by Lily Graison
A Touch of Heaven
Paige Foster planned the perfect get-together for her best friends from high school in honor of their ten-year class reunion but her plans go up in smoke when an impromptu trip to The Pleasure Dome, an elite club that features the hottest male dancers in the country, ends up on their to-do list. Forced into going, she complains until she meets Simon—the main attraction.
When Simon looks into the audience before his act and sees familiar faces from his past, he has second thoughts about his performance—until he sees Paige and old memories come flooding back. Knowing she won’t recognize him as the shy, awkward boy he used to be, he breaks club rules and pulls her to the stage during his act.
The heat they generate doesn’t dim when the lights go down and what should have been a one-night stand turns out to be something more.
Will Paige accept Simon when she finds out who he really is or will the secret he’s hiding be the end of their affair?
2005 eCata Romance Reviewers Choice Award WINNER!
Elise at Ecata Romance gave it 5 out of 5
”A Touch of Heaven has a beautiful message for all of us. I highly recommend this beautiful and meaningful novel."
Tammy at Fallen Angel Reviews gave it a Recommended read and a 5 out of 5
"A Touch Of Heaven is a heart-warming story that will draw you in and have you wishing for your own touch of heaven....an engaging story with exciting, passionate characters and a fast paced plot that will have you cheering."
Janalee at Love Romances and More gave it 5 out of 5
"What an absolutely wonderful and heart-warming story this was to read. Ms Graison’s writing is faultless and divinely delivered. Do not hesitate a moment, get this fantastic love story today. You are going to love it."
A Touch of Heaven
by
Lily Graison
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2010 Lily Graison
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Digitally Released September 2005
Second Edition May 2010
Second Edition
* * * *
Chapter 1
Paige Foster juggled the shopping bags in her arms, stopping briefly when one slipped, before continuing the climb to her apartment. The last of her shopping done, she now possessed more wine than any six people needed and enough food for a small army.
She reached her door, fumbling with her keys when she heard the phone ringing inside her apartment. With a silent curse she shoved the key in, unlocking the door before rushing through the doorway. Placing her bags down on the couch, she headed for the phone and snatched up the receiver.
"Hello."
"Ready for a weekend of debauchery?"
"Megan!" Paige squealed, happily. "Oh my God it's so good to hear your voice."
Megan's laughter sounded like music to her ears. She smiled big before lowering herself into a nearby chair.
"I know. I hate we hardly get to talk anymore."
"Me too," Paige smiled, sadly. "You are still planning on coming this weekend, aren't you?"
"Oh, I wouldn't miss it! Who else have you heard from?"
"Well, Heather called. She won't be in until Friday evening."
"Why so late?"
"Something about a last minute re-shoot. She called yesterday bitching about her co-star stepping into her light and making her look pale or some such crap." Paige laughed, leaning back into her chair and thought of her now very famous friend.
Heather Mathis, one of Riverdale High's elite, currently lived her dream in New York. She left everything behind and moved to the Big Apple right after graduation. The Queen Bee, or so they called her, graced billboards and appeared in countless movies. Of all the girls in their clique, Heather was by far the most successful.
"Anyway, you know how Heather is," Paige grinned. "She apparently hasn't changed much."
"Did you really expect her to?"
"No, but I hoped. If the others are still self-centered like they use to be, we're going to be in trouble."
"We'll just ignore them like we always did."
Paige laughed. "Sounds like a plan to me."
"Have you heard from the others?"
"Yes. Amy, Courtney and Kim are all coming in on Thursday, so I guess it will just be the two of us until then."
"Well, you aren't going to hear me complain. I miss the one-on-one chats we use to have."
"Me too," Paige said, remembering her closest friend and their talks fondly. She and Meg were inseparable in high school and their friendship stayed strong throughout the years. "So, when does your plane land?"
"I should get in around seven Wednesday evening. Are you still picking me up at the airport?"
"I'll be there."
"Great! Well I still have a few class assignments to go over with the substitute and I need to talk with the Dean, so I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay, Meg. I can't wait to see you."
Paige practically bounced in her seat by the time both girls said their good-byes. Four years had passed since she'd seen her oldest friends and the Riverdale High ten-year class Reunion drew closer by the day.
Of the friends, Meg and Paige were the closest. The once-shy brunette now held the title of `professor' at a very prestigious college in up state New York and Paige couldn't wait to see her again. Getting a chance to reminisce with her oldest friends is exactly what she needed. Living in L.A. was lonely, but she hoped to ease some of the pain she felt with the weekend's planned activities.
They all decided to crash at Paige's apartment for a little girl's weekend out. She lived the closest to Riverdale and it made more sense than everyone renting a hotel room.
