Forgotten Love
by
Simmone Thorpe
Derrien Island Trilogy
Book 1
Forgotten Love
Text Copyright © 2013 Simmone Thorpe
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All characters in this book exist only within the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. More information about the author and other books produced by the author can be found at her official website.
Please note that this novel contains material suitable for mature audiences, 18 years and older.
Summary
CAN A HEART TRULY FORGET THE ONE IT LOVES?
Like a dying woman, feeling trapped in a life she no longer recognized, Natasha Nicholls believed that if she didn’t escape, she would go crazy or simply give up her will to go on. Losing her lifelong dream of becoming a singer and an artist due to an unplanned pregnancy and a rushed marriage slowly plunged her into a life of unrelenting depression and regret that eroded the intimate relationship she once shared with her husband Marcus.
It didn’t help one bit that he’s now a successful international best-selling author and restaurant owner with a life marked by success and recognition while hers continues to be a repeating cycle of defeat and frustration.
When the opportunity to reclaim her dream is offered to her once again, she must choose between her marriage and her heart’s deepest desires. She must choose what she is willing to leave behind and the cost she is willing to pay.
Can a story of forgotten love that bears the marks of bitter disappointment become a story of passionate love and desire once again?
Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.
The Message
Table of Contents
Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Note to the Reader
About the Author
Other Books In the Series
Chapter 1
March 17th 8:47 p.m.
Love was such an incredible farce, and the cruellest joke anyone could endure, thought Marcus Nicholls bitterly, wishing he could be anywhere else at that moment; anywhere else but in this wretched SUV.
With her.
But not even that futile wish and the bleak knowing that he was lying to himself, could change the obvious fact staring him coldly in the face tonight. She just didn’t love him anymore.
Angered by the very thoughts that filled and tormented his mind; Marcus increased the pressure of his foot on the accelerator of his Land Rover. Gaining speed, it neatly hugged the winding curvature of the road leading up the hillside county of Manderley, to the home he once lovingly shared with his wife Natasha.
She had actually become quite good at this fake public routine, he thought, pretending that all was well with her, while keeping him at a cold arm’s length. The casual observer would probably be fooled into thinking they were the picture of marital success, but would miss the fact that lately it was all just a show. When they were finally alone, it could not be clearer to him that this marriage was in trouble because she treated him as though he just wasn’t there, like a damned stranger. What had happened to the delightful conversations, and the passionate kisses that drove him to the point of distraction and which made it impossible for him to work or to have a clear thought after they made love? Heck, when last had they even done that?
The silence inside of the car felt like a heavy blanket weighing down the atmosphere and despite the sleek black leather seats, and the latest in technology that graced its’ interior, it felt like a suffocating tomb without the option of escape. The silence would not have been so bad had he not been forced to leave the anniversary wedding ceremony with a bouquet of tiger lilies, a symbol of love and commitment, thrown from the hands of Courtney Belham into the hands of his wife Natasha.
Now, as the fragrant flowers filled the interior of the car with their heady scents, it was impossible to forget that he was a man living in his own personal hell of unrequited passion and love, a man on the edge of sanity.
Every time he inhaled their gentle fragrance it seemed that they were somehow mocking him, chiding his failures, and scoffing at his shell of a marriage. He was tired of living a lie; the lie that what they had between them was still there and that all was well. He was tired of putting on a show because Natasha was a reverend’s daughter and she had to keep up appearances. He was just plain tired!
“Are you just going to pretend you didn’t hear me ask you a question just now, Nat? Have things really become that bad between us?” Marcus asked, with a harsh edge to his voice, glancing briefly at his wife before returning his eyes to the steep road ahead. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and took a slow deep breath but that was the only visible indication that she had even heard him speak.
Ten minutes earlier, he should have thought twice about even considering asking her anything at all, but the truth was, he still wanted to know why she even bothered to catch the bouquet. Why didn’t she just stand near the back and let the other ladies fight over it. If she knew that it would mean nothing to her at all, why bother, why raise his hopes that she actually felt something for him still?
He remembered with gritted teeth the flash of heat and desire that had exploded from his heart and moved throughout his entire body when he saw her catch it and smile as the other ladies congratulated her. God, he missed seeing her smile and laugh, missed how good she felt pressed closely against his body as they made love, missed hearing her sing to him. She had the most beautiful voice, sensual fragrance and the most delicious tasting lips. Just thinking about how she looked with her hair tousled around her face after they made love always drove him to the brink of insanity with desire for her. He missed the feel of her body curving into his at night and having her embrace him from behind as they stood in the shower. He was losing his wife and he had no idea why!
