s no way I could have convinced Officer Prescott that Jeremy was the one who attacked you if he had come here tonight and not caused a scene.”
“He asked me to marry him before he started actin all crazy,” Erika says.
“Wow, I knew he was crazy, but that’s a step too far even for him,” I say.
Erika laughs and nudges me with her elbow.
“Are you saying someone would have to be crazy to want to marry me?” she laughs.
“No of course not,” I say quickly. “But it’s a big step from someone you’re not even seeing.”
“It was pretty intense,” Erika admits. “I was really scared for a while there, but I’m glad it’s all over now.”
“You don’t have to be scared ever again,” I tell her. “Jeremy is in custody now and I swear I won’t let him or anyone else hurt you ever again.”
She smiles at me and I see tears shining on the surface of her eyes. I reach out and squeeze her hand and she squeezes back.
“Can you forgive me for keeping this from you?” I ask.
She nods her head and smiles at me.
“Yes. But don’t make a habit out of it ok? I don’t want you to think I can’t handle stuff alright?”
“Noted,” I smile.
Nadia stands up.
“I’m going to go and make some tea,” she says. “Erika has had quite a shock tonight and it will do her good. And I can see you two are just dying for me to leave the room so you can get back to kissing.”
Erika blushes again and Nadia laughs as she heads out of the room.
“Don’t worry. I’ll give a big cough when I’m coming back,” she says.
She’s barely out of the door when I kiss Erika again. Her arms wrap around me and we hold each other tightly as we kiss. For all Erika’s touch, her kiss, has its usual effect on me, the kiss isn’t a passionate kiss. It’s a sensual kiss, a tender kiss. A kiss that I hope tells Erika that I never want to let her go again, and a kiss that I hope is her way of telling me that she’s not going anywhere. I pull back after a couple of minutes and look into Erika’s eyes.
“I know this is too soon, but I also know how close I came to losing you. If Jeremy had gotten to you without Officer Prescott being around …”
“It’s ok,” Erika says. “I’m ok.”
“I know,” I smile. “But it made me realize something. And I don’t care that it’s too soon to say it. Erika, I love you.”
“I love you too,” she says.
Her eyes fill with tears again and she smiles as they start to fall.
“They’re happy tears this time,” she tells me.
We kiss again. She tastes of her salty tears. I hold her tightly against me, like I’m afraid that she’ll float away if I let go of her. The truth is, I’m so happy to hear Erika saying those words back to me, that I think I might float away at any given minute. When the kiss ends, I take Erika’s hand in mine and look at her again.
“I know this is probably a stupid question after we’ve already told each other we love each other, but will you be my girlfriend Erika?”
She nods her head and I relax slightly. I’m not going to lose her. I’m going to do everything in my power to make her happy and make sure that never happens.
“I haven’t so much as looked at anyone else since you came into my life, but I want to make it official. We’re exclusive right?”
“Right,” Erika laughs. Her laugh fades but she’s still smiling. “You know, I never thought I would be grateful to the guy that almost killed me, but if that hadn’t have happened we never would have met.”
“I’d like to think we still would have met. That fate would have found a way to bring us together,” I smile.
Erika smiles back at me and I lean in for another kiss, but before our lips touch, Nadia coughs loudly from the hallway. We move apart and Nadia comes into the room. She is carrying a tray with a teapot, a milk jug, a sugar bowl and two cups. I frown at the two cups.
“There are three of us Nadia,” I say.
“Haven’t you heard the saying; three’s a crowd?” Nadia says. “I wanted to see you and make sure you were ok Erika, but I’m going out now.”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t want you to feel like you’re not welcome in your own home,” Erika says.
“You’re not making me feel like that at all,” Nadia says, waving her hand. “Remember the guy I told you about from the gym?”
Its news to me but Erika nods and sits forward on the couch.
“It went well the other night with him?” she asks.
“Really well,” Nadia grins. “It seemed a shame to get all dressed up like this and not go out, so I called him from the kitchen and we’re going out for dinner. We’ll probably do something else afterwards. So don’t wait up ok?”
Nadia winks and I cringe.
“God Nadia, leave something to the imagination,” I say.
She laughs and shakes her head.
“Oh don’t be such a prude,” she chastises me.
Her phone dings and she pulls it out of her hand bag and looks at the screen.
“That’s him,” she says. “Have fun you two.”
“You too,” Erika calls after her.
We turn to face each other as the door closes behind Nadia, and this time when we kiss, we don’t jump apart. We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms, the tea forgotten, everything forgotten except each other.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Erika
My stomach is rolling with nerves and I run to the bathroom and grab a piece of tissue to wipe my palms dry. I hear laughter from the room I left and I go back.
