Her Forbidden Love Match (A Willow Cove Novel, #1)

by Theresa Paolo

  “I’m hoping we can start working on that.”

  “He’ll back later today. Stay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Lucas took a moment to think it through. He inhaled deeply and let it out. “You both have stood in your own way long enough so I’m going to stand off to the side and let you two figure it out.”

  “And what about us?” his father asked.

  Lucas shrugged. “Only time knows the answer to that.”

  “Fair enough.” His dad took another sip from his glass. “Can I ask you one question without you jumping down my throat?”

  Lucas’ hand tightened on his glass. “What’s that?”

  “What are you doing with that girl?”

  “Don’t,” Lucas said. “Don’t ruin whatever moment we just had.”

  “That’s not my intention. I’m just curious. I saw the way you looked at her. But the truth remains that you have a life in California, and unless she’s going to pack up her things and move across country with you, I don’t see how you can have a future.”

  “Maybe I’ll stay here,” Lucas said, surprising himself.

  His dad laughed. “I’m not going to tell you how stupid that would be, but I will say that there is no way in hell a Moretti and a Prescott could ever be together in this town.”

  ***

  It felt like a decade since Lucas’ father showed up, and Ella couldn’t stop looking out the window across the boardwalk to Joe’s Lobster House. The look on his face was more than she could bear. She wanted to wrap him up in her arms and bring him back to bed, close the door, and forget about the outside world. Live there together in their bubble.

  “Ella!” Ella snapped her attention toward Enzo who was standing with his hands on his hips behind her. “Did you not hear me?” he asked.

  “Sorry. What’s up?”

  “You’re acting weird,” he said.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.

  “You keep gazing out the window like you’re waiting…” His words cut off as he looked out across the boardwalk to Joe’s Lobster House. “You’re still seeing him, aren’t you?”

  “I…” She was sick of hiding behind lies, sick of sneaking around and not being able to admit that she was happy. She looked at Enzo, disapproval obvious in his eyes. “Yes, I am,” she said.

  “Have you lost your damn mind?” Enzo whispered, but the anger in his tone was not lost. It filled the air like a thick cloud.

  “I don’t know.” Ella wasn’t sure of a lot of things lately. Ever since Lucas sat next to her on that bus ride home, she was questioning her life and who she was, who she wanted to be… where she wanted to be.

  Enzo ran a tightly corded hand through his hair. “Grandpa will kill him. You have to know that much.”

  The last thing she needed was to add an extra visit on her calendar to the federal prison to visit her grandfather. The thought of him in canary yellow made her stomach twist in unforgiving knots.

  “He’s not going to kill him. He’s an old man; he’s not going to kill anyone.” Though, she wasn’t so sure about that. His hatred for the Prescotts ran deeper than anything she’d ever known. His grudge wasn’t just a grudge; it was a life choice he would never back down on.

  “Maybe so, but you know how he feels about Prescotts. He’ll never accept him, and do you really want to be with someone who can never be a part of our family?”

  She tried to imagine her life with Lucas, but without her family, it just didn’t mean anything. Either way, her heart would be missing a piece, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her future wasn’t even hers to control anymore. Not when she was in love with the boy across the boardwalk. Anger ran through her veins, heating pain she kept dormant.

  “I never asked for this. I didn’t get to choose my last name, and it’s not fair that my life is dictated by things I can’t change, for feuds that were started before I was born.

  “I have done everything for this family. I left school, I came home, and I never once complained. I took care of everyone when Grandma died, and I’ve been trying so hard to hold this family together with dad in prison, yet no matter what, I get screwed. I finally found someone who I can see a future with and there are so many circumstances that are making it an impossible reality.”

  Tears pricked her eyes, and the will to hold them back vanished to the ache in her heart. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she swatted it away.

  “El,” Enzo said walking toward her. She held her hand up, stopping him. She didn’t want his comfort right now not when it was weighed down by judgment and disapproval.

  “I’m fine,” she said.

  “You’re crying. You’re not fine.”

  She swallowed down the burning hot emotion stinging her throat, straightened her shoulders, and tilted her chin up. “It was a slip,” she said. “It won’t happen again. I’m used to hiding the pain; I’ve been doing it half my life.”

  She untied her apron and placed it on the counter. “I’m taking the day off. Don’t follow me.”

  “Ella, come on,” Enzo said. “Don’t be like that.”

  “I’m sick of pretending everything is okay, and I’m not going to stay here and plaster a fake smile on my face. I’m asking for one day, Enzo. One day.”

  “We’re Moretti’s. We don’t leave things unsettled.”

  “I’m sorry, I love you, but today… I don’t want to be a Moretti.”

  Chapter 18

  Lucas had had no idea how Joe would react when he came home and saw the son who abandoned him all those years ago standing in his living room, but instead of looking upset, he looked relieved, and Lucas left the house so they could talk and he could find Ella.

  He had no idea what the future held for his family, but he felt like they were taking a step in the right direction. Now if he could just figure out a way to save the restaurant. The burden of the task sat on his shoulders like an unmovable cement block.

  He walked into town, determined to figure it out, but more importantly determined to find Ella. After his morning, he wanted to tell her everything that had unraveled since the last time they were together.

