Forever Mine (Providence Series Book 1)

by Mary B. Moore

  “Well alrighty then, now show me to my passion pit, Wilbur. I need to see what I’ve got to work with,” he snapped his fingers and bumped his hip out to the side at the same time making me laugh. He was such a freaking diva and damn did I love him.

  * * *

  Three hours later I still hadn’t heard back from Ren, so I committed the ultimate sin in the girls handbook - I called him again. On the forth ring he picked up, and I could hear the bar noise in the background. “What?”

  He’d never once in all of our time together spoken to me like that, so the bad feeling got even worse. “Hey, it’s me!”

  All I could hear were the bar noises, though, and I realized that I was shaking; not just my hand, but a full body shake. “Um,” my voice was getting quieter the more reality started to sink in. “I wanted to talk to you…”

  “Listen, I’m busy right now. I’ll talk to you later.” And the call cut off in my ear.

  “Maya, shit sweetie are you alright?” Tony came up to me as he saw me standing there staring into space. “Honey, you’re so pale you make milk look tanned.” He joked in a strained voice as he bent his head to look at me properly.

  “He…he just hung up.”

  “Right; so, maybe he was just busy?”

  I repeated it all to him and then burst into tears. Picking me up, he took me to the couch and sat down stroking my back, rocking me and whispering to me until I couldn’t cry anymore and just sat in his lap shaking.

  “Let it all out My.”

  After listening to me tell him everything Ren had done to win me over and make me trust him, Tony moved my damp hair off my face. “Sweetie, I don’t think that was a lie. Even players wouldn’t go to that much effort just to have sex with a girl. You need to talk to him and find out what’s going on; maybe give him some time to realize what a dick he’s being first and then after a couple of days go to him and get him to lay it all out. What do you think?”

  Nodding I got up off of his lap as he groaned, “Oh thank fuck bacon. I lost the feeling in my legs half an hour ago.”

  Laughing and feeling a bit better about it all, and I upstairs to run a bath. Christie had dropped off dinner for Tony and me so he could eat that while I went to bed. Crying that hard for that long had left me with the worst migraine and all I wanted to do was soak and sleep. Maybe things would be better in the morning?

  22

  ____

  Ren

  Brett had told me to get some space from Maya, so I could get ‘my balls back,' so that’s what I was doing. I thought I’d feel better, but if anything it hurt even more because I didn’t have her in my home where I so desperately wanted her to be. When my phone had lit up with her name on it, it had taken everything in me not to answer it. It wasn't sitting well with me either that she could be in danger, and I wasn't protecting he; instead George was. I just couldn’t get that photo and the name ‘Andy’ out of my head, though, so I’d drowned my ass in whiskey last night at the bar. This morning when I’d been leaving for work with the hangover from hell, Mom had been waiting for me with her arms crossed, but I’d told her I was late and had just driven off. No doubt she’d kick my ass for that later, but seeing as I was going to the bar again right after work to do some more of what I did last night she’d have to wait.

  Getting out of my truck at the garage, I saw Cole standing with pretty much the same expression on his face that my mom had had ten minutes before.

  “I’m not in the mood,” I snapped as I stalked past him and into the garage; taking the steps to the office two at a time and slamming the door behind me. When I did shit like that Cole knew to leave me well alone, but apparently this was different because no sooner had, I sat down he opened the door and slammed it behind him before stomping up to my desk.

  “Listen, asshole,” he hissed leaning over my desk and giving me such a pissed off look that I paused what I was doing with the computer. “First - I don't believe Maya would do that. I get that you’re pissed and that you do believe it because you’re pretty much a fuckwit, but I don’t. Second - you’ve taken the word of the girl that has harassed you for the last ten years and who has fucked so many guys that her pussy is like the Brooklyn Bridge. That bitch has never told the truth in her life fucker, and you know it. Yeah, it looks bad, but you’ve not given the girl who loves you and who has made you happier than you’ve ever been before in your life a chance to explain it. Maybe you should get your head out of your ass and do that? Third - Mom knows and agrees, and if she thought for one second that Maya would do that, she would be out there giving Maya a piece of her mind. Fourth -if you don’t get your head out of your ass, I swear to God that I will kick it as hard as I can. Fucking grow up and think with your head and not your fucking pride!” He finished on a roar.

  Storming out of the office, I slammed the door so hard that the glass shattered, pissing me off that much that I shouted as loud as I could across the garage. Just fucking great.

  * * *

  Five hours later I was trying to detach the exhaust from the car that I was standing under and the fucking clamps wouldn’t turn. Just as I was about to throw the wrench, it was grabbed from me, and I was moved out from under from the bastard piece of shit that was causing me so much trouble. Cole placed the wrench over the nut and moved it in the opposite direction to the way that I’d been, and succeeding in ten seconds what had already taken up ten minutes of my life that I’d never get back. That was such a rookie mistake that my already majorly pissed off attitude rose to the point of boiling.

