Cherishing Her During Adversity: A Friends to Lovers Romance

by Alexa McLean

  Cherishing Her During Adversity:

  A Friends To Lovers Romance

  By Alexa McLean

  © Copyright 2020-All rights reserved.

  It is not legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Cherishing Her During Adversity- A Friends to Lovers Romance

  Chapter 1: Ivan

  Chapter 2: Lola

  Chapter 3: Ivan

  Chapter 4: Lola

  Chapter 5: Ivan

  Chapter 6: Lola

  Chapter 7: Ivan

  Chapter 8: Lola

  Chapter 9: Ivan

  Chapter 10: Lola

  Chapter 11: Ivan

  Chapter 12: Lola

  Chapter 13: Ivan

  Chapter 14: Lola

  Chapter 15: Ivan

  Epilogue: Lola

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Special Offer: Pre-Order Your Copy of “Cherishing Her-2 Series in One Boxset” Today

  Chapter 1: Ivan

  “SIR?”

  I looked up from my laptop at the flight attendant. She held a bottle of Dom Perignon. “Can I offer you a glass of champagne? Compliments of the pilot.”

  “Sure, why not?” I smirked in response before taking the proffered glass. There were plenty of benefits that came along with flying first class and this was only one of them. “Cheers!” I turned toward my fellow passenger and made a toast. “To an eternity of success!”

  “I can drink to that.” The well-dressed businesswoman flashed a smile that was meant to charm. Unfortunately, her efforts were wasted. Technically speaking, I wasn’t off the market but I had my heart set on one girl and one girl alone. It was only a matter of finding the right time to tell her the truth of how I felt about her.

  It’s funny, really. I had no trouble facing off against some of the most intimidating men in the mall-owning industry but talking to my childhood best friend about the crush I had harbored since I was about nine years old — yeah, that was beyond terrifying.

  My fellow passenger leaned forward and clicked her bright red nails against her glass in an attempt to recapture my attention. I looked up and her smile deepened. It looked well practiced. This woman was no stranger to making men feel a certain sort of way. “I hope you do not mind my curiosity but you’re Mr. Manning, are you not?”

  “I am,” I answered with a nod. “Ivan Manning Jr. at your service.”

  She chuckled. “Your mother always inspired me with her fashion sense. She is one of the reasons why I became a designer.”

  “Looks like it worked out rather well for you.”

  “Oh, absolutely. Every day feels like a dream. It is hard for me to come to terms that all of this is real. Sometimes I fear that one day I’ll wake up and it’ll all be gone.”

  “You think like my mother, then,” I said. “She always told me that a successful business person always maintains a fall back plan in case things go south.”

  “Smart woman.”

  “Indeed,” I agreed.

  “It’s unfortunate what happened.” My fellow passenger lowered her voice as she stared into the bubbly liquid. She had barely taken a sip and it appeared she had no intention to finish what she had started.

  “It is okay,” I said. “It was tragic but I have learned to live with it. They are gone but their legacy remains and it is my job to keep it alive.”

  The woman looked like she wanted to say something in response but at that moment, the seatbelt light clicked on followed by an announcement by the pilot.

  Excitement coursed through my veins because touching down at Runswick meant that I’d get to see Lola after a month-long ‘business’ trip in Italy. I had missed her terribly and I was overdue to see that beautiful smile of hers. If I had the ability to bottle up the happiness she provided me with and carry it everywhere I went, I would. With the fear of sounding cliché, she was truly my ray of sunshine.

  The plane shook slightly as we made our descent. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. Despite the amount of travel required of me as the owner of a multi-billion-dollar company, I hadn’t quite gotten over my anxiety. It always spiked during the start and finale of every plane trip.

  For some reason, my mind wandered towards my late mother. It was a memory that liked to surface from time to time.

  I WAS ABOUT TEN YEARS old and it was one of those rare occasions where my mother was home for the evening. I had just arrived back from Lola’s house, sand in my hair from an afternoon swim.

  “Someone forgot to put on sun scream,” she chided the second she saw my sunburnt cheeks.

  “I’m fine.”

  She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “You’re just like your father, you are.”

  I struggled to grab an apple that was just beyond my reach.

  Mom plucked it from the fruit basket and peeled it for me. A few minutes later, she handed over the slices with some peanut butter. That was the thing about mom. Work had her out of the house about 99% of the time but that 1% was what I lived and died for.

  She raked her fingers through my hair.

  “Hey!”

  She chuckled at my protest and sat down across from me, hands folded. “Things are going well for your father and I — very well,” she began. “But —”

  “You cannot count on luck,” I interjected, completing one of her favorite phrases. I suppose in many ways my mother was a born pessimist. Even in the best of times, she was preparing for the worst.

  “Exactly. So, you must always have a fall back plan.”

  I nodded. I had heard this piece of advice about a million times before.

  “And I want you to know that if you ever fall on hard times, I have set aside a stash that should help you through it.”

