Chasing Love (Dark Love 1)

“Time to make this a reality,” he growls, pushing my skirt up, taking me from behind.

Round three, here we go.

***

“I’m here, I’m here…”

I bolt through my front door, praying I don’t have anything running down my leg. This is all kinds of awkward, and Lex coming inside me was an afterthought. The bastard didn’t even have the nerve to ask me if I was on the Pill. Asshole.

“Hiya!” she beams, throwing her arms around me tightly.

I excuse myself, quickly, changing in my room to my sweats and a tank top. When I come back out, Adriana is reading a book from my coffee table.

“Anyways.” She puts the book down, facing me as I sit on the couch beside her. “Your place is amazeballs. What’s the name of your interior decorator?”

“Um, me… and have you been talking to Eric because I swear, Adriana, the two of you were separated at birth.”

“Oh-em-gee, he’

s totally awesome, right? I can’t believe you did this yourself. You never liked designing or fashion before.”

“Things change, people grow. The designing part I started to enjoy when I lived with my grandmother. She had a taste for random knick-knacks, but somehow, she made it work.” I smile at the memory, welcoming the conversation. “On the weekends we’d go to flea markets looking for one-of-a-kind pieces. As for fashion, part of it was because of Nikki. We shared a room in college, and every time I’d have a date, she’d lend me her outfits. I kind of got a taste for it.”

“Will you please tell me more about your grandmother?”

“She was an amazing woman—” I hesitate, unsure how long I can go on without breaking down. “I only met her a few times when I was young because she and my mom didn’t really get along. When things in Carmel got too difficult, my dad spoke to her, and she welcomed me with open arms. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without spending those last five months with her. She was such a compassionate woman, so much wisdom. She held onto me when I needed hope and gave me the strength to see the future.”

I stop abruptly, knowing I can’t go on. Can I pour my heart out to Adriana and tell her my grandmother was there, holding my hand on the darkest day of my life? My heart tightens as I close my eyes, reliving the memory.

“She was sick, but she never told anyone. The day she passed away was when I found out.” The room falls quiet, my vision clouding as the emotions come to the surface. “Adriana, will you tell me what happened when you found out?”

Adriana shuffles on my couch, tucking her legs beneath her knees.

“I noticed Lex acting weird, but I had no idea about the baby. Samantha called us over one night, and she announced the pregnancy. Lex was furious. He didn’t want this to happen. My parents, of course, saw it as a blessing.” She clears her throat, but I sense she’s trying to be cautious with her words. “The next day we went over to see if Lex had calmed down. Samantha was home by herself, and she was visibly upset. She’d been crying, and as my mom consoled her, she told her that Lex was having an affair. When she said your name we were all in shock. My father was livid. He was ready to kill Lex. I was numb. You were my best friend and I felt betrayed by you.”

“Adriana, it was never my intention. I loved him so much…”

She raises her eyes to meet mine. “I thought about that. I thought maybe what you and Lex had was like Elijah and me, but Samantha kept telling me that you used me to get closer to Lex, and that all along you had your eye on him. I don’t know why I believed her. The biggest regret I have isn’t following my instincts. Instead, I gave up on our friendship.”

I let out a huge sigh, my shoulders wearing down. “You know what? It’s done, and now we move on.”

“Yes, I know. It’s like fate played a part.” Moving close to me, she rests her head on my shoulder just like old times. “Now, will you be my maid of honor?”

I turn to face her, the excitement hard to contain. “Of course, Adriana.”

We hug tightly again, and I think to ask the most important question. “Who’s designing the dress?”

She rambles on about the designers involved, and my heart fills with joy. I can’t believe Elijah has waited so long to propose, but I guess, like many of us, life just gets in the way.

“We planned our wedding three years ago, but right before the big day, Elijah became sick. We found out he had cancer. Thankfully, with plenty of chemo, he was able to walk away cancer-free and has had a clean bill of health for three years.”

“I’m so sorry. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult that must’ve been for you.”

“It was, but luckily, I had my family to support us. Lex exhausted himself finding the best cancer centers in the world. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him,” she tells me, falling silent for a few moments. “You know, he will be the best man at the wedding?”

I expected that to be the case. It isn’t about us, it’s Adriana and Elijah’s special day.

“It’s cool, Adriana. I’m sure we can both be in the same room as each other.”