by Té Russ
Dream Lover
By: Té Russ
To my number one fan, my husband-
Your belief in me has gotten me to this place.
I love you.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to my very first book. I appreciate you giving me the chance to share my passion with you. When I first began this story years ago, it started as a dream I'd had. I thought that it would make a good story. I began the first chapter and set it aside. It collected virtual dust, as life took over. Then last year, I decided that I wanted to finish the stories that I'd started. Once I got started, the words just flowed out. At some point in 2011, I decided that a year from that point I wanted to be a published writer and now that dream is coming true.
The characters in this story, as well as the other stories I have written, mean a lot to me. Be sure to pay close attention to other characters in the story as well, you never know who may turn up again in future books. And believe me I already have some waiting to be released!
I hope you all enjoy this story, and I hope you all continue this journey with me.
With sincere graciousness,
Té Russ
[email protected]
On Facebook: Té Russ (Official)
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 5
Chapter 2 12
Chapter 3 18
Chapter 4 23
Chapter 5 29
Chapter 6 36
Chapter 7 43
Chapter 8 49
Chapter 9 54
Chapter 10 60
Chapter 11 66
Chapter 12 72
Chapter 13 78
Chapter 14 84
Chapter 15 90
Chapter 16 101
Chapter 17 106
Epilogue 112
Chapter 1
The phone rang at an obscenely late hour.
John didn't want to answer. He was dreaming of her. Again. They were in a field of wild flowers of some kind. She looked like an angel. He had to see her face. He reached out for her, called her name. “Susan...” He followed her but she kept moving. He needed her. He needed her saving grace. He called to her again, but she did not respond. He began to run, all the while calling her name. “Susan! Susan...” He began to run faster. However it was fruitless. No matter how fast he chased her, she continued to glide away from him. Then she stopped. She glanced over her shoulder, but her hair still covered her face. He stood there, afraid that if he moved she would also. She said his name.
“John...”
He stared at her, confused for a second, and then smiled. “What is it love?”
“John,” she said again, but her voice sounded different.
“Is everything alright?” he asked.
“John! Pick up the phone!”
That woke him up.
“John, it’s Liz! I know you’re there, pick up the phone!”
Angry that once again, his dream wasn’t complete, in sleep or reality, he rolled over to catch the phone before the answering machine cut his best friend off.
“Elizabeth,” he said her full name to show her how annoyed he was with her. “It’s after midnight. What is it?”
“She’s getting married.”
He shot straight up out of the bed.
“Who’s getting married?”
“Susan.”
Somehow he’d known that’s who “she” was.
“Are you o-”
“Who is it?”
“Does it really mat-”
“Who is he?”
“Some big hot shot nobody. I don’t really know. From what I hear he works in financing. Or real estate.”
He sat there, thinking about how his dream would never come true now, how he’d thought he’d find a way to get her to give him a second chance. He’d waited too long.
“Johnny?” Liz said, her voice full of concern.
He shook his head trying to clear it.
“Wait, how do you know this?” Liz and John hadn’t known each other when Susan had left him.
“I met her.”
“Where?
“The art exhibit.”
Liz was an up and coming artist. She had several pieces of her work at local art galleries.
“Tell me everything.”
“You’re not going to like it.”
“Eliz-”
“Ok ok…” she sighed deeply. He recognized the sigh. He rolled his eyes knowing she was about to start talking extremely fast.
“I was circulating, you know, meeting potential buyers, and then she came in with him. I immediately recognized her from the pictures you showed me. When she found out that I was one of the artist with work on display there, she came to me, told me how exquisite my work was. Then a waiter walked by with those little appetizer things, which I must say John, they were incredible! You did a great job!”
“Thank you,” he dryly replied. John owned a few restaurants and also did catering. He hadn’t gone to the art exhibit because he was swamped at his restaurant, and Liz had given him a personal tour the night before after everything had been set up. Now he was even gladder he hadn’t gone.
She continued. “So, she also commented on the food, and asked who catered. I was hesitant, and all I said at first was, ‘a friend’ and she said, ‘A “friend”? Honey you’re holding out on me!’ Then she asked what the name of the restaurant was. I told her Caliente. Something flashed across her face. Did you ever tell her what you wanted to name one of your restaurants?”
“Yes.” She’d left him before she could see his dream of owning a restaurant come true. Now he owned several. His Mexican style restaurant had catered that particular art show.
“She tried to act cool, but I saw the look of surprise in her eyes. She then asked for the name of the owner of the restaurant. I had evaded for so long that I couldn’t anymore so I told her. Then she asked, ‘John Parker owns the restaurant that catered this food?’ and I said ‘Oh yes, one of several, we’re good good friends.’ She looked mortified!” He could practically see the smug look on Liz's face.