  “Where?”

  “All you need to do to find it is follow your heart.”

  This was where I always lost her. I knitted my brows together trying to interpret her words. “Follow my heart?” I repeated as a question. “But what does that mean?”

  “When the time is right, you will understand.”

  “But mom what if I need the money right now?”

  “And why would you need a stash of cash right now?”

  “Because the newest set of Battle Jinx trading cards were just released. Everyone in school already has them!”

  “Complete your chores and I’m sure Tim down at the convenience store will be happy to sell you a pack.”

  That was the end of the conversation. As much as I wanted to argue the monumental significance of those trading cards, I knew that she would never listen. Maybe I was a rich kid but my parents made it a point to teach me the value of a dollar. And so, that night I vacuumed the entire house. I cleaned all the windows. I even gave the family dog a bath. At the end of it all, I had $20 in my hands and no idea where this secret stash of hers was hidden but I was determined to find out — eventually.

  I HAD DOZED OFF DURING my flight. The glass of champagne was still in my hand. A tiny bit of bubbly liquid remained. I don’t know why but I decided to drink it and that was a mistake because it tasted like microwaved dirt. I was about to spit it out when I heard
a nearby chuckle.

  It was the businesswoman and apparently, she found my plight rather amusing. With my pride on the line, I swallowed.

  “Good?” she asked.

  “Excellent,” I responded. “Best mouthful I’ve ever had.”

  “Is that so?” she mused. I could tell by the devious look in her eye, what it was that she was implying.

  And while I’ve had my fair share of women — none of them satisfy my hunger. They provide a quick fix but that’s about all. Once the sexual high ebbs away, the heaviness of a lonely existence returns to my shoulder. It’s simply the life of a businessman. We’re too busy to enjoy life as it’s happening so we try to make up for it by moving fast and never stopping but that’s a surefire way to crash and burn — believe me — I have seen it happen to countless associates.

  “I would think that a man such as yourself would have a girlfriend waiting for him in every part of the globe. Surely one of them tastes better than warm champagne. And if not, you, my friend, have horrible taste in women.”

  “You’re being awfully bold to a person you only just met,” I returned, trying to keep my voice as level as possible but my mind had taken the highway straight to Lola-villa. There, my best friend was being stripped. With each article of clothing that came flying off her body, my excitement grew. And when I finally came to the part where I could dive between her legs and taste that sweet, sweet nectar, I was beyond myself.

  How much longer would I be able to live without her sweetness? I wondered. But as much as I wanted her, I couldn’t let my desire become the reason for our failed friendship.

  The captain’s voice sounded on the intercom, announcing that we would soon make our landing. I was glad for it too because I no longer wanted to sit beside this businesswoman and feel the weight of her judgment. All I wanted to do was see Lola’s brilliant smile. It was the one thing in this world that never failed to cheer me up. I just had to hope that she would be working this afternoon. If not then I would just have to pay her a house visit. Now that I think about it... that second option doesn’t sound so bad. It could be the opportunity I’ve been waiting for and who knows what could happen behind closed doors?

  DO YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY tries my patience? The baggage claim carousel. I don’t know if it’s just shitty luck on my part or what but I’m always the last guy to pick up his luggage. I always spot a suitcase that looks just like mine early on but every time I check the tag, it’s never mine.

  So, I stood there and waited and then I waited some more. Weary travelers struggled to gather their belongings and hoist it onto a cart. A twelve-hour flight isn’t something to laugh at. Cabin fever is real and it’s contagious inside an airplane. Just like everyone else, I was dying to get myself outside and feel that cool breeze against my cheeks.

  But, of course, my luggage was nowhere to be found. There were only a few items circling around the carousel and none of them were mine. Typical. I was about to say something when finally, my suitcase stormed onto the conveyer belt. It rolled onto its side and crashed against the barrier that kept it from falling. It was a good thing that I kept all my valuables in my carry on because, by the looks of it, my suitcase had been through hell and back.

  I picked it up and attempted to roll it out of there but one of the wheels was all messed up. I was on the verge of swearing but I held my tongue and carried it by the handle, which, thankfully was still intact despite the beating it had taken.

  With my bag in hand, I stepped through the gate and into the open airport, past all the families that had arrived to greet their loved ones after a long flight. No one was there waiting for me. Or so I thought.

  “Hey!” I looked up and saw Lola leaning against one of the support beams. She was wearing her uniform. So, what was she doing waiting around for me? “I checked the schedule and saw that you had landed. Lucky for you, I’m on my lunch break.”

  “It’s three o’clock. Isn’t it a little late for a lunch break?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “Truth be told, I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to ask for a break — if you know what I mean.” She finished off her words with a wink.

  “So, you missed me, then?”

