To True Love

By Ella Amore

After being left at the altar by the man of her dreams Olivia Morelli is left to pick up the pieces of her once perfect life. With her heart hanging in the balance, her friends continuously try to set her up with less than perfect men. She's left to answer the question, is there anyone for me?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ella Amore
• Release date: Sep 22, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465762733

Ella Amore

Ella Amore grew up in the world of fantasy, where everyone falls in love and lives happily ever after. She loves long walks on the beach and has a great sense of humor.

Book preview

TO TRUE LOVE

Ella Amore

Copyright 2011 by KBrad

Smashwords Edition

To my parents, my love and friends along the way

thank you for always standing by my side.

Chapter 1

The day was beautiful. Everything the start of spring should be. A breeze was in the air, the sun was out and the flowers were in bloom. It was the kind of day that would put a bounce in your step at least for most people. Olivia Morelli started her day on a positive note. She got into her office early. Everything she needed for her client visits had been well prepared by her trusty admin. The outlook was good.

It wasn’t until her lunch date that things started to take a turn. Olivia guessed she should have had lunch in the office today, but it was such a beautiful spring day, too nice to stay in. Sharing lunch with her lifelong friend, Isabella on the patio seemed like a wonderful idea to end the week. She should have known it would to lead to a commitment for going out tonight.

Come on we’ll have a good time. Besides it’s Friday night. Everyone goes out on Friday night.

It’s been a long week. I have cases to prepare for. I want to but…

No buts. I’ll meet you there. Wear something hot, maybe you’ll get lucky tonight.

Olivia did everything to restrain herself from the words flowing out of her mouth. She failed. I’m not looking to score Bella. I’m happy just the way I am now. Alone. I’ll see you tonight, but I’m only staying for one drink, ya hear me? One drink.

Sure sure, you always say that.

*

If she only had forethought she wouldn’t be in this conversation just a few hours later. She could have just grabbed a sandwich and eaten it in the park. Liv! Are you listening to me? Get off your duff, get dressed and meet me at The Breakwater. Jon and I won’t take no for an answer. You had to love her dedication to making sure you lived up to a promise.

There is no way in hell I am going out tonight. After all these years one would think she would learn, never trust your friends with your social life. Your friends all mean well, but being the last amongst your friends to settle down was a challenge. It meant that all your friends wanted to do was set you up on blind date after blind date. And from time to time they even told you it was a blind date.

Yet, somehow telling your best friend you just couldn’t spend another night at the bar wasn’t an option, especially when she owned the bar. She looked around her living room, thinking she could get a jump start on her next big case, but thought who was she kidding, that wouldn’t happen.

Alright, but I am only staying for a drink. I’m not kidding, Bella. I have to be at work in the morning. She hung up the phone and immediately felt the pings of regret for giving in without a fight.

Olivia Morelli had met Isabella and her husband, Jon Shaw, while she was an undergrad in Boston. Bella and Olivia had become friends the first day of freshman orientation. Bella was the all American girl, beauty that would rival the top models in the world and intellect to boot. Her five foot ten inch frame was taut and lean. She wore her wavy blond hair just below her shoulders. She was a knockout.

Isabella and Jon had met their freshman year after one of Jon’s basketball games and married after graduation. For them it was love at first sight. Olivia frequently found herself yearning for that type of relationship, one she thought she had at one time. Now why can’t that happen to me? See a tall dark handsome man, catch his eye and his heart with one look?

Looking back it always takes her by surprise when she thinks about how long she had known some of the best people in world, her friends. When someone goes off to college you always have the fear of the unknown. Will I fit in? Will I be able to make friends, have people I trust? For Olivia it was the easiest part of her college experience. It had been a series of relationships that she had built with her friends over the fourteen years they knew each other and she could never foresee those relationships ever disappearing.

After college most people go in different directions, they run off and start a career or a family. Life would seem to get in the way. People always say they will call so you could get together and have lunch, but it never really happens. That had not been the case with her friends. Everyone loved Boston. They had grown up in Boston. It had become home during their most formative years. They loved it so much that everyone stayed in the city to start the next phase of their lives together.

Quite the entrepreneurial group of friends, Isabella and Jon Shaw, Natalie and Ryan Hoffman and their friend Maxwell Wilson had all established businesses or careers in Boston. They were six of the closest friends anyone could ask for.

Looking back those were some of the best years she could remember having in Boston, her years with Maxwell. They had been friends all throughout their college years, but it wasn’t until she had been in law school that she really saw the true Max, and when she did she fell for him.