“It’s not funny. I’m shitting a brick here,” I tell Nadia who is still laughing.
“Well yeah, it’s natural to be nervous,” she says. She narrows her eyes and stops laughing for a moment. “You’re not having second thoughts are you? You can tell me if you are.”
“I’m not,” I tell her. “I want to marry Aidan more than anything. It’s not the thought of marrying him that’s got me this way. It’s the thought of walking down the aisle in front of all of those people. What if I trip and fall over or something?”
Nadia is laughing again when she replies.
“Well it’ll give all of your guests a fantastic story to tell their friends,” she says.
“That’s not helping,” I groan.
She laughs again and gets up off the chair and comes to my side. She moves in front of me and takes both of my hands in both of hers.
“Listen to me. You’re not going to fall. You’re going to walk down the aisle and the only thing anyone will be telling their friends after this is over is how beautiful you looked. Everything is going to be fine Erika,” she says. “Just try to relax and enjoy your day.”
“Thank you,” I tell her. I feel a little bit better at her words. She’s right. Everything will be fine. I’m just worrying about nothing. “And thank you for being here with me, keeping me calm.”
“Where else would I be?” Nadia asks. “Aidan might have gained a wife, but I’ve gained a best friend.”
I pull her in for a hug, careful not to wrinkle either of our dresses.
“Now come on, let’s get moving,” Nadia says, stepping back. “Jennifer is going to string me up if I don’t get you downstairs on time.”
I pick up my bouquet and take one last look in the mirror. My dress fits like a glove. It’s strapless and long, a straight white satin gown. I feel like a character in a fairy tale wearing it. I follow Nadia out of the room and to the elevator. A few of the hotel guests smile as we pass them. I smile back, so happy to finally be about to marry the man of my dreams.
We go down in the elevator and move through the lobby to the ballroom where our ceremony will take place. After the ceremony, we’ll go to the dining room for a meal and the staff will come in and transform the ballroom, moving the furniture out of the way and set up for dancing at our reception.
Jennifer smiles when she sees me approaching. She’s wearing a lilac dress that matches Nadia’s. Jennifer is my Matron of Honor and Nadia is my Maid of Honor and they will be walking me down the aisle as my parents couldn’t make the wedding. I was upset when I heard they couldn’t come, but I remind myself they’re happy for me and I’m not going to let that ruin my day.
“Are you ready?” Jennifer asks me.
“Yeah,” I say.
“Actually, you’re not quite ready,” she says.
She and Nadia share a smile and I frown, confused. A door opens to my side and my jaw drops as my dad steps out dressed in a black tuxedo.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” I ask.
“As if we would miss your wedding,” he laughs. “We wanted to surprise you.”
“Well you’ve certainly done that,” I laugh as I hug him.
The wedding march begins to play from inside of the ballroom. Jennifer and Nadia pull the doors open and begin to walk down the aisle. My dad offers me his arm and I take it and we walk down the aisle, walking towards my future with my one true love.
As soon as I see Aidan standing at the front of the ballroom looking gorgeous in his tuxedo that matches my dad’s, I feel my nerves melting away replaced with the happiest feeling I have ever felt. I have nothing to be nervous about. I know that this is the first day of the rest of my life, and it’s a life I never even dared to dream I could have and now it’s mine.
* * *
THE END
Coming Soon - Sample chapters
RECKLESS ENTANGLEMENT
* * *
Chapter 1
Callie
* * *
I hurry across the parking lot, coming as close as I can to running without risking breaking an ankle. My skin tight pencil skirt and killer heels aren’t the kind of outfit a girl runs in. They aren’t the sort of outfit I ever pictured myself waitressing in either, but that’s the joy of working in La Trattoria. I can’t complain though. It’s high end enough that the tips from my part time job pay my bills and leave me with enough time to study for college.
I check my watch as I burst through the back door and into the staff room, a grubby room filled with a scratched table and three broken chairs. A stark contrast to the restaurant floor where everything is immaculate, brand new and shiny.
My heart sinks when I see Marco sitting in one of the chairs, his feet propped up on the table. As bosses go, he’s the worst. He’s by far the laziest man I’ve ever met, but his standards rival those of The Waldorf when it comes to us waitresses. He makes a show of looking at his watch. He tuts and shakes his head.
“I’m sorry,” I say, already taking my coat off. “There was an accident on the way in and the diversion was crazy busy. I’ll make the time up I swear.”
“See that you do Callie.” He gets up and saunters towards the door, blocking my path as I try to leave the room. “This is just unprofessional. I guess I shouldn’t expect better from a student though, huh?”
