This Obsession of Mine (Raine Series #5)

by Amanda Bennett

  “Don’t I know it.” I shouted back before headin’ back inside. Unfortunately, when I got back to the booth, Diem was gone.

  I walked over to the waitress to see if she saw where she may have disappeared to, but she said that she didn’t notice her leavin’. I searched the entire diner, but came up empty handed, that is, until I sat back down in the booth. There on a small white table napkin, in the most perfect handwriting, sat a note:

  Sorry to leave you, love, but she was watching and I didn’t want to interfere with anything. Call me later.

  Love,

  D

  I quickly crumbled up the note, and shoved it into my pocket while pullin’ out enough money to pay the bill. I threw the money down on the table, and started makin’ my way out to my truck. I looked before crossin’ the street and was completely shocked when I saw Tanya leanin’ against my truck door. Looks like tryin’ to get out of this whole marriage thing was gonna prove to be harder than I anticipated.

  Chapter 6

  Diem

  I wish I could’ve stayed with Joey, but it was just proving to be loads harder than I ever expected. I waited all day in my hotel, but the only person who came to see me was his lovely wife. We had a bit of a kerfuffle, and she out right told me that if I didn’t leave that instant that she would make me. I’m not one to talk bad about another girl, but she was a bit of a wanker, and I tried to stand my ground, but in the end it was all too much to take. Her threats were real, and I could tell that she would stop at nothing to have him all for herself.

  Once again I was gutted to have to say goodbye to him, so I opted to just leave a note at the front desk. I wanted to stay and fight for him, but I knew that there was a serious situation to take into consideration, so this was all I had to give at the moment. I could only hope that he found this note to explain my hesitation to stay. I had tears in my eyes as I handed the envelope that contained my emotional goodbye over to the guy working. I apologized, and ran out to my taxi.

  As soon as I walked through the door of my flat, I lost it. My father tried calling me at least a billion times, but I was so exhausted from crying that I couldn’t muster up the energy to call him back. This lasted for about a week before my father finally came knocking. As soon as I pried myself off of my bed and answered the door, he came rushing to my side. Once again I felt like a child who needed their daddy to take care of them and fix all their problems. I was better than this.

  “Diem, love, I’ve never seen you like this before. What happened?” I could tell my father was genuinely concerned, but I wasn’t ready to talk about it just yet. So I just shook my head. “Honey, everything is going to be all right. I promise. I brought a bit of good news to you.” He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket as I wiped my tears from my cheeks.

  “What is it?” I blubbered.

  “Just open it,” he smiled as he pushed the envelope towards my hand.

  When I saw the logo on the envelope, I practically lit up. “Are you serious?” I laughed. I ripped through the envelope with glee, and stood there staring at the letter in my hand. “I got in.” I mumbled.

  “What? Are you serious?”

  I started nodding my head, “Yes, I made it into the University of San Francisco. I can’t believe it.”

  My father came barreling at me around my kitchen counter, swooping me up into a giant bear hug and swinging me around. “Oh my baby girl, I’m so proud of you. See, I knew you could do it.”

  I was deliriously happy, but it all came to a screeching halt when the only person I wanted to celebrate with besides my father, was the one person that I couldn’t call. This was crap. I just couldn’t fathom how I was going to move to the states, and not even be able to be with the one person I absolutely couldn’t see spending the rest of my life without. That’s when the tears started running down my face again. I buried my face into my father’s jacket, letting all my emotions go.

  “You’ll get over him, honey. This will be the perfect opportunity for you to move on, and focus on your brilliant self. Do you hear me?” I shook my head into his hands that were holding my face, but I just couldn’t believe what he was telling me. He just had no idea. “Okay, I’m going to go now. Are you going to be okay?”

  “I think so.” I lied.

  “Don’t forget about dinner tonight.”

  In all of the self-loathing and heartache, I had completely forgot about the date. “I’ll start getting ready, Daddy. I’ll see you in just a bit.”

  “I’ll get the flowers?” I nodded in agreement as I walked my father to the door. “Love you.” He placed a chaste kiss to my forehead, and I suddenly remembered just how hard life can really be.

  As I stood in the loo, getting ready for dinner, I couldn’t help but think of her. It felt like a million years ago, the last time I saw her, but in all actuality it had only been four years. I remember my mum’s beauty more than anything. She was absolutely gorgeous. My father had come over to London on a business trip, and ran into her at a local café. My mum used to tell me the story every night before bed, and I loved hearing about a love like theirs.

  She would recollect how nervous he was, and that he practically spilled a glass of wine on her white shirt while trying to wave the waiter down to get her a glass. She told me she took a shine to him from that moment, and she knew her life would never be the same after that. Until I was born, that is. She adored my father, and I had never witnessed another couple so in love and romantic. It was as though I was watching one of those sappy romance movies. Looking back I wish I would have taken note of how to be the perfect…well…everything.

  My mum was my world, even more so than my father, and I never expected to lose her so early in my life. I was only a month into holiday when it happened, and I was completely devastated that I wasn’t even sure if I would make it to my last year of school. She just didn’t wake up one morning, and some how my father and me were supposed to be okay with that. If it weren’t for me, he never would have made it. It took me quite some time to even cope with what had happened, but my father needed me, and I was determined to make him whole again. Once he was put back together, then I put myself back together.