  “I always miss my best friend when he’s off on some fancy business trip. Going to the beach by myself just isn’t the same.” I immediately conjured up the image of Lola wearing a bathing suit. She wasn’t very fond of bikinis because she claimed they were far too skimpy for her taste but there had been a few rare occasions where I had been lucky enough to see her wear one.

  And oh, what a glorious sight...

  I had made sure to commit her beauty to memory and that’s what I called upon now.

  “Ivan?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You’re zoning out on me.”

  “Oh, sorry,” I apologized. “Guess I’m a bit tired.”

  “I’m not surprised. Twelve hours on a plane is a lot. I work at an airport and I can’t even imagine it. I would have lost my mind.”

  “Somehow, I survived.”

  “I’m glad. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” She offered that signature smile of hers — the one that always managed to melt right through me. “In any case, we definitely need to hang out. I know you’re probably busy with your father’s company and all that but I hope you can find some time —”

  “For you, I’ll always find the time,” I said as I wrapped my arms around her and pinned her against my chest. She always giggled whenever I trapped her inside a bearhug and this time was no different. That sweet, sweet sound bubbled forward and flooded my ears until my head became weightless.

  She looked up, eyelashes batting in the most angelic fashion. Lola wasn’t intentionally trying to melt my heart into a puddle but she was definitely succeeding in doing so. Our foreheads came together like a couple of magnets. I could feel the warmth of her breath brushing against my lips. All I had to do was lean down a little further and I’d be kissing the woman of my dreams.

  And I was about to do it too but then she checked her watch and frowned. “Sorry, Ivan, but my thirty minutes are up. I should really get back to the ticket counter or my boss is going to have a fit.”

  I squeezed her a little tighter because the thought of letting her go was agonizing.

  “Seriously, Ivan. I can’t afford to lose this job. I’ve got rent to pay and groceries to put on the table.”

  “Tonight,” I said.

  “Tonight?”

  “We’ll hang out tonight. I know the perfect place. I’ll pick you up around seven. How does that sound?”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Out to dinner. Australia food was alright but I definitely need myself a good ol’ American burger.”

  “BB’s Burgers, then?”

  “It was supposed to be a surprise,” I returned.

  “It’s the only place we go for burgers. It’s not much of a surprise.”

  “I guess you just know me.”

  “Like the back of my hand,” she answered.

  “And let’s keep it that way.”

  AS PLANNED, I ARRIVED at her house around seven o’clock that night. I almost thought that I would not make it due to the colossal stack of paperwork waiting for me at the office. Black Friday was steadfast on the horizon and it meant pure and utter chaos for the mall business. It was the tsunami of shopping that rung in the horde of Christmas shoppers and I was dreading it.

  Lola was a much-needed reprieve to the head pounding work.

  Her new apartment was quaint and she seemed to like her neighborhood but I had glanced over the crime reports for the area and I wasn’t very convinced that she had made the right decision in moving there, especially by herself. But Lola was headstrong and there was no persuading her somewhere else. Trust me. I tried.

  At her door, I straightened my bowtie and raked my fingers through my hair. It never failed that seeing Lola brought along a wave of nervous jitters. She was my best friend and the one
person in the world I was most comfortable with, but, at the same time, I was always aware of my relationship with her and the invisible boundaries we had drawn over the years. I did not want to overstep those boundaries and ruin the friendship I valued most in this world.

  Finally, I rang the doorbell and waited for her to answer.

  It did not take long for her to appear. She had on a buttercup-colored dress that accentuated her hourglass figure in a modest fashion. “You look beautiful as always.”

  Her cheeks reddened at my compliment.

  I chuckled and took her hand. Our fingers weaved together, finding a home in the emptiness of the other. Finding it impossible to resist, I kissed the top of her head.

  “Shall we?” I asked.

  She gave the slightest nod and with a tug on my part, she followed me to my car. I opened the passenger-side door for her and ushered her inside. Perhaps we were only making our way to the local burger joint but I still wanted to treat her like a princess because that’s exactly what she deserved.

  Once I was sure she was settled, I closed the door and rounded the car.

  “Is this new?” she asked. “I don’t remember you ever taking me out in a Cadillac.”

  “She’s been sitting in my garage for a while. I’ve been waiting for the perfect occasion to take her out for a spin.”

  “And taking me to BB’s is the occasion you’ve been waiting for?”

  “Of course,” I answered. “Spending time with you is always something special. I cherish every minute that I get to spend with you. It actually pains me that the business keeps me so busy —”

  She held out her hand to stop me. “Do not apologize for your success. It makes me happy to know that you are doing so well. Your parents would have been so proud.”

  I rested my hand on her thigh. “Thank you, Lola. You do not know how much it means to me to hear you say that.”

  “It’s true.”

  I started the engine and felt its power reverberate through the rest of the car. “All I have to say is that I am a very lucky man. And I wouldn’t trade any of this for the world.” As I finished speaking, I locked eyes with Lola for she was the true treasure in my life and the one person I never wanted to lose.