Second Chance Romance Read online

  Copyright © 2012 by Sophie Monroe

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form

  or by any means electronic or mechanical, including

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  Without prior written permission from the author

  except where permitted by law.

  The characters, places, and events portrayed in this book are fictitious.

  Any similarity to real persons living or dead is coincidental and

  not intended by the author.

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  The author acknowledges use of the following brands: The Body Shop, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Prada, Jacuzzi, Four Seasons, Park 75 restaurant, Tiffany & Co., iPhone, GQ, Duval, Target, Jeep, Duane Reid, Starbucks, Google, Kitchen-Aid, Corona, My Darkest Days, Infiniti, Bluetooth, Victoria’s Secret, Splenda, Jack Daniels, Magnum, Buckcherry,

  Second Chance Romance

  Sophie Monroe

  Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling it out to the public.

  HAPPY READING!

  “The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.” ~Oprah Winfrey

  Prologue

  Not So Sweet Sixteen

  Ten years earlier…

  I woke to a warm, domineering body pressed up against me. It belonged to my best friend/boyfriend Noah. Noah and I met ten years ago. He was eight and I was six, we’ve been best friends ever since. We started dating a little over a year ago and I don’t know what I would do without him. He was my sanity in an insane world…my rock.

  We’ve been secretly sleeping like this every night for the past five years… ever since the night of my eleventh birthday. Now, when I knew my mom was down for the count I would sneak over here to sleep. I’d always been able sneak back home before she woke up. To say my mom and I didn’t get along would be an understatement.

  Throughout the last couple of years I outgrew being shy and awkward. I grew into my body, curves and all. I stopped growing at a little over five foot seven. My blonde hair was down to middle of my back and had natural highlights from the Georgia sun. Genetics blessed me with my dad’s oval green eyes and porcelain skin. Thankfully, I didn’t look like my mother, except for the blonde hair.

  Noah is hot! He’s a little over six feet tall and muscular, but not buff. He has the most beautiful chiseled features, a square jaw and strong nose. His piercing blue eyes compliment his short dark hair exceptionally nice. His lips are my favorite though; they’re just so kissable!

  “Morning, Jules.” He whispered in his raspy morning voice that I loved more than anything. I looked at his messy case of bedhead and his breathtaking smile and wished we could stay like this forever. I smiled back as he moved me onto his chest so we were face to face. I nuzzled into the crook of his neck, breathing in his cologne and snuggled closer. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about sneaking back to my house this morning since my mom had stayed out the night before. Mornings like this were my favorite.

  I closed my eyes until the alarm went off again. I reluctantly dragged myself from his bed and headed across the lawn back to my house to get ready for school. As soon as I opened my window a set of blood red claws dug into my arm yanking me inside.

  “Where the fuck have you been?!” My mom Abigail yelled. She was waiting for me but it wasn’t because she concerned for my safety. “You little whore, I asked you a question!”

  “Since when do you care?” I spat angrily. She slapped my face making my skin sting but I was used to this kind of treatment from her by now. I had been taking care of myself since I was eight years old when my dad took a job in England. That’s when my home life went down the tubes.

  “You were with the Sinclair boy, weren’t you? How many years have you been fucking him now?” I didn’t reply. I found it best to bite my tongue where she was concerned. My mother’s polished appearance was only a facade. She was a mean woman that resented me, as if I would have chosen to be born into this family. She grabbed a picture frame off my end table, the one that Noah had given me for my eleventh birthday. She tossed it to the ground shattering it. She huffed away in exasperation slamming the door behind her, leaving me to do what I did best, pick up the broken pieces. I quickly picked up the pieces that I could and placed them on my dresser. I’d try to glue some of it back together later.

  I headed into my bathroom and showered. I took extra care applying foundation to ensure the slap mark was covered. I dressed in a black leather pleated skirt that showed off my long legs, a ribbed gray tank top, knee high Doc Martens, and a cardigan. I hoped my outfit would distract Noah from noticing my face. Despite my best efforts he noticed.

  He rubbed it lightly and I swore it didn’t hurt, but it did. He suggested we run away since he just turned eighteen. I couldn’t do that to him because in seven months he would be graduating. Besides, my mom would find me. She would hunt me down like a bloodhound so she could insure her alimony and child support.

  I told him that I would think about it but we both knew damn well I couldn’t really go through it. Things at home had been getting worse and worse since my parents finally divorced two years ago and my dad couldn’t reel her in any longer. His visits were always sporadic but after the divorce they stopped altogether leaving me to fend for myself.

  Abigail Kline was selfish, self-centered, and egotistical. If it didn’t work for her she wasn’t happy. She was rarely ever happy. I often wondered if she always acted like this or if it was just after I came into the picture. I was an accident and she never let me forget it. She recently started dating a much older man, Clark Donahue. He was from New York and traveled here a lot on business. I liked when he’d fly her there to visit because it made my life easier, but it wasn’t often enough.

