“Does it matter now?” Ann said. “Now that you know, he’s not going to come back to me. I love him, but all he cares about is you. It’s always been you!”
“Shut the fuck up, Ann!” he warned again.
“I knew the only reason he started sleeping with me is because I looked so much like you. I was the closest thing he could get to you. But I couldn’t help developing feelings for him. You were all I had, Kevin.”
He pointed a finger in her face, but she smacked it away. “Oh, give it up. It’s out there now. After everything you’ve done, she still doesn’t want you! Accept it. Your plan separated them for three years, but they still found their way back together. It’s over, Kevin!”
I shrieked when Kevin punched her in the face. Wes rushed over and put him in a chokehold. I rushed to my mother.
“Are you okay?” I asked, helping her up on her feet.
She nodded. A week before, I would’ve loved to see her get clocked in the face. But I’d forgiven her and that spitefulness was gone.
“I’ll fucking kill you, bitch!” Kevin screamed through the choke.
I looked over at him with wide eyes; I’d never heard him so irate. The person I knew wasn’t behind his enraged eyes, and my heart dropped. Despite everything we’d been through, I didn’t know my best friend as well as I thought.
“Kevin, what is she talking about?” When he didn’t answer me, I turned to Ann.
I folded my arms. “Tell me, or I’ll have Wes release him so he can kick your ass.”
She wiped her bloody nose on her robe.
“He said he would stay with me if I helped him; that we could still have our secret meet-ups. It was his idea to have you walk in on us together. It was his idea to drug him.”
“What?” My eyes shot up to Wes, and he looked away.
I took a step back, my heart racing. “Kev, you-you… drugged Wes, so Ann could…”
I covered my hand with my mouth, but I knew that wasn’t going to stop the rising bile.
“He thought that with Wes gone, he’d have a chance. That you’d see how good he is for you. Even moved away with you. But he didn’t expect Wes to come back. And no matter what he’s tried, you two keep going back to each other.”
“But I don’t understand. If you wanted to be with me, why didn’t you just say it?”
“I did!” he roared, still struggling under Wes’s grip. “You kept turning it into a joke and calling me gay. The one time I tried to kiss you in college, you laughed in my face.”
“But, I thought you were trying to help me find someone. Weren’t you helping Steven?”
“Steven is an idiot. He did anything I told him to do: seduce you at your job, show up at the diner, call you incessantly. I needed him to distract you from Wes until he moved back to Texas.”
“So that’s why you were helping Steven? To try to keep me away from Wes. And my phone? Was that you, too?”
He didn’t answer, so I turned back to Ann. “I told him about this breakup app that would prevent calls to your ex from going through. The night he threw the brick in the window, he installed it and blocked Wes from calling your phone.”
Spots appeared in my vision; I felt like I was about to black out. I was ready to leave. I didn’t want to know anymore. My shoulders slumped, and I took a few steps back.
“You threw the brick?” Wes asked him.
“To save you, since he blocked you and Wes from calling each other,” Ann said. “And it worked. Until you hunted him down.”
I glared at my mother, shaking my head. “Luckily for you Ann, I don’t want him. So you can enjoy.”
I turned and walked out of the house without another word, bending over to puke in the grass as soon as I stepped outside.
Wes waited for me, trailing behind me to the car in silence. The ride back to his house was quiet. As soon as we entered, the tears came.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t know how to. I was just so ashamed.”
He sat on the couch next to me and I rested my head on his lap. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”
“I woke up in her bed the next morning, and I didn’t remember how I got there. We were both naked, so I knew it happened. When I went into the bathroom, I stepped on your engagement ring, and bursts of memories started returning over the next few days. I pieced enough together to figure out what happened. I’m so sorry, Key.”
“Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“She called me and said the toilet was overflowing. Said she didn’t have money for a plumber and water was leaking everywhere. She begged me to come help. The last thing I remember-”
“Shh, shh. You don’t have to talk about it.”
So much time wasted. Wes and I could’ve been married by now. I could have been a mother. The past three years of my life was pointless. So much anger, so much heartbreak, so many decisions made off a lie.
Nothing in my life made sense anymore.
“How could a mother do that to her own child? What did I do to make her hate me so much?”
He stroked my head as my tears soaked his pant leg. “Your mother is sick; you can't spend the rest of your life trying to figure out the motives behind her actions.”
I wiped my nose. “You’re right. At the end of the day, it’s over. Her influence on my life is in the past.”
If Wes could forgive her, so could I. We headed upstairs to his bedroom, spending the rest of the morning curled up in bed. I had to constantly blink back tears, my mind not fully comprehending that I was betrayed by my best friend, my brother.
“Kevin’s dad must’ve found out about him and Ann. I can't believe he didn’t tell anyone.”
“They’re not our problem now.”
“What am I going to do about my living situation? Do you think he’s coming back?”
“You can stay with me until we figure that out. I’ll arrange for someone to pack up your things.”
