by Chase, PJ
"Who said I'm considering getting back with Trevor?" Audrey remarked.
Alice wasn't buying Audrey's efforts to deflect though. "Are you kidding? It's all over your face. And it's just shocking to think about."
"Don't hold back at all. Tell me how you really feel," Audrey joked.
"This isn't a joke. Remember how much Trevor hurt you. How devastated you were. How you thought you'd never recover," Alice explained.
"Trust me. I'll never forget that," Audrey admitted.
"Good," Alice fired back.
"Still, I can't help but believe that people can change," Audrey explained.
"Yeah. But that includes you as well. Do you really want to make the same mistake? Or do you want to learn from it?" Alice asked. "You're unbelievably lucky. I don't have anyone. But you have someone that loves you. Someone that wants to spend their life with you. Don't turn your back on that. Don't turn your back on Peter."
"For the last time, I never said I was considering getting back with Trevor," Audrey argued.
"Keep it that way," Alice insisted. "Because it would be the biggest mistake of your life."
"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Audrey asked.
"No. I mean God Audrey, you're like an ostrich with its head in the sand," Alice said.
"What?" Audrey asked.
"Get your head out of the sand Audrey. The prize of your life is right in front of you. Peter would wrestle alligators for you," Alice explained.
Suddenly Audrey flashed back to the ostrich from her apartment complex. The one that had busted out of the celebrities backyard and gone on the lam and just so happened to end up at Audrey's place. Maybe it had all been for a reason. Maybe it was time for Audrey to break out of the cage of her past. To get her head out of the sand.
***
The parade was amazing. The whole gang was ecstatic to see Frank on his float. And everyone had a ball--except for Audrey. While everyone else reveled, Audrey thought about Peter and Trevor. She went over what Trevor had done to her years before. How he'd broken her heart. And then she thought about Peter. How he'd never done anything like that. How he'd always been there for her. Still, there was a lot of wrestling going on in Audrey's heart. She just wanted that to end. But everything was about to come to a head at the homecoming ball.
Chapter Seven
"I can't change the past, but I know how to build a better future," Trevor spouted.
Trevor was waiting just outside the ladies room as Audrey came out in her homecoming ball gown.
"Wow. If you believed in me this much when we were actually dating, we might still be together," Audrey replied.
"You can't deny all that we've been through. All the good times we've had together. And even now, the chemistry we share," Trevor said. "Look, we have a past--"
"A quite sordid one actually," Audrey interjected.
"Face it, Peter's a nice guy, but he's not 'the one.' He doesn't know you like I do. What makes you tick. What makes you happy. What you need. And he can't give you the thing you've always wanted," Trevor said.
"What's that?" Audrey asked, skeptical.
Trevor pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket and handed it to Audrey. "Open it and see for yourself," Trevor insisted.
Audrey opened the box to find an emerald necklace waiting for her. And like that, the memories shot back. Of the glory days of her relationship with Trevor. A time of wild dreams.
"I can't believe you remembered," Audrey said.
"We were living off mac n cheese and ramen noodles," Trevor recalled. "But what we lacked in money, we made up for in love. And nothing was going to tear us apart."
Audrey joined in. "You gave me this ring to propose to me because you couldn't afford a real one."
"Well, now I can afford a real one," Trevor insisted, reaching into his pocket to pull out a ring box.
Audrey freaked out. "No. Don't tell me you--"
"I know now we're meant to be together more than ever," Trevor insisted.
"I never thought I'd say this, but don't you open that box," Audrey argued.
"But don't you get it Audrey?" Trevor asked. "I can't let you slip through my fingers again. If I did, I know I'd never get over it. But look, we can be happy together. Just like before. Only better this time."
Audrey looked at the ring box, then at Trevor's eyes. She considered. The fact was, Peter had been there for her, through thick and thin, for better or worse, even to the swamp. Meanwhile when Audrey was with Trevor, he didn't do most of that. And suddenly Audrey's decision came easier than she ever expected.
"I think some things should be left in the past," Audrey explained.
