Torn Hearts

by M. E. Gordon

  It seems as though Ms. Monroe isn’t the only one in the family stuck in a love triangle. Only three short weeks after becoming a couple, Teddy Monroe has some serious competition--his younger bad boy brother Chuck. A credible source has told us that Gia Elliot, best friend to Elizabeth Monroe, has been crushing on the bad boy for years. Such a scandal for these two once-quiet entrepreneurs. New Year’s Eve will be quite a show at the grand opening of their club 21. Make sure you get your tickets fast because I’m positive there will be plenty of fireworks going off.

  “Gia, what the hell are you doing kissing Chuck?” I screeched, turning to her. “You said you were meeting friends from work, not Chuck!” I shoved my hands through my hair. “You said you were over him, done. Oh my God, has Teddy seen this yet?” Quickly I closed the computer and shook Gia’s frozen body.

  “I--I don’t think so,” she said, stunned and on the verge of tears.

  “Gia, I need you to tell me the truth. Did you meet up with Charles last night? I thought I heard you and someone else but I assumed it was a friend from work. You didn’t--” I couldn’t even say it.

  “No! I didn’t sleep with him. I was out with my friends, I swear. He just happened to show up. He asked me to step outside, because he wanted to talk to me. So I did.”

  “Well, what the hell happened out there? Because it seriously looks like you’re having some secret love affair with him. You’re kissing him, for God’s sake.”

  Covering her face she sighed. “We talked. I swear we only talked. He told me he cared for me. I said it was too late. That I was with Teddy and I wasn’t going to hurt him. He agreed with me, we talked some more, then he kissed my cheek and told me to be happy. It was innocent, I swear. I invited him to come hang out with my friends. He joined us for the rest of the night. I think he even got Shelly’s number. He was flirting with her all night. When everyone was leaving, he pretty much told me he was going to walk me home. I didn’t want to be a bitch so I let him.”

  “So it was Charles in here last night?” I asked, trying to get the story straight.

  “Yes, but he just dropped me off. He used the bathroom then left. There were no paparazzi anywhere last night, I swear. It’s like they all took the night off. I didn’t see anyone with a camera.” She pleaded with me to understand.

  “I can’t believe this is happening to us,” I said. “First my life, now my family. This is all Spencer’s fault!” Just then we heard a knock at the door. “Who the hell is knocking on our door at seven in the morning?” I said, getting out of bed to answer the door. The pounding got louder as I reached it. “Hold on.” I unlocked it and got knocked over by Charles as he barreled through the door.

  “Where is she?” he asked, looking around the condo.

  “Charles! What are you doing here? And please tell me you came in through the back,” I said, closing the door.

  “What? I came in the front like a normal person.”

  Oh shit! I know there will be another picture posted soon. I can already see the caption. Bad boy Monroe rushing to console a weeping Gia.

  “Did they see you?” I asked

  “Did who see me? I wasn’t really checking my surroundings,” he said, getting ready to walk down the hall to our bedrooms. He was stopped by the presence of Gia, standing in the doorway.

  “Chuck, what are you doing here?” she asked in just her oversized T-shirt.

  Really? She couldn’t put some pants on?

  “Gia, I’m so sorry, I swear I didn’t know,” he said, walking toward her.

  “How could you have known?” she said, reassuring him that she didn’t blame him for this.

  “I’m going to call Salvatore and get him to pull whatever strings he did before to get it taken down, I promise.” Great, just what I needed to be thinking about at seven in the morning--Spencer the knight in shining armor, taking naughty photos down with the swipe of his hand. We were all standing around, complaining about the hounds and their ruthless ways. Charles had taken his jacket off and sat down next to Gia on the couch like he owned the place, in his pajamas no less.

  The door handle turned and swung open just and the three of us watched as Teddy walked through.

  Oh, this just keeps on getting better and better. All we need now is for Spencer and Simon to show up and we’d have ourselves a fucking Jerry Springer episode.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Teddy asked, looking at the couch where Gia and Charles sat next to one another in their pajamas.