I blew out a breath. “I can't wait to get out of here. I never want to come back to this god-forsaken state.”
He tensed under me, but didn’t say anything. But I knew we were thinking the same thing. This was still his home. And his house was beautiful. Could our new memories in Texas replace the bad ones?
I never wanted to lose him again. I’d go wherever he went, but if he wanted me to come back to Texas, he might have to pull me along the way.
Vivian was awake when we entered her hospital room, a small smile on her lips as we stepped inside. Wes rushed to her, and she tensed at his hug.
“Sorry, did I hurt you?” he asked, inspecting her I.V.
She shook her head.
“How are you feeling?” I asked her.
She peered at me, her smile dropping.
“I’m sorry,” she said in a low voice.
Wes shook his head, wiping her hair away from his face. “Don’t be sorry. I’m just glad you’re alive. Why’d you do this, Viv?”
She sighed. “I started hanging out with bad people again. This guy talked me into it.”
“You took a lot of heroin. You know not to take that much just to get high.”
She looked away from us, staring at the closed blinds in her room. “No, I was trying… to kill myself. I’m sorry.”
“Why?” I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Her lip quivered. “Because the guy told me that Wes was going to leave me, and that I was in the way of his relationship with you. I love Wes, and I want him to be happy. I didn’t want to get in the way, but I had nowhere to go…”
“What guy?” Wes said.
I held up my hand. “I think I have an idea.”
I pulled out my phone and showed her a picture of Kevin.
“That’s him,” she said. “He gave me the drugs. I met him at the wedding.”
“Why would he do this?” Wes asked.
“Because he knew that you would run to her side and I would get jealous. Only his plan didn’t work. Viv
ian, I never want you to think that it’s either me or you. We both love Wes and we both want him to be happy. I know I haven’t always been easy to be around, and I’m sorry for that. But please never feel like I want you gone. You’re family to Wes, which means you’re family to me.”
She burst out in a fit of tears and Wes handed her a tissue. “I’ve never had a family before. And I really like you, Keisha. I was hurt when I thought you didn’t like me back.”
My heart pinched in my chest at the pain I caused her. I was so worried about her non-existent seduction of Wes, I pushed her away when all she wanted was a friend. And God knew I could use another dependable person in my life.
I stood and walked over to her, pulling her in for a hug.
“I’m truly sorry. But please don’t do that again,” I said as I pulled away, wiping away a tear that fell down my cheek.
She laughed, shaking her head. “I won't, guys. Promise.”
“Let’s get out of here. Viv, we’re going to drop you off at home and then Key and I are going to her house. She’s moving out and I want to help her pack up a few things.”
“Can I go, too?”
“You should rest.”
“I’ve been resting all week. The doctor said I’m fine. I won't lift anything heavy; I just want to spend time with you guys.”
“Alright.”
By the time we got her checked out and out of the hospital, it was already dark outside. Wes headed straight to my house.
Wes offered to hire a moving company, but I wanted to go to my house one last time. It was time for a fresh start, and I was ready to toss most of my old belongings, along with the memories they held.
We turned into my development, and my heart stopped as I saw Kevin’s car approaching us.
“That’s him!” Vivian said, spotting him.
“Yeah, he was my roommate. We’ll get you filled in later.”
“Who’s in the car with him?”
“My mother,” I said blowing out a breath.
She may have only a few months left to live, but her manipulative skills were as healthy as ever. I had no doubt she talked him into staying with her. His eyes locked on mine as our cars got close, but he turned and looked away as they passed. My eyes watered; he was my rock for so long, and I didn’t know how I was going to make it without him. And then I looked up at Wes and realized I was going to be better than fine.
Kevin always hid things from me, I just never saw it as a problem. Who he was talking to on the phone, where he would disappear to at nights, and even his real feelings towards me. Wes was never like that. Wes was always my rock; it just took me a while to see that. I rested my hand on his thigh and he smiled.
As we turned on my street, the night shadows were illuminated by flashing lights. We pulled over as a police car zoomed by us, confusion growing seconds later as an ambulance came rushing by.
“Oh my God,” Vivian said with a gasp as we approached my home.
My mouth gaped open as I stared at the raging flames shooting from the house. We pulled up as far as we could go and I jumped out, rushing towards the house until a firefighter stopped me.
“This is my house! What happened?”
“I don’t know ma’am, but we’re still working on putting out the flames. I need you to stay back.”
Wes grabbed me and I cried into his chest, Vivian gently rubbing my back
“I can't believe he would do this! What am I going to do?”
“We’ll figure it out; just like always.”
I tossed and turned that night, finally sitting up when the clock hit two in the morning. I walked downstairs to Wes’s kitchen, and he rounded the corner shortly after.
“I was wondering how long you were going to try to sleep,” he said.
I poured myself a glass of water, looking down at his oversized t-shirt I had on. I would’ve loved to put on a pair of my old college sweats; they were so comfortable. Now, they were nothing but ashes in the ground. It didn’t matter; college wasn’t that great to me, anyway.