  Now here we are, four years later, at our favorite restaurant, eating her favorite dish. It was bittersweet, and as much as I miss her, I know she would want what is best for me. “Daddy, I’m wondering if I should stay here…with you.”

  “Oh honey, you can’t do that. Your mother is turning in her grave as you speak. She would kill me.” He laughed as he took a bite of his pasta Bolognese.

  “It’s not funny, Daddy. I’m serious. I don’t want you to be alone.” I reached for his hand, and he pulled mine to his lips.

  “My baby girl, always so worried about her dear old dad. I will be fine. I’m good now, and you need to go and be a young woman and experience the world…without your dad.”

  I pulled my hand back from him with a frown on my face. “I don’t know how to live without you.” I muttered under my breath.

  “Oh my dear girl, of course you do. You’ve been doing it your entire life.” He laughed. “In fact, you lived without me, and even brought me back to life. You are far more capable than what you give yourself credit for. For crying out loud, you just tried to move to Texas without me. You are going, and that is that.”

  I wanted to argue with him. I wanted to tell him that I just couldn’t bring myself to go all the way back to the States knowing that the only person I have ever loved was within my reach. But I couldn’t, and I didn’t. Instead, I sat there and smiled as we made plans to have him fly out with me, to see where I would be living of course, and all the things we would do together before he headed back home. He just looked so damn happy, I couldn’t help but smile along with him and agree to it all.

  A few short days later and I was all packed and ready to go. I stood in the entryway of my flat, already missing all the amazing memories that I had made in this place over the last, and shortest year of my
life. I took in a deep breath, and clutched my rollaway in my hand as I turned and walked out the front door for the last time…at least for a while. I gave my father a quick wave hello just before turning and locking up. When I turned back around he was already at my side taking my baggage from me.

  “How is my baby girl doing today? All set to go?”