Around their friends he was always outgoing, almost borderline rowdy but when it was just the two of them he was the sweetest man she had ever met. He used to surprise her in the middle of the day with flowers or a quick break with her favorite coffee when he wasn’t out of town for work. That is the way every woman should want to be treated. So why had it become annoying to you? Right, because it made you feel pressured to get married and drop everything for him but you wanted the family and the career.

By the time she had gotten out of her daydream she realized she was half way to the bar. Jon had opened The Breakwater the year they had graduated from undergrad. Since Jon had been awarded a full scholarship, his parents gave him the money they had saved for his education for a graduation gift. Being the wise young man that he was, first thing he bought was a two carat diamond for his beloved Isabella. The second thing was a rundown old night club. Over the past ten years they poured their hearts into making The Breakwater into the hot spot it is today, as well as one of the group’s very favorite hang outs.

Olivia pulled up to the door in her favorite car, her Friday night car she liked to call it. Hey Liv! If you give me those keys you may never see your car again. Chris had worked for Jon over the past few years manning the valet. He was just as fond of classic cars as she was and always tried to kidnap her ’69 Mustang but somehow she always managed to win out and keep her car.

Chris, I know where you live. Giving him the evil eye always made her want to laugh but she worked hard at trying not to, as it made the threat seem more serious than it was.

With a stare like that, I just might let you take ‘er home tonight. He said with his smile brimming from ear to ear. Chris gave Olivia a kiss on the cheek, grabbed her keys and drove off with her car like it was his very own baby. She had always been fond of him, he was a struggling student like many people in the city, but he had an unbelievable drive about him. Chris wanted to be a lawyer much like she had become so she would spend time with him when she could to help him with his studying. Starting in the fall Chris would be an intern in her office. It was good to have someone with drive be your intern, so when he applied for the firm’s internship program she was delighted.

Weekends at the club were always packed. There were lines of people waiting to get in. She had learned early on if you wanted to hit the hottest clubs in town you better either get out early or be willing to wait for a long time. Going to The Breakwater meant never having to wait in line. Her name was always on the guest list. Just as she turned around to make her way past the crowd of waiting patrons she could see Bella waiting on the patio. Liv, what took you so long?

Olivia made her way through the crowd of people and to the door to greet her. This place is packed! The crowd sounds like they are in full swing tonight. Who did he get to DJ tonight? Jon had always had a love of music and could draw in a crowd with any one of his many DJ friends he had met over the years.

"Jon flew in Chuck for the weekend. Cost him a pretty penny but he always draws in a crowd and Jon and Chuck have been friends for years so we get the family discount" She laughed knowing fair and well the family discount meant he would be crashing on her couch and eating her food verses getting a hotel bill.

Jon and Chuck had been friends since they were in grade school. Whenever he came to town Bella knew it meant she was free to do whatever she wanted, since the guys would be off doing their own thing. Deep down she loved it when he came to town. It always meant she could go shopping and Jon wouldn’t be around when she brought her twenty bags of new clothes, shoes and handbags in the house.

As they walked into the bar, the dance floor was hopping, as always. There were so many people on the floor you could barely see the illuminated tiles below their feet. Weekends always drew a crowd of locals and college students. Being in a big college city always helped, but it was Jon’s ability to make friends with just about anyone that kept people coming back in week after week. They passed through the bouncing crowd of dancers and partygoers alike, making their way up to the VIP section. Up in the VIP section she knew she was guaranteed to see the normal crew relaxing and enjoying the view.

She turned to look at Bella, who was following just a few steps behind me. She could tell by the way she avoided making eye contact that something was going on. "If this is another one of your setup tactics, Bella, you’re gonna get it

Relax. I have no one to set you up with tonight, at least not yet. She mumbled the last few words under her breath. She was always scanning the club looking for what she liked to call a nice-guy-for Olivia. The fact was Olivia wasn’t ready for dating again, but Isabella didn’t care.

She had so far been able to avoid her plots in trying to set her up with someone, but even Olivia knew she would have to give in at some point and start dating again. Dating again. She never thought those words would have to come out of her mouth.

Before she could even step up into the lounge Natalie was already harassing her. Liv! You decided to come out! I knew Bella could get you to leave that house for a night. Natalie was one of those friends people love to have around always positive, but in a good way not in that annoying bubbly way. In every group of friends there is the eternal optimist Natalie filled that role to a tee. No matter how bad a situation was she always turned it into a wonderful growth experience and Olivia had plenty of that as of late.

