Forbidden Earl

by Victoria Pinder

  “Yes, sir.” She didn’t blink. This library had been her salvation as a young girl forced to live with her grandmother who resided in an elderly community. At sixteen, she’d been thrilled to work in the office and she’d gone to college for a degree in library science. Books had always given her an escape and knowledge. Beth had bent the rules to give her the full time position when it became available, though she’d been a year away from her degree.

  The commissioner’s even breaths rattled her insides.

  He put her personnel file down and folded his arms in front of him. “So, the city will offer you a full pension if you leave quietly and let us close down this branch without media attention.”

  Her stomach knotted. Did he know that she’d drafted a letter to her senator and the Miami Herald?

  A full pension? She was only thirty, not that she expected to ever see a dime. The government was going to run out of money long before her turn for retirement came up. She hugged her waist. “Does the pension start when I’m sixty-five?”

  “It will start immediately.” He sat back in his chair. “But only if you sign this non-disclosure agreement on why we are closing this particular library.”

  They’d stated economic options—very vague but she and Beth suspected it had to do with the new mall proposition by Commissioner Kelly.

  Her lips parted and she wasn’t sure what to think. She’d been prepared to start a job search after a week of mourning, but now it seemed she’d have a few dollars for the rest of her life. She nodded, willing to ignore her petition for the chance at security. She picked up a pen and stared at the stack of papers to his right. “It’s not much of a choice.”

  He pushed them toward her, not bothering to smile. “We’ll need you to sign your retirement documents too. If you go back on this agreement, all money will be forfeit.”

  Her wedding had been cancelled, she was out of a job, and oh, how she missed her grandmother, but hopefully this was a new start. Donna signed the first page and flipped to the next. “I’m sure whatever is built here will provide economic improvement.”

  “Good girl.” He took the stack of papers back from her and double-checked her signatures.

  She crossed her arms and the weight of what was happening hit her like a hurricane. “I’m not a girl and I’m not feeling like a retiree. I’m thirty, not sixty-five.”

  He tucked the contracts into the folder, put it to the side and leaned forward. “Most women your age-”

  No lecture. Not today. She stood, knocking her chair back a few inches. If she was retired with her small pension, she could move—go anywhere. It had been two months since her fiancé broke her heart and six months since her grandma had died. She stared down at the commissioner. “Stop. I’ve signed everything, so we’re good.”

  He nodded and picked up the next folder. “Please send in Mark Walker. You can pack up your things and go home.”

  “Yes, sir.” She rushed out the door.

  Beth remained at her desk. Donna walked over to Mark, hunched over his computer by the reference section, and gestured toward the office. Then she returned to her desk, packed her few personal items and realized this was the last time she’d see the stupid yellow smiley face sticker on her monitor. Tears threatened to form in her eyes. She’d spent half of her life, right here, in this seat in the library.

  This was worse than her engagement ending.

  Beth placed her hand on Donna’s arm. “So?”

  “So, I’m retired too.” Donna heard the surreal tone in her voice. Beth, though twice her age, had been friend and mentor since Donna was sixteen and she had no secrets from the woman. “It doesn’t seem real.”

  Beth picked up her pocketbook and pointed to the door. “At least they are paying you off with a monthly check for the rest of your life. This is in many ways a blessing.”

  Donna packed her favorite blue pen with a white flower on it. “It still feels like I lost my job.”

  She’d been sixteen when her parents had died and she’d moved to Miami. Walking into this library a stranger, she’d checked out with Pride and Prejudice from Beth’s recommendation and given the librarian a solemn promise that she’d return to talk to her about the book once she finished. It had given her purpose.

  Beth leaned closer, her eye on the office door. “What are you going to do now?”

  Fair question. Donna had no idea. She continued to pack a few more items in her full bag and avoided Beth’s gaze. “Now that my wedding is cancelled and I don’t have a job?”

  Beth patted her arm like they were family which was good because Donna had no one else, not really. Beth pushed Donna’s hair out of her face and smiled at her. “So you’re free. For the first time, what are you going to do?”

  Donna met her gaze and saw kindness. She then finished with her drawer and closed it. The sound echoed through the library as Donna repeated, “Free. I’ve never been that. What would you do if you were me?”

  Beth laughed and threw her hands in the air like the answer was obvious. “Travel the world, experience things. Donna, you’ve been grounded for years. It’s time for you to fly and see where you land.”

  Mark had finished his discussion with the commissioner and walked right to the door without a word for either of the women. The commissioner followed, leaving with an awkward wave.

  Out of routine, she and Beth checked the library as they did every night before closing and turned off the lights to all the rooms. Donna admitted, “I do have a list on my phone of things I’d like to see.”

  Every so often she took notes on things she’d read about that would be nice to visit.

  Donna turned off the last light. This felt like the end, but she hooked her arm through Beth’s.

  “Then go for it,” Beth said. “You don’t have to be anywhere anymore.”

  True, but at thirty that felt more like a punishment. Being alone with her thoughts always made her miserable and now that work was gone, she’d have to face herself. She smiled at Beth. “Let’s get out of here.”

