Love Ever After: Eleven All-New Romances!

by Nina Lane

  “And now here I am with my own celebrity date,” Chris said as they followed the host to their window table with a direct view of the jagged cliffs and the sparkling ocean where her picturesque town was nestled. The sunset would be gorgeous, Annie knew.

  “I’m not really a celebrity. Nobody recognizes me, not really. I was the sidekick character. Laura, Josh and Holly were the stars,” Annie said, settling in at the table.

  “Not to me. I always thought you should have had more time in front of the camera. Maybe even your own show,” Chris said. His voice had taken on an angry edge. Annie couldn’t help but notice his eyes had turned dark and shiny, as if a switch had flipped in his brain and he was no longer himself. It was sort of creepy, Annie thought. She supposed it was sweet that he believed passionately that she deserved her own show, although the idea had never crossed her mind. They sat in uncomfortable silence until the waiter appeared, and she pushed her concern away. Chris relaxed after that, and they quickly read their menus and placed their orders with the waiter.

  They enjoyed a fabulous meal and a great sunset, Annie’s favorite purple and pink colors exploding across the sky. Chris’ eyes hadn’t taken on the strange shine again so Annie had enjoyed herself. Chris was funny, and smart. He made her feel like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. As for the earlier uncomfortable moment, she was probably imagining things.

  * * *

  “How about a stroll along the cliffs before we head back to school?” Chris asked as they walked out of the restaurant toward Heisler Park, an art-and-flower filled park stretching along the cliff above the sea.

  Annie had lived in Laguna Beach all her life but had never had an after-dinner stroll through the park, and certainly not with a date. Chris wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close, their steps matching.

  “Thanks for dinner,” Annie said, as Chris directed them to a quiet corner of the walkway overlooking the ocean.

  “My pleasure,” Chris said, his blue eyes sparkling in the light of the moon rising over the hills behind him. He leaned against the railing and pulled her into him, their bodies seeming to fit together from shoulder to hips. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she breathed in his musky scent. “Thanks for agreeing to dinner.”

  “Thanks for asking,” she said, her body electrified everywhere they touched.

  His eyes dropped to her mouth, and she licked her lips, as places deep inside her pulsed. His hand travelled to the back of her neck, as his lips pressed against hers in a deep, firm kiss. She parted her lips and he nipped her lower lip, and she heard herself sigh, pleasure sweeping through her.

  “Get a room,” said a voice from behind them. Annie pulled away from Chris, blushing as she turned to see an old man staring at them from his encampment under a tree. He looked homeless to Annie, his clothes crumpled and dirty.

  “Fuck you,” Chris said, and before Annie could stop him, Chris crossed the sidewalk to confront the man. Chris’ hands were clenched in fists, his biceps flexed, his voice loud and angry. “Why don’t you get a room?”

  “This is my house,” the man said. The defiance was gone from his voice, Annie noticed, and he seemed to cower in Chris’ presence.

  “Let’s go,” she said, grabbing Chris’ arm, trying to diffuse the situation. Their perfect moonlight kiss was over, but she hoped there would be more.

  Chris finally turned away from the homeless man, but his eyes were dark, his jaw still clenched.

  “Hey, it’s ok,” Annie said, trying to soothe him with her voice. She’d never seen a person go from so loving to so angry so fast before. It was chivalrous, she guessed, Chris’ protectiveness. But, the response was almost too much, too extreme. She’d never known anyone with this type of anger, and she hoped it had made a rare appearance. Because everything else about him was perfect, she thought.

  They walked back to the valet stand in silence, holding hands. Annie stared up at the hills twinkling with warm lights and tried to pick out her family’s house. She thought she spotted her street and smiled thinking of her parents, her happy childhood up in the community at the very top of the Laguna hillside. Her childhood home was located in the Top of the World neighborhood and had a backyard deck with one-hundred-and-eighty-degree views of the Southern California coastline. She grew up with the best sunsets anywhere, she knew.

  “So where did you grow up?” Annie said, a question she’d meant to ask all through dinner.