Hey Natalie, had I known you were all plotting to get me out of the house I would have screened my calls better. The best part about knowing your friends for years, you’re free to use your sarcasm at will. Hello Ryan. How are you doing tonight?

Hey Liv! Good, I’m good. You need a drink it’s Friday night! Natalie’s husband Ryan was always the fun party organizer, making sure everyone was having a good time. Ryan immediately turned to the waitress and ordered a drink for her. She’ll have a glass of Pagano Petit Syrah Ryan had ordered her drink so many times he never had the need to ask what she wanted.

Liv turned to catch his attention, Thank you, Ryan, always the gentleman. Natalie, you caught a good one in Ryan. Natalie knew Ryan was the life of the party. Very few people she knew could make a full time job out of being a fun loving person, but Ryan did it. He was an adventure guide quite the opposite of Natalie, the straight laced financial adviser. It was the vast difference in their personalities that kept them both grounded in all the right areas.

As always she took her seat by Natalie and Isabella and they chatted about the week. Jon had designed the VIP lounge with our friends in mind. It was a very comfortable area for people to relax in with oversized chairs and modern accent tables. The ladies of the group loved every second of their weekly chats up there of course how interesting can it be week in and week out talking about the life of an financial adviser, a lawyer, and a café owner, but every week someone always had an interesting story to share.

Isabella decided she had the story of the week as they liked to call it. She always had some good story about a groggy customer in the morning that needed their caffeine fix. Many mornings Olivia thought she would turn into that customer in need of her caffeine fix. Just as she started to get into the best part of the story Olivia caught Jon out of the corner of her eye. Jon had always been like her overprotective brother, well most of the time. At least until she saw who was talking with at the bar.

Isabella! You could have told me he was coming into town. Alarmed by what she was seeing she tried to jump up and flee only to have Bella grab her arm and hold her into her seat.

Liv, you have to talk to him eventually. If I even mentioned to you that he was in town you would have taken the first flight to Canada! I know you loved him, still love him, but you have to get closure. Bella placed her hand reassuringly on her thigh, trying her best to let her know everything was going to be alright but deep down Isabella knew this was the turning point.

Olivia was so upset that Isabella failed to mention this major event to her prior to her arrival. Deep down she knew Bella was trying to help her, but this, she was not ready for this. She didn’t think she ever would be ready to come face to face with her past. Either Olivia would gain closure and move on or she hit a breaking point to no return.

As Bella looked into Olivia’s eyes she could see one thing, fear. Painful as it is, you have to close this thing out or you will never be able to move on. Olivia, I see you everyday walking around like you will never date again, you need this more than you need air right now.

Bell always had a way of putting the truth out there making you reevaluate things. Of course I will date again, right? I’m not that closed off from the world, I’m just focused on my career right now. Besides, the wounds were still fresh, I need time to heal. Take a deep breath, I have to face him now, better yet find an escape route and get the hell out of here.

I know, but I’m not ready for this. I should be, I know, I have had plenty of time to think about it, but what do you say to the man you planned to marry and then left you two weeks before the wedding? She had pondered this moment hundreds of times before. Never once had she envisioned the gut wrenching pain in her stomach she felt at this very moment. Every part of her body wanted to turn around and leave, run out of the door and never to speak to him again, yet a part of her, the most broken part wanted to know, her heart. Without the answers she feared she would never be able to let anyone in again.

Reading her eyes, sensing every gut wrenching pain in her friend, Bella did all she could do, to reassure her she would be there for her no matter what happened. You will be fine. I won’t leave your side. She paused for a moment pulling at Olivia’s chin so she could look into her eyes. Liv, he is the one that called Jon and asked to come out here. He said he needed a reason to come here and see you.

Still in shock she couldn’t believe this was happening. She could feel the waves crashing over her all at once. It was like her whole world was crashing in on her. She felt like she was drowning with pain. Waves of knots had started to form in her stomach. Take a deep breath, breathe before you hyperventilate!

Just as full on panic set in she heard the voice she thought she would never hear again, Hello, Liv.

She struggled with herself trying to gain control. Don’t look at him, don’t turn…I turned, why did I turn? Ok say something, anything. Turning her head she realized he was only two feet in front of her. It took all of her energy to muster up the courage mutter a subtle and insincere hello.

Hello Maxwell. Calling him by his full first name was one of those things she knew would get under his skin, she had only called him that when she was upset with him and he hated it. She was sure her physical appearance was screaming get me out of here but she tried to control herself, she wasn’t one to make a scene.

She could feel