  In the parking lot, they headed to Beth’s five-year-old Camry that was fully paid for as it had been her week to carpool. Perhaps in other parts of the country five o’clock was dark but in Miami the sun still shone like afternoon. “Can I see your list?”

  The chill in the January air didn’t matter. In fact, Donna thought it was right that winter would be here soon. She shivered and reached into her bag, digging her phone from the side pocket. She opened the notes app and handed it to her friend.

  Beth laughed as she scanned the list and read a few out loud, “Kiss a stranger… meet the Queen of England… go up the Eiffel Tower…Eat anything that looks good… This is easy to fix. Let’s look up airline flights on our phones.”

  “It seems so silly.” Donna got in the passenger side as Beth slid behind the wheel.

  Before leaving the parking lot, Beth held up her own phone to show Donna the cost of airfare. “Donna, I know you have money socked away and now is the time. You can fly to Avce and crash the Royal Wedding, then take the train over to Italy for lasagna and check Venice off your list.”

  Tempted, Donna shook her head before the idea took root. “No.” She’d created that stupid list to pass the time, it had never been a goal.

  Beth continued, “Harry left after you bought your honeymoon. You have travel funds. This ticket is the cheapest,” she tried to hand over the phone, “but you’d have to leave tonight.”

  Donna didn’t take the cell phone. How could she explain her resistance without sounding bitter and grumpy? She’d planned on licking her wounds in her condo forever, not coming out except to check on Beth. For valid reasons, there was a part of her that hated change.

  Beth drove down the side street then onto the bright lights of Collins Avenue where the oceanfront was jam-packed with billionaire tax-haven condominiums, her phone on the console between them.

  Donna eyed the open app and hugged her waist as the palm trees passed by. What if s
he did take a few months to travel? She’d come back to her condo, refreshed, and find something to do with her life. Perhaps the time away might give her perspective on what she actually wanted.

  “You are thinking about it, I can tell.” Beth stopped at a red light.

  Donna sighed and shook her head. “That only gives me hours to pack.” She knew exactly where her suitcase was, shoved in the back of the closet.

  Beth laughed and clicked something on her screen. “I’ll drive you to the airport. Pack light. You can kiss a European when you get there and let your hair down.”

  “I don’t know.” Her brown hair in a bun suddenly felt tight when it was loose and messy from a day of work. And what was so terrifying? That if she left, she’d come back the same person? However, it would be nice to actually see more of the world she’d read about in books—escaped to during the hardest times. Miami wasn’t everything.

  Beth made a tsk sound with her throat and pointed at one of the shopping malls across the street from the beach, near the Intracoastal. “Look, there’s Harry.”

  Donna followed her friend’s pointed gesture to see Harry with his new girlfriend coming out of the jewelry store.

  Beth sped up, but Harry’s hand on his new girlfriend’s back was burned in Donna’s mind. She quickly told her friend, “Okay, I’m going. Let me have your phone.”

  She reached into her bag and brought out her wallet. If Harry could move on, she could too. Perhaps this trip would open her eyes to the beauty of the world rather than the pain. What if, why, and that eternal question of “what do I want to do with my life” might be answered. Getting away sounded perfect.

  Donna typed in her credit information.

  “Yes!” Beth cheered. “But keep in touch. Email me from anywhere, text any time. I want to hear when you’re happy again. You’re the closest thing I have to a daughter.”

  Good. The ticket was bought. Donna leaned back. When had she last been happy? High school? College graduation? Even that had been marked with sadness that her parents weren’t alive to see her accomplishment though her grandparents had been great to her. It had been so long that she wondered if the emotion was a childish illusion that couldn’t exist.

  Princes of Avce

  Forbidden Crown

  Forbidden Prince

  Forbidden Royal

  Forbidden Duke

  Forbidden Earl

  Forbidden Monsieur

  Forbidden Monsieur Preview

  Early Draft; Will be Edited

  Chelsea Bright can have anything she wants. Yes, absolutely. Any man would be lucky to have her. She flipped her hair behind her back, checked her sunglasses covered her face and strutted into the reception door of her sister’s son baptism party.

  The fact the father of her nephew had stupidly been on her list once made her pause as she saw how Remington Burke, the Earl of Sky, doted on her sister and their son.

  All this vision of family and visiting royalty who cheered on the lawn of Bei Giardini Manor, her extremely rich brother-in-law’s estate meant that somehow Cassidy needed to finally do it. She took a champagne glass from a passing waiter and tried to calm her racing heart.

  No more delaying the inevitable. No more painting to express herself. It was past time. She needed to get married and support her parents so all of them fit into the royals of Avce.

  Last month, in Paris, her mother had pointed out that they were living on borrowed time thanks to her sister’s match, but it was up to Chelsea to ensure the Brights had a future now.

  She’d not let anyone down.

  She gazed the party and saw no single, eligible rich man of consequence, but then again she knew she needed to head back to Paris. Duc Astorre Manfredi was both her mother and hers most favorite bachelor in Avce, and it was past time she set out to meet the man who would likely be her husband.

  Her sister waved her over to where she stood with her baby boy dressed all in white and called out, “Chelsea, there you are. Come take a family photo with us.”

