Amazed (Tempted Book 3)

by Heather Doltrice

  “Where’s your better half?”

  “Parking the car,” he said with a serious expression.

  “West! You made her park the car alone? You’re a horrible husband,” I exclaimed, walking to the table and taking a seat.

  “I’m kidding. She’s in the bathroom.”

  As if on cue Maddie walked into the dining room and joined us.

  “Good Morning, Grace. You okay?”

  So, that was the reason for their visit they had heard the news and they came to check on me.

  ”No, I’m not. What time is it? I’m going to be late for class,” I asked, forcing myself off of the chair.

  “No, you’re not. I called in sick for you and told them I had to take care of you,” Holland said, placing the food she had prepared on the table.

  “I love you,’ I told, reclaiming my chair again.

  “I know,” she replied, winking at me.

  She was a godsend.

  “So, Holland, did know that Luca wants you,” West said, smirking.

  “Who told you that?” she inquired, trying to cover up her smile with a shocked expression.

  “I heard it through the grapevine.”

  Everyone laughed except me. I couldn’t because I felt numb. I felt used but worse than that I felt heartbroken.

  Without Ethan everything was black and white. I needed some color.

  I loved color and I loved Ethan Charles. He was my color.

  I loved him but I had to face the facts that he didn’t love me.

  I was nothing to me and he was everything to me.

  Everything.

  Chapter 13

  I loved kids and that’s why I chose to get a job at the local daycare with Emma. But after everything that had happened with Ethan I wasn’t my usual peppy self and the kids and my boss could tell it. That’s why I got fired. The punches just kept coming.

  My life was going through the domino effect and I sat there and watched helplessly. There was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it. Nothing.

  “What did she say?” Holland asked, sipping on her tea.

  I called her after I got the news and asked her to meet me at Jitterbugs. Being Holland she immediately agreed.

  “She said to work with kids I had to keep my head up no matter what came my way. And she said I obviously wasn’t capable of that. So, she basically told me I was pathetic and to kick rocks,” I told her, sipping my coffee and burning the roof of mouth.

  Life’s a bitch. Even my coffee hated me.

  “You are not pathetic and you’ll find a better job. Don’t let her get you down,” she said, giving me her attempt at a pep talk.

  “She couldn’t get me down if she tried.”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  Give the girl some pompoms.

  “Because I couldn’t get any lower.”

  “Gracie, don’t say that,” she said, her eyes jumping to the door,” and also don’t look behind you.”

  That sounded like a line from a horror movie but I knew who was behind me. And I would have rather ran into Freddy Kruger.

  “That wasn’t ominous at all, Holl. Who’s with him?”

  She scanned his table to see and the whole time I kept praying that it wasn’t a girl.

  Please be a bunch of dudes and no girls.

  “West and Roman,” she said, picking at her croissant.

  Letting out a sigh of relief, I turned to steal a glance at him. His eyes met mine like he could feel me staring at him. I wasn’t looking that hard. Okay, maybe I was.

  Quickly turning my head, I picked up my phone and tried to look busy. I wanted him to look at me and think I was doing fine. Not that he cared but still.

  “Is he still looking?”

  “Nope, West is making them all take selfies and now they’re doing the duck face,” she said, giggling.

  Leave it to West to take the attention from me. In that moment I was thankful for his drag queen personality because maybe, just maybe, I could slip out without having to talk to him.

  “Let’s go,” I whisper yelled to Holland.

  Nodding, she got up from her chair and I followed her. The door was in plain sight. I could make it.

  “Grace and Holland, rude much?” West’s voice boomed through the restaurant.

  I couldn’t make it. Pushing Holland in front of me, I walked over to the table.

  “Hey, guys. How’s it going?” Holland asked, smiling at everyone but Ethan.

  “Good,” they all answered in unison.

  “Lovely. Can we go now?” I asked, making sure not to make eye contact with Ethan.

  Hearing footsteps behind me, I turned around and saw Luca smiling down at me.

  “Why are you smiling at me?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

  “I heard you lost your job. I’m just trying to cheer you up,” he said loud enough for the whole town to hear.

  “You lost your job?” Ethan asked with concern dripping from his voice.

  Ignoring him, I turned on my heels and walked to the door. Hearing him calling my name only made me go faster. I had plenty to say to him but I didn’t trust myself to not cry when I looked at him.

  “Grace, stop!” Ethan’s voice boomed through the crowded parking lot.

  “What, Ethan? What could possibly want to say to me?” I asked, stopping and turning to face him.

  I was shaking from anger and sadness. I was overcome with emotion and none of them were good.

  “Why did you lose your job?” he demanded.

  His eyes seemed genuine like he truly cared about me. It made the butterflies in my stomach flutter but I told them to settle down and not to get too excited just yet.

  I debated walking away but I knew that would only cause him to chase me and I didn’t want to be caught. I wanted to get it over with.

  “Because of you, Ethan,” I told him, holding back the sobs that were trying to escape.

  “How did I cause you to lose your job?” he asked, looking at me with concern.

  “Because ever since you changed your mind about us I’ve been in a funk and I can’t get out of it,” I said, looking anywhere but at him.