  “Teddy, it’s not what you think,” Gia said, standing from the couch.

  But as she went to move toward him Charles grabbed her hand and pulled her back down. Standing, he looked at Gia then Teddy. “It’s my fault. I saw her at a bar and I was being selfish. She put me in my place, though,” he said, turning to smile down at her.

  “That’s fine and dandy,” Teddy said. “But why are you over here sitting on her couch at seven in the morning in you fucking pajamas?”

  Wow. Teddy angry was not a common occurrence. I’d seen him angry with Spencer but this was a whole new level.

  “Wait, haven’t you seen it?” I asked, butting in.

  “Seen what?’ he asked, turning to me.

  “Hold on.” I retrieved the lap top from my room and showed Teddy the pictures.

  He simply stared at the two of them.

  “It’s nothing. It was nothing,” Gia called to him.

  “I told you I would back off if you still had feelings for him. I will not stand here and take this from my own family. If you wanted to be with Chuck, you should have just told me. I have to go.” Turning, he headed for the door. “Beth, I’ll talk to you later.”

  Before I could process what had just happened, he was gone, the door closed. The tree of us sat there in disbelief. This day was starting off great.

  “Chuck! Get up and go after him, tell him everything. Jesus, he probably thinks you slept with her again.”

  Hearing my phone buzz from my room, I walked out and checked it. I checked the caller ID but didn’t recognize it. Hitting the end button, I shoved it in my bra, since my pajamas didn’t have any pockets. I didn’t have time for unknown numbers. My brothers needed me on damage control. I wasn’t going to let the media ruin my family.

  I walked back to the living room and saw that neither one of them had moved. Just as I got back into the room, Gia was crying and heading for her room, locking the door after she slammed it shut.

  “Will you do something besides sitting there and sulking? Go talk to her. I’ll deal with Teddy and, for Christ’s sake, keep your hands to your damn self!”

  Nodding up at me, he walked toward Gia’s locked door.

  I made it to the elevator, hitting the down button. As the doors opened, Teddy was standing at the back, his hands in his pockets, deep in thought.

  “I thought you left?” I said, stepping inside.

  “We’re surrounded. They’re everywhere,” he said, looking up at me.

  “Oh, Teddy, it’s not what you think. Those people are just trying to make you paranoid. She loves you. Don’t let them win.

  Wrapping an arm around me he pulled me in close. “I want to, but you saw that picture. What am I supposed to think? You can’t fake that or play it off. He was holding her and kissing her, and it didn’t look like a brotherly kiss to me.”

  I had to get through to him. It was clear he was hurting bad. “Teddy, he ran into her, she told him she was in love with you, that whatever was between them was gone, over. You have to believe me--believe them--not the paparazzi.”

  As the elevator came to a stop, we walked out. Fuck, he wasn’t kidding. We were surrounded. I had never seen so many people outside our home before. Things were getting out of control. “Just come back upstairs and talk to her, please,” I begged, looking up at him. “Wait a minute. Why were you even over here this early if you didn’t know about the picture?” I asked curiously.

  “I was coming to surprise her, take her out for the da
y.”

  He was totally defeated, and my heart hurt for him. I hated seeing my brother like this. “You can still do that. Just go up there and talk to her, take her away from here. This is all just a big mistake.” I was trying my best, but it was obvious he had already made a decision, and that didn’t involve him coming back upstairs with me.

  “Beth, you’re right. This was a big mistake. Who was I trying to kid? She is always going to have feelings for Chuck. Just like you’re always going to have feelings for Spencer.”

  Oh no, he didn’t just go there. It’s too early for this.

  “Wait a minute, this is nothing like that,” I said, getting defensive.

  “Listen, Beth. I’m hurt that I let myself fall too fast for Gia, but I think this was bound to happen. There are too many things stacked up against us. She’s so much younger, she’s your best friend, and she’s always dreamed of Chuck. I think it was doomed from the start.”

  Why is he giving up? He isn’t even fighting.

