8 Weeks (Time for Love, book 1) E-Book

Bethany Lopez

• Herausgeber: Bethany Lopez
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Is eight weeks enough time to earn back the love of someone you've betrayed...the only one you've ever loved?

Shelly has been in love with Cal since they started dating in eleventh grade. Despite everyone saying that the odds were against them, they got married after graduation and built a life together. Now, six years later, she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. Devastated, her first instinct is to call it quits…

After a drunken binge at his best friends’ bachelor party, Cal betrays the one person who has always been there for him, his wife, Shelly. Terrified and realizing she might divorce him, Cal must come up with a way to prove to her that his love is true…

Cal asks Shelly for eight weeks. Eight weeks to convince her that their marriage is worth the fight. Will Shelly be able to trust him again, or will their marriage end the way many others do when faced with opposition… In divorce?

8 Weeks is book 1 in the Time for Love series, but can be read as a stand alone.

Leseprobe

8 Weeks

Time for Love Series, book 1

Bethany Lopez

Contents

1. Cal

2. Shelly

3. Cal

4. Shelly

5. Cal

6. Shelly

7. Cal

8. Shelly

9. Cal

10. Shelly

11. Cal

12. Shelly

13. Cal

14. Shelly

15. Cal

16. Shelly

17. Cal

18. Shelly

19. Cal

20. Shelly

21. Cal

22. Shelly

23. Cal

24. Shelly

25. Cal

26. Shelly

27. Cal

28. Shelly

29. Cal

30. Shelly

31. Cal

32. Shelly

33. Cal

34. Shelly

35. Cal

36. Shelly

Untitled

Tj

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by Bethany Lopez

8 WEEKS

Copyright 2014 Bethany Lopez

Published March 2014

Photography by K Keeton Designs

Cover Design by Makeready Designs

Editing by Red Road Editing / Kristina Circelli

Formatting by Bethany Lopez

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please don’t participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Created with Vellum

For my Family

Cal

I lifted my throbbing head from the mattress and glanced around the blurry room. Nothing looked familiar. I closed my eyes tightly and reopened them, hoping to bring the room into focus and discover where I was. Closing my eyes relieved some of the pain, but as soon as I opened them again, the bright morning light felt like a laser searing my skull.

“Fuck!” I raised myself up gingerly, on shaky arms, as the night before came back to me in fits and glimpses.

I was in Vegas.

We’d had my buddy’s bachelor party the night before.

I’d gotten completely fuckin’ wasted.

I was able to get into a sitting position, bringing my elbows up to rest on my knees, and cradle my head in my hands. I peered down around my palms and got an eyeful of my junk.

I was butt-ass naked.

What the fuck had happened last night? I closed my eyes tightly and tried to remember, but it was no use. When my stomach began to churn, I heaved myself off of the bed and looked around for a place to vomit. I had no idea where the bathroom was, but was able to make it to the trashcan by the desk before the puke flew past my lips. A moan escaped my lips as my stomach cramped and some remnants of last night’s dinner came out of my mouth and nose simultaneously.

The retching went on for a few minutes. My nose burned and there was a chunk of something lodged in the back of my throat.

Stomach empty, I sat back on my heels and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Now not only was my head pounding like a drum, but my mouth tasted like I’d been licking the ass-end of a horse for the better part of the morning.

I curled into a ball on the floor by the trashcan, willing the room to be still, so my stomach would stop twirling violently. It was no use. I felt the bile begin to rise and got up quickly to hug the trashcan again, hurling and heaving until there was nothing left but the foam from the pit of my stomach.

The sound of a flush, then water running had me turning my head toward what must’ve been the bathroom. A few seconds later, the door opened and a statuesque blonde strode out and picked up her dress from the back of a chair. She turned to me, naked as I was, and shook her head with a chuckle.

“That was some party,” she said as she pulled the dress over her head and walked toward the door. When her hand touched the handle she turned back to me and smiled. “Have a nice life, sugar.” Then she walked out, the door slamming behind her.

I sat there for a moment. Speechless, naked, reeking of alcohol and puke.

“No, no, no, no, no, no …” I muttered as I began to rock back and forth on my heels. This couldn’t be happening to me.

Where were the guys?

How had I gotten back to this room?

What the fuck had I done, and how was I ever going to explain this to my wife?

Shelly

As I finished cutting up vegetables for the salad, I looked around the kitchen and into the dining room to see if I’d forgotten anything. Table set and made beautiful with tulips and candlesticks in cheerful shades of yellow, roast cooking in the oven, and shrimp sautéing in a pan on top of the stove for an appetizer. Everything looked, and smelled, wonderful.

I smiled happily as I hummed to myself, excited to surprise Cal when he got home from his “boy’s trip” to Vegas.

It was our sixth wedding anniversary, and I couldn’t wait for him to see my new dress. It was a little white dress that hugged my curves in all the right places.

When we’d gotten married at eighteen, right out of high school, everyone said we’d never last. But I’d known from the second I’d laid eyes on Cal at a pep rally our junior year of high school that he was the man I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. He’d been making me happy every day since.