  I smiled and nodded as we walked down the short walkway from my door, and out the small black wrought iron gate. From this moment forward, nothing in my life would be the same. But I was pretty sure that I was okay with that. Over the last month I had actually had some time to get used to the idea of moving, and I just knew it was going to be the best thing for me. This English gal was about to become a California girl, and I couldn’t wait.

  ~~~

  Twelve hours later we were landing in my new home state. I glanced over at my father as we were coming in for our landing, but he was still sound asleep. The eight hour difference in time was definitely going to throw us for a loop. I gently shook his shoulder as the plane began taxiing into its slot for us to deplane, but he wasn’t waking. I shook him a little bit harder, and he finally awoke with a startle.

  “Sorry Daddy, I didn’t mean to scare you. We’re here.” I smiled.

  “Did I sleep the entire flight?” He yawned as he stretched his long legs out into the aisle of first class. Daddy always flew first class.

  “Most of it, yeah. That’s okay though, it gave me time to read through the school booklet.”

  “My little nerd, please don’t ever change.”

  I smiled as the loud annoying binging noise come over the intercom to let us know that we could now stand up. The best part about flying first class was that I was able to get off the plane faster than anyone else. I was beyond claustrophobic, and as soon as people began moving about to gather their belongings, I practically have a panic attack at the closeness of all of them. My father patted me on the back as I made my way down the metal staircase outside of the plane. I took in a deep breath as I slipped my sunglasses onto my face, stopping long enough to look at the beautiful sights before me.

  I had never been to California. Sure I had seen pictures and movies that were filmed here, but none of that did this place justice. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The buildings, bridges, the ocean…everything. The ocean was completely different from the one we see in Europe. It was fascinating.

  “What do you think?” My father’s voice caught me off guard as I began moving my feet again.

  “It’s gorgeous.”

  “Come on, let’s get our bags. I have a surprise for you.”

  “Daddy, you shouldn’t have. You’ve already done enough, between paying for school and the flight, you don’t need to do anything more.”

  “I know I don’t have to, I wanted to.” He draped his arm across my shoulders as we walked through the airport to grab our baggage.

  We flagged down a taxi, and off we went. I wasn’t quite sure where exactly we were headed, but I knew it was most likely one of the most fancy hotels around if my father had anything to say about it. So when we pulled up in front of a gorgeous Victorian house, I was baffled. I glanced out the window in confusion, but when I glanced over at my father, he was already exiting the taxi. I followed suit, not sure if he had rented this place for the week he was going to be here.

  “Daddy, where are we?” I implored.

  He held out his hand that was clutching onto a shiny silver keychain, “Welcome home.”

  My mouth fell open in shock, “You’re joking me?” I laughed.

  “Nope. This is all yours.”

  I jumped into my father’s arms, and held onto him tightly. “You’re amazing.”

  “Well, let’s go inside.”

  I clutched my father’s hand in mine, and made my way up the steps to my new American home. It was utterly perfect, and all mine, and I couldn’t have been happier in this moment…unless I had my mother on the other side of me.

  Chapter 7

  Joey

  Walking back onto the campus of Texas University was a surreal feelin’. I glanced down at my schedule that I was holdin’ in my hand, and suddenly it was no longer my schedule but the infamous note that Diem had left for me when she ran away. Her words were so precise and though they were supposed to let me know all the harsh realities I had yet to face, she had still found a way to make those words comforting. It was amazing. She was amazing.

  Her words replayed in my mind as I shook the devastating thought from my mind. I looked up to see where I was, and try to figure out where I needed to go. Just as I was about to walk into what I could only assume was the main building, a young brunette caught me by the elbow, stoppin’ me right where I stood.

  “I’m sorry to bother you, but are you Joey Green?”

  She was stunning, but I wasn’t quite sure how she knew me, and it was definitely throwin’ me off. “I’m sorry, do I know you?” I turned to face her and she backed up a bit while droppin’ her hand from my arm.

  “I’m sorry. I’m Tessa. Dean Rodgers asked me to find you. Can you come with me please?”

  I nodded as she turned and started makin’ her way back the way that I had just came. I was suddenly gettin’ extremely irritated with this girl, despite her good looks. I had literally just found my way to my first class, and she was already messin’ my day up. This should be fun.

  “Stay here for one second, I’ll go grab Dean Rodgers.”

  I opened my mouth to speak, but she was gone in a flash. I glanced around the administrative office in disbelief that I was finally here to play ball, and that it was gettin’ me one step closer to my dream of playin’ in the NFL. There was a picture on the far wall that caught my attention, and I suddenly felt myself being drawn to it. When I stepped in front of the picture, I couldn’t help the smile that formed on my face. It was the football team picture of 1993, and there was my dad, right in the middle. Though college felt daunting, right now, in this moment, I couldn’t be more proud to follow in my dad’s footsteps.

  “Mr. Green?” A loud booming voice came from behind me and I almost jumped out of my skin.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Dean Rodgers. Please, follow me to my office.”

  I held my hand out to shake his, and then proceeded to follow him to his office. As soon as we entered, I quickly took a seat, makin’ myself comfortable. “It’s nice to meet you Dean Rodgers, but I guess I’m just wonderin’ why I’m being called into your office.” I laughed.

  “Nothing to be alarmed about, son. I just wanted to meet the boy I’ve heard so much about. You know, your father raves about you, along with the entire town of Abernathy, not to mention the school. You’re quite the athlete.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Please, call me Sonny.”

  “I don’t think I can do that, sir. My father taught me to always refer to my elders in a respectful manor, even if they ask otherwise.”

  “I respect that, and your father is a smart man. I like it. Well Joey, I just wanted to introduce myself. We are thrilled to have a quarterback as talented as yourself back here, and we can’t wait to see you in action at our first game next week.”

  “Thank you, sir. I’m extremely excited to be back, and can’t wait to get out on that field.” I glanced down at my watch, and realized that I was going to be late for my first class if I didn’t hightail it outta here, like now. “I’m sorry sir, but it looks like I’m gonna be late if I don’t get goin’.” I stood and held out my hand again. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

  “The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Green. Have a great day.”

  I wish I could’ve stayed and bullshitted with Dean Rodgers more, but I didn’t want to make a bad impression on my teachers this semester. Even though I was here to play ball and hopefully get noticed by some pro scouts, I still had to keep up my GPA or I would be out, and my dream of eventually playin’ pro would go out right along with it. I ran to my first class, and ar
rived just as the professor was gettin’ ready to close the door.

  “Cutting it close, aren’t we?” The haggard old man in front of me muttered as I strolled in past him.

  “Sorry.” I muttered in return.

  I quickly grabbed the only open seat left, and took out my laptop to begin takin’ notes.

  “Welcome to economics. I’m Professor Weaton, and this won’t be the easy class you think it will be. I know that most of you play football for our lovely school, and I would just like to set the record straight real quick. In this class, you are NOT a football player. You are NOT special, and I do NOT care if you need to pass this class in order to play. You WILL give this class your all, and if you don’t, that will reflect in your grade. Simply put…if you put forth the effort, I will recognize it. Now, that being said, my office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. Friday through Sunday, I’m sorry but you are shit out of luck.” I wanted to laugh at how forward this guy was, but after glancin’ around at everyone else’s stonewalled faces, I quickly changed my mind. “Alright, let’s begin.”

  I walked out of economics an hour later wonderin’ what the hell I had gotten myself into. I knew college wasn’t goin’ to get easier, and I knew that not every teacher was goin’ to be the teacher I dreamed they would be, but Professor Weaton was in his own class. I’m sure he was used to athletes comin’ here thinkin’ they would just walk all over the teachers and the system, but to lump all of us together in a group like that wasn’t okay with me. I tucked my pen behind my ear and started makin’ my way to find my next class. Besides takin’ economics, I had a full load of classes. Next up…Biology.

  The rest of my day went by at a glacial pace, and by the time 3:00 rolled around, I was done. Luckily I only had to go by Coach Decker’s office, and then I could head out. Of course it took me about twenty-five minutes to get to his office, but once I walked through that door, everything fell right into place.