Love At First Sight

By Mia Ford

Life was f*cking boring till I met her.

The raven-haired beauty on the train.

I spilled my coffee on her, and she b*tched me out.

Two weeks later she was back. But she was different.

Instead of tearing into me, her sparkling green eyes begged me to make her laugh.

Her delicious, plump lips ignited my desire and made me forget the girl who got away.

But something's wrong.

She doesn't remember me. Acts like we just met.

I don't know if she's f*cking with me, or if it's something deeper.

But I'm going to find out.

I was hurt once. Never again.

I'll prove my love to Tamara and the twins growing inside her.

Life used to be boring, now it's a f*cking roller coaster.

This time, the girl's not getting away. This time, I'm chasing after her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mia Ford
• Release date: Dec 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393235873

Book preview

Chapter One – Logan

The usual sights whiz past the window as the train goes at its usual rapid pace, blurring into nothingness because of the speed. Greens, blues, grays, I can barely pick any of it out. The clackity clack of the wheels hitting the tracks makes my heart sink lower and lower in my chest because I know where it’s taking me. To work, the necessary evil which I really hate more than anything in the world. The office of doom.

I sigh loudly, wondering what dramas will befall me today. There’s always something, the complicated politics of the place makes my head spin. We’re all adults now, we should all just be friends. Or if not friends, then we should all be able to get along. It shouldn’t all be school girl bullying and bitching about who’s screwing who. The other week there was a massive mess because two women came in wearing the same top. It’s pathetic. And the guys aren’t much better too. Instead of keeping out of it as much as possible like I do, they relish it, loving every moment of it as if it’s a delicious playground and they’re pulling the puppet strings.

Move, a rude woman demands, pushing me out of the way. There’s plenty of room, she doesn’t need to be like this but I suppose she’s just another grumpy commuter just trying to get by. Got bags here.

I’m not even mad because of her attitude, I recognize myself in her down turned lips. She’s unhappy here, she wishes that she could be anywhere else in the world. Just like me. Me and my dissatisfied itchy feet.

The only way I can get through these journeys and the days that follow is by dreaming about my world wide trip, the time where all of this work will finally be worth it. I’m getting close too, my savings are getting healthier and healthier. It won’t be long until I can leave all of this behind. At least for a little while.

I don’t see the point in living on this big wide world and not exploring it. One day I’ll be dead, lying in the ground, and before I get to that place I want to see everything I can. I don’t want to spend my days existing in a crappy job, saving up for nothing. I need a journey to excite me. I crave adventure like crazy.

Ring, ring... I glance around angrily, wondering whose cell phone that is. Ring, ring... God, people are so obsessed with their technology. They cannot be disconnected. Ring, ring... And on public transport too.

It takes me a few moments of judging other people to realize that it’s actually me. My phone blaring out and disturbing the irritated silence of the morning rush hour commute. I yank my cell phone out of my pocket as quickly as I can whilst angling my take away coffee so it doesn’t spill. My cheeks flame a funny shade of red as a hearted embarrassment tears through my body at a million miles an hour, and I press it to my ear quick.

Hey, Al, how’s it going? I hiss into the receiver trying my hardest not to disturb anyone any more.

Alistair Berkley is the roommate I never expected to meet, and certainly the person I didn’t expect to become my friend. We’re total opposites in a lot of ways. He’s uptight, money obsessed, he loves his job in the finance sector. On first meeting he seems really arrogant as well, like he’s cock sure and doesn’t care about anyone but himself. If he wasn’t more than willing to pay anything to rent out the room because it’s near to his office I might have turned him away because I never thought we would be friends. I assumed it was going to be awkward.

Over time, things changed. I got to see that the arrogance is a mask he wears to cover up his insecurities. Surprisingly, we do have things in common as well. A love of reading and watching car racing. Small things that bond us together in a positive way, which is good because we live together. Now, he’s a good mate of mine.