  Noah pulled into the parking lot of school and I was thankful that we had a couple classes together. Just spending time with him made my day better. We both took AP classes and were working really hard to keep our grades up so we could get into good colleges. He wanted to be a lawyer and I wanted to be a journalist since I could work from pretty much anywhere. I was willing to go wherever he was.

  We had plans for the future.

  In the beginning of our dating relationship we decided we were going to wait to have sex until we were married. If we had our choice, it would be as soon as I was eighteen. Something happened that day that changed everything…

  We walked in my front door after insuring that my mom’s car wasn’t there. We were laughing because trying to tickle me. He left our book bags by the front door and we headed to the kitchen. I would always make us a snack before we started on our homework. There was a note from my mother on the kitchen counter. I assumed it was just her telling me that she would be gone again, but it wasn’t. It said she found my behavior unacceptable and out of control. It went on to say we were moving to New York to live with Clark. A plane ticket dated for a week from today sat next to the letter. Starting tomorrow movers would be here to take our things to storage. She said not to dare run away because she would find me and make my life hell. The saddest part was that she would, even though I was a burden to her.

  I sunk to the floor and put my head between my knees.

  Noah took the letter out of my hands and read it quickly.

  “We can still run away if you want to.” His blue eyes pierced into mine. I wanted nothing more, but I knew there was no escaping
her wrath. Two more years. I kept repeating in my head. Then I wouldn’t have to see her ever again if I didn’t want to, the chances were pretty good.

  “We can’t. She’ll find me and then we’ll both be in trouble. She’s not going to let this go.” I cried as tears poured down my face. He sat next to me on the floor and pulled me close. The thought of leaving him behind was making me literally sick. I couldn’t imagine a life without Noah.

  I quickly changed course. Knowing that my departure was evident we planned to consummate our relationship. He was apprehensive and didn’t want it to be a spur of the moment decision. I didn’t want to wait anymore… I wanted him to be my first, and only. Frankly, I’m surprised we made it this long. He wanted to make it special and in typical Noah fashion he planned a hotel room at the Four Seasons in Atlanta. We would spend our last night together there before he would take me to the airport. We would be separated for longer than a week, for the first time ever.

  That week we spent as much time together as possible and I stayed there every night like normal. Five days later we were in that very room. He went to put our bags in the bedroom and I went into the bathroom to get ready for dinner. We had a reservation for the Park 75 restaurant at eight. I dressed in a sleeveless leather and lace sheath dress that Noah had picked out for me. I paired it with some black wedges and all black lace lingerie that I had picked out at a local boutique. I pulled my hair in a half bouffant, curling some of the pieces for a rocker chic look. I applied some light make-up and finished the look with red lipstick. I felt beautiful. I picked up my clutch bag and headed for the door. I glanced at Noah who was dressed in a charcoal gray suit with a white shirt and black tie. He looked breath taking. He was beaming at me and told me I looked gorgeous (he would say that if I was dressed in a potato sack.) We walked hand and hand to the restaurant. I ordered lemon-thyme chicken with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes and Noah ordered the beef tenderloin with béarnaise sauce and hand cut fries. Neither of addressed the fact that I was leaving. We knew it was going to happen but didn’t want it to spoil our special night. After dinner we shared a peanut butter lava cake. When we were done eating he pulled his chair closer to mine and produced a ring from inside his suit pocket. It was a sterling silver ring inscribed with Faith Love My Jujube, his nickname for me.

  “This is my promise to you. I will be with you wherever you are. If you need me, I’ll come for you, no matter what. I love you Jules.” He kissed my cheek and tears blurred my vision. The waiter came and Noah settled our bill. We went back to our room and made love for the first time. It was perfect and not anything like I expected it to be. It was as if we’d done it a hundred times, like we were made for each other.

  The next day I packed up my suitcase leaving my iPod and a book handy for the plane ride. I threw my hair up in a ponytail and picked a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt that were both fashionable and functional. A million butterflies formed in my stomach as the minutes ticked by. The thought of running kept popping up but I squashed it down but I didn’t want to leave him either.

  After check out we headed straight to the airport with promises to see each other as much as our schedules would allow.

  “Promise we’ll stick together.” I said to him.

  “Like pages in a porn magazine.” He promised, making me laugh.

  We kissed for the last time…

  That was ten years ago.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Porn Star Dancing

  Present Day

  “Noah.” Professor Mitchell called during attendance.

  To this day every time I hear that name I want to run away. Although it wasn’t ‘my Noah’ it still stung. The pain of losing him had numbed over time but never went away. It had been ten years since I’d seen him and I still couldn’t forget him. I quickly snapped out of it and turned my attention back to the podium. I couldn’t wait to finish my last semester of graduate school.

  I treaded through the rest of the day before heading to work.

  “You know you love ‘em, you know you want to bang ‘em. I know I do. Introducing… our very own Felony and Miss Demeanor.” Keith, the clubs MC, crooned into the microphone.