“Elizabeth!”
“What?!” He could hear the fiery anger quickly surface in her voice. “John, this woman left you, left you at the altar on your wedding day. Don’t you dare feel sorry for her because I rubbed in the fact that I knew you and don’t expect me to be nice to her.”
He could imagine how Liz would have been. She would have rubbed in the fact that he was highly successful in her face like salt on an open wound.
“What else happened?”
“The guy came over, a real full of himself kind of dude. Said my work was nice.” She sounded irritated by the use of the word 'nice'. “Then we began to talk about the food again. She told him how an ‘old friend’ of hers had catered the gallery opening.”
He clutched the sheets. ‘Old friend'. Friends didn’t do the things they’d done.
“He did say the food was excellent. Then he said he wanted to look around some more. They went to the sculpture Entangled.” Elizabeth was an artistic force to be reckoned with. She painted and sculpted. She was foreseen to be the 'next big thing' in the art world.
“Did he buy it?” John asked her.
There was silence for a moment. “Liz?”
“Yes, they bought it.” He’d noticed that she said “they” rather than “he”.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“This is the part you aren’t going to like.”
“Tell me.”
She sighed, this time deep and slow. She knew she was about to say something that would hurt her best friend. She was taking the time to let him prepare himself, and preparing herself to tell him.
“They were standing in front of the sculpture and he asked her, ‘What do you
think of this?’ She turned to look at the piece and began to talk about it. He asked her if she wanted it, and she said it was way too much and she couldn’t. And then he told her to look at it again and think about it. He said he wanted her to pick anything she wanted for the house they’d spend the rest of their lives in.”
He felt his gut clench.
Liz continued. “She looked shocked and turned back to him. By then he was on one knee with the ring in his hand. He spouted off how he loved her and all of that other crap.” She’d finished.
He leaned back against the headboard.
“Are you alright? I can come right over.”
He ran his hand down his face.
“No I’m fine, don’t come over.”
“Johnny,” she sighed.
“Liz, it’s two in the morning. Get some rest.”
“I’ll only be able to rest knowing you’re alright.”
“I told you I’m fine.”
“Ok, well I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast?”
“Of course, I’ll have it ready for you.”
“Bye Johnny.”
“Bye Liz.”
He hung up the phone.
He sat there in silence. He wasn't sure what to do. He shouldn’t have been too surprised that she would move on. It had almost been five years since the disastrous wedding day.
Not being able to sit anymore, he got up and went to the shower. After quickly washing, he threw on some jeans, a black t-shirt and his shoes. He grabbed his keys and headed out the door. The elevator ride down felt like it took forever. He decided to walk. He thought about Susan, and how happy they’d been and how everything came crashing down around him on his wedding day. And with no real explanation. Just a note:
I’m sorry, I can’t do this. Please forgive me.
By the time he went to find her, she was gone. For the longest time she wouldn’t answer his calls, return his emails, or answer the door when he went to see her.
When she had finally spoken to him, all she said was that she wasn’t ready to get married like she thought she was. He’d even been ok with that. He told her they could start again and take things slow. All she said back was that she hoped they could find some kind of way to be friends again.
He’d left, angry and hurt. He devoted all of his time and attention to working on getting his restaurant off the ground. Once it was a hit, it didn’t take long to open two more. Splitting his time between the three restaurants was sometimes daunting, but invigorating. He stopped a block away from his first pride and joy. The one that had made him successful.
Then he saw her. He couldn’t help but smile as he continued to walk.
She was bundled up, bouncing up and down to stay warm, her big curls bobbing around all over the place. As she was hopping, she turned and saw him and gave him a sympathetic smile. When he stopped in front of her, she playfully smacked his arm.
“Well, it took you long enough.”
He shook his head. “What are you doing here Peaches?” She loved eating peaches and ate them almost every day. John once told her, “If you keep eating peaches so much you're going to turn into one.” Apparently she did, more or less, since she'd inherited the nickname from him.
Continuing to bounce from one booted foot to the other she looked up at him. “I knew you’d come here.”
He gave a skeptical look and asked, “How did you know that I wouldn’t have gone to one of the other restaurants?”
She rolled her eyes. “You and I both know that this is the place you come to when you’re upset.”
Her eyes widened as she looked at him. “You’re not cold?”
He’d forgotten his jacket. “I guess I didn’t think about it,” he answered shrugging.
She unfolded her arms and began tugging his arm.
“Come on let’s go in.”
He took out his keys and unlocked the door. As they entered, he flicked on the switch.
Everything was in its place. She walked behind the bar. She grabbed two small glasses and a bottle of liquor then poured each of them a drink. She placed one in front of him.
“Drink,” she demanded.