"We're not like that," Trevor pleaded. "We could be better than ever--"
Audrey cut Trevor off and handed him back the emerald necklace.
"It's time to move on," Audrey said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a boyfriend to get back to."
***
Audrey dashed into the reception hall with only one thought on her mind--telling Peter how much she loved him. Audrey spotted Peter at a table, grazing on appetizers. Peter dropped his crab cake as he spotted Audrey and looked at her like she was the only woman in the room.
"Wow. You look gorgeous," Peter remarked, letting his stomach get the best of him.
"I can't tell you how happy I am to see you," Audrey said.
"Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you," Peter replied.
"I was just doing something I should have done a long time ago," Audrey admitted.
"Look, back at the parade--"
"You were just doing what any loving boyfriend who do. Being protective of me. And you had every right to be protective. Besides, I should be the one apologizing," Audrey remarked.
"I'm not looking for an apology. I just want to know where we stand," Peter explained.
"I love you," Audrey said. "More than anyone else. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm sorry if I gave you a reason to question that. But I won't do it again. Because the thing is, I've never been happier than when I am with you. And I don't ever want that happiness to end."
"Well, here's the thing," Peter admitted. "It doesn't have to."
"I like the sound of that," Audrey replied.
Peter then looked across the room at a married couple looking as happy as can be.
"You know, I have a feeling that could be us one day," Peter suggested.
Audrey smiled. "I can't imagine a better future."
Peter then looked Audrey deep in the eyes, leaned in, and gave her a kiss that took her breath away.
The End.
To find out what happens to Audrey next, pick up Hot Corner 2 here:
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Other books by PJ Chase:
Raw Passion
http://tinyurl.com/pr9at6a
After suffering a crushing upset, twenty-eight year old MMA fighter Colin Robinson fears that it might be time to throw in the towel on his career. Then he gets an amazing offer for another fight--but it comes with a catch.
Before Colin can focus on another fight though, he needs to piece back together the shambles of his love life. After having his heart broken recently though, it won't be easy. Then Colin meets a beautiful stranger with a past. Will she change his life for the better, or worse?
Going Long 4 Book Boxed Set
http://tinyurl.com/mqmymrs
This boxed set features all four books in the Going Long Series including "Going Long," "Going Deep," "Going Hard," and "Going All Out."
Having grown up with an emotionally distant football coach for a father, the last thing Alyssa Stanton wants is to fall in love with a guy that's just like that. But when she meets a hunky a
nd sensitive football player at college, she finds that she can't resist his charms and gives in to a temptation that will change her life forever.
Alyssa's younger sister Vikki meanwhile grew up never feeling like she measured up. She's always had problems meeting men. Will she ever be able to meet a man, or will luck never smile on her?
Then finally there's Maureen--the youngest of the Stanton sisters. Maureen finds her heart caught in a love triangle between two competing quarterbacks. But which will she choose, and will she come to regret her decision?
If you like PJ Chase's writing, also check out sports romance author Carly Kennedy:
Sierra Stone was doing was happy. She was engaged to a great guy, her cupcake business was taking off after her videos went viral on YouTube--things were going well.
Then it all came crashing down around her. The same day she found out her father was dying of cancer, she caught her fiance sleeping with another lawyer at his firm.
Distraught--she moves in with her Dad to look after him. When he dies a few weeks later, his dying wish is that she takes over management of his second love in life--his sports team.
She reluctantly agrees, but her presence is not welcomed by many of the team members who are loyal to her father and have no interest in playing for a girl.
Enter Quentin Quade, a bad boy New Zealand rugby star who was recently banned from the sport for fighting with a fan. When he flees to the US to get away from the bad press and the sport he loved, Sierra approaches him to act as a consultant for the team.
He only agrees to help after she promises to introduce him to her friends boyfriend, MMA title holder Weston Haley. Quade wants to be a fighter. He sees Sierra as his meal ticket.
Will they learn to work together?
Will Quade help meet her fathers dream?
Will Sierra help Quade find a new life, as a MMA fighter?
Or will they realize that what they are really looking for, is love?
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