Keeping Promises: Promises Series

By Renea Porter

**Keeping Promises can be read as a STANDALONE**

I’m engaged to be married. But I have feelings for someone else… my sisters soon to be ex.

I keep feeling this magnetic pull toward Guy. Maybe it’s his British accent. Or the way his hair curls at the ends that makes me want to run my hands through it. Maybe it’s the way his eyes crinkle when he smiles. Whatever it is, something is there, and I can’t shake it.

He’s my brother in law. It’s so wrong on so many levels. Even if there was a possibility there, it feels wrong because he belonged to my sister first. It’s becoming hard to ignore the nervousness that swirls inside me whenever I’m around him.
He says he won’t give up until I tell him I choose Trevor instead.

I can’t tell him that.

WARNING: This book contains cheating. This is suitable for 18 years old and over.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Renea Porter
• Release date: Feb 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386092902

Renea Porter

Renea Porter is best known for writing realistic stories with realistic characters. Her stories may even cause you to shed a tear or two. She mainly writes New Adult and Contemporary Romances. However, she's not afraid to venture into other genre's like Paranormal Romance. She enjoys spending time with her husband of fourteen years, and step son. She calls Pennsylvania home, but loves to travel and try new things. In her free time you can catch her reading books, watching reality tv, and baking.

Book preview

Keeping Promises

Keeping a Promise: to fulfill one’s promise

CHAPTER ONE

GUY

I’m sorry. I just can’t do this anymore, Guy, Celeste cries with her head buried in her hands.

I don’t even know who this woman is anymore. Standing, to face her, anger flows through my veins. I can feel my jaw tick and my teeth clench. I just want you to know that if you leave, it’s for good this time. There will be no coming back from this. Not this time. I snap, my voice harsher than intended.

With tear spilled eyes, she looks up at me. You and I are just in two different places. You want a family, and I’m not ready. You deserve someone that can give you what you want. I can’t be that person for you anymore. Her voice shakes as she covers her mouth as if to keep from talking.

Rage consumes my every cell in my body. Just get out, Celeste! I yell. I can’t even look at you right now. I turn my head away from her as it throbs from yelling.

While she backs up toward the door, I can feel her eyes on me. I’m sorry, Guy. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’ll just come back later for my stuff.

My hand clench into fists at my sides as the need to punch something takes over. Instead of venting my anger on the walls, I pace the living room floor before grabbing my phone to call Emily, my business partner, who is also a great friend to me.

Hey. What’s up? she asks, picking up the phone quickly.

I run my hand through my unruly hair as I sit on the couch. Did you know she was cheating on me? I try to calm the beat of my heart as tears prick my eyes.

Celeste. She was cheating? I had no idea. Guy, I’m so sorry. Do you want me to come over? I can.

No, I declare in a calmer tone.

Well, I’m going to call her ass up and cuss her out for being a bitch. I will disown her.

I chuckle, because she makes me laugh at the most inopportune times. You do that. I made her leave, because I just couldn’t look at her anymore. So, I’ll be over here getting drunk.

Okay. Let me know how that goes for ya. If you need me, call, Emily tells me. Just remember there is still a restaurant to open.

Bye, Em.

Guy, I’m sorry my sister hurt you. You didn’t deserve that.

Thank you. I’ll see ya.

Hanging up the phone, I can’t even think about the restaurant. I feel like a zombie as I pull a beer from the fridge, grab a box of trash bags, and head upstairs in a daze. In the crowded closet, I sift through her clothes, piling them in the bags. I don’t even give her the decency to put them in a suitcase. Everything of hers gets discarded as if they are about to be thrown out to the garbage, so there are no remnants of her being here. The only upside is; now there is so much space in my closet. My heart feels like it’s shattered into a million pieces.

With the bags pulled into a knot, I lug them down the stairs and place them by the door to await pick-up. She’s lucky they don’t get thrown out in the yard, because that’s what she deserves. But I’m not a cruel person, even as hurt as I am.

With a second beer in hand, I sit on the couch wondering how my life has become so fucked up. Getting Sous Steakhouse ready to launch in eight days has been a long process. A year in the making. I’ve been working around the clock to get things done. And it’s taken a lot of time away from my wife. Maybe that is where I went wrong; not spending more time at home. But the restaurant business requires long hours. Celeste knew my schedule, and I thought she understood. I was doing this for us. To give us stability. To give us a future. In the end, I did come home to her.

After five years, it’s all gone. Almost like it never happened. Now there’s only a piece of paper proving we are married. Soon enough that will change and all I’ll have are memories.

Taking out my phone, I text Celeste. Your shit is by the door. The sooner you can get them, the better. Leave the house key on the table by the door.

With a huff, I toss my phone on the couch. Sitting I stare off into space as my right hand spins the gold ring around my finger. I only pause for a few brief seconds before immediately taking it off, and tossing it on the coffee table. I watch it spin round and round before it lands flat on the table. My hand feels completely naked now. Walking back into the kitchen, I grab the whole six pack of beer before moving back to the living room. Lying on the couch, not paying attention to anything, a hand over my head, while the ceiling fan puts me in a trance.

The first-time Celeste cheated on me, I forgave her. But a second time...I just can’t get past the betrayal. I thought we were in a good place, but I was wrong.

THREE DAYS LATER ...

Well, don’t you look like shit. Come on. Get up. She bends down to shake me. No more sulking. Go shower, Emily states. I know her voice by heart.

Piss off, I tell her, covering my eyes with my arm.

No. I’m serious. Come on, Guy. I’ve been handling the restaurant and all the deliveries, but it’s time to get up. Back to the land of the living. She kicks my legs. Now, go shower. You reek.

How’d you get in here, anyway?

I have a spare key. Remember the whole sister-in-law thing. You go get ready, and I’ll get your coffee. I brought muffins, she shakes the brown bag.

Fuck. Fine! I could never decline a good gourmet muffin from my favorite bakery down the street.

Fine!

Fine!

I’m glad we got that worked out, she adds after I’m halfway up the stairs. I know she is smiling victoriously. Damn her.

Stripping out of my three-day old clothes, I step in under the hot water. The shower actually feels nice after binge drinking and lying on the couch. I couldn’t bear to sleep in the bed I shared with her. But the thing I love about Emily is she won’t let me sit around sulking for too long.

The restaurant is a fresh start for me. And I might as well make the effort. With the opening five days away, there is still plenty to do. So, I can throw all my energy in to getting the place ready.

After showering, I trim my beard down so it’s a five o’clock shadow, dab on some aftershave, and head to my bedroom to change clothes. In my now spacious closet, I grab a black t-shirt and pull on a pair of white jeans and meet Emily back downstairs.

As promised, coffee and a muffin. She hands me the tumbler in one hand and a muffin in the other.

How does she know me so well? I smirk at her, because she smiles at me as if this is just a normal day.

Looks like Celeste came by to get her things and I didn’t even know it. I must have been out of it when she came. The pain constricts my heart.

I’m sorry, Guy. Even though she’s my sister, you deserve better. She throws an arm across my shoulders. Now, let’s get this show on the road.

We get in the car, and Emily looks at me curiously. "How