Forever Branded (Billionaire Love Series #1) (2 page)

Don’t get me wrong, I liked caring for everyone I loved; but I was itching to make some changes now that my son Charlie was grown and Emma had a family of her own.

I just didn’t know where to start.

“Hey, sugar,” said the unmistakable voice of my dear friend, Grace.

“Hey, gorgeous,” I greeted as I turned around and gave her a one-armed hug.

Grace was a beautiful redhead, with curly ringlets cascading over her shoulders and emerald green eyes sparkling with joy.

“Marla, how are you?” she asked after she kissed me on the cheek.

“I’m good. Isn’t this exciting?” I asked as the baby clapped his hands gleefully together.

Her heart-shaped face lit up with joy. “Yes, it is, sugar. Micah and Emma’s foundation is going to do so many neat things for these disadvantaged kids.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait to have some of the older students apprentice at the salon.”

“Oh, that will be fun. You be sure to let me know if you need help with that.”

“I will.”

“
So, what’s new?” she asked.

“You know, just running the salon and being an auntie,” I said sweetly, rubbing little Josiah’s round tummy.

He giggled as his pudgy hands grabbed at my hair again.

Grace smiled at our sweet exchange. “That reminds me. Joey is super excited to see Charlie. But I didn’t see him when I came in. Is he coming later?”

“Oh, he’s out of town. He’s backpacking through Europe.”

“Wow, look out Europe,” she teased, knowing Charlie’s habit of getting into trouble. “Do you hear from him very often?”

“He’s having the time of his life. He doesn’t want to talk to his mom very much, but I do hear from him once a week.”

“That’s good.”

“Mom, can I have one of these?” Grace’s daughter, Alex, interrupted as she came over, holding up a big, juicy chocolate-dipped strawberry.

“Sure, honey. Just make sure and eat some veggies, too.”

“Ah, Mom...that’s what Daddy said too.”

Graced tapped her daughter playfully on the nose. “If you want the yummy strawberry, eat the veggies.”

“All right,” she sighed as she flounced back to the buffet table where Grace’s adoring husband Sam, who still played for the Baltimore Gators hockey team, was trying to manage a couple of plates of food.  He was also keeping track of his active four-year-old son, Joey, who was insisting on carrying his own plate to one of the many tables scattered across the room.

That was a sweet picture.

I loved seeing fathers interact lovingly with their children.

My heart ached over the fact Charlie never had that.

I’d raised him on my own. It wasn’t easy. He’d always been a handful, but he was the joy of my heart and I couldn’t imagine my life without him.

I really couldn’t complain about the cards the universe had dealt me.

I had a full life.

I was blessed with my health, my own business, good friends, and a growing family to love. Plenty to be grateful for.

Did it really matter I wanted more?

Needed more?

My willful heart cried yes, but my practical nature was entrenched in the realities of everyday life. I sighed and pretended I wasn’t surrounded by friends and family happily in love.

“Whatchya thinking about over there?” Grace asked as she studied me thoughtfully.

I wasn’t about to reveal the truth. “I’m thinking I want a drink,” I said as I grabbed a frou-frou cocktail drink from the tray of a passing waiter.

“Hmm... I can tell something is going on with you,” she said, narrowing her gaze and letting me know I wasn’t getting away with anything.

“Mmm... there might be,” I teased, sipping my drink.

Ooh, sugary sweet.

Just the way I liked my alcohol.

She lifted one eyebrow coolly. “Does it have to do with a man?”

I rolled my eyes. “In the entire time you’ve known me, have I ever talked about a man?”

“No, but I still have hope, sugar. You need a good one.”

She was right about that.

I smiled wryly. “Sorry to disappoint, but nothing is going on with me.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“Mm-hmm,” she said as if she didn’t believe me. But surprisingly, she let it drop. “So are we still on for lunch next week?” she asked as we watched Sam try to deal with both of his kids who were demanding his attention at the same time.

“Yep.”

She glanced worriedly at her family. “Sounds good. I think I better go rescue Sam,” she said as Joey readied himself to chuck a meatball poised on his fork while Sam had his back turned.

I grinned, thinking of Charlie doing things like that when he was that age. “Yeah, Sam looks like he could use some help.”

She nodded. “See you next week,” she hollered as she scurried over there, grabbing Joey’s loaded fork as he bent his arm back to fling the meatball at some unsuspecting target.

I chuckled as disaster was averted, the oblivious Sam unaware his wife had just saved him from having to explain why he let his kid fire a meatball at an innocent party.

I giggled again as my tummy rumbled reminding me I hadn’t eaten much lately. The buffet table was definitely calling my name. So, with a glass in my left hand and a baby on my right hip, I set off through the throng of people to that wonderful table teaming with goodies.

The delicious smell of savory meats wafted over me, making my mouth water as I took in the divine hors d’oeuvres, sumptuous desserts, and succulent meats. I wanted to dive in and try everything.

Eyeing the chocolate strawberries, I wondered how I could hold a baby, a drink, and one of those mouth-watering treats when I heard a low, deep rumble that burst open into a hearty laugh which made my back go ramrod straight.

I knew that laugh.

I loved that laugh.

Shivers shot down my spine as I turned 180 degrees, my eyes searching out the owner of that deep chortle.

No, it couldn’t be...

I examined the crowd, but it wasn’t hard to figure out where the laugh was coming from as I zeroed in on the source. Standing head and shoulders above most people there, Beau Shepard was chucking it up with a stacked redhead clad in a blue mini-dress.

