by Amy Brent
“Lance!! How do you feel about your career change?” One voice yelled as another asked the same question in different terms. Lance answered positively, still holding onto me as the next question was about what I was to him. He paused and turned to face the crowd as I widened my eyes at him.
“She’s an important part of my life and so much of the reason I wanted to make some changes to it.” He kept it simple, beaming at me through the entire statement. He cut it short after that, assuring them that everything was good in his life before staff opened the door for us. Lance led me in and someone grabbed menus to lead us to a table in the corner, tucked beside a fireplace with a view of the water. “They’ll be digging on you now. Your name might get out to the media. Is that okay?” Lance looked serious as he questioned me, and I nodded. I feared the backlash, but I wanted to try with him.
We enjoyed dinner, talking about the movie and his large roll in it. It featured one of the most gorgeous women in Hollywood, but she was married with five kids. I knew that it was silly to worry about that when I was still feeling the sting of his porn career, but I would always have doubt from my past.
We stayed late, enjoying the sunset and the food and wine before Lance took me outside and back to the car. The media was gone now, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I mentally prepared myself for the following day. He took me to his house, where we made love all night inside of his room. Lance told me that he loved me that night and I held on tight as I whispered the words back.
It was soon, possibly too soon. It was real. I knew that there would be consequences for this love and the new publicity surrounding it. It started the next day when Lynn berated me for having a relationship with Lance and ruining his career. She got quite graphic in her call and I hung up in tears, not sure about what I was doing. Lance told me that everything would be fine, and I thanked the fact that I wasn’t going to have to see too much of her from here on out. I’d still see the commission and she could use another agent for the remaining steps. Lynn seemed to know someone to take care of her every need, and she was pissed off that it wasn’t going to be Lance any longer.
There was also the media that found out my name and after that, personal things about me. I didn’t have any skeletons in my closet to make me look bad and in fact, I looked pretty good in the public eye.
Lance started filming the new movie and loved the variety of what he was doing. I was happy to hear him talk about it every night after work and slowly worked through everything regarding his past. Lance proved that he loved me every day and I never saw any signs that he was seeing any other women. I still heard the comments out and about who he used to be, often spoken loudly when I was in sight. I was as famous as he was these days and it was hard not to go out in peace anymore.
Lance finished the movie six months later and asked me to move in with him. Things had calmed down by this time and we were doing much better, so I agreed. I knew that we would have a great future together and we made love that night as we made plans for the beach house.
I called Viv to announce our engagement and we both cried. She told me that she was going to help with every detail of the wedding and my mom was going to be involved as well. Everyone embraced us and now, the world was beginning to do the same.
EPILOGUE
Lance
I tossed back the shot with my friends as we cheered in the room behind the church. It was my wedding day and after a lot of shit, they were happy for me at the end of the day. I settled down surprisingly fast with Leila once I quit the porn industry and I preferred not to think about it too much now. It was the past now. We celebrated a year together just a few months back and today we were going to become man and wife.
We made our way out of the room as the planner told me that I was up, walking through the landscaped grounds to the small chapel. Leila found it on one of her photography trips in the city and fell in love immediately. She booked it the following day and talked on the phone nonstop to plan the rest of the ceremony. I joked that it was exhausting me, but I loved seeing her enthusiasm.
I walked into the church and greeted some friends as I paused to talk to them. I had just my closest friend Brian standing up with me today and Leila had Viv. We wanted to keep this small and intimate, despite what we could afford, and the world expected of me. The guest list only included close family and friends and I didn’t regret a thing.
I walked down the aisle, straightening my tie as I faced the crowd. I looked over the side where my family was sitting and saw the tears starting as I smiled, shaking my head. People talked about Leila and I like we were some kind of fairy tale, and they might be right. She did save me at the perfect time when I was ready for the change. It wasn’t easy and there were nights in the beginning where Leila would cry about not being good enough for me. I’d console her and do everything in my power to prove that I loved her, and she’d feel better. As time went on, we moved right along with it. She threw herself into the wedding planning with the help of Viv and her mom.
I met them at dinner at my house after she moved in. I saw the look of wonder in Leila’s eyes as she looked around the table, wondering what was going on inside of her mind. I loved both immediately and it was clear how they both fiercely loved my girl. They were protective until they sensed they didn’t need to be, or at least that’s what I picked up. I made a point of taking Leila to visit them when we could both get away and spending a few days.
I blinked as Brian led my mother down the aisle and joined me, giving me a reassuring smile. He was thrilled when he heard that I was settling down and adored Leila from the moment they met. They became close as I did to the ones that she loved the most and I’d never been happier in my life. I was content now and I straightened as I heard the harpist start a song. Viv walked down the aisle in a purple flowing dress and tears on her cheeks, making me smile as I looked over at Leila’s family. Once Viv was in place, she gave me a weak smile and I knew that emotions were going to be running rampant around this room.
