Damaged Love: Shades of Love

By Cristiane Serruya

Some secrets never stay buried long enough…

When Giulianna Foreman is hired to cater a posh weekend wedding in her former fiancé’s manor, the last thing she wants is to see him again. After all, he broke their engagement—and her heart—via email. But she’s dedicated to her job and determined to do it well—all while avoiding Richard at every turn.

Yet fate is a fickle b*tch.

RAF Captain Lord Richard Smith was so sure he would never see his former fiancée again that he wasn’t worried about the white lies he told everyone. Now, he will do anything to keep his secret, even hurt her again. Because she deserves much more than he can give.

But when the truth is finally unveiled, it might be not enough to mend their damaged love.

A heartwarming contemporary romance that will delight fans of The Sullivans and authors Jill Shalvis, Melody Anne, and Melissa Foster.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Between the Pages
• Release date: Oct 19, 2017

Book preview

Chapter 1

England, Warwickshire

Lakeside Manor

Monday, March 16, 2015

8:45 p.m.

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This is going to be a hell of a week, Giulianna thought, as she stopped her black Land Rover Defender in front of the impressive black and gold iron gates of Lakeside Manor and buzzed the intercom.

She should have arrived here hours ago, but an unending traffic jam had made her ridiculously late—not that she really wanted to be there early, on time, or at any time at all. If she had her way, she’d never set foot on Lakeside Manor again.

She used to love coming here with her ex-fiancé, Lord Richard Smith, one of the owners of the place, along with his older brother, Lord Hugh Smith, the 15th Earl of Lakeside, and their widowed mother.

Today, she wasn’t there because of Richard, but because duty called.

She was there to make a fantastic wedding cake along with delicate and delicious treats for the three-day wedding of a wealthy and off-the-charts extravagant American couple.

Yes? asked a faceless voice, pulling her from her woolgathering.

Giulianna Foreman, from Your Perfect Wedding, she replied, showing her ID to a camera.

The gates silently and slowly slid open and she drove up between the century-old oaks that lined the sides of the road.

An important part of British heritage, Lakeside Manor was an exquisite, private country property. With its walls steeped in history and filled with tales of warfare, romance, and chivalry, it was a perfect place to serve as an upscale event venue while still being used as a year-round residence by the owners.

Giulianna was not surprised to find herself thinking of the many memorable moments she and Richard had shared at the manor.

Now, as far as she knew, Richard was probably married and had moved somewhere else. And if he was still living there now—married or not—it was not her problem. She would simply do her best to avoid him.

If there had been an upside to Richard breaking up with her, it was that she ended up fully dedicating herself to her career and had been awarded Le Cordon Bleu Diplôme de Pâtisserie, followed by a diploma in culinary management. After finishing the three month internship, she was immediately contracted by the best event companies in England to prepare desserts and cakes.

She had worked her fingers to the bone but it had paid off: at the age of twenty-five, she was now an acclaimed pastry chef.

She parked in the lot behind the imposing Jacobean style, richly carved stone two-story house that reflected the grandeur of centuries past where Martha Smith, Richard’s mother, was already waiting for her.

Giulianna was surprised by the hard stance of the woman who had always been like a second mother to her. Martha’s usual easy smile was replaced with a dark frown and a hard grimace.

When your boss told me they were sending you to take care of the dessert catering, I couldn’t believe it, Martha said in a dry voice as soon as Giulianna was out of the car. I didn’t think you’d have the courage to show your face here.

Why wouldn’t I? said Giulianna, not understanding the animosity.

I held you in high regard, and I loved you like the daughter I never had. Martha crossed her arms over her chest. I never thought you to be such a shallow woman. Shame on you!

Giulianna was stunned by the unseemly attack. I don’t understand. Why—

To break up with Richard when he needed you most was a…a wicked thing to do. Martha turned and began to walk back to the manor. Only a heartless woman would do such a thing. I’ll never forgive you.

Martha, wait! Her heart beating quickly in her chest, Giulianna ran after Richard’s mother and grabbed her arm. What are you saying? I didn’t break up with Richard. He broke up with me!

What? The surprise was clear in Martha’s face.

Richard wrote to me while he was still in Afghanistan. He told me—in a brief email, mind you—that we had fooled ourselves into thinking we were in love, Giulianna whispered, because saying it in a normal voice was too painful. That he had found someone else and I was free to live my own life, because he was moving on. He was the one who broke up with me.