I took the salad bowl to the table, complete with the moose-shaped salad tongs that Cal had bought me on our cruise to Alaska, and placed it in the center of the table. I straightened the wine goblets with our initials that Cal had brought home as a surprise for me when I’d gotten promoted to manager at the bank.

I could look all around our sweet little house and bask in the memories we’d made so far.

I turned off the stovetop and covered the pan, then ran to the back of the house to our bathroom. Checking myself in the mirror, I was happy to see that my hair and makeup were holding up. I turned and walked into our bedroom, taking off clothes as I moved. I had my outfit laid out on the bed, down to the white garter belt and stockings. I took care putting on the underthings, so as not to get a snag and ruin the sexy little treat I had just bought for Cal. I looked in the full-length mirror as I slipped the dress over my head, then turned around, checking to make sure everything was in its proper place.

With my dark hair in soft waves and my ruby red lips contrasting the stark white of my outfit, I realized the last time I’d felt this sexy and beautiful was on our wedding day.

Cal was going to be so turned on, I thought with a giggle, the blush on my cheeks only accentuating the look I was going for.

The beeping of the oven timer sounded off in the kitchen and I nodded at myself in the mirror before returning to the kitchen.

The night was going to be perfect.

I pulled the roast out, leaving it covered as I sat it on the counter so the flavors could come together. I went to the small wine rack, my first purchase when we bought this house, our first home, and pulled our favorite bottle of red. I opened it swiftly, then set it on the counter to breathe.

I looked around again, mentally checking items off the list in my head as I surveyed the rooms. One of the selling points of this house for me had been the open floor plan. I loved the way the rooms opened up to each other, really giving the house a homey feel.

Realizing I’d forgotten to freshen up my deodorant, I ran back through the house, checking the clock on the wall and squealing when I realized that Cal should be home any minute. I quickly put on deodorant, sprayed Cal’s favorite perfume, and slipped on a pair of sling back heels.

At six foot four, Cal towered over my five-foot-six frame. I loved it. Being in his arms always made me feel feminine and safe.

As I was walking down the hall, I heard the sound of the garage door going up, and my stomach dipped in anticipation of Cal’s arrival. I put on my brightest smile and positioned myself seductively against the counter, so I would be the first thing he saw when he walked through the door.

Cal

I sat in my car in the garage for a few minutes, terrified of going inside and facing Shelly. As soon as she saw me, she would know something was wrong. She had a knack for reading me. She always had.

The guys had stumbled in a few minutes after the blonde turned my world upside down.

“Jesus,” my buddy Scott, whose pending nuptials we were in Vegas celebrating, said as he made out my naked, vomit-covered form. “What the fuck happened to you?”

“Where were you guys?” I asked bleakly, trying to pull myself into a sitting position.

“Well, after you said you were heading back here, pussy that you are, we continued our little party. We hit up a club at the Hard Rock, then went out for breakfast. We haven’t slept yet.” This was said in a mind-numbing tone by my other buddy, TJ.

“Have you been like this all night?” Scott asked.

I put my head in my hands and tried to control my shaking body.

“I really fucked up,” I said.

“Dude,” TJ said, throwing my jeans at me. “Put some pants on. I can’t listen to you when your junk is on display.”

I leaned back and tried to wiggle into my jeans without disturbing my stomach. Once I was dressed, I filled them in on my morning.

Scott and TJ were staring at me, horrified. Scott started pacing the floor and asked, “Do you remember where you met her or how you got back here?”

“No. I don’t remember a fucking thing,” I admitted.

“Maybe nothing happened,” TJ said hopefully.

“We were both naked, and although I don’t remember the details, I’m pretty sure we had sex.”

“Shit,” Scott muttered. “What are you going to do?”

“What do you mean?” I asked miserably. “I have to tell Shelly the truth.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, man? She’ll never hear it from us,” TJ said. Scott nodded his agreement.

“I can’t do that. I can’t lie to her.”

“It’s either lie to her, or break her heart, Cal,” Scott said with a frown.

Scott and TJ had been my best friends since middle school. They’d been with me at the pep rally when I’d first laid eyes on Shelly and they stood up in my wedding.

The trip back had been long and torturous as I tried to figure out what I should do. Shelly and I had a great relationship and I’d never lied to her. I didn’t want to start now, but what Scott said was true. It would break her heart, and I knew our relationship would never be the same, but I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to live with this lie for the rest of our lives.

Quit being a bitch and go inside, I said to myself, trying to talk myself into getting out of the car.

I really didn’t want to, but I knew that she’d probably heard the garage door, and would be waiting for me to come inside.

Fuck.

I grabbed my overnight bag and reluctantly opened the car door.

When I opened the door and saw Shelly leaning against the counter in the sexiest little dress I’d ever seen, I wanted to rewind the last couple days and not go on the Vegas trip.

I looked around the room, noted the candles, flowers, and the sweet smell of my favorite dinner on the stove, and felt like I’d just been punched in the gut.

It was our anniversary.

I’d been so wrapped up in my misery, I’d forgotten. I had a gift that I’d bought a few days ago for her in the closet. Man, that seemed like ages ago.