After graduation, every one moved on with their lives, moving to the far corners of the country, herself included. Her mother moved them to L.A. and together, they established the large art gallery Paige now owned since her mother's passing two years ago.
Being away from her friends left a hole in her life, but she felt liberated. She did whatever she wanted, and dated whomever she saw fit, without having to have her friends' constant approval.
The girls would soon be all together again and Paige couldn't wait. No matter how inferior her friends made her feel, seeing them again left her feeling giddy with excitement. She'd looked forward to this all year long.
* * *
Paige paced nervously in front of the large windows at LAX, awaiting the arrival of Megan's plane. She hadn't seen her since her mother's funeral. They tried to talk at least once a week since Paige felt so isolated living in L.A. alone.
She felt completely out of touch with the real world. Running the gallery took up most of her free time. Although her employees were around her same age, she learned the hard way not to mix business with pleasure. Watching her days turn to nights from behind the glass windows of her gallery wasn't the life she imagined for herself, but like it or not, it's all she had.
L.A. was a large city and although Paige loved her life there, her limited amount of friends just didn't seem like enough. She missed the gang and the reunion seemed like the perfect excuse for them all to get together again.
Paige walked over to the small crowd gathering, awaiting other passengers. Straining her neck, she waved when she saw the bright smile she knew belonged to Megan. She let out a squeal when her friend looked up and saw her.
She quickly pushed her way through the crowd, making her way toward Megan. Tears and laughter erupted when the two girls fi
nally made it to each other and the other occupants of the airport couldn't help but smile at their squeals of excitement.
"Oh God Paige, I'm so happy to see you! Let me get a good look at you," Megan said, pulling back from her.
Paige stood up straight, preening for her friend and grinning like an idiot. Hours spent at the salon getting her long blonde locks highlighted and her tan a warm golden brown apparently paid off. Megan seemed to approve.
"My, my," Megan grinned. "Who is this woman you've become?"
"I'm not that different."
"Sure you are. Just look at those curves!"
Paige agreed with her there. No longer the wafer thin, petite girl from high school. Her five-foot-three frame filled out, womanly curves now graced her petite figure and she smiled knowing all her hard work in the gym finally paid off.
"Well, I can't say you've changed much," Paige laughed. Megan's brunette hair was still cut short—the ends just barely touching her shoulders. She'd added a few streaks of highlights since the last time they were together. Her clothing style had taken a turn for the better it seemed. No longer did she see the wild colors or prints. A very stylish gray pants suit made her look every bit the professional she was.
"You know me," Megan said. "I'm scared of change."
"Liar."
Both girls laughed before Paige sighed happily. "I've missed you so much."
"Don't you dare cry, missy!"
Paige grinned. "I can't help it. You know I get emotional over nothing. It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever."
"I know," Megan said, the two finally turning and making their way over to the baggage carousel to gather Megan's luggage.
It only took a few minutes before they spotted her bags. They made the slow progression through the hoard of people trying to escape the airport and they both laughed once making it outside.
"Let's get out of here. We have tons of catching up to do before the others get here tomorrow."
"I'm right behind you."
* * *
Chapter 2
Paige held her sides with both hands. The constant laughter had her in stitches. The four friends who'd managed to make it into L.A. early sat around her living room telling stories of the last ten years of their lives. She constantly wiped her eyes, tears streaming down her face from the best laughing fit in ages. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so hard.
After more wine than any of them needed, they were all in gossip mode and the girls we're spilling every little dirty secret they knew.
"And then Kim tells him, `Multiple orgasms are a must, so if you can't deliver, then let me know up front. I would hate to waste the next forty-eight hours of my life if you aren't going to please me'." Amy's face was red by the time she finished trying to imitate her fast-talking, very blunt friend.
The room burst into another round of giggles before Paige said, "Oh, Kim, you didn't?" She stared at the most flamboyant of her friends. Kim was by far the most outrageous person she'd ever met. She was blunt and spoke her mind no matter what the circumstances.
The loudest of the group, she hadn’t changed much from what Paige could tell. Always the comedic relief, nothing that came out of her mouth surprised anyone.
Kim looked much like she did in high school. Her short brown hair looked flirty, just like her. Her five-foot-five frame still thin but there wasn't anything skinny about her. The most voluptuous of them all, Kim used sex like a weapon. Anywhere and anyway is what Kim liked and the men she picked to fill her nights weren't your average Joes.
"What?" Kim said, smiling. "He was cute but come on; I don't have time for casual sex. I'm not getting any younger. If I plan on meeting mister right, I have to weed out the mistakes before I wake up one day and realize the man next to me has very few sexual skills and his penis isn't even that large in the light."