I heard the music transition into something I’d heard around the house a lot as of late. I looked forward, seeing the doors closed as I waited for her. I needed to see Leila and I felt the chapel fall silent as the music continued.
The door opened, and I watched my beautiful fiancée step forward, wearing a gorgeous cream dress. It suited her perfectly with the cap sleeves and fitted torso, ending in a long train. Her eyes were bright as she met my gaze and I swore that she never looked as beautiful as she did today. It wasn’t the extra makeup that she was wearing or the way her hair was curled around her face. It was the smile on her face and the love in her eyes. Leila made her way down to me and we took our places before the minister, unable to stop staring at her.
In my vows, I explained how much she brightened my life. I told everyone how fast I fell for Leila and how complete she made me feel. I could hear people crying as I spoke, but I only focused on Leila. Her vows were soft and sweet, and she told me how she’d given up on love before she met me. She told me that I made her feel alive in a way that nobody else had and tears slipped down her cheeks as I clasped her hands in mine.
The kiss was the best moment of my life. Leila was mine and I cupped her face and kissed her greedily as cheers rose through the crowd. We pulled apart and I told her that I loved her before pressing my lips softly to hers again.
The second greatest moment was when she gave birth to our twins, Maura and Liam. I didn’t know that they were in my family, but Mom revealed it when Leila announced her pregnancy and it held true for us. I didn’t care because they were our kids. They were our dream.
*** The End ***
Thank you for reading and for your support. Continue reading for a sneak peek to my latest top 50 Amazon Best Seller – Roomies with Benefits.
Sneak Peek: Roomies with Benefits
Chapter 1
Abigail
I trudged slowly up the stairs to my fourth-floor apartment, desperately hoping I didn’t run into my
landlord. My rent was a week late, and he had already threatened to evict me if I didn’t pay up immediately.
I wiped sweat from my forehead. It had been warm all day, but nowhere could you feel it like you could in my building. The place was old, and the stairwells weren’t air conditioned. Even my apartment relied on fans to keep the air circulating. I’d never really liked the place, but it was cheap and I was able to have my own studio. That was why I’d jumped on it.
Cheap as it was, I had no clue how I was going to pay rent this month.
I jiggled my key in the doorknob and kicked the heavy wood in just the right place to make the door open. Then I noticed the crisp envelope that had been pushed through the mail slot. I picked it up and set it on the hall table for a moment. I needed a drink before I could face that.
Unfortunately, all I had was water, but at least it was cool.
I sat on the couch near the window, sipping my water slowly while staring at the envelope in my hand. Finally, I tore it open. As expected, it was from my prick of a landlord. My rent was late, but I couldn’t help it. I’d been unemployed for just over four weeks now. It wasn’t like I was just sitting on my ass, either. I’d been looking for a job all day, every day for weeks now.
At first, I’d scoured online jobs lists. Then I’d moved on to the newspapers. At this point, I’d resorted to walking into businesses with my resume in hand and calling up friends from college who I knew were in managerial roles at their workplaces.
But still, nothing had panned out.
I stared down at the letter from my landlord and choked on my water. This wasn’t just a request for my rent money like I’d expected. Instead, it was a lot more serious.
Evicted. The word stared up at me from the paper in big red letters. No matter how many times I blinked my eyes, it was there, just the same. Evicted.
I had seven days to get my ass out before they threw me out.
After the initial shock wore off, I started to get pissed. Sure, I understood I owed the money to the owners of the building. They weren’t running a charity, and I didn’t expect to live here for free. I was sure the upkeep for a building this size wasn’t cheap, either. But what had they ever done for me? They had taken a lot longer than seven days to fix the lightbulbs that were broken in the stairwell, and the elevator looked like it hadn’t been in service for years.
Besides, it wasn’t as though I was habitually late with rent. I was a great tenant. There had been one time I was late a few months ago, and it had been only one day late. And I’d had a good reason for it, too: The bank had screwed up routing one of my incoming paychecks and the money I’d been planning to pay my rent with had been deposited into the wrong account. I’d gotten it all straightened out as quickly as possible, making sure to keep my landlord in the loop during the process. No harm, no foul. And certainly, not my fault.
But apparently, that mistake earned me my one and only warning, and now they were done with me.
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. What was I going to do?
I took a deep, quavering breath to calm my emotions before they got out of control. I wasn’t going to get upset about this. I was going to fight it.
I quickly called Brittany, my best friend since sixth grade. If anyone could help me brainstorm ideas, she was the one.
“What’s up, Abby?” she asked when she picked up the phone.
“I’ve had a terrible day.” I sighed. “Can we get coffee? Or something?”
“Of course!” she said immediately. “I just put the finishing touches on the Gilligan party. I can’t believe that’s tomorrow already; feels like I’ve been planning it forever now. But anyway, I’m free all afternoon. How about that little place with the colorful seats? What was it called? You know, the one in your neighborhood?”