  “Don’t talk like that. I won’t let you give up.”

  “I appreciate you trying, but I think we should all just concentrate on the club opening and get back to our normal lives.”

  Always taking the high road, this brother of mine.

  “Do me a favor and tell them I’m not upset. Tell Gia--tell her I’m sorry and I that I’ll call her later once I have time to think everything through.” With his hand on the door, he began to open it.

  “What about Charles?” I asked.

  “Tell him I love him, and that will never change. He’s my brother and I won’t jeopardize our relationship for anything.” Relieved that he was at least going to call Gia and didn’t have any ill will toward Charles, I figured there was really nothing else I could do.

  “Teddy, wait up,” Charles yelled, running over from the elevators.

  Taking his hand off the door Teddy stepped back.

  “Please, let me explain,” Charles begged, breathing heavily from running over.

  “Chuck, its fine. You don’t have to explain anything. I’m just going to back off. I love you too much to let this come between us.”

  Clasping his shoulder, Teddy squeezed it comfortingly.

  “Teddy she really likes you,” Charles said, looking up into his face.

  “Well, not that long ago she ‘really liked’ you, too. It’s just not going to work for us. I still care for her, and I will do anything in my power to take care of her, but I think we should take a step back from the intimate stuff.”

  He was such a peace keeper.

  “I think it’s going to be best if I just go. Tell Gia I’ll call her later.” Teddy squeezed Charles’s shoulder one last time before exiting through the door.

  Shoving his foot in to stop the door from closing, Charles opened it and walked out behind him.

  “Teddy,” he called. “If you leave, I can’t promise you I won’t step in and comfort her.”

  He didn’t. He did. And cameras went off like crazy.

  “I know, Charles,” Teddy said, smiling at him “I know.” Nodding one last time, he opened the car door and left.

  Chapter 29

  As we rode the elevator back up, my phone began ringing again. Unknown number for the second time this morning and no message. Ending the call, I brought up Fame’s web page. Just as I figured there was a picture of Charles and Teddy, damn they were getting fast at posting this shit.

  “He’s making a huge mistake,” Charles said, breaking the silence.

  “I don’t know. Maybe he has a point. You know him. He doesn’t like drama and, let’s be honest, Gia brings drama wherever she goes.”

  Nodding in agreement, Charles placed his arm around my shoulders. I stared up at him surprised at his maturity about the whole situation. Maybe he was finally getting it, growing up, getting out of his “me” stage of life. It had been a long one and I believed the world was ready for it to be over. He could do so much good if he wasn’t so worried about impressing women.

  “Gia locked herself in the bathroom. I couldn’t get her to come out. Maybe you’ll have better luck,” he said.

  “Gia?” I knocked lightly on the bathroom door. “Please come out here.”

  “I can’t, not right now, just leave me to wallow, please,” she said through a sob.

  I think a different approach is needed here. “Gia, you open this door, I’m not playing around.” No more mister nice guy.

  “Go away, Beth!” she yelled back.

  Oh hell no, she’s not going to talk to me like that. “Gia, get your ass out here or I’m going to let Charles kick the door in. You know he will. One...two--Ah, thank you,” I said snidely as she opened the door.

  Her face red and splotchy, she stood in the door way looking at me.

  “I’m so sorry, Gia, if I could go back, I’d never--” Charles said, pausing mid-sentence.

  “Chuck, it is what it is. Would you mind just giving me some time?” Gia asked, straightening from the doorway.

  “Yeah, of course, I’ll just go,” he said, defeated and worn out.

  “Come on, bro. I’ll walk you out. Gia, go get in my bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Opening the door to let him out, I heard my phone buzz again, from the inside of my bra where I had stashed it. Who the hell is this? It was a different number than before, but I still didn’t know who the hell was blowing up my phone. Fine, you win. I’ll answer.

  “Hello?” I said, lacing my voice with disgust.

  “Miss. Monroe?” the male voice asked.

  “Yes, this is her. How can I possibly help you at seven-thirty in the morning?” I snapped.