They both tossed the shot back at the same time.
“How did she look?” he asked, feeling the liquid burn his throat, then warm his chest.
“Skinny,” she answered not meaning it in a good way. She poured them another shot.
They both drank again, slamming the glasses on the bar.
“What about him?”
She stopped pouring for a second gave him a sly smile and continued to pour as she said, “Not nearly as devastatingly handsome as you.”
“You’re too kind.”
Another shot.
“Ok,” she said, “What are you going to cook for me?”
He laughed. She came from around the bar and grabbed his hand dragging him to the kitchen. “Come on! I know you were going to cook anyway, so I figured I’d reap the benefits.”
“How about a salad?”
She stopped and looked at him horrified. “It’s three in the morning! Now’s not the time to be healthy. Give me something deep-fried. Make me some of that shrimp! The tequila lime shrimp!”
He looked at her and laughed. “Why would you even ask me what I was going to cook for you if you were going to tell me anyway?”
She looked over her shoulder flashing him a smile. “I was just giving you a chance to guess correctly.”
He went to the fridge to get the food. She went and grabbed the tequila they'd been drinking earlier, then stopped in front of the stereo system.
He looked up. “What are you doing Liz?”
“I brought my iPod.”
“I don’t want to hear that song.”
“You need to,” she simply replied.
Before he could stop her, it was playing and she was dancing through the restaurant. Cee-Lo Green’s “Forget You” was blasting through the restaurant. Whenever he started thinking about 'her', and Liz always had an uncanny knack for knowing when, she’d play the song. She poured him another shot. “Here, drink this then start cooking.”
He took the shot. She continued dancing around. He smiled, thankful for such a great friend.
Chapter 2
“I lucked out to have a best friend who is such a great cook!” Liz said popping the last fry in her mouth.
“You’d probably never eat if it weren’t for me. You’re always hidden away in your studio. What did you do before me?”
She looked up and thought for a moment, then laughed. “I have no idea! Quick take out.”
He nodded. “I remember.”
They both thought back to how they’d met close to five years ago...
John had just gotten the keys to his new apartment. He was leaving when he’d seen a woman across the street carrying way too much stuff. Even with being wretchedly heartbroken, he still could not stop himself from being gentlemanly. Just as she was about to drop her easel, he rushed across the street.
“Here let me help you with that.”
“Thank you so much! You’re the first person to offer any help since I’ve been walking with this stuff.”
“How long have you been walking?”
“Too long.”
“Would you like some help carrying this stuff?”
She studied him for a moment then nodded.
“Sure, thanks.”
They headed for the elevator in the lobby. Once they were in, she shifted her supplies around and stuck out her hand.
“I’m Elizabeth, but my friends call me Liz.”
“John,” he replied shaking her hand. He noticed it was slightly rough, but still very delicate at the same time.
She looked at him, and began to study him again. She saw the sadness in his eyes; but she refrained from asking what was wrong. She pushed a strand of her wild hair away from her face. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”
He held up his keys. “Just got them. I’ll probably be moving in
this weekend across the street.”
They stepped off the elevator and walked down the corridor to her door. “This is me,” she said smiling as she looked up at him, “I can get it all inside, just sit it down. I’ve got to find my keys in my bag.”
He sat the easel down. “No problem.”
“Hey thanks again. Hope you like it here.”
“Thanks,” he said nodding, and then he turned and began to walk away.
“Hey John!”
He turned back and saw her kind of skipping towards him. “Yeah?”
“Well, since you helped me, I’d like to offer to help you move in your apartment.”
He stared at her for a moment, surprised by her offer.
“That’s not necessary.”
“I know,” she replied shrugging. “Let's just call it returning the favor or something.”
He shrugged. “Sure, I suppose I could use an extra hand.”
She smiled. “Great, I’ll see you this weekend.” She turned to walk away, and then looked over her shoulder and said, “I believe you and I will become great friends John!” And then she was off to her apartment.
She hadn’t been flirting or anything, she was genuinely being nice. And she’d kept her word. Saturday morning as he drove up to his apartment in his rented U-Haul, she was out front waiting, coffee in hand, sunglasses on, and overalls splattered with old paint. He couldn't help notice how she managed to look beautiful even in paint splattered overalls and her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail.
He’d hired movers to bring in the furniture earlier in the week. His younger sister had come along to help. She and Liz got along well, chatting away during the entire move. John had hardly gotten a word in. When his sister got ready to leave, Liz noticed how she hugged him tightly and said, “You’ll be fine.”
Finally alone, they stood at the door.
“Would you like help putting your stuff away?”
“Maybe a few things. I know it’s getting late, I don’t want to keep you forever.”
She waved his comment off. “I don’t have anything else to do.”