Hey, Logan, sorry I know you’re on the way to work... He sounds much too bright for this time of morning. I just wanted to check if you got the bank transfer I made to you. I know rent day is coming up.

This is another thing I’m glad of. He’s got such a good memory for this sort of thing, I suppose because of his job, and he always reminds me when bills need to be paid. I’ve never had a late payment because of him.

Oh right, I’m not sure yet because I’m on the train but I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll check when I get into the office.

Good, good. There’s an awkward pause and I think I might know what’s coming. I have a work night out on Friday if that’s cool with you. You know how it usually ends up and I just want to check it’s okay...

It always ends up with me awake all night long listening to him and whatever woman he’s managed to pick up making banging and animal noises in the other room, leaving me hating him and hating myself more for not having any sort of sex life of my own. Ever since Laura, no one has caught my eye.

That’s fine. I curse myself for being so weak. No worries on this end.

I slide my eyes closed trying to push images of the blonde haired Laura from my mind. My first and only love, the woman I thought I was going to marry. The one I would have given up my bucket list for... that is until she decided that twenty three years old was too young to settle down and she started banging some guy from her office, effectively putting an end to us. Just like that, no conversation, no argument, we were just done in a poof of smoke. I think that’s the reason for the two very single years that followed. I didn’t get my closure, so it never felt fully done. I’ve wanted answers for far too long, but I’m never going to get them.

Either that, or I just haven’t met the right woman to catch my eye.

Okay, cool, mate. I guess I’ll see you later on then, yeah? Got to go, meeting about to start.

With that, he leaves me with nothing but the dial tone and a pit of misery for company. There isn’t much point in me thinking in terms of romance these days, not when I’ll be headed out for a world wide trip soon enough, but the loneliness gets to me at times like this. I also get it when I’m eating yet more ramen noodles because I don’t want to blow my travelling budget on meals. I’d rather save it to taste foreign delights.

It’s all going to be worth it, I remind myself of my mantra when things get tough. Soon this will all be nothing more than a memory tucked in the back of my mind while I experience the world.

My desire to spread my wings and fly started when I was a child and my father would sit me on his lap to tell me about all the adventures he had himself. Now, as an adult, I can see that he glamorized all those stories because his travelling came while he was in the armed forces, but it still ignited the fire and that’s something I want to do it now. Even if his stories weren’t always accurate and didn’t always tell me the full picture, I still want to see what the world has to offer me. There has to be more out there than this small existence which leaves me hollow. I have to believe that I can have something like the experiences my dad laid out to me. I want to stand at the top of the Eifel Tower, to see the Great Wall of China, to see what the world looks like from the top of Mount Everest...

He died, just after my eighteenth birthday from cancer, and my mom went twenty months later. I think it might have been a broken heart which did it. She just couldn’t cope without my dad. I lost my foundation so quickly it did shake me a bit. Then, the following year my younger brother upped and left. He moved to England to be with some girl he met on the Internet. We email, every now and again, but there isn’t much contact between us. We’ve just drifted apart, that’s all. Nothing dramatic, no falling out, we just don’t have anything in common anymore.

I think because of all that loss, I’ve been feeling trapped, which is why this is just something I have to do. And the sooner I get away from this miserable life style, the better as far as I’m concerned. I’m done.

"He did not! My attention is dragged from my thoughts by a red head talking much too loudly. Everyone turns to stare at her but she doesn’t look one bit embarrassed. That is absolutely ridiculous, I’m shocked."

Something draws my head to the left of her, like there’s a magnetic force drawing me in. Next to her stands a raven haired beauty with sparkling green eyes and a bright grin to match. She’s tall, slender, yet curvy too and she has the most deliciously plump lips that I’ve ever seen in my life. She’s gorgeous. So much so that I feel a tiny spark igniting within me. One that’s lay dormant ever since Laura. I haven’t had any pull of desire for anyone but there’s something very intriguing about this woman. I cock my head and stare at her curiously, staring at her as if she’s on a TV screen or something, not an actual human being in real life. I think I forget that she is until the moment she seems to sense my eyes upon her and she snaps her eyes around to meet mine.