Holy crap!

What was he doing here?

I froze for a stunned second as my heart galloped against my chest in an attempt to explode out of me.

Was this really happening?

Was I really looking at Beau Shepard in the flesh?

Yep, I was.

My entire system lit up in stunned exhilaration, as if Publisher’s Clearinghouse had shown up at my door with a million dollars. I gasped sharply, my drink sloshing in my hand as the baby let out a loud squeal.

Uh-oh.

Beau’s head turned sharply at my commotion, our eyes meeting in full out contact. His glance widened as our gazes met, his ruddy complexion paling a bit.

Oh my god.

Twenty years fell away as his steely blue gaze held mine and I was suddenly just a young girl again, head over heels in love with a boy.

We stared hardcore at one another as I blushed, thinking how fiercely we loved each other once. Until it was shattered one fateful summer day, when everything fell apart and I was forced to make a hard decision.

The last time I had seen him, his face had been dark with heartbreak; his blue eyes dulling with pain as he had turned, running out of my life for good. I had watched him flee, taking my heart with him.

I had wanted to take it all back, but I couldn’t.

I lived with that guilt every day.

But Beau was obviously thriving.

He’d filled out since the last time I saw him. He was still lean, but now he had defined muscle under his dark blue tailored sports coat hugging his broad shoulders.

The midnight blue of his jacket brought out the red highlights in his brown, closely cropped hair. His slightly arched brows were creased in concentration, while his scruffy five o’clock shadow and strong jaw gave him a sexy, sophisticated vibe which meant he was all grown up now.

I half expected to see his famous smirk grace his full, even lips, but all I got was a scowl as his expression turned from shock, to awe, to a hardened rage as he held my gaze; his scathing stare sharp and unflinching.

Hard. Bitter. Hollow. Broken.

God, what had happened to him?

He made my heart hurt.

I had always hoped that somehow, even though we weren’t together, he had managed to live happily. Before the days of Google, I kept track of him through newspaper clippings and the occasional news story. Still, it was a shock to see him fifteen feet from me, looking so cold and unfriendly.

I cringed as his face became an unreadable mask again and he broke eye contact, deliberately turning away. My ears began to buzz in embarrassment and I wanted to flee, but I had a baby and a drink in my hands.

Turning swiftly around, I located Emma through the haze of my panic. I thrust the baby back into her arms, downed my drink, and high-tailed it to the bathroom.

I shut myself in a stall and sat down, wringing my hands, trying to shut down the memories threatening to spill over and make everything messy.

“I love you, Marla. Marry me,” Beau said, kneeling down on bended knee, his face earnest and open, shining with love one summer day after we had graduated high school.

“Yes!” I cried, deliriously happy to marry the man I loved.

I threw my arms around him, feeling like I had been given the world.

A cherished memory.

One of the most amazing moments in my life.

I would give anything to have him look at me like that again.

Instead, his gaze had been full of sneering distaste.

He hated me.

I had always feared that, and now I had confirmation he’d never forgiven me.

I was doomed to hold my love for him indefinitely.

A single tear slid down my right cheek as I thought about all the pain I had lived with, and all the pain I had caused. More tears rushed down my face as my heart swirled with relentless regret.

I longed to explain so many things to Beau, to make him understand I had no choice but to break up with him. He needed to know the truth...if only I was strong enough to tell him.

Knock, knock!

The jarring sound pinged through the small bathroom as I wondered what I was going to do about Beau.

“Marla?” my sister’s sweet voice floated through the stall door. “You okay?”

“Yes,” I said quickly, wiping furiously at my face. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? You don’t sound fine.”

“I’m not gonna lie. I’ve been better.” I knew my sister had the best intentions, but I wasn’t ready to share what was happening to me.

“Can I do anything?”

“No...” I sighed. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay. Are you gonna be out in time for Micah’s speech?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” I said as brightly as I could muster.

“You know I’m here if you need me,” she offered gently.

“Yeah, I know.”

I could feel her trying to figure out what to say to me.

There wasn’t anything to say.

Missing my long-lost love just sucked.

“I’ll see you in there,” she finally said, realizing I needed my space.

“‘Kay.”

She left, the swish of the door telling me it was safe to come out and face myself. I didn’t want to go back in there, but I didn’t have a choice. I wasn’t about to let Micah and Emma down because I was an emotional basket case.

It was time to pull it together and put on my game face.

I gently opened the door, peeking around to make sure I really was alone.

The coast was clear.

I couldn’t believe my reflection in the mirror as I stood in front of the sink. My mouth was tight with sadness and my glance reflected the years of pain I had suffered. My heart was hanging on by a thread.

But I had survived worse.

I wasn’t going to crumble. I was just going to get through this.

I washed my hands, powdered my nose, and reapplied my lip gloss. I wasn’t about to look as shitty as I felt.

Bravely, I headed back, unsure of what awaited me as Micah started his speech. I stood at the back of the conference room as I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms.

Everybody seemed so normal, laughing and smiling with each other, seemingly without a care in the world. Meanwhile, I wanted to scream, to let out the pressure building up inside of me, and say, “I can’t stand this anymore! I am dying of a broken heart over here!”

Melodramatic, I know and not so rational...so instead, I tapped my foot rapidly against the thick floral carpet and crossed my arms tighter across my chest.