  “Grace, we weren’t serious. I’m young I don’t want to be tied down to one woman. It was fun but it’s time to get over it,” he said and his eyes hardened.

  It was like he was two different people. The caring Ethan that I was talking too only moments ago was replaced by an egotistical man whore.

  “Whatever, Ethan,” I said, storming off.

  Getting in my car, I locked all of the doors and sped away leaving him in my dust.

  He was lying to me. He had to be because what we had was definitely real, I felt it and I knew he had felt it too. He just wanted to push me away. I wasn’t sure why but he did a pretty job of doing it.

  Thinking about the kisses I wasted on him made my stomach turn. I hated him but what I hated most about him was that I loved him.

  My heart ached for him, my body trembled for him, my lips wanted to feel his lips, and my hand wanted to hold his. We were perfect. At least to me we were perfect but to him we were nothing. Nothing at all.

  After getting home and slipping on my pajamas I worked on my paper and waited for Holland to arrive.

  Hearing the door open, I turned around and saw Holland walking in.

  “Hey, you okay?” she asked with a look of sympathy overtaking her kind face.

  I was getting asked that a lot lately and I always had the same answer.

  “Not really.”

  “Go to your room and get ready we’re going out,” she said, picking up pillow and smacking me across the head with it.

  “Um, no we’re not. I have to work on my paper and if I’m not mistaking so do you,” I said, raising an eyebrow to her.

  “Thanks, Mom. I’ll get right on that right after we get back tonight,” she said, kicking off her shoes.

  Rolling my eyes, I swore to myself that I was not going out. I wasn’t in the mood.<
br />
  Hours later I found myself standing in a sea of people at the old race track. It was like Holland had super powers because she could make you do anything she wanted.

  “Why are we here again?” I yelled over the blaring music.

  “Luca told me about it. He said I should stop by,” she answered, dodging eye contact with me.

  “He’s a really bad person, Holl.”

  “He’s been really sweet to me,” she defended him.

  “You don’t know him,” I warned.

  “Maybe it’s you that doesn’t know him,” she said, locking eyes with me.

  What was with her? Eventually she would see his true colors because he was Luca Davis. He could only play nice for so long.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realized that you liked him.”

  “Well, I do. Ethan’s here,” she said, changing the subject.

  Shit.

  “Is he like Mr. Party now or something?”

  “We can leave if you want,” she said but I could tell she wanted to stay.

  “No, this town is too small to avoid him completely. I’ve got to learn to deal with that.”

  She hugged me and ran off probably to dance with Luca. At least I hoped that’s what they were doing.

  Please let that be all their doing.

  Looking down at my shoes, I tried to tell myself to enjoy myself even if Ethan was there.

  “Ethan, stop it!” I heard a girl’s voice shriek.

  My head snapped up and my eyes landed on Ethan. Brie Alexander looked as if she was surgically attached to him. Whore.

  Wait, that was mean. She was actually a really nice girl. I was just mad because of the way he was looking at her and because he had this huge smile on his face. Not too long ago he was looking at me like that.

  Hearing a familiar voice, I looked up and saw Holland headed my way. And she had Luca with her.

  “Hey, Gracie, you thirsty?” Holland asked, holding out a red solo cup for me to take.

  “Yeah, actually I am,” I said, grabbing the cup.

  “Do you want me to tell Ethan to get out of here?” Luca asked, surprising me by seeming like an actual human being.

  “No, I’m fine. I need to get over it,” I said, watching Ethan and Brie flit shamelessly.

  Was he only being nice to me in front of Holland? Or was she right and he was actually a good person?

  “Just let me know,” he said, smiling.

  Was I being punked? Where was the hidden cameras?

  Ethan and Brie danced the night away while I looked on. My heart hurt and I didn’t know when it would stop hurting.

  If it would ever stop hurting. But I knew one thing it wasn’t looking good.

  Chapter 14

  “Grace, can I see you?” Talon asked as I was leaving out of class.

  What now?

  “Sure,” I said, feeling nervous.

  “I’ll meet you at the coffee shop,” Holland whispered and bolted out of the door leaving me alone with Talon.

  He walked around and leaned against his desk. Watching the last student walk out of the class, a sexy smirk crept across his face.

  “What’s going on with you and Ethan?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, playing dumb.

  “You don’t sit together anymore. It’s almost as if you don’t even know each other.”

  He was right. We didn’t know each other. He wasn’t who I thought he was but on the other hand I wasn’t who he thought I was either.

  “Is there a point to this?” I asked, feeling confused.

  “The point is I’m not sure why you’re wasting your time moping over a boy when a man is clearly interested in you,” he said, running his eyes over my body.

  Say what?

  “I’m sorry. I’m not sure I heard you right,” I told him, looking at him as if he had grown another head.

  “You heard me right, Grace,” he said, moving closer to me.

  I didn’t move. I just stood there. Feeling his breath against my skin, I felt my body shiver. He wasn’t Ethan and I knew that he never would be but maybe Talon was better for me.

