The Trouble With Us: A Second Chance Love Triangle (The Forbidden Love Series Book 2)

by Kat T. Masen

  “Are you ready, Mrs. Edwards?” I command, playfully.

  Charlotte’s lips curve upward into a mischievous smirk, the same time her beautifully manicured hands slide between her thighs.

  Fuck.

  “For you, Mr. Edwards,” she whispers with a seductive smile, purposely pushing her reading glasses above the bridge of her nose while licking her lips. “Always.”

  4

  AMELIA

  The stack of brown boxes is scattered all over the living room.

  After living on campus for three years, I finally moved into a shared apartment with Liesel and another student, Kaylee. It was a year of torture with Kaylee.

  Liesel had her quirks, but overall—I enjoyed living with her. Despite her outgoing personality which meant she enjoyed anything social, she is incredibly smart and aced her studies without breaking a sweat.

  Kaylee, on the other hand, is a whole other story.

  She enjoyed men, often bringing them over for a quick—though loud—romp in the bedroom. I would never dream of labeling her by using a derogatory word but she did enjoy bouncing from one man to another, without a single care in the world. College guys, one old enough to be my grandfather—the list goes on.

  Oh, and the one time there were more than two inside the room.

  Again, I should not judge. Some people enjoy multiple men at one time. What I don’t enjoy is waking up to some stranger inside our kitchen, barely dressed and eyeing me like some piece of meat.

  We tried to voice our concerns with Kaylee, but she didn’t seem to care. So, in the end, Liesel decided to move in with her boyfriend, and I found a place near the harbor. I am a sucker for a good view.

  My dad was not exactly keen on me living alone. Then, he tried to buy some ridiculously expensive condo for me. All I wanted was something modest, especially since I wouldn’t be spending much time here. Adding to that, I only envisioned staying here until the end of the year. It made more sense to move closer to the city since many of my classes have moved online and the commute to the office is a pain in the butt.

  The thought of living alone somewhat excites me. I’ve never lived by myself, having moved straight from home to the dorm room, then with Liesel and Kaylee. It’s the little things, like decorating how I want or knowing that all the food inside the fridge belongs to me and no one else will eat the leftover Chinese.

  If I want to walk around naked, then so be it.

  Austin and I spoke about living together, but he needs to be close to campus, especially with his course load. Studying medicine is no joke, and I admire his dedication. The guy is unstoppable. We both agreed to see how a year goes, and if we feel the urge to move in together, we will find something small in Manhattan which we can afford.

  My sister, Ava, is staying for a few days. She’d gotten into NYU and completed a business program. In the last four years, she started a new Instagram account and grew it from nothing to over a million followers. When it comes to social media, she is a master and has only just started her own business. Of course, Dad had to put his two cents in. He may not be one to scroll a feed, but he knew an opportunity when he saw it.

  “Millie?” Ava calls softly.

  “Hmm,” I hum, removing my clothes from the box and hanging them in the closet.

  “He’s back.”

  I turn to face her, my head flinching slightly. “Who’s back?”

  Ava’s eyes turn bright, the emerald green shining back in a longing stare. Her lips remain flat, her expression of concern. I turn back around without saying a word.

  Quickly, I dig my hands inside the box and fill them with more clothes, taking them back to the closet, where I hang them in silence. As I arrange them by color, I try my best to distract my thoughts with something more positive, like the diamond ring shining back at me.

  “I don’t know anything else,” she confesses. “Or why he’s back.”

  I clear my throat. “This was his home. He was bound to come back one day.”

  “True, it’s just kind of a coincidence that he came back not long after you got engaged.”

  I don’t know how to respond to that. For the longest of time, I had buried my thoughts of Will Romano. Occasionally, when they resurfaced because I walked past Times Square or heard a particular song, I would shut down the reel of memories because it was a slippery slope to self-destruction.

  It would then open up my own questions, was he in a relationship? Or was he possibly married? Though I would think something as big as that would have leaked to me. For the most part, no one ever mentioned his name. Even Uncle Rocky, on the times we caught up, never spoke about his son. Not even in a joking matter.

  It’s almost as if we never fell in love.

  “Ava…” I warn her, not wanting to discuss this further.

  “Look, Millie. I think you should know he saw my story. The one I put up of your hand, with the ring.”

  My head turns before my body, like those possessed dolls you see in horror movies. “What do you mean he saw your story?”

  “He saw my story. It showed me that he saw it.”

  “I told you not to post any pictures!” I yell, folding my arms in frustration.

  “I know.” She raises her hands in the air, surrendering. “But it wasn’t your face, nor the photo of Austin on one knee. Besides, what does it matter?”

  “Because…” I trail off, unable to say the words, yet Ava waits patiently for me to respond. “I didn’t want him knowing.”

  “What difference does it make? You love Austin, right?”

  I nod, unable to look at her.

  “So, what’s the big deal then?”

  I take a deep breath, ignoring the pang inside my chest. It’s been four years. Four years can feel like a lifetime without someone, but at the same time, ample time to move on with life. I knew nothing of his life except that he lived in London and became the billionaire he always wanted to be. Aside from that, his personal life remains a mystery. I never caved and googled him, knowing that pictures of him with other women would still hurt, especially if those women were his age.