  “Oh, we moved a lot. I’m sort of a nomad. My mom lives in Tustin, so I guess that’s home now, for her,” he said as the valet pulled their car up. They both climbed into his car and as he was pulling onto Coast Highway, Chris said, “Yep, I didn’t have that great of a childhood. That’s probably why I watched Laguna Nights so much. You all had stable, nice homes, normal families. I always wanted that.”

  Annie’s heart went out to him and she placed her hand on his leg. She couldn’t imagine a childhood like his. She really had a blessed life. “I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, I don’t want pity, Annie,” Chris said, and she saw his jaw clench. “I just want so much more for my life now than I had.” They then sat in silence as he turned onto Broadway, heading towards the canyon and eventually back to campus. The ride back to the sorority house was quick with traffic light. Annie was lost in her own thoughts. She realized not only had she gone on an official date, off-campus and to a restaurant in her hometown, no less, but that she was falling for the young man behind the driver’s seat. Falling hard. She knew she could help him find more in life, and she was determined to be a part of his. She turned in her seat and looked at his handsome profile, smiling as he pulled to the curb in front of her sorority house.

  “I’ll walk you to the door,” Chris said as he turned off the engine opening his car door.

  “No, you better not. I’ll sneak in the side door, up the back steps.” She’d missed curfew, but she was twenty-one and the sorority president, so what was Madge going to do? “Thanks for a great night.”

  Chris pulled his car door closed and then leaned across the car, cupping her chin in his hand. The glow of the streetlight above cast dark shadows in the corners of the car as he lowered his mouth to hers in a hot, needy kiss. She pressed into him, her breasts strained against her bra as she felt her back arch, begging for his touch. As her body flushed and their kiss deepened, his hand moved from her chin and finally cupped her needy breast. His hand lightly squeezed and his thumb rubbed across her erect nipple, sending fireworks through her body. She heard herself moan as he pulled his mouth away.

  “You make me so happy. See you tomorrow, Annie,” Chris said, smiling at her in the darkness. “Oh, I think you’re busted.”

  Annie looked outside the car, towards the house, where Madge stood on the front porch, arms crossed. “Oh no,” she said, smoothing her hair and adjusting her clothes as she tried to calm her ragged breathing before getting out of the car and facing Madge.

  “Remember, you are an adult. And, well, let’s figure out a solution to this awkward situation tomorrow,” he said and squeezed her hand. “Good luck with her.”

  TODAY

  TOP OF THE WORLD

  LAGUNA BEACH

  As she drove up the winding road home, she heard one of the hastily loaded bags of groceries tip over in back. Of course, she thought, because this day could only continue to get better. Annie sighed. She needed a plan and so she called her mom, the only person she could turn to who was always there. As always, her mom answered on the first ring. Annie imagined her carrying her phone in her hand, willing it to ring. She teased her for it, but at this moment, she was particularly thankful.

  “Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?” Clare said. Clare probably had been gardening, Annie thought, her mom’s favorite pastime. She was especially proud of her artichokes this year and bragged about her bumper crop whenever she could. All of the gardening certainly kept her mom fit. She was in great shape and more than ready to help with her next grandchild. Annie was certain
her mom was as excited about the pregnancy as Annie, maybe even more at this moment.

  “I’m fine. Baby to be is good,” Annie said, trying to keep the tears from coming.

  “What’s wrong then?” Clare said. “I can hear it in your voice. You’re in your car, I can tell. Come over?”

  “I can’t. Have ice cream and milk in the trunk,” Annie said. She took a deep breath. “Mom, it’s Chris. He’s in town.”

  She heard her mom take a breath, and imagined her thin shoulders rounding with the weight of the news. “Should I call the police?” she asked. Annie imagined her left hand on her hip, her right hand cradling the phone, a wrinkle forming between her eyes. The universal mom worry wrinkle.

  “No, Mom, let me see what his next move is. I’ve got to let Hank know, right? I should tell him?” Annie said. Somebody honked behind her. The light had turned green. Annie pushed the gas pedal, acutely aware that she shouldn’t be talking and driving. Her emotions were a mess.