What? Martha repeated idiotically.

And when I called him—and it took me days to get him on the goddamn phone—he repeated that we were over, and that he was with someone new. Giulianna’s eyes filled with tears as she recalled the last time she had talked with Richard. And when I insisted, when I asked him if we could meet, face-to-face, he told me to stay away.

Martha was speechless for a moment, studying the young woman standing in front of her. She didn’t know what to believe. She could clearly remember when her youngest son had arrived home from Afghanistan and had succinctly told her he didn’t want to hear Giulianna’s name in their house ever again. So you don’t know…

Know what? Giulianna could see a mix of emotions on Martha’s face, but for the life of her she didn’t know what the older woman was talking about.

Martha sniffed and threw her arms around Giulianna, saying, I’m so sorry.

Passing her arms slowly around Martha, Giulianna asked again, What is it I don’t know?

Martha shook her head and stepped back. Come inside. Your boss and your assistants have arrived already.

Yes, it was going to be a hell of a week.

Chapter 2

Jules! Bella Love, the owner of Your Perfect Wedding, exclaimed when Giulianna entered a small room that had been turned into an office. Thank God, you’re finally here!

As ridiculous as her name sounded for a wedding planner, it was real, yet Bella was as lovely as an ogre could get. Taller than the average woman, with a crooked, beak nose, she was plump and dressed in hippie-styled clothes of the 70’s which made her look even fatter. Not for the first time, Giulianna wondered how Bella had succeeded in becoming the most coveted event planner in England.

Sorry I’m late, Giulianna said. Traffic was a nightmare.

You’re not the only one. Everyone is late, Christina Dawson, her sous-chef, said. And our supplies aren’t here yet.

And Bella is hyper-stressed, since the rest of the personnel aren’t arriving until tomorrow, finished Henriette Markman, another of Giulianna’s assistants.

Of course I am, Bella said. I don’t run a company called Your Partially Fucked Up Wedding.

We have two whole days to get everything together before the groom and bride arrive for the rehearsal dinner, Giulianna said, trying to placate her boss. Besides, with cooking, there is so much preparation you can get done before the event.

That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her, muttered Christina.

Have you eaten yet? asked Martha.

Yes, thank you. I owed my parents a visit. But I didn’t tell them I was coming here. Since I was already late, I stopped for a quick snack.

Christina responded with such an unladylike snort that Giulianna couldn’t stop giggling. Christina had been to the Foreman’s house at Stratford-upon-Avon and she knew that Adela Foreman, Giulianna’s mother, who was still very Italian despite living in England for thirty years, wouldn’t have let her out without making sure her too-thin daughter had eaten properly.

Then why don’t I show you your room? Martha asked Giulianna. You can have a shower and sleep. Tomorrow is another day.

That’ll be great. Giulianna hefted her bag on her shoulder and pulled her rolling luggage. Don’t worry yourself on my account, Bella, I promised you the most scrumptious desserts on earth, and that’s what you’re going to get.

Bella and the others are staying outside in the Guest Hall, but…since you know your way around here, I guess you can stay inside, Martha said. I have a room available at the back of the first floor.

Ah, yes, thank you. Giulianna would rather be inside the manor than outside in the Guest Hall, no matter how comfortable it was, and a room in the back suited her well. If Richard still lived there, it was far away from his rooms, which she knew were located on the second floor of the manor. The last thing she wanted was to be bumping into him—and probably, his wife—day and night.

Martha politely asked about Giulianna’s parents and they made small talk about the road accident as they wound their way through the elegant furnished rooms and paneled corridors of the manor.

I trust you will be comfortable here, said Martha, opening a door to a bedroom.

Giulianna looked around the beautifully furbished white and blue room. It would be strange staying in a different room than the one she was used to sleeping in with Richard. It would be like coming home and finding your parents had moved your things into the guest room. It’s lovely. Thank you.

The bathroom is through there, Martha said, pointing to a door. If you need anything, just let me know, and, you know where the kitchen is.

Yes, thank you. But Giulianna was much too curious to let the woman go before learning a bit more about Richard, although she didn’t want to look too interested. So she went on a tangent. How is Hugh?

He’s fine.