My heart jolts, I feel a powerful shock racing through me, it almost knocks me off my feet. Her lips ever so slightly curl up into a smile which makes me feel amazing. She looks like she might actually not hate me for just happening to be another commuter on the same train as her, taking up air and space.

Ask her out, the devil on my shoulder hisses inside my brain. A fling will ward off loneliness.

I haven’t ever been the fling sort of person, but it might well be time to step out of my shell, just for a little while. After all, if romance offers a short term thing while I’m on my travels, I don’t want to get caught up or fall too deep, so this might be a good time to start practicing that.

With a moment of confidence bursting through my veins and the knowledge that this is almost my stop, I step closer to her, already planning what our date might be like. She’s cute and looks like fun so I’ll definitely want to include some drinks in that. But not too many. I’m known for being quite clumsy when I’m drunk.

I get close enough to part my lips, preparing myself to say something but before any words can fly out of my mouth there’s an odd, cackling sound that comes over the conductor announcement system, one that’s too muffled for anyone to understand, and the train comes to an abrupt halt.

I watch in horror as my feet stumble and the coffee cup in my hand slips. It happens in slow motion, the liquid flies from the cup, heading faster towards the woman than my feet could have ever gone.

No! I want to scream. Stop.

But I can’t. It’s too late, the coffee has hit her and it’s turned her posh white blouse into a horrible shade of lukewarm brown...

The first woman I’ve liked in forever and I’ve swilled her with a drink.

Marvelous.

Chapter Two – Tamara

T his is it, Katherine , I’m so freaking nervous. Stepping onto the subway is a big step for me, but what comes next is going to be way worse. I am not prepared for this at all. I suck at speaking, you know that about me.

I clutch onto her arm and give her a pleading look. I need her to get me out of this, I want her to fake a heart attack or something, anything to assist me in my mad escape. I’m not equipped for this, she can see that.

Girl, if you are brave enough to run away from that loser ex of yours, you can do this.

I narrow my eyes, annoyed by her betrayal. But that was easy, I whine. I just had to pack a bag and go. This is sitting in front of a panel of people who already aren’t going to like me, because as you know I don’t give off the best first impression and give them reasons not to hire me when they already don’t want to!

It wasn’t easy for you to leave Pete after three years, we both know that, so stop playing it down.

I grit my teeth, refusing to answer her. Mostly because she’s right and that really doesn’t serve my purpose.

And yes, I know better than anyone that you give the shittiest first impression ever. Katherine rolls her eyes dramatically. In case you’ve forgotten, you tried to steal my boyfriend when we first met.

Oh, my goodness, are you gonna ride on the coat tails of that story forever? We were eleven years old and I didn’t know Danny was your boyfriend. He didn’t say he was when he asked me to lift up my shirt.

Which you did... The accusation fires in her eyes. She really isn’t ever going to recover from this.

But only to show him my bright pink crop top, I was just so proud of it. I fold my arms across my chest. I didn’t have anything to show him then anyway, so it was pointless. And I did you a favor. Would you still want to be with that slime ball now? I heard he works as a bouncer for a strip club. How gross is that?

Well, he isn’t one of the strippers, is he? She shudders. But no, I suppose not. He is pretty gross.

Anyway, you’re with Bear now, so that’s awesome, right? Things are still going well?

I cross my fingers behind my back hoping they aren’t. I don’t want her with Bear, he’s horrible. An idiot too. He won’t even tell anyone what his real name is, as if we’re going to believe it’s ‘Bear’. Idiot. He’s got a cocky attitude as well. That seems to be something that Katherine goes for, but there’s nothing underneath.

Oh, I don’t know. She averts her eyes making me mentally fist pump the air. I think we’re done.

Oh no, why not? I don’t have to feign my sympathy. I don’t want my friend to be hurt.

I just don’t think he’s that great a person, you know? Not someone I want to be with.

