Authors: Ellen Lane,Taylor Young
Top Love: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (Young Adult Stepbrother and Billionaire Romance Stories) (52 page)
Jimmy
It’s official. I’ve lost her forever. Well, at least she’ll be happy and not want for anything. I know they say money can’t buy happiness, but it can sure buy a lot of things that you can use to create memories…and memories make you happy, right? At least, my memories make me happy. I have so many memories of Krystal and myself. I suppose that’s all I’ll have, aside from Gage. I guess I’ll be okay with that. She’s happy and that’s all that matters to me. She’s a good mom and that’s all that matters for my son. So, it’s my job to be the best dad I can be and just love her. I hope she knows that no matter what, I’ll always be there. If she needs someone to hold her when Eddie makes her cry, I’ll be there. If she needs someone to confide in, I’ll be there—if she wants me there. I don’t care about anything other than making her happy and being the best dad I can be. If she is happy with Eddie, then I’ll allow myself to be happy for her.
Krystal
I stare at the ring for a few moments and finally, will myself to say the words I’ve needed to say for a long time. “Eddie,” I say. “I will not marry you. I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t. This,” I point to all of the stuff now cluttering my just cleaned living room. “This is all lovely and I’m sure you spent a lot on this, but this isn’t the kind of life I want. I used to think it was, but then—I had Gage. Living the simple life—going to work, coming home, being with my son—is a beautiful thing. Nothing is wrong with the life I have here. Me and you, we had some great times. I will always treasure the memories we’ve made, but that time in our life is over. Your life has taken you in a direction you’ve always dreamed of.”
“But Krystal, I’ve always dreamed of this life with you by my side. I’ve envisioned us stepping out of the limo on to the red carpet as I’m about to accept an Academy award, me in my Armani tuxedo and you in your Dolce & Gabana sequined dress, looking perfect as the light shimmers on your sequins. And of course, little Gage would follow with his nanny in his miniature tuxedo and be the cutest baby on the red carpet.”
Suddenly, I was filled with an anger I’ve never experienced before. I wanted to deck him, kick him, or something violent. I knew that more than anything, though, I wanted him out of my house.
“Eddie, you need to leave.” I pointed toward the door.
“What?” he said as he stood up.
“Did I stutter, or has being under all of those bright lights fried your brain? I want you out of my house and I want you out NOW!” I raised my voice. “If you don’t leave, I’ll make you leave.”
He stood up and began to grin. “Yeah, and how would you do that? Huh?”
“Eddie, don’t make me hurt you.”
“Pfft, you couldn’t hurt a fly. What the hell you talking about ‘don’t make me hurt you’? Here, let me show you how much you want to say ‘yes’. I know you’re just scared and don’t worry about Jimmy. I’ll take care of him.”
He moved toward me and grabbed me, pulling me into him. Then, he tried to kiss me. His lips crushed against mine. So, I did what any southern girl would do in my situation.
I decked him.
“I told you ‘no’. I told you to leave. If you don’t crawl your skinny ass out of my house, I will stomp you into the mud. Now, GO!!!!”
He scrambled to his feet and headed toward his car, but not without trying to have the last word. “Krystal, you don’t know what you’ve done. You’ve given up the best thing in your life. You’ve given it all up and for what? To be an old, unmarried maid with a kid attached at the titty because you don’t know a good thing when you had it. Well, there are plenty of women fawning all over me, begging me to even take them to Starbucks, let alone for them to be my wife. So, kiss your chance goodbye, babe!” He jumped in his car and sped off.
I hoped he was looking in the rearview as he left, because I had two middle fingers waving him farewell.
His words still stung, but I tried not to let them get to me. He was right, though. I probably would be alone forever. I wouldn’t have been if I hadn’t divorced Jimmy. He was an ass, but he was my ass. Images of our marriage, especially in the beginning, danced in my head. He was such a wonderful husband. He never treated me badly, despite cheating on him twice with Eddie. He could have called me every name in the book, but all he did was love me through it. And I threw him away with both hands. I’m such an idiot sometimes.