  I knew he was my professor but Ethan was my age and you saw how that worked out for me.

  “My next class starts in ten minutes but I want you to meet me at my apartment at nine,” he said, caressing my face.

  Hearing the door open, he jumped back and grabbed a paper from his desk.

  “You can do better that that, Ms. Emerson,” he said, turning on his teacher mode.

  “I’ll work on it,” I told him, grabbing the paper and scurrying out of the door.

  Running down the breezeway, I felt like I had done something I shouldn’t have and I liked it. Arriving at the coffee shop, I pulled the door open and rushed inside.

  “Over here,” Holland called, waving her arms.

  The coffee shop was micro. I saw her when I walked in the door but she was making sure that I didn’t miss her.

  “I didn’t see you sitting right in front of me. Thanks for being so helpful, Holl,” I said with sarcasm dripping from my voice.

  “Whatever. I already ordered you a breakfast tea,” she said, pointing to the red paper cup in front of her, “So, what did Talon want?”

  “Me,” I answered truthfully.

  “That wasn’t vague at all,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “He wants me to meet him at his apartment tonight,” I blurted out, covering my eyes from the embarrassment.

  Peeking through my fingers, I saw her just staring at me.

  “Do you think I’m a slut for considering it? It does sound like a bad porno doesn’t it?” I asked not stopping to take a breath, “I can tell by your face that you think I shouldn’t do it and you’re right, it’s crazy.”

  “That’s not what I was thinking,” she said, sipping her cappuccino

  “Oh, what were you thinking?”

  “I was thinking of what you should wear,” she said, smiling.

  “I love you,” I told her, drinking my tea and burning my tongue in the process.

  “I know. I love you too,” she said, getting up.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To class. We’ve got to get this day over with so we can get you ready for tonight,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

  “Horndog,” I said, following her out the door.

  “Who me? No, never,” she said, gasping mockingly.

  I loved that side of Holland. She was the innocent, angelic girl but around me she came out of her shell. She trusted me and I was so thankful for that.

  The rest of the day my nerves were running rampant. I kept asking myself if I was sure I could go through with it. Did I want to be one of those girl that got involved with her professor? Did it sound too much like a romance novel to be real? But I knew I needed something to get my mind off of Ethan and Talon seemed to be the right man for the job.

  When I finally got home and got dressed, I had just enough time to pace back and forth nervously. I almost talked myself out of going to his apartment a few times but Holland told me I was going, so I guess that was that.

  Holland pulled me down that hall, into the elevator, and held me in place as she knocked on his door. And then she bolted, leaving me standing there all alone and nervous as hell.

  “Hey, Grace,” Talon greeted me as he opened the door.

  My mind started running haywire. Did I look okay? Was my dress too slutty? Was this illegal? Did I remember to brush my teeth? What do I do if I need to poop? Was Maddie right, do I always look like a stripper? Maybe that’s why he brought me here. Yep, he thought I was a stripper. You know the usual questions any girl asks herself before a big date with a handsome professor.

  “Hi,” I said, feeling like I was going to pass out.

  “Please come in,” he said, opening the door wider.

  I could have looked at his face for hours upon end and never gotten tired but something felt off. I didn’t feel welcome and comfortable like
I did with Ethan. I didn’t feel anything I had felt with Ethan but the night was still young and I was hoping that would change.

  Walking through the door, the first thing that caught my eye was the huge bookcase in the corner. Everything about this apartment screamed man and that only made my stomach knot up with nerves.

  A couple of hours later Talon walked me to my door and leaned in for a goodnight kiss. Closing my eyes, I waited until I felt his lips on mine. His tongue brushed against my lips begging for entry. Opening my mouth, I felt his tongue swirl around mine and it feel really good. But I couldn’t stop myself from pretending that he was Ethan. I knew it was wrong but I couldn’t help it.

  “Goodnight,” he whispered, pulling away.

  “Goodnight,” I said, watching him walk away.

  When he got in the elevator I unlocked my door and pushed it open.

  “You’re back late. Did you have fun?” Holland asked, munching on chips.

  “Yeah, I did. He’s great, Holl,” I said, stepping out of my shoes, “Wait, why are you still up?”

  “Trent won’t quit calling,” she said and I couldn’t help but notice that expression completely changed.

  “I thought you had your number changed.”

  “I did but apparently he found my new one,” she said, offering me some chips.

  “I’m not hungry,” I said, shaking my head no.

  “More for me,” she said, stuffing her mouth full of chips.

  It’s funny how the people you care about the most are the ones who hurt you the most. It’s like you put all of your effort into making the relationship work while they put all their effort into destroying it.

  I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t shake Ethan after what he did. I wasn’t sure why I missed everything about us, I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t focus on Talon and I wasn’t sure why I cried every night over him when he didn’t care.

  Okay, that was a lie. I knew exactly why and that was because I loved him with everything I had.

  And then some.

  Chapter 15

  The whispers swirled around me like a tornado. Sitting in my seat, I leaned over and asked Holland if she had any idea what was going on. She didn’t.

  When the door to the classroom opened and Dean Sheldon walked in. That was odd, where was Talon?