  I walked out onto the raised platform with my best friend and roommate Ellie, except here I was Felony and she was Miss Demeanor. Ellie and I met during junior year at the boarding school my mom sent me to once we moved in with Clark. Our song ‘Porn Star Dancing’ by My Darkest Days was pumping through the stereo making the floor beneath shake. I loved the thrill, it filled me with adrenaline. I looked around the dimly lit room that was mostly lit up from the stage. The front of the stage was lined with stools, while the rest of the club had tables and an expansive bar. Double D’s is an upscale gentleman’s club in the center of Manhattan and frequented by men that have more money than sense. They came here for business dinners and bachelor parties, and I made a ton of money. Win, win.

  I grabbed onto the pole and started swinging. I tossed my hair around playfully. I teasingly untied my black patent leather bikini top giving them a peek before tossing it off the stage. A regular named Russell slipped a couple hundred-dollar bills into my boy-shorts. He was handsome for an older man, with sparkly blue eyes and a shaved head like Mr. Clean. He was sweet as pie and had offered me a multitude of extravagant gifts to be his girlfriend (he was only partly kidding.) I kissed the top of his head leaving a red lipstick print and gave him a wink before turning my attention the rest of the crowd. Ellie was working the other side like the porn star princess she was. She’d already lost her top and had a group from a bachelor party throwing money at her.

  “Take it off!” They shouted drunkenly. She stood shaking her finger at them.

  The song turned to AC/DC’s ‘Shook Me All Night Long’. Ellie and I did our rehearsed dance before exiting the stage. The room erupted into cheers for an encore.

  “How’d you make out?” I asked, once we were in the break room. I unbuckled my black patent leather seven-inch spike heels and tossed them into my bag. I grabbed a make-up remover wipe and took off the excess eye shadow and changed into some regular lingerie and street clothes. I was exhausted and happy I was done for the night.

  I haven’t spoken with my mother since a couple months after we moved to New York and my dad cut me off when I graduated high school so I worked at Double D’s to help pay bills, but mostly to pay for school.

  A couple months after we moved during spring break things got really ugly with my mom, so bad that cops were involved. I left and never went back. I’ve been on my own ever since. I didn’t like to think of that night, just like I didn’t like to think of Noah. The one person that I explicitly trusted more than anyone in the world, the one that ended up ripping my heart clean out of my chest and pulverized it in a blender.

  “I made three-hundred and forty-four dollars, not bad for our eight minute segment.” She gave me a high five. “How about you?”

  I pulled out my money and counted it. Russell gave me five hundred and with the other money I got I had made a total of $721.

  “Seven hundred and twenty one smackers.” I winked, stuffing it into my bra.

  “Holy shit! Not bad chicky. We should do a shot to celebrate. Brad’s working the bar tonight.” I didn’t like to mix business with pleasure, but Ellie had a huge crush on Brad so I knew I wasn’t getting out of going.

  “Alright, but just one. I have class early tomorrow.” I said sternly.

  “Yay.” She hooked her arm in mine and we headed to get a seat at the bar.

  “Hey sexy ladies.” Brad said. “What can I get you?”

  Brad was cute in a boy next-door kind of way. He had dark blonde hair and brown eyes that crinkled when he smiled. He had only been working here for about three months and seemed nice enough but I didn’t take the chance to really get to know most of the people here, unlike Ellie.

  “I’d like a slippery nipple.” Ellie ordered flirtatiously, batting her fake eyelashes.

  “I’ll have a Co
rona with lemon, not lime.”

  “You got it sweet cheeks. That was one hell of a crowd out there.” He commented looking at the bachelor party crowd who were cheering obnoxiously at the current dancers.

  “Eh. It was alright. We’ve had better.” Ellie said.

  “Are you ready for the huge one on Saturday? I can’t believe they rented out the club for the night! Must have cost them a fortune.”

  “I’m sure it will be memorable just like all the others.” I said dryly. I loved the money from the bachelor parties, but they were all the same. Just a bunch of drunken men trying to get a piece of ass.

  I finished my beer leaving Ellie talking, more like flirting, with Brad. I kissed her cheek and told her I’d see her at home. I waved to Dan, who was the security guard that stood watch at the door to the parking garage.

  “Have a good evening, Miss Kline.”

  “You too Dan, and I told you call me Jules.”

  I climbed into my Infiniti IPL G convertible tossing my bag onto the passenger seat. I spent the thirty-minute drive home thinking about all the schoolwork that I had waiting for me.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Saturday Night’s not Alright

  The rest of the week had passed quickly. My days revolved around school and my nights revolved around work. I was busy trying to finish my thesis on Romeo and Juliet that was due at the end of the semester. I was getting my MA from Columbia University in English and Comparative Literature. I was typing away when I looked at the clock I realized it was already seven. I needed to get ready because we had some huge bachelor party tonight. The guy throwing it had rented out the entire place. It was most likely some yuppie from the east side with too much money on his hands. Hopefully, that would make it a good night for me. Ellie had already left to help Brad stock the bar, chances are they were busy getting it on in the supply closet.