So when she caught the bouquet, he actually thought it might be a sign that Natasha was finally ready to let him back in. But, that futile fantasy evaporated really quickly once they got back to the SUV as Natasha carelessly threw the flowers onto the back seat and every trace of the smile disappeared from her eyes.
Marcus briefly looked at the profile of his wife once again noticing her effortless beauty and the way her long feathered earrings brushed the slender curve of her neck. She
had always been a free spirit, someone who could always make him happy, but he didn’t seem to know how to reach her anymore.
As they reached the top of the hill, Marcus drove a few more blocks before turning into the driveway of their sprawling 3500 sq. ft two-storey home. Nestled in the northern mountain ranges on Derrien Island, Azure Lodge proudly sat at on two acres of land left to Marcus by his parents when they died about eight years earlier. Most people seeing the estate marvelled at the unusual architecture and lush expansive gardens and stopped to take their portraits using it as a luxurious backdrop.
It had even been the cover feature in the Caribbean Luxury Homes digest last year. The building itself was stark white, in sharp contrast to the surrounding greenery with occasional splashes of red Hibiscuses and purple bougainvilleas. Instead of the colonial design that most houses on the island featured, this ultra-modern house with its sharp angles and flat roof revealed his creative imagination and Natasha’s decorative and artistic flair for using light to make every room appear peaceful and inviting. Large two storey glass walls, let in an abundance of light and air into the house and those alone caught the attention of everyone who had the pleasure of visiting them here. They used to spend time welcoming the sunrise in meditation together in what they liked to call the sunrise gallery, but as time passed even that practice faded away.
The solar lights were now activated in the garden, illuminating the path leading to the house with a warm golden glow. But appearances were often deceiving, thought Marcus. A beautiful home did not mean that the owners had an equally beautiful relationship inside. At least not lately!
As a citizen of the United States he hadn’t been born on the island but visited periodically as a young boy when his family took yearly vacations to the Caribbean. There was something so enchanting about the beauty of Derrien Island that even after his childhood was long over, he often opted to spend holidays here or on neighbouring Caribbean islands like Grenada, St. Lucia and Barbados. But of them all, Derrien Island became rooted in his heart the most because of the special memories he had created here with his family. Although the entire island was smaller than most major US cities and offered less in terms of the modern forms of entertainment he was used to, it more than made up for it by being covered in a myriad of hiking trails that wound through lush green vegetation, white sandy beaches, secluded coves, and scenic panoramas on top of many of the hills.
In fact, those were the main reasons why his parents purchased this lot in Manderley many years ago. The slower pace of life, the constant sunshine, and the delicious, spicy island cuisine only deepened his love for the island and its’ culture. He swore to himself that when he finished his degree at university, he would relocate here and pursue his dream of becoming a restaurant owner and dabble in his writing to eventually become an international bestselling author.
This island provided the perfect creative setting and it was a true haven in paradise away from the hustle and bustle of New York City where he grew up. The view from their home allowed an almost 180 view of the surrounding rural countryside downhill and the capital city of Clearwater in the distance. It was another reason why many of the walls facing the landscape were also made of glass. The cliff offered them privacy as a couple, while they enjoyed an unobstructed view of the romantic and breathtaking sunsets outside. When the house was first built, he and Natasha had often snuggled on the sofa in their living area sipping on wine, talking intimately at the end of a long day. They always had some story to share or joke to tell each other. She was his best friend and his lover and he was all hers. It was pure bliss and he missed those times more and more every day.
Slam.
Broken from his brief reverie into the past by the slamming of the car door, Marcus watched in disappointment as his wife walked briskly up the pavement to the door of their home, all the while fumbling frantically in her purse for her keys. She found them quickly and disappeared inside closing the door behind her.
Moments ago, he was consumed with anger, but now, watching the retreating form of his wife he could only sense deep sadness and a hollow emptiness that he did not want to think about. This land and their relationship held so much promise when he first brought her up here six years ago when they first met. That was a day he would never forget, a day when everything changed for him concerning love. As he sat there in the car he allowed his mind to wander back to that time. He remembered being drawn in by her enchanting eyes...