“Fiona’s,” I said. “That would be great.” I hated to drag her all the way out to my neighborhood when she lived on the other side of the city, but I’d been walking around all day and I didn’t know how much more commuting my feet could take.
“All right. I’m pretty close because of the venue the Gilligan’s chose, so I can be there in twenty minutes. Does that work?”
“Perfect,” I said. I kicked off my shoes and rubbed my feet after hanging up, staring miserably down at the eviction notice. I looked over at my folder with the last resumes I hadn’t had a chance to hand out. I had made nearly a hundred copies over at the library, and still I hadn’t gotten a single phone call from a prospective employer.
What was I doing wrong? It wasn’t as though I were particular about the job I wanted. At this point, I would take anything.
***
“All right, what happened?” Brittany asked a little while later as she set my coffee down in front of me. I automatically reached for my purse. “Oh no, it’s on me,” she said, smiling at me.
I smiled wearily back at her. “Thanks,” I said. “One of these days, I really will pay you back for all these drinks and things.”
“You’re good, seriously,” Brittany said. “Not to be a bitch, because I know you’re having a hard time getting a job at the moment, but I just got a raise at the party planning gig, so I can afford to splurge a little.”
I smiled even though I could tell it was a little thin. “Congratulations,” I said. “That’s really great for you.”
“Thanks,” Brittany said, overlooking my lack of enthusiasm. “But come on, what happened today? Did you have a bad interview?”
“I wish,” I said, groaning. “I still haven’t managed to land a single interview—unless you count the one at the coffee shop where I turned up only to find out the dude had forgotten about me and decided not to come into work that day!”
Brittany grimaced. “I’m sure something will work out for you soon,” she said. “Maybe the universe is just waiting until you’re really desperate, and then you’ll get the absolute best job!”
“If that’s true, then I hope the universe knows just how desperate I am right now,” I grumbled. I sipped my drink and then took a deep breath. “I’m being evicted. At the end of the week.”
“What?” Brittany said in shock. “Seriously?”
“Yeah,” I said with a sigh. “What am I going to do?”
“God, I wish you could move in with me,” Brittany said. “But I have no room. You know that. And Brenda would flip. She’s already not cool when I have guys stay over. Like, I have my own room. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal. It’s not like I do it every night.”
“No, I know you’d help me out if you could,” I said, shaking my head. “But even then, I wouldn’t want to impose on you.”
Brittany gave me a pitying look. “So, do you know what you’re going to do? Are you going to go back to living with your parents?”
“You know I can’t do that,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I won’t do that. I thought things with Mom would get better once I moved out, but I think they’ve actually managed to get worse.”
“Yikes,” Brittany said. “I didn’t think that was possible.”
I laughed bitterly. “Yeah. I’m just lucky that way. So, back home is right out.”
“Still, it’s not like you have many options,” Brittany said slowly. “Right?”
“Hey!” I said. “I was hoping for some positive energy here, brainstorming and all that.” But I couldn’t help grinning at her. Then I shook my head. “The thing is, even if I wanted to move back in with my parents, which I really, really don’t, it’s not really an option. They live out in the suburbs, and I need a job. Unless I managed to snag one at the mall or something within walking distance of their house, I’d have to either get a car or buy a bus pass, and both of those things are out of my budget at the moment. Not to mention the fact that I’d have to factor transportation costs into what I’m making.”
“Right. I get that,” Brittany said. She frowned, looking thoughtful. “What about your brother? Didn’t he just move into a bigger place?”
“Zach?” I
said. “Yeah, he did, but he moved in there because he and his girlfriend are living together now and they needed more space for all their shit. They’ve got a spare bedroom, but I’m not even sure that they have furniture in there yet. I’m sure Zach would let me crash on the couch if I really needed to, but I couldn’t do that for long. I don’t want to be the third wheel, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to find a job.”
I paused and then shook my head. “Plus, he’s my older brother, and he’s charming and smart and driven. He could get five jobs in a day if he needed one. If I tell him I’m broke and getting evicted, he’ll probably just give me a lecture on how I shouldn’t have gone on that trip to Vegas last year—as though a few hundred dollars back when I actually had a steady source of income was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
“Hmm,” Brittany said. “How much are you paying right now? Could you find somewhere cheaper? I know you love having your own place, but if you got a place with roommates, maybe you could save a little more money.”
“I know,” I said. “But at the moment, I could barely scrape together enough for the deposit on most places, and then I would have to get a job in the first month or else I’d be right back to this eviction stuff again.”
“Maybe I can help you find a job,” Brittany suggested. “I think we might be hiring.” She grinned slyly at me. “Or maybe I need to buy some billboard space and tell everyone in the city about how my best friend is the best.”
I laughed. “Don’t you dare!” I said.
“Okay,” Brittany said. Suddenly, she frowned, looking over my shoulder. “Hey, isn’t that…?” She trailed off, like she didn’t even dare to say his name.