Yeah. I can see that. Time to start moving on to a new man. The quicker she finds someone else the less likely she’ll be to accidently slide back into his arms. I think Luke likes you anyway. He told me.

"He did not! Judging by Katherine’s shrieking reaction, one that seems to get the attention of everyone in the carriage, this might well be good news. Either that or terrible, I’m not sure yet. He didn’t say that."

Well, not that exactly. Like word for word, but close enough. I offer her a one shouldered shrug. He just asked me when you’re going to finish with that idiot Bear because other people like you too.

I watch her face go through a range of colors as she digests this information. It’s hit her like a ton of bricks, I can see. I like Luke, I would much rather her be in his arms than anyone else’s. My life might be a mess at the moment and getting it back on track might not be the easiest thing in the world, but I want my friend to be happy. Maybe if she can hold it all together then I’ll have something substantial to aim for.

Before I can say anything else about this, I feel a deep pull somewhere in my chest. It’s coming from the other side of the train and it’s so strong it actually drags my eyes away from my friend as if I have no control over my body. I snap towards the gentleman who’s curiously looking at me as if he wants something from me. As I swim in the hazel color of his eyes and I examine his strong cheek bones and his nice smile, I want to give it to him... whatever it may be. He’s the classic case of tall, dark, and incredibly handsome, he actually makes me feel a powerful shock. It ignites something inside of me that I didn’t even know was still there.

Katherine, I say to my friend out the corner of my mouth to be discrete. A guy is looking at me.

In a very indiscrete manner, she whips around and gasps. Oh, wow, he’s a hottie. Smile at him.

I do as she commands, enjoying the delicious sensation that swims right through me when he smiles back. His grin is gorgeous, it causes a fluttering right at the bottom of my belly, towards my core.

Wave at him. This command I don’t follow. Get him to come over here. You could use a date.

She’s right, I know she is, but being in the soul destroying relationship with Pete where he sucked all the fun out of me, has affected me deeply and I need to get over it. I’m over him, but not the after effects.

He’s coming. I can see him taking purposeful strides toward me. Oh my God, what do I do?

Just be cute... be you. Katherine seems to think this through. But not too much you, you know?

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? What the hell is wrong with me?

But I don’t need her to answer that, I already know. The whole ‘first impressions’ thing. I don’t know what it is but as soon as I’m around a new person I turn into a freak. I don’t know how to act like a person anymore. This is why it took me so long to leave Pete, even though he made me miserable. This is why I didn’t want to leave my shelf stacking job even though I hated it, this is why I never make new friends. I’m set in my ways because I have to be. I can’t invite new people in because I’m too much of a mess to meet new people.

He opens his mouth as if he’s about to say something. I lean forward, resting on my elbows as I hungrily drink his words in. I might not like new people, but for this guy I’ll try and make an exception as long as I don’t fuck it up. But then the train guy makes an announcement just as the vehicle comes to a rapid stop.

Argh, shit! I cry while leaping upright as an ice cold sensation splashes across me. What the hell?

With disappointment, I stare slowly down at my blouse, a gutting feeling flooding me as I see the mess I’ve become. From the smell of it, cold coffee has been spilled across me right before my first ever interview for an actual adult job. I don’t know if I much want the office job, but I have to do something. My savings won’t last forever and I need some sort of half decent job to pay my way. I’m not going to get it like this.

Oh my God, I’m so sorry. The hot guy bumbles towards me with his hands outstretched as if he’s going to cup my breasts or something. I didn’t mean... the train just stopped... it was an accident!

An accident? I scream back. You’ve ruined me. An undeserved anger bursts from me but I can’t seem to help it. I’m on my way to a job interview and now look. Those fucking assholes aren’t going to want me to work for them now, are they? Look at the state of me. I’m as messy on the outside as I am inside.

Now everyone’s probably looking at me but I can’t help it. All the frustrations I’ve tried to push down ever since I left my certain life with Pete into the unknown abyss coming flooding to the surface.

"I’ve now got no