  “If the roles were reversed, I guess, it would be hard to learn he is getting married.”

  “Millie,” Ava says, placing her hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay to still have feelings. You were in love with him.”

  “I don’t have feelings for him.” I glance at her, my smile fixed and unwavering. “We were over a long time ago.”

  Ava doesn’t press further, switching the conversation to something less serious. She knew me well enough to leave it alone, and carried on about this guy she is seeing, yet thinking of ending things because she’s bored.

  “I mean, this whole spark thing, I can’t say I’ve ever felt it,” Ava admits, plopping herself on my bed and staring at the ceiling. No surprises, she gave up on helping me unpack. “What if I can’t ignite a spark? Maybe, I’m more of a realist.”

  “You haven’t found the right person, that is all.”

  “But what does it feel like? The spark, I mean.”

  I take a deep breath, staring out the window and into the harbor. It’s almost the beginning of summer; a beautiful spring day with blue skies and warm air on our barely-clad skin. Smiling wistfully into the speckles of water, my hands wander to the pendant resting on my chest.

  “It’s like this shot of energy. It runs throughout your entire body. You feel sick, or so you think, but it’s the butterflies,” I reminisce in a low voice. “Your chest aches and you imagine what it would be like to feel this way for the rest of your life.”

  Ava hops off the bed, moving toward me. “You must feel that way with Austin, still after all these years?”

  My eyes briefly fall, only to lift moments later. “Austin is my best friend. We have this connection.”

  “Connection, spark, is it not the same thing?”

  I think about Ava’s question. How could I explain such a feeling? To experience it is never to forget.

  �
�Everyone interprets it differently.”

  “I’m overthinking things, aren’t I?” Letting out an annoyed huff, she continues, “How about pizza? I’m starved. I’ll grab one. The cute Aussie guy is working, and our banter is off the charts. You should come, see for yourself.”

  I let out a laugh. “I’m fine, you go. I’ll expect you back sometime after midnight.”

  Ava grabs her purse, offering again for me to join her in which I refuse. Once the door shuts, I grab my phone and sit out on the balcony, dialing Mom’s number.

  “Hey honey, are you all settled in?”

  “Still unpacking. Ava went to get pizza because the guy is hot, and she claims her banter with him is off the charts.”

  Mom laughs through the receiver. “Your sister said that about the doorman in our building in Manhattan. Then made me stand around so I could judge whether or not it was.”

  “Not Larry? He’s old enough to be our grandfather.”

  “Larry’s grandson.” Mom chuckles. “I believe his name was Adam? I only remember because Ava mentioned how perfect it would be if they had babies and named them all with the letter A.”

  I almost snort. “That sounds like Ava.”

  We both continue to fall into a fit of laughter over Ava’s tragic dating life. She’s not one to settle down, nor look for chemistry or this so-called spark. Ava knows how to have fun without compromising her body like Kaylee.

  My breathing begins to slow down as I come up for air.

  “Mom?” I say, lowering my voice. “Ava said Will is back.”

  “Yes, he is.”

  My lips press together as I fidget with a loose fray of my denim shorts. I open my mouth to say something, only to close it again. After what happened years ago between Mom and me, I never want to destroy our relationship ever again and lie to her. But talking about Will is more difficult than I anticipated.

  “And, um, how is he?”

  There’s a short silence; Mom is choosing her words carefully.

  “I’m not sure. Only your father has seen him.”

  “Dad saw Will?” I ask, shocked. “When, where, what happened? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Millie,” Mom voices softly. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to know given that you haven’t spoken two words about him. It was in London, about five months ago. Will was quite…how should I put it?”

  “What, Mom? Just be honest with me. I can handle it.”

  “Upset is probably the best word to use.”

  “Upset? Over what?”

  Before she even answers, it all clicks inside my slow brain. Five months ago is when Austin proposed. Throw in Ava’s comment about the photo she put online, and it all makes sense.

  “Your engagement, Millie.”

  I close my eyes, biting my lip as my stomach churns. The strange feeling, onsetting a tightness inside my chest, is unsettling. There’s a cool breeze which sweeps past the balcony, causing my skin to break out into goosebumps.

  “Mom, I don’t know what to say.”

  “You can say absolutely nothing,” she tells me, knowing me so well. “He is here, and chances are you may cross paths.”

  “It’s fine,” I say, lowering my gaze toward my ring. “We’re both adults, and mature. You’re right, we are bound to cross paths one day and hopefully it will be fine. I mean, when you and dad crossed paths all those years, was it amicable?”

  “God, no,” Mom admits, truthfully. “We were both in shock because it was by chance. I think it’s different if you agree to meet someone because then you can prepare yourself. But seeing you father after eight years and how it ended, I don’t think in my entire life I had felt so many emotions in such a short time. I was angry, hurt, confused, but above all that, I hated that I missed him.”

  “Of course you would, you still loved him.” My focus moves away from the ring, and back to the bay in front of me. “And Dad, how did he react?”