At least now, I’d have this beautiful rose to add to the other for precious memories. Oh wait, I thought. Wasn’t there a card? I looked around for the card. I searched until I remember that I sat it down on the couch.
I picked it up and read it.
Each word seemed to jump off of the page and dance just for me. I never cried so hard in my life as I did after reading that poem and what he penned on an extra sheet of paper for me to add to the card. Written on that sheet of paper was: Krystal, I was a fool to let you go. I promise to never do it again. If you forgive me, your ring is where love never dies.
The rose!!!! Oh, my gosh! I’m such an idiot. Jimmy came here to propose to me all over again and again, I was distracted by Eddie. Well, I could only hope it wasn’t too late. I picked up the bouquet, pulled out the rose, and placed the gardenias in a vase. And just like he said in his note, my wedding ring that he had given me was on the plastic rose, tied with a sapphire blue ribbon—one of my favorite colors. I slipped it on.
Perfect fit.
I wondered where Jimmy was now. He left out of here pretty quietly. If I know him as well as I think I do, he’s either at his folks’ house or the shop. So, I grab my phone and call his mom.
“Hey, is Jimmy there?”
“Why, no, honey. Is he supposed to be? I thought Gage wasn’t supposed to come home for a few more days,” his mom said.
“No, you’re right. I pick Gage up Sunday evening, but Jimmy left here about thirty or so minutes ago and I, um, forgot to tell him something.”
“I haven’t seen him. You should try the shop. You know him—always working.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will. Thank you.”
“Oh, Krystal?”
“Ma’am?”
“Before you go, I wanted to tell you something. I hope you won’t think I’m being too nosy, but you know that Jimmy still loves you, right? If you could ever find it in your heart to feel the same way about him…”
“I already do.” The words came out of my mouth before I even had a chance to stop them. I wasn’t ready to tell his folks just yet, but oh well. What is done is done.
“I knew it! Well, I’ll let you find him, honey. Love you.”
“Love you too…mom.” I had always called Jimmy’s parents ‘mom and dad’ forever. It felt weird doing so after the divorce, so I just stopped. Now, if felt right again. I hung up the phone and texted Jimmy a nine-one-one. He’d definitely answer after that.
Jimmy
My phone suddenly began to vibrate. I pulled over to the side of the road to see what was going on. It was a text message from Krystal that read: 911. “Oh, shit,” I said to myself. “Eddie probably pulled something. That rat!”
I called her phone while I was still pulled over.
“Hello?” I said.
“Jimmy?” Krystal’s voice sounded like pure heaven to me. It always has.
“Are you hurt? Is everything okay?”
There was a brief pause, but it might as well lasted for hours. Finally, she spoke up. “No, Jimmy. Not everything is alright. You see, a while back, I lost something very dear to me. Actually, I was an idiot and threw it away while chasing pipe dreams. So, I found this ring and decided to put it on my finger, hoping it would help me find what I lost.”
I smiled. “What did you lose, Krystal?” I had to ask. I needed to ask. I needed to hear it from her mouth what she was getting at.
Just as everything was coming to a head for me—the anticipation, the aching need, and the proximity of my heart to the walls of my chest—I was about to explode.
“So, what did you lose?” I ask again.
“You.”
THE END
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I wanted to start off by just saying thank you for choosing one of my books. I know that there are millions of romance books out there and I know how valuable your time is so I am really grateful that you took the time to read my book.
I also wanted to quickly explain to you that you are actually getting 3 books and the first part of my new billionaire series within this one book you have purchased! As a bonus I have included:
- Her Billionaire Dream Series – Ellen Lane.
- My Master Series – Ellen Lane.
- And a new writer - Taylor Young allowed me to share one of her stories with you so I hope you like her style.
All these books at no additional cost to you. I wanted to give you all of these bonus books as my way of saying a big thank you for reading!
All you need to do is go to the table of contents and you will see all of the additional books you are getting along with this one!
I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do.
With love,
Ellen Lane
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Check out the latest news and releases by following me in my Facebook page
Also feel free to visit my Amazon author page where you can find other great romance books that I have written for you. To find them
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