  It was a strange feeling, wanting, no needing to talk to her. He’d gone most of his life, keeping emotions to himself. Ella made him feel different. He felt the need to open himself up to her and wanted to tell her everything.

  The residential houses gave way to the shops and cobblestone streets. It was only a matter of minutes before he’d spot her across the boardwalk. He’d text her, get her to meet him somewhere.

  He saw people huddled around a lamp post, surprised whispers being shared. Normally he would ignore them, but there was something about it that drew him in. He wanted to know what the piece of paper secured to the pole said that caused them all to look so flabbergasted.

  As he walked toward the lamppost, people looked at him strangely a mix between sympathy and encouragement. What the hell was going on?

  “Let Joe know we have his back,” some man said in passing.

  Lucas picked up his pace and came to a stop in front of the posted sign. His eyes bulged as he took in the words in big bold font.

  Help save Joe’s Lobster House!

  Everything around him blurred, his heart slammed into his chest, and an indescribable emotion tore through his very soul.

  Ella did exactly what he asked her not to. She lied right to his face and said she wouldn’t say anything. The sign staring back at him was like a knife to the back, cutting deep.

  He’d just begun building a relationship with his grandfather and now this… Joe would never forgive him.

  Lucas wracked his brain, trying to think if he’d told anyone else, but the truth remained unwavering. Ella was the only person other than Joe who knew how bad Joe’s situation was, and since Joe would never in a million years subject himself to public humiliation, that only left one person.

  His heart cracked open and every sweet smi
le, touch and laugh that she ever directed toward him dispersed. She didn’t care about him. If she did, she never would have done this. She knew how badly he wanted to keep this from getting out. How he wanted to figure out a plan on his own without having to out Joe to the town. By doing this, she took that chance away from him.

  He ripped the sign off the pole, betrayal poking at him hot and insistent. His fingers destroyed the flyer, tossing it into the nearest trash can. Relief flooded him for a brief moment.

  Maybe he and those few people were the only ones who saw the flyer. Maybe he could pretend the flyer never existed and those people didn’t know what they were talking about.

  But then he looked out, down the boardwalk, and saw pole after pole, window after window, covered with the same unmistakable words: Help save Joe’s Lobster House!

  His life spiraled out from under him. His world tilted, and he felt like he might go down when he spotted familiar long brown hair across the way.

  He ripped one of the flyers off of another pole and stormed toward her. He came to an abrupt stop in front of her. Her face lighting up as she realized it was him but quickly dissolving into concern.

  “What is it? Your father?” she asked, as if she had no idea what she’d done.

  “How could you?”

  Confusion marred her pretty features. “What are you talking about?”

  “What am I talking about? I’m talking about this.” He thrust a flyer at her, and she snatched it out of his hand.

  She shook her head, but he wasn’t going to fall for her games. Not anymore. Game over.

  ***

  Ella’s eyes widened as she took in the words. A fundraiser to save Joe’s Lobster House from closing its doors… Who would do that? Ella met Lucas’ eyes, realizing the anger was directed at her.

  She shook her head, unable to form words. “No.”

  “I trusted you,” Lucas all but growled at her.

  “I didn’t do this.” How could he think she’d go behind his back and do the one thing he asked her not to do?

  “I thought I knew you,” he said. “Thought you’d never lie to me, and here you are, lying right to my face.”

  “Lucas, I didn’t do this!” she cried out, desperate for him to believe her. She might’ve been lying since the minute he came to town, but not to him. Never to him.

  “Was it to embarrass Joe? Make your family look more successful, the clear winner of the lobster roll battle? If Joe’s Lobster House is going out of business that only means more business for you. Were you going to spin it somehow, use it to your advantage?”

  Her teeth gritted, hands clenched into fists. If he thought any of that then he didn’t know her at all. She would never. If anything, she’d been relentlessly trying to get their grandfathers to call a truce.

  Was every male she loved going to chip a piece of her heart away today? It was almost too much to take.

  His blue eyes, dark with a bitter anger, pinned her in place. “So were you just using me? A ploy to secure your spot as best lobster roll? Did the sex even mean anything to you or was that just another way to …”

  His words cut off as her hand landed solidly against his cheek. A dull sting ran through her fingers as she pulled her hand from his face. His blue eyes widened in shock, lip curled in anger.

  “I thought I knew you, too. My mistake,” she said and stormed passed him, refusing to look back.

  With each step she felt the cracks in her heart expand until there was nothing left but a black hole of regret.

  Chapter 19

  An unexpected piercing pain gave way to a nasty sting as Lucas looked around to the crowd that had formed. He’d wanted to let the world know that he and Ella were together and now they definitely knew. They also got to be witness to the fiery end.

  He crumpled the flyer and turned to toss it in the nearest trash can when hands grabbed his shirt and slammed him up against a building. A sharp throb shot through his shoulder blades.

  “What the fuck did you do to my sister?” His brown eyes were black with rage and solely focused on Lucas. Determined tension pulled tight at the skin around his eyes, his jaw set in stone ticked an intimidating beat. Based on what Ella had told him he knew it had to be Marco Moretti.