  “Tell him what?” Clare said.

  “Just that Chris is in town,” Annie said. “I have to tell him I saw him, don’t I?” And this was it, of course. The thing she had dreaded. This was the nightmare that haunted her dreams. Only her mom knew the truth about everything.

  “I wouldn’t, not yet. We don’t want to upset Hank and have him confront Chris. You know he would honey. Your husband would do anything for you,” Clare said after a long pause. “Maybe Chris is just passing through. Maybe your encounter was an accident. Did he seem threatening, I mean? What did he say?”

  Annie thought about the moment she spotted Chris across the produce section. He held a red apple in his hand and he was staring at her, his mouth in a soft smile. As if he’d been expecting her. As if he’d planned their grocery store reunion. He knew exactly what he was doing, he always had been the one with the awful plans. Annie shook her head, trying to focus her attention on what her mom had asked. She stopped along the side of her street, two doors away from her house. “He said he was moving to Laguna Beach. Thinking about Top of the World,” she said, tears flooding her eyes.

  “We’ll just have to pray he changes his mind,” Clare said quietly. “Go home to Hank and the boys. I’m coming over. And Annie, please, don’t say anything to Hank just yet. Remember your promise.”

  “Ok Mom,” Annie said as she finally drove into her driveway, into her garage and pushed the garage door button. She was home and safe.

  For now.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  TEN YEARS EARLIER

  IRVINE

  Robin was mad. Very mad, Annie realized, as she tried to make eye contact with her roommate. Annie knew she’d been spending too much time with Chris, and shirking her duties at the Theta house. And that had left Robin with a full class load, a recruitment nightmare and a grumpy disposition.

  Despite the strife that had been growing between her and her roommate for the past few weeks, Annie was walking on clouds. She’d never been in love before and she was pretty certain this was how it was supposed to feel. Chris sent her romantic texts constantly, walked her between her classes – sometimes she wondered how he even made it to any of his own – and had not even pressured her to have sex. They’d come close, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t want to, but the time and place just hadn’t been right, not yet. He hadn’t invited her to his apartment since the night they’d met explaining that his roommate was a pig and the place was embarrassing. And of course, he wasn’t welcome in the sorority house after curfew.

  Even with those obstacles, they were seemingly inseparable. They ate every meal together, sometimes a romantic picnic somewhere on campus, or a quiet dinner at restaurants along the coast. They were becoming experts at making out in each other’s cars, embarrassingly enough. Annie, of course, had started paying for some of their dates. She’d finally convinced Chris to open up a bit about his family and finances. His single mom couldn’t help him with college or expenses. He was on his own, he’d told her. With Annie’s Laguna Nights savings, and her summer job, she was feeling rich in comparison.

  Everything was happening so fast with Chris, she hadn’t even had a chance to tell her mom about him yet, and that was odd. Her mom was her best friend, but Chris had taken up her mom talk time, too. In fact, any minute she wasn’t in class or in a chapter meeting or asleep, she was with him. If she tried to tell him she needed to spend time with a friend, he’d become angry and jealous. His eyes would take on a darker shade of blue. It wasn’t worth it, she thought. Besides, whenever she was with him, he treated her like a queen. She’d never had so much love and attention focused on her, ever. It was as if she was the center of his world.

  Annie knew she was a hypocrite, though. She used to make fun of her friends who dumped all of their girlfriends when they had a boyfriend. Annie had never understood why they would push everything aside to spend time with them. But now she did. It was called love. She rationalized that since it was the first time she’d had a boyfriend her true friends would understand. Apparently Robin wasn’t in that category, Annie thought, glaring back at her roommate as she stomped out the door.

  Her loss, Annie thought, pulling on her backpack. Today she’d packed a small suitcase and she’d come by and grab it after class. She’d lied to Marge, telling her she had to go home for the weekend to take care of her mom after surgery. Robin seemed to know she was lying but had given up on her. Annie’s stomach flipped when she looked over at her small pink bag. She knew she and Chris were going to make love tonight. He’d been pressuring her to go away for a weekend, to spend every moment together for an entire weekend was his dream, he’d told her. She’d finally agreed.