My face must have betrayed my despair, because Shelly pushed off the counter and came to me, her hands coming up to immediately cup my face.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

I closed my eyes briefly and breathed in the sweet smell of her. I pulled her into my arms and held on tightly, knowing that in a few minutes, she wasn’t going to want me to touch her.

I wished momentarily that I could lie to her. That I could just forget what happened and enjoy my wife and our anniversary, but I knew I’d never be able to live with myself. So I allowed myself the comfort of her body and kissed her lips softly before pulling away and saying, “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.”

Shelly

It’s crazy how much things can change in an instant.

One moment, I was eagerly awaiting my husband’s arrival. I was feeling excited and sexy, and anticipating an evening filled with love and great sex.

Then, with a few words, my whole world came crashing down around me, and my life changed.

I went from being a whole person, to having my heart shattered into a million fragmented pieces.

I was looking into my handsome man’s face, my lips still tingling from his kiss, when he started to apologize.

I’d known something was up when he walked in, but I’d never imagined the depths of what was wrong.

“Sorry about what?” I asked tentatively, unsure if I wanted to know the answer.

“Let’s go sit down,” Cal said, but I shook my head.

“Just say it.”

“I don’t remember what happened last night, apparently I got really drunk and left the guys in the casino and headed back to the room. The last thing I remember is them razzing me about being a lightweight.” I smiled at him; he’d always been kind of a lightweight. The look on his face caused the smile to fall from mine. “When I woke up this morning, I was naked with a killer hangover, and there was someone else in the room.”

“One of the guys?” I asked, suddenly filled with dread.

Cal shook his head slowly, and my arms dropped from around him. I stepped back, the look in his eyes telling me what he was going to say before he said it.

I shook my head in denial.

“It was a woman,” he said softly, his voice strained. “I don’t know who she was or how I met her, but I’m pretty sure I slept with her.”

“No,” I replied sharply. “You wouldn’t do that.”

Cal brought his arms up as if to touch me and I stepped back farther. He dropped his arms sadly and responded, “I know. I wouldn’t consciously sleep with someone else; you’re the only one for me, Shel, but I was so messed up …”

A hot ball of tears began to form in my throat and I turned on my heels, walking back toward the bedroom.

I had to get out of there.

I walked into my closet and pulled my backpack down from the shelf. I was stuffing clothes into it when Cal came into the room.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice filled with desperation.

“Going to my dad’s,” I said stiffly.

“Shelly, we need to talk about this.”

I stopped what I was doing and glared at him. “What is there to talk about? You cheated on me. On us.”

“I know, baby, but I didn’t know what I was doing. You have to believe me.”

“Is that supposed to make it okay?” I asked, tears falling freely down my cheeks. I had the sudden urge to punch him in the face.

“No, of course not, but you can’t just walk out. We need to talk this through.”

I zipped my backpack and threw it over my shoulder, then walked purposefully past him and out toward the garage.

“Shelly,” Cal called out.

When his hand touched my arm, I yanked it away and said, “Don’t touch me.”

He held up his hands as if in surrender and said, “Please … Don’t go. Don’t do this.”

“I didn’t do anything, you did. I can’t stay,” I sobbed. “I can’t stand to look at you.”

I turned my back on the hurt look on his face and slammed the door on my way out.

I got into my little Ford pickup and peeled out in the driveway in my haste to get as far away from Cal as possible. As I drove on autopilot, the enormity of the situation weighed heavily on my mind.

The only man I’d ever loved, who I’d always trusted implicitly, had just made a mockery of everything I’d thought and felt over the last six years of our relationship.

I was in shock.

I’d always believed that Cal and I would be together forever … That we’d have children and grow old together.

That he would never hurt me.

Well, he hadn’t just hurt me. He’d crushed me. He’d crushed us.

I pulled up to the home I’d grown up in and had barely turned off the car before I was catapulting out of it. I ran up the steps and put my key in the door. I flung it open, sobbing and crying, and looked around frantically.

My dad came out of the kitchen, his face covered in surprise as he looked at me. I was still in my anniversary outfit and must have looked half out of my mind.

I was.

“Shell Bell, what’s going on? Are you hurt?”

“Oh, Daddy,” I cried as I rushed into his arms and held on tightly.

He patted my back and murmured that everything would be okay. And although I knew that this was one thing my father wouldn’t be able to fix for me, I allowed myself to be soothed by his words.

Cal

I dropped to my knees after she walked out the door. I’m not sure how long I stayed there, staring at the closed door, willing it to open again and to have Shelly walk back in. It never did.

When I got up and walked around the dining room, followed by the kitchen, my stomach clenched at the effort she’d put into the evening. I could feel the love and happiness that had gone into the planning and execution of our anniversary celebration, and it killed me that I’d ruined all of it.

I walked back to our bedroom and sat on the bed. As I stared at Shelly’s open drawers, I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Scott.

“’Lo,” he said after one ring.

“She left,” I said simply.

“I’m on my way,” Scott said. I could hear his keys jingling as he hung up the phone.