  “Your father is an alpha male. He was fixated on my then engagement with Julian. He just couldn’t get over the fact that I was getting married, questioning my decision any chance he had a moment alone with me.”

  I’m not surprised at all my dad reacted this way. I’ve seen him get all protective over Mom, and I swear, there have been times she says things to purposely rile him up. In the end, what does the past matter? They found their path together and look at them now, still in love after all these years.

  My mind begins to drift to a time when I thought no one could stop us…

  “It’s only you,” I murmured, slowing my movements. “Austin means nothing to me.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you know?”

  He placed his hand on my cheek, caressing it softly. “Amelia, my feelings for you are… I can’t explain it. I’ve never felt this way over anyone, and it scares me. You’re nineteen.”

  “I know. I’m young.”

  “You have your whole life ahead of you.”

  I felt vulnerable, but even at this moment, he stroked my cheek gently as my heart raced, aware that he’s still inside me.

  “But I don’t want to stop,” he said with finality.

  I blink my eyes repeatedly, ridding myself of the memories and ignoring the tremble of my limbs. My body begins to tense, attempting to shake off the trembling.

  I would never put myself in a position where I am alone with Will. Not because I don trust myself, but because I don’t trust his actions. If he’s anything like the man I remember, seeing him won’t be as easy as I think it will be.

  “I’m in love with you, Amelia Edwards,” he admitted, gazing into my eyes. “And no one will stop us from being together. I promise you this.”

  We both stopped ourselves from being together. There were too many hearts broken, too many people caught in our tangled web. It was never going to work between us, and the sooner I realized that—the easier it became to move on with my life.

  Will Romano may be back on American soil, but nothing will change the fact I’m marrying Austin Carter.

  My best friend, and my first love.

  It’s more than enough to withstand a lifetime.

  What else could I possibly want?

  5

  AMELIA

  The alarm's obnoxious tone blasts through the bedroom.

  My body jolts upright, eyes barely able to open as a yawn escapes me. I roll toward the nightstand, hit snooze, and fall back into the pillow. It’s so warm and soft, making it all the more inviting. I close my eyes, telling myself only a few more minutes until the sound echoes through the room again.

  “Turn it off,” Austin groans beside me.

  I reach for my phone, and turn off the alarm rather than snoozing again. I really need to find a more calming way to wake up in the morning. This brutal noise does nothing but stress me out every morning.

  “I should get up,” I tell him, stretching my arms over my head. “I have work today.”

  Austin wraps his arms around my waist, dragging me back down to snuggle beside him. His skin is warm, making it even harder for me to get out of bed.

  “I’m sure you can spare a few minutes.”

  He presses his body against me. It didn’t help that I was a night person and him a morning person. Our bodies were out of sync, which makes it difficult when you try to have sex and the other person is tired and irritable.

  “You have no clue how to take a few minutes.” I chuckle, swatting his arm, “And last night was more than enough. I seriously need to go.”

  “Fine,” he grunts playfully. “Go to work. Just remember your poor old fiancé will be suffering blue balls all day.”

  “You know, as someone studying medicine, you should know that there is no such thing.”

  Austin raises his brows with a smug look on his face. “I thought you had somewhere to be?”

  I climb out of bed, heading straight for Austin’s wardrobe where my pencil skirt and ivory blouse are hanging.

  “I do, so I’ll leave you to help
yourself,” I tease.

  My snooze left me little time to enjoy the shower. I quickly get changed, keeping my make-up minimal and tying my hair back into a ponytail. For my twenty-third birthday last year, Mom bought me a pair of patent Louboutins. She swears by them, said they are a staple part of a corporate wardrobe. They are comfortable, even for me, and thankfully they do go with everything.

  I place them on and head into the kitchen as Austin follows not too long afterward.

  “I’ve got some day on me,” Austin whistles while pouring cereal into his bowl. “A lecture then heading over to the hospital. Are we still catching up tonight?”

  “I’ve got no plans. I was going to stay in the city tonight then head back home to study. I’ve got a paper due on Tuesday, so lucky me.”

  “Dinner and a movie?”

  “It’s Friday,” I remind him with a playful smirk. “How about drinks and dancing?”

  Austin shakes his head with a knowing grin. “What happened the last time we did that?”

  I take a bite of my toast, unable to control the laughter, which causes me to choke on a piece. Quickly, I wash it down with some coffee.

  “We ended up buying cowboy hats and entered our own hot dog eating competition.”

  “And then what happened?”

  “I threw up in the street.” I shudder at the memory. “But this time is different.”

  Austin chuckles. “Why? You suddenly made your stomach turn to steel?”

  “No, we stop at two shots. Enough to loosen up, but still able to dance and have fun.”

  Austin’s roommate, Jonah, walks in, shirtless and dressed in a pair of boxers with love hearts all over them. I quickly check the time, choosing to hold back my comments on his attire and kiss Austin goodbye.

  Outside the window, the sun begins to set over the city. My eyes blur from the constant stare at the computer screen. The day seemed to flash before my eyes, only feeling like I’d just stepped into the office.