  But first, she had two classes to make it through, she thought as she walked out of the house and crossed the street, entering the campus and making her way to the coffee shop. She saw Donny waving and smiled at him as he made his way to her side.

  “Hey gorgeous! Guess what? I have a perfect match for you! He’s my new little brother, a transfer from Boulder. And, you guys went to the same high school but didn’t know each other,” Donny said. “He’s going to ask you to our date party next week. Cool?”

  “Actually, I’m dating somebody,” Annie said, feeling her cheeks flush. She glanced around the university center expecting to see Chris, but he wasn’t around. “You know, the guy with the flowers?”

  “Oh, well, no, he’s not a good guy, Annie. But Hank is,” Donny said. “Please say yes. For me. It’s a mixer for our two houses. You have to go anyway.”

  Donny was right. She did need to re-engage with the sorority responsibilities. She’d go, if only for a little while. It would make Donny and Robin happy. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll be there. And I’ll be Hank’s date.”

  “Yes!” Donny said wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug and hoisting her in the air. “Next Thursday, seven o’clock.”

  “Got it,” Annie said laughing as Donny placed her feet back on the ground and released his hold.

  She felt Chris’ presence before she saw him. And then she felt his arm around her waist, claiming her.

  “Hey Annie. What are you doing?” Chris said. Annie looked at his eyes. They were dark, and his jaw was clenched.

  Annie felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, but ignored it as she responded, “You remember Donny, right? He’s my big brother. It’s a Greek life thing.”

  Donny glared at Chris. “You have a problem with me, dude?” Donny stood at least four inches taller than Chris, and was twice as built. Even so, Annie worried that Chris would challenge him. It was his eyes that worried her, his eyes revealed his emotions, even if he tried to hide his anger with a tight smile. She’d never met someone so happy and kind most of the time, but who had such a quick temper, she realized.

  “No, of course he doesn’t, Donny,” Annie said, pushing the palm of her hand against Donny’s broad chest and separating the two men. “I’m going to be late to class. Chris, want to walk with me?”

  “Sure,” Chris
said, his jaw tight in a forced smile as he squeezed her to his side.

  “See you next Thursday night. Wear something pretty, look really good,” Donny said before turning and walking away from them. Annie swallowed. Her intuition told her that Chris wouldn’t understand her need to go to a date party, but she didn’t have any choice. It was part of her position at Theta. She also knew Donny was baiting Chris, and Chris was more than happy to bite.

  Chris dropped his arm from Annie’s waist and started to follow Donny, hands in fists by his sides. Annie yanked on his hand. “Come on, he’s just trying to make you jealous. We’re just friends, nothing more,” she said and Chris stopped and faced her. He seemed to be listening.

  “What’s next Thursday?” he said, his voice low.

  “Oh just a mixer. No big deal. They take place all the time with fraternities and sororities. It’s nothing for you to worry about, ok?” she said, keeping her tone airy. “Hey, I’m excited for our getaway,” she said, trying to calm him with her voice and change the subject away from a conversation that was making her more than uncomfortable. She leaned against his shoulder and felt some of the tension drop from his body. He wrapped his arm around her waist again, and this time with his touch, all she felt was relieved the storm had passed.

  “We’ll talk about next Thursday later,” he said as they stopped in front of her class building. His eyes sparkled bright blue as he leaned in close, whispering in her ear, conveying his own excitement about the weekend. “You’re right. This weekend will be something special, that’s for sure. Are you sure you have to go to both classes?”

  “I’m sure,” she said, relief flooding her body at his cheery outlook.

  He leaned forward and at the same time, slid his hand to her butt, squeezing it as he lowered his mouth to hers. She gripped his arms as heat spread through her, almost enough to overcome the embarrassment of making out in front of all of the students pushing past them to get to class.