  Her sweet older sister was lucky. Chelsea saw that now. She married her best friend who happened to be one of the richest men in the country. Right now Chelsea put her champagne glass, untouched, down at the family table and headed over for that photo.

  Her sister hugged her and for the one second, Chelsea wished she could really talk to her smart, perfect older sister.

  However her husband turned her to shake hands with the Queen.

  Chelsea kept her head down in a bow until the Queen left.

  Her sister then asked, “Are you having a good time, sis?”

  “I’m just happy your happy now.”

  “Me too.” Cassidy said. “And mom tells me you and her are heading back to Paris tomorrow.”

  “Yes, it’s time to do my part.” Chelsea said and again she glanced at the outdoor spread. Everywhere royals and nobility of Avce picnicked in celebration of one of the newest members of society, her cute nephew Cristian Burke.

  Her nephew would never lack for anything and was already one of the richest men in Europe, despite being less than a month old. “Can I hold him a few minutes?”

  “Of course.” Cassidy said and handed her son to her. “You are his godmother.”

  Right. Her sister actually thought she’d be a good replacement for her? Cassidy was smart. Her computer program to find true love for the nobles of Avce was starting to get international recognition. Half of the old world was curious who the computer claimed was their true loves. So Cassidy married a rich earl and as a countess in her own right, her sister was banking.

  It was too bad she had no idea how their father lost the money he’d gotten for Cassidy’s marriage to Remington and that her husband didn’t wish to bail her father out of a jam.

  This meant Chelsea really had to do find this Duc Astorre Manfredi and charm him.

  Her nephew, Cristian, cooed in her arms and brought her back. Maybe after she married and had a baby, she’d finally be happy. The cooing was almost as beautiful a sound as visually expressing her version of beauty on a canvas.

  If only she had time to paint her new favorite godson. Her heart ached but she gave him back to her sister and said, “I have to go, sis.”

  “Hot date?” Cassidy asked. “I know the singles of Avce were all too busy to come today.”

  “You know me. The life of a party.” Chelsea winked and sashayed off like she always did.

  No one said goodbye to her when she made her way to the door.

  Her older black Mercedes now sparkled though as she made her way to the valet to claim it.

  Near the door, she saw the Duke of Oakley and his wife that her sister matched together kissing as they waited for their car.

  In another life, Chelsea might believe that loved existed because in her current life it didn’t matter. She’d kiss a frog, hold her nose and just get over herself.

  Dreams had never been worth even a penny. As the sun set, she made her way toward a different estate. As she drove onto the notorious Matteo Korbel, the Count of Golchin’s, estate, her spirits sank but she kept her head up.

  The music was already piercing the air and she hadn’t even made it onto the driveway or the valet. She tugged off her baptism jacket and checked her makeup in the mirror. Pink lipstick and her now low cut pink dress that was properly inappropriate barely covered her top.

  Finally it was her turn to park the car. She fluffed her straight blonde hair as she stepped out of the car and tossed the keys to her valet.

  Instantly her gaze locked near the front door with the closest man she had to a friend, and one she’d never consider marrying herself, the Marchese of Normanni, Stephano Durnovo. He had one foot on a roman column as he smoked his cigarette but he tossed it the second she joined him. “You look sweet enough to eat tonight, Chelsea.”

  “I’m not on the menu, but I can totally ask my sister who your true love might be so you stop ogling.” She rolled her eyes and peeked into the party behind the front doors w
hile covering her chest.

  He made a sound with his lips so she turned toward him. “You’re the one putting them out there on display for me and every other guy to notice, Chels.”

  If only she was attracted to Stephano. But honestly he was too handsome and he’d never be faithful to any woman. He wasn’t born that way, but he’d always been the one who knew where to find trouble which made Stephano and Matteo, the owner of the house, her best friends. While her sister was always a good girl, Chelsea preferred to know how the other half who didn’t care about anything lived.

  Stephano finally took a step to walk with her and they walked into the estate mansion that doubled as the noble nightlife of Avce’s best.

  She glanced at the bar and of course saw Olivia sitting on it with two men on either side of her pouring her more martinis. Olivia loved to play sex goddess to be worshipped at these parties.

  Chelsea kept walking past the dance floor and finally saw Matteo, with his arms wrapped around some redhead who was so white, she’d burn in the Avce sun. Or she’d burn up Matteo’s mattress tonight. She’d not interrupt.

  Some dark haired woman with rather large breasts stopped Stephano from walking with her, but that was fine.

  She stopped and picked up a drink from a waiter and turned around.

  This was her life. These were here people. She glanced around the room. She’d painted half of these people already in one way or the other as dark creatures longing for something more.

  Not that anyone would ever see her paintings.

  Not that she wanted them too.

  She sipped her drink and remembered holding Cristian. Her arms ached though she sipped the wine that tasted sour to her lips. Good was supposed to be in this world too and not just these mindless games and people where nothing mattered.

  Her heart pounded that she was in the wrong place. She put her glass down on a table and decided she didn’t need to be here.

  Tonight was her last night before she transformed herself into whatever this Duc Astorre Manfredi wanted her to be. She’d figure that out once she actually met him. She could play any part.