“I suppose it’s fitting in a way,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“Everything about that house represented my past and my memories with Kevin: the pictures, my college sweats, the stockpile of frozen TV dinners, even the decorations. It was all based on a lie. If Kevin didn’t trick me, the house would have never existed, so there was no point in going back to any of it. My past is officially gone.”
He wrapped his arm around me. “Trust me, I’m going to make you so happy, you won't even think about that house.”
“I believe you,” I said with a smile, and for the first time in a long time, Wes looked like he had faith in my words.
About a week later, Wes came home with a somber expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, pausing helping Vivian with dinner when he entered the kitchen.
“It all fell through; I’m not going to be able to open a shelter here; they won't budge on their requirements.”
“I’m so sorry.”
I knew how much it meant to him, and I was excited about being able to coordinate my efforts with his.
“I did, um, get another offer though.”
My brows shot up. “What?”
“Florida. I can start the shelter there.”
“So that means you…”
He nodded. “I would have to head down there for a while. I would never ask you to leave your daycare; I can fly back and forth until the shelter is set up.”
We knew it was going to come up eventually, I just didn’t expect it to be so soon. He may have been avoiding the topic, but it was all I could think about since we got back together.
I leaned against the counter, my arms folded in front of me. “I’ve been thinking… maybe I need to think big like you. You got your shelters in Texas and have been working to expand your reach. I have my daycare center here, maybe it’s time for me to spread out to other states as well.”
His brows shot up. “You would come with me?”
I nodded and he scooped me up in his arms. I would miss the center, but Wes and I had a real chance to make a change, and I wanted to do as much as possible. Amira would take care of it just as well as I did. Leaving what I’d worked so hard to build was scary, but I knew he’d be there to support me every step of the way.
“What do you think, Viv? Ready to head south again?”
She nodded excitedly, almost knocking her chopped veggies to the floor.
Wes gave me a big kiss. When I gazed in his eyes, I knew everything was going to be alright.
“Hey, what do you think about a wedding at Disney World?”
I smiled, giggling at the thought.
“I like that idea a lot.”
Thank you so much for reading my book! I love hearing from my readers; email me with your comments/feedback. I read/reply to all of them. If you liked Private Affairs, check out Honeymoon with the Stranger (the first chapter available below):
Abandoned days before her extravagant destination wedding, Shae is cast into a pit of hopelessness so deep, the only thing her mind can concentrate on is trying to survive.
Her entire life has been nothing but tragedy, bad luck, and bad decisions- how stupid of her to think she could find happiness with someone.
With nothing to live for, she finds herself paralyzed in her depression, unable to find a light, a reason to go on.
Until an unbearably sexy stranger enters her life. Instead of helping her survive, he begins showing her how to really LIVE.
The more time she spends with him, the more she questions everything she held true to believe about herself. She's changed for sure, but is she changing for the better, or is this stranger taking her deeper into the depths of her own personal hell?
Part 1 of 2.
Chapter One
With the crisp fresh air, snow-covered mountains, and small town charm, I felt like I was in another world. The weather was perfect in Telluride: no clouds,
a bright sun, and it wasn't too cold- an ideal time for a charming winter wedding and honeymoon.
I arrived at the private cabin rented for my special day, and it took my breath away. It was log-cabin style with a wrap around deck and it was surrounded by trees that provided absolute privacy for uninterrupted alone time.
My fiancée and I wanted to feel like the only ones in the world during our week in Colorado, and the cabin proved to be the perfect fit.
As I exited the cab, a tall man in a tailored suit walked from the house and approached me.
"Shaela Mills?"
"Yes," I nodded, grabbing my suitcase from the trunk of the taxi. "Just Shae, please."
He flashed me a smile as white as the snow-capped mountains and offered his hand, which I shook.
"Derek Anderson. I'm here to let you in."
He grabbed my luggage before I could stop him. I paid the driver, filling my lungs with pure, fresh mountain air as I reveled in the serenity.
Once inside the cabin, Derek approached me after placing my bags on the couch.
"Welcome to Juniper Station. This is one of my favorite cabins here."
With my nerves rattling me the past few days, I didn't think it was possible for me to smile. But the cabin was pristine: clean, tastefully decorated, and away from city chaos. It was immaculate, soothing to my soul.
As Derek gave me a brief tour of the space, I smiled at its perfection. The fireplace roared, warming the center of the house. The fridge was stocked with a few basics, and a bottle of complimentary welcome champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries waited for me on the kitchen counter.
"Wow."
"Nice, right? You'll love it here."
Even Derek enhanced the overall ambiance. His smile was as warm as the fireplace, demeanor relaxing like the scenery, and his appearance beyond compare- just like the cabin. I appreciated fine details, and my first impression was better than I would've imagined.
Derek leaned against a nearby wall as he watched me inspect the lodge, his hands tucked away in the pockets of his navy slacks.
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