  “The only thing I ever did was love her,” he said. He’d already lost everything; he might as well go for broke. Whatever Marco did to him now wouldn’t compare to the hurt Ella caused him.

  Marco pulled back and drilled his fist into Lucas’s eye. Pain exploded in a symphony of white stars that floated around his vision. He shook his head, trying to get his bearings but stumbled back into the building.

  The guy had one hell of a right hook. People shouted, but their voices were white noise fading into the distance. Marco grabbed him by his shirt again and held him against the building. “What did you say?”

  “I said…” Lucas met his eyes. “I love her.”

  Marco shoved at Lucas’ chest and stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “That’s what I thought you said.”

  “Then why the hell did you punch me?”

  Marco shook his hand out. “You made my sister cry.”

  “Nice. Real nice.”

  “Oh, come on, it wasn’t even that bad, I held back,” Marco said.

  “That was holding back?” Lucas asked, lightly touching the swollen skin around his eye.

  “Just know, you make my sister cry again and it’ll be a thousand times worse.”

  “What the hell is going on here?” Lucas looked up to see his grandfather hurrying toward them. His orange Hawaiian shirt stood out like a beacon of light in the crowd. He pushed through everyone and stopped in front of Lucas, grabbing his chin and pulling his face toward him to examine. Lucas winced as he touched the throbbing skin.

  “You damn delinquent!” Joe yelled at Marco. “I’m calling the cops!”

  Marco looked unfazed. “Go ahead. Tell Reid I said hi.”

  “You little—”

  “Grandpa!” Lucas exclaimed, stepping in between the old man and Ella’s brother. “Enough.”

  Lucas had no idea how they’d kept this up for so many years. He’d been subjected to it for a short time and was already tired of the constant hatred and bashing.

  “Enough?” Joe exclaimed. “Did he or did he not do that to your face?”

  “He did, but—”

  “Marco what is this?” Vinny scurried down the boardwalk, his hands in the air, Italian flowing freely from his mouth.

  “I’ll tell you what this is,” Joe yelled to Vinny. “Your delinquent spawn assaulted my grandson.”

  “Chiudi la bocca,” Vinny spat.

  “Did he just tell me to shut my mouth?” Joe demanded.

  Vinny shouted in more Italian, and Joe yelled back, each fighting to be louder than the other.

  Lucas’ head was still spinning from the punch, from Ella’s betrayal; he couldn’t deal with this right now. He wanted silence and an ice pack. Not this ridiculous bickering that would get them nowhere.

  “Grandpa, let’s go,” Lucas said, grabbing Joe’s arm and pulling him toward their side of the boardwalk. Ella had been right on that first day. It was better if he stayed on his side of the boardwalk.

  “I am not going anywhere,” Joe said. “Not until I see him in cuffs, where he belongs.” He pointed his finger at Marco who looked away, a smirk firmly planted on Marco’s face. His arms crossed over his chest, and he seemed more amused than anything. Lucas almost admired his calm demeanor.

  “I won’t press charges,” Lucas said. “So it’ll be a waste of your time.”

  “Have you lost your mind?” Joe asked.

  Lucas looked back at Marco. “No, I think I had some sense knocked into me.”

  He couldn’t change what Ella did, but he could decide not to be a part of this ongoing feud. It was a battle with no end, and he was done fighting.

  Chapter 20

  Ella looked out to the Harbor, the sun setting and streaking the
sky in pretty shades of orange and pink. It was too pretty for her mood. She sat down on the dock next to Marco’s boat and pulled up the line from the side.

  The six pack of beers she knew would be there floated to the surface, and she grabbed a can before letting the others fall back into the water.

  She took a swig, letting the beer try to numb her further. Between Enzo, her grandfather, and Lucas she had never been so torn or hurt. The fact that her own family couldn’t look past their last names and let her find happiness hurt deeper than any cut could. And Lucas. How could he even think she would betray him like that? She would never.

  She loved him.

  She didn’t care that he was a Prescott. She didn’t even care that he lived in California. None of it mattered to her, but even he couldn’t see beyond the feud enough to trust her.

  The ache in her heart was almost too much to bear. She took another sip of beer when she heard footsteps coming up behind her. There was only one person who walked so heavy even when trying to be quiet.

  “How’d you find me?” she asked, though she wasn’t surprised.

  “When you weren’t at your spot at the beach, I knew there was only one other place you could be. Stealing my booze,” Marco said as he sat down beside her. His legs dangled over the dock, his black work boots skimming the water’s surface.

  “Yeah well, I’ve had a rough day.” She took a swig from the can, letting her silence speak for itself.

  He pulled the line and grabbed a beer for himself. “Grandpa and Enzo are worried about you,” Marco said.

  “What else is new?”

  “So, this is how it’s going to go?” he asked. “I say something, you snap back at me with sarcasm and displeasure, and we go back and forth until one of us walks away?”

  “I’m rather comfortable here,” she said.

  Marco laughed then took another sip of his beer. He looked out across the harbor and rested the can against his thigh. “I get it, you know? Falling for someone who is all wrong for you… yet unable to stop loving them.”