  “Would you like to comment on the recent discovery of your brothers and the fact that they are both dating your so-called best friend?”

  All I saw was red. “No, you fucking asshole. How the hell did you get this number? Don’t you have any kind of respect for anyone you motherfu--”

  The phone was ripped from my hands. Charles immediately hung up for me.

  “Baby sis, I don’t think that’s the best way to deal with the bastards,” he said, flipping my phone over in his hand.

  “How dare they? I can’t believe they are calling me now! How did they even find my number? I feel so dirty, eww,” I said, shaking my body as a chill ran down it.

  “I’ll take it with me and get you a secure line. I’ll bring it by tonight for you.”

  This was usually the stuff Teddy would take care of. It was beyond strange to see Charles stepping up, acting responsible--outside of work that was.

  “Thank you, Chuck.”

  “No problem, baby girl. Make sure she’s okay for me? I’ll call Spencer and see if he can help me get this taken care of, although he’s been pretty hard to get a hold of lately. I bet if I called from your phone he’d pick right up,” he said with a sly grin.

  Okay, so he hasn’t totally changed. “Go ahead and try. But he doesn’t have my number. He won’t answer.”

  Charles was going through my phone while I talked. “Who are you trying to fool? His number is right here? He called you like ten minutes ago.”

  He showed me the missed call. The two calls that I hadn’t answered because I didn’t know who it was.

  “I didn’t know that was him,” I said, looking at the phone like it was diseased.

  “Here, you want to call him back?” he asked, handing my phone back.

  I can’t call him, not now. What would I even say?

  Clearly he had something to say to me. Did I really want to listen to anything he had to say? Yes--no! What am I thinking? You would have thought I’d learned my lesson by now.

  “No, I don’t want to call him back, not now, not ever,” I said, pushing the phone back toward my brother.

  Laughing at me, he slid the phone in his pocket. “You are so stubborn. I don’t know what happened between the two of you, and I don’t care but--ugh, God help me for saying this, but maybe you should give him a chance. He’s not as bad as Te
ddy makes him out to be.”

  I stared dumbfounded at him. “Thanks, but no thanks. Spencer had his chance and he blew it--twice,” I said, crossing my arms.

  “Well, you know what they say. Third time’s a charm,” he said, winking devilishly at me.

  I hit his shoulder. “Bye, Charles. Go fix my phone and go to work.” Opening the door I pushed him out.

  “Bye, baby sis. Love you.”

  I couldn’t help but return his smile. “I’m not a baby, now scoot!” I said, kicking him out the door.

  I walked into my room to find Gia curled up on my bed fast, asleep. Joining her, I settled in under the cozy covers and waited for sleep to take me over. Just as I was drifting off, Spencer’s face came to the forefront of my mind--his smiling sexy, carefree face, the one that always seemed to get me in trouble. As much as I tried to deny it, my subconscious wanted him--bad.

  ***

  We woke up to the house phone ringing. I answered sluggishly. “Hello?” Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes, waiting for a response from the other end.

  “Beth, its Teddy. Put Gia on the phone for me.”

  I kicked Gia’s butt. She rolled over and looked at me.

  “Teddy,” I said, pointing to the phone.

  Sitting bolt upright, she took the phone from my hand. “Hey,” she said getting out of bed and walking into her room for some privacy. Walking back in only a few short moments later, she sat back down on the bed.

  “Well?” I asked

  “He wants to talk in person. He’s meeting me out back in fifteen minutes.”

  She should sound happy. Why doesn’t she sound happy?

  “Did he say anything else?’ I asked.

  “No, nothing,” she said pathetically.

  I wished her good luck and told her to really listen to what Teddy was telling her. Laying back down in bed, I wanted to scream in frustration. The media was ruining my life. Worst of all, now they were ruining my family’s lives. I wanted to blame Spencer for all of this, but I knew that I was just as much to blame. If I could have been stronger around him, not let him affect me like he did, then none of this would have happened.