"You know Kim, maybe you need to look into hooking up in a threesome situation until you find your stud. It will cut back on the time you spend hunting Mr. Right," Courtney said without looking up. She scanned their old high school yearbook, idly flipping through the pages. Her voice barely made it over the roar of laughter from the others.
"Oh, now there's a plan," Amy chimed in.
"Or—you can just wait until Saturday and see if Travis is still available," Courtney grinned.
Courtney Logan, the vainest girl Paige had ever met, still preened like a princess. Even in pajamas, Courtney looked ready for a night on the town.
Paige watched her when she turned her head and looked at everyone, grinning before turning the book so the others could see. Her perfectly manicured fingertips tapped loudly on the picture of Travis and she tossed her over-bleached hair back across her shoulder before going back to the book.
"Oh please," Kim sneered. "He stands me up for the Prom for some stupid family gathering and you expect me to just invite him back into my bed? No, thank you."
"Good lord, Kim!" Megan squealed. "His grandmother died. I can't see faulting him on something he had no control over."
"Well, I spent good money for that dress only to have icky Randall fawn all over me like I was Aphrodite herself all evening! Travis Hardy can bite my ass."
"Speaking of icky… guess who I just found?" Courtney said in a sing-song voice, smiling wide before turning to look up at the girls.
"Who?" Amy asked, swallowing the last bit of her wine before motioning to Megan to refill her glass.
"Why, it's Paige's very own, one-man cheering section."
Paige felt her heart lurch in her chest. Her friends all jumped up from their seats and ran to Courtney's side to see the guy no one had seen in ten years. She smiled, looking away briefly, before watching them practically fall in the floor laughing.
"Come on guys," Paige said, shaking her head. "He wasn't that bad."
"Holy shit, I wonder if he'll be at the reunion," Amy asked, "I so want to see him again!"
"I wonder what he did after high school?" Kim asked staring down at the picture. The scrawny, curly brown haired boy staring back at her from the page sent her into another fit of giggles.
"I bet he's some janitor somewhere, still writing that ridiculous poetry and stealing glances at the ladies over those wide-framed dorky glasses," Courtney laughed.
Paige continued to smile before standing and walking to the kitchen to grab another bottle of wine, listening to the others talk about Colin.
It was true he hadn't been the most popular in school. He was the one guy everyone targeted for their punching bag. Not literally, but the punches they threw at him were just as bad.
On any given day, someone would humiliate him. His tall, gangly frame stood out amongst the Californians. His complexion, almost a pasty white color, made him look sickly and his mop of curly brown hair always hung around his ears and over his forehead. He stayed to himself and rarely spoke to anyone… besides her.
In the two years he'd attended Riverdale, he never missed the opportunity to speak to her. She found it cruel how people treated him but at the time, felt powerless to stop it. She stood by and watched so many of her friends taunt him and call him names and even though their actions were childish and immature, she did nothing to stop them.
She hadn't thought of him in years, the last time being when she was feeling rather lonely and in her "poor me" mood. She'd pulled down her memento box and looked through the poems he'd written her. After all these years she didn't have the heart to toss them out. Nerd or not, Colin Gregory held a special place in her heart. He was without a doubt, the sweetest guy Paige had ever met.
Everyone attending Riverdale High knew Colin had a major crush on her. Anytime anyone saw him, he was either staring at her or scribbling in his journal. And everyone knew what he wrote about. Almost daily someone would snatch the journal away from him and read it aloud. Poetry and stories filled the pages. Most of them were about true love and beauty so rare Paige couldn't help but smile.
She knew most of what he wrote was abou
t her and at the time she'd laughed along with the others because it was the cool thing to do. It wasn't until the day she found out her jock boyfriend, Lance, cheated on her that she found a small note tucked into her locker. The words, "He will never be good enough for you," struck her like a bolt of lightening. She took the time to really examine Colin then and what he wrote for only her.
From that moment on, every time she found a new poem, she secretly read the verses until she'd practically memorized them. Reading between the lines, she could see the heartfelt words he wrote just for her and she finally looked at him.
She didn't see the boy everyone thought him to be. She saw the boy he wanted her to see. She saw a kind soul who, even though countless people taunted him daily for his affections toward her, never stopped trying.
The laughs and jokes at his expense didn't stop and even though she'd laughed and gone along with her friends' teasing of him to keep up appearances, a part of her liked the thought of him caring so much for her. And he did. She could see it in his written words and the way he looked at her.
Colin Gregory had been in love with her.
"Hey Paige," Amy yelled from the living room, "Remember when he asked you to the Prom?"
Paige turned her head, smiling back into the other room when their laughter continued and the memory came back to her. She didn't know how many times she wished she could go back and change the events of that day. She could still see the tears in Colin's eyes. The pained expression on his face, when the entire room burst into laughter after someone overheard their conversation, still haunted her.