With that, he’s gone, leaving me standing there open mouthed at the sheer audacity of him calling me unprofessional. All of this drama because I was two minutes late. Like literally two minutes. It’s not really about me being a few minutes late though. It’s about me rejecting his advances last week when he hit on me in his office.
As if I could ever be attracted to him. I mean he’s not ugly or anything to look at, but boy is he ugly on the inside. Besides, sleeping with the boss is such a cliché, and I refuse to be one of those girls who is never quite sure if she’s kept around because she’s good at her job, or because she’s eye candy for the boss.
I shake my head, telling myself to let it go. I won’t let that douchebag into my head. I hit the restaurant floor with my fake smile plastered on.
“Callie? Table three is up,” the line chef shouts the second I appear.
I rush forward and grab the two plates. They’re hot, burning my skin and I almost let them go, but I manage to hold onto them. I’m used to being burned by the plates, but the first time each night always gets me. I rush them to the table, slowing down at the last second and smiling once more. “One carbonara?” I say.
The woman at the table smiles and gestures that it’s hers.
I set the plate down in front of her and turn to the man. “And one lasagna.” I smile, placing the plate down in front of him. “Enjoy your meals.”
They thank me, but as I walk away, I can hear them muttering under their breath about how long it’s taken. Great. That’s hardly my fault, I wasn’t even here when their order was taken, but it’ll be me who gets stiffed on the tip.
As I rush back to the counter, Marco catches up with me. “Table three are not impressed with your service Callie, and frankly, neither am I. Get it together or you’re done here,” he says.
I bite my tongue, determined not to let him get to me. He knows that order being late wasn’t my fault. Sasha, one of the other waitresses catches my eye and pulls a face behind Marco’s back, making me feel slightly better about the whole thing.
I reach the counter and collect the next order, a single pizza. I turn around to deliver it and find Marco once more blocking my path.
“Are you ignoring me?” he demands.
“No,” I say, nodding towards the plate in my hand. “Just trying to get us caught up.”
“Maybe we wouldn’t be in the weeds if you had shown up on time,” he says, but he moves out of my way.
I can feel my temperature rising in anger at his tone of voice as I rush across the restaurant. My focus is on trying not to show my anger, and I’m not paying as much attention as I should be to the restaurant floor. Before I register what’s happening, I feel myself tripping.
I start to fall and everything slows down as my stomach turns over. I have time to imagine the clatter as I slam to the ground, the laughter, Marco’s anger that I’ve wasted the pizza. As if by a miraculous intervention warm hands catch the tops of my arms saving both me and the pizza from taking a dive.
I look up to thank my savior but the words die on my lips as I take in the tousled rich brown hair, the square jaw, and the deep chocolate eyes I could easily lose myself in. I swallow hard, dragging my eyes away hurriedly as I feel my cheeks turning red. My eyes move downwards of t
heir own accord, taking in a black shirt covering huge pecs and abs of steel.
My stomach rolls again, but this time it’s nothing to do with me falling. It’s him. His hands are still on me and I can feel him watching me. I look back up to his face and once more I am assaulted by his eyes.
“For God’s sake take the pizza to the damned customer,” Marco hisses in my ear.
The moment is broken and the man pulls his hands away from me, although he still holds my gaze with his own. I try to thank him, but my voice is gone and I just scurry away, thanking my lucky stars that the table is one of the ones in the patio area.
The cool night air washes over me as I go outside and I feel the flush in my cheeks start to die down. I deliver the pizza uneventfully and take a moment to just breathe in a few deep breaths. I steel myself for Marco’s tirade and head back inside.
A woman practically runs towards me when she sees me come back in. “I’m so sorry miss,” she says. “Are you ok?”
“I-I’m fine,” I say with no idea who she is or what’s going on.
She sees confusion written all over my face and she smiles sheepishly. “It was my bag you tripped over,” she explains.
“Oh,” I say, forcing a soft laugh. “Don’t worry about it. Really, I should have been watching where I was going.” I excuse myself as soon as I can without looking rude and make my way back towards the counter.
“Chef wants you to go and grab some ice from out back,” Sasha says as I approach.
I nod, glad for the chance to get off the floor and take a moment to compose myself. I’ve been here less than half an hour and my shift is already spiraling. I hurry out the back and I spot him again. The man who saved me. He’s talking to Marco and my heart sinks for a moment. Is he complaining about me?
I realize with a start the shirt he’s wearing isn’t any old black shirt. It’s one of ours. He must have started working here tonight. Great. So I have to see him every time I’m working now.