Chapter 2
April 12, Six Years Earlier
Kirton’s Bay, Derrien Island
“It’s your turn to serve Marcus! Show us those skills you were bragging about! All we heard from you last night was how powerful your spike was, and how you and your team will wipe the beach with us today,” taunted Sheldon Archer. “Real boring stuff, in fact I’ll believe it only when I see it!”
Marcus laughed and took his place behind the line in preparation to serve the volleyball. The time had come to put a swift end to Sheldon’s taunts and empty words and he knew exactly how to do it. After four years on the inter-varsity volleyball circuit at his university, he was named MVP on a double stretch, so he had no doubt that he could make Sheldon eat his words. He did not earn the title ‘the terminator’ for nothing! His dreaded and powerful jump serve won many matches for his team because he could make the ball whizz over the outstretched arms of the players at the net, to land just within the line marker in the back court, leaving the opposing team diving in futility to save the point.
“I hope you know what you are asking for now,” Marcus mocked, as he threw the ball over his head and jumped into the air to set up his lethal jump serve. In a few seconds, he would have proved his point and his team would be the first to score. Everything was set in motion and just as his hand was about to connect with the ball, he noticed a flash of red walking across the back court of the opposing team, right in the area where the ball would land shortly. Even in motion, Marcus could see the figure of an incredibly beautiful young woman who was about to get hurt. Unable to stop his momentum, his powerful right hand connected with the ball causing it to rocket over the net heading straight for the unsuspecting woman. Silently, he prayed she would look up or somehow the opposing team would save the point but unfortunately as he planned it, the other teams’ defence was totally useless.
“Hey, watch out!” shouted Marcus in an attempt to warn her, hoping that she would hear him, but another split second observation confirmed that she was completely oblivious to him and to everyone else when he saw the cord leading from the cell phone in her hands to the earphones over her ears. The very moment his feet touched the ground he began running toward her, hearing the thud as the ball connected with her hip followed by her surprised yelp of pain as she fell sideways onto the sand.
Marcus ducked under the net and ran past the surprised members of Sheldon’s team to the aid of the young woman. As he reached her side, she was still lying on the sand and her shoulder length hair covered her face like a black curtain of silken threads. The cell phone and earphones lay a few feet away on the sand obviously flying from her hands and head at the moment of impact.
“Hey, are you alright, I am so sorry!” said Marcus as he stooped down beside her, offering her his hand to help her up. She turned her head up to look at him and Marcus sucked in a deep lungful of air then because staring right back at him, set in a heart shaped face with skin the colour of creamy cocoa were the most startlingly beautiful pair of olive-green eyes he had ever seen. It felt as though time had somehow been suspended as he looked into what seemed at the time to be twin emerald jewels, slowly glistening as tears began to well up in them. Her expression of surprise clouded by the obvious pain she was in, caused him to return sharply to reality.
“Here, take my hand so I can help you to sit up,” Marcus offered as he held out his hand to her. As she placed her much smaller hand in his, he felt an unfamiliar sensation course through every fibre of his body as well as an intense need to protec
t her somehow. It was as though he had been fooling himself that he was alive all this time, because now holding her hand he’d never felt more awake.
As she sat upright, she winced and pulled away her hand to raise the sheer beach wrap that she was wearing around her waist, to check her leg. Sure enough, a small purplish bruise was already clearly imprinted on the side of her right thigh which received the impact of the volleyball.
“Oh no!” she groaned as she saw the darkening bruise.
By that time the rest of the players had gathered around and someone from the group offered to go over to the nearby drinks vendor and get some ice.
“Listen, I am sorry about that, I did not mean to hit you with the ball,” apologized Marcus again looking at her leg with growing alarm.
Natasha Mitchell looked into the concerned face of the man who squatted before her and despite the pain she was experiencing, she could not ignore that from the first time she saw him, when he offered her his hand that she felt as though all the air had left her body, for the second time.
“No I’m sorry, it was my fault, I have this bad habit of walking around with my earphones on,” she said trying to allay his concern by taking the blame for the accident.
“Yeah, it was as if you suddenly appeared on the court out of nowhere. Can I look at it?” asked Marcus gesturing and leaning toward the now darkening area. “Whoa, this does not look good, let me take you to the doctor to get it checked. It’s the least I can do to apologize.”
“No, no that is alright, I am sure that if I put a little ice on it the swelling will go down. Accidents happen all the time, I’ll be okay,” she protested.
“I am not so sure about that, I have seen these kinds of injuries before and it is best to let a doctor check it out to make sure that you are not bleeding internally,” Marcus countered with concern.
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