  “Whatcha doing after?” Cole asked as he removed the rest of the clamps holding the exhaust on and gently lowered it to the floor.

  “Bar.”

  “Cool, what time you wanna go?”

  Technically I hadn’t invited him along, but fuck it, I’d take the company so long as he kept his mouth shut and didn’t annoy me. Then again, him breathing annoyed me at the moment so maybe this wasn’t such a good idea?

  Sighing, I looked up at the bottom of the vehicle on the lift. “Seven?”

  “Sure, we can get cleaned up and make our way there for dinner too,” Cole replied as he slapped me on the shoulder.

  I couldn’t stop my mind going back to Maya; I wanted to see and talk to her so badly. I knew I was taking time to think it all over and get my balls back, but it was hard. Cole had seen her in the distance at lunch and said she had a bandage on her hand and was limping; what the fuck had happened? Shit, I didn’t know what to do. Scrubbing my hands down my face and leaving shit all over it, I sighed and walked to my office to clean up. Roll on 7 o’clock.

  Maya

  I was glad I only had one day in the office to get through so that I could sleep from the time I got home until Sunday night. Not letting everyone know that inside I was a wreck, I’d dressed carefully, making sure I looked immaculate to help with the facade. Tony hadn’t been fooled when I walked down the stairs this morning, but he could always read me as well as my sister and Amy; God I missed them.

  It was taking off the jewelry that Ren had given me thought that made it all hit home. I’ll find Cole at some point to give it back to Ren.

  I still couldn’t understand what had happened while I was away. Cole had replied to my message last night telling me to leave it to him and that all would be okay; I wasn’t sure it would be.

  When we got into the office this morning, Tony immediately took over with the mound of paperwork, invoices and requests while I caught up with designs and emails that needed my attention. Luke had popped his head in at eleven to ask me if I wanted to go to the Diner for lunch, but I didn’t want to risk running into Ren, so Tony had offered to go to the deli for me. The only time I had left my office was to collect some paperwork from the Town Hall for George, and since it was close to us, I’d walked there, so my knee was throbbing like a mother now adding to my bad mood. From now on work, home, work and repeat.

  At two o’clock a text came through from Ava.

  Ava: Bar 2n
ite at 7.30. Bring Tony xxx

  Me: I don’t know, I think we’ll just stay in. We’re still tired after the trip, unpacking and work. xxx

  Ava: NO- u will b there toots <3

  Two minutes later Tony walked in. “So we’re going to the bar tonight. What do I wear? Is it fancy?”

  “How did you know about that?”

  “Oh Isla got a text from Scarlett, who got a text from Ava, who said that we had to be there at seven thirty,” he said as if he’d met these people and knew who they were. I’d caught him up to speed on who was who, but Tony had never met a stranger, so I wasn’t all that surprised.

  “You can go, and I’ll stay in if you want?” I was trying to think of any way I could get out of it. I’d even throw myself down some stairs if it would work; not that we had any in the office for some inconvenient reason.

  “Nope, chicka you are getting off that fat ass of yours and going out with your chins in the air and those big bumps on your chest out for the world to see. Maya Price doesn’t hide from pathetic tiny dicked pricks,” he finished with his hands on his hips, glaring at me.

  “Ahem,” came a deep voice from the door making me jump while I lamented the fact that sadly Ren didn’t have a tiny dick. Looking over, I saw George standing there looking uncomfortable.

  “Excuse me, I can hear my phone ringing,” the lying pussy said as he ran back to his desk leaving me to face my Uncle alone.

  “Hey, how’s things?”

  “I came to talk to you about the Mackay’s and their plans, but as much as it kills me to say this and go into girl territory…you and Ren done?” George asked sitting in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

  “Apparently so,” I said picking up my pen and spinning it with my good hand.

  “Why?”

  “Your guess is as good as min, but hey you win some you lose some.” Before he could reply to it, I launched into the Mackay’s requests, showing him the blueprints of the building and point to where I thought it could use some structural changes. He eventually signed off on it and left the office going next door to speak to Luke.

  At six I shut down my computer and was just leaving to get Tony when Luke caught my arm, stopping me. “You and Ren done honey?”

  “Yup! You coming to Jilly’s tonight?”

  He looked behind me, and I turned and saw Isla standing there smiling at him, and I realized that their relationship must be more than I’d thought it was. I was happy for them and relieved that Luke had got rid of that slut from before, I couldn’t help but think how I’d had that only days before, and now it was gone. On that thought, I needed to pull my panties up and move the hell on. People broke up every day, people got cheated on, beaten, recovered from cancer or had terrible tragedies take away their homes; in the grand scheme of things, this was nothing.

  Taking a deep breath, I lifted my chin at Tony letting him know we were ready. “See y’all tonight.”

  * * *

  After a quick shower and reassuring Tony that wearing jeans and a shirt was all right, I got myself dressed and waited by the front door for him to finish off. What he was doing was anyone’s guess because he looked perfect when I’d shouted out that I was ready, but after five minutes of waiting, I was done.

  “Tony come on, we’re already late.”

  “Hold onto your wide load Mymy; I’m coming. Well maybe not, but when Andy comes to visit I’ll make sure he does that thing with his…”

  “Enough,” I shouted. The guy seriously overshared and a lot of it was mentally scarring.

  “Crabby much,” he grumbled walking to the door looking the same as he’d looked five minutes ago.

  Driving to Jilly’s, I pointed out all of the places of interest and what was good for what in Piersville. As we drove up to the bar he squealed and clapped his hands, “Oh my God, you didn’t tell me it was a Honky Tonk! If I’d known, I’d have worn my cowboy boots.”

  Rolling my eyes, I followed him inside hearing him gasp as he took in the interior of the place. It looked a bit Honky Tonk outside, but inside it was a mix of everything and still managed to look beautiful and welcoming. Ava and Scarlett were sitting at a table to the right of the bar. As we walked towards them I saw Ren, Mace, Cole and some other guys sitting at a table and looking at me; I refused to give in and kept my eyes forward.

  Sitting down beside the girls, I introduced them to Tony. No sooner had I finished, though, Scarlett was leaning forward. “Maya, you and Ren, okay?”

  “I don’t know,” I focused my eyes on peeling off the label from my drink while Tony filled them in on what had happened.

  “Oh shit,” I heard from beside me, and I looked up when the sound of a screeching hawk filled the inside of the bar, and everyone turned to look in the direction that it came from.

  “Ren baby,” I saw Francheska wearing practically nothing and running towards Ren with her boobs about to fall out.

  Looking at the table, all the guys were sitting with their eyes wide looking at the freak show running towards them. Then she plonked her ass in his lap and cooed at him, and my stomach rolled as it all added up. That’s why he’d broken up with me the way he had? The hurt and devastation in me turned hard and sneering in his direction, which I’m sure he caught by the way he froze, I turned back to the table and started up a conversation about anything but the asshole sitting behind us.

  Ren

  Five minutes earlier…..

  When I’d seen Maya walk into the bar with Tony it had taken everything inside me not to go up to her; especially when I saw the bandage on her hand. Something just wasn’t adding up for me with it all and damn it I was more mature than this; I loved Maya more than anything, and I wanted to be with her. Acting like an immature jerk wasn’t going to fix this. After last night's phone call, though, I needed some Dutch courage to approach her and beg for her forgiveness.

  “You gonna talk to her?” Cole asked beside me.

  “Yeah, in a second,” I took a long sip of my beer trying to get the courage that alcohol gave people normally, it wasn’t working so far.

  “I still don’t think it’s what it looks like,” he said leaning in closer to me. “Doesn’t it strike you as even slightly suspicious that it was Francheska of all people who just so happened to find it? I don’t think it was Maya’s ex…”

  Before he could go any further, my name was shrieked across the bar, and I watched in horror as Francheska threw herself onto my lap and I had to catch her so that we didn’t fall off the stool. Luke was walking into the bar with Isla behind him; as he scanned the bar he did a double take in my direction at the bitch who sitting on my knee. I saw the moment it hit him and from his reaction I knew I was in a ton of shit as he started in my direction after gently pushing Isla in the direction of Maya’s table.

  “Oh fuck,” I heard muttered from behind me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of Luke; not even to tell the skank sitting on my knee to stop stroking the back of my neck with her claws. The only woman who had any right to touch me or sit on me was sitting at the table and wouldn’t look in my direction.

  “Luke, it’s not worth it. Come and sit…” the guy that I assumed was Tony said as he walked up to the table, but quickly cut off when Luke looked at him.

  “This,” he hissed jerking his hand out at Francheska, looking at her like she was a piece of shit on the street, “is what you dumped Maya for? This is what you broke her heart for? This is what you strung her along for months for?” He leaned down, so his face was close to mine. “I told you that you weren’t worthy of her and that you weren’t good enough for her. You swore to me that you would treat her with respect and that you loved her; you lying sack of shit!”

  As I went to reply and push the skank off my lap, Francheska held up her phone. “No, your cousin is nothing but a cheap whore.”

  The gasps at Maya’s table could be heard across the bar, which had gone silent the second Francheska screeched my name. “Look, there’s the proof - she was in Florida
getting back with her ex, so now that he’s free, Ren and I are together,” she finished and slammed her lips down on mine trying to press her tongue into my mouth. I froze in shock and then pulled away quickly. Over the bunny boilers shoulder, I saw Maya leaving the bar and looking over her shoulder at me with tears in her eyes. Oh, fuck what had I done? I tried to get up to go after her, but Tony bent down looking closely at the screen blocking any moves I could make; well aside from throwing Francheska at him and running out of the door after Maya.