Make Or Break In Marrakesh E-Book

Ian Parson

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Justin has scoured North London in search for love. Trudy has been emotionally hurt, but she's ready to get back in the dating pool.

Their paths cross at a charity fundraiser, and the two barely know each other when Justin suggests a trip to Morocco. Trudy has her doubts, but admits it sounds exciting. What could possibly go wrong?

Soon, the dream holiday Trudy was imagining turns out to be something else entirely. But she's here now, and she's going to make the most of it. Justin is convinced the teething problems will iron themselves out. He believes she is the one.

Unfortunately, they can't both be right.

Make Or Break In Marrakesh is a modern day romantic comedy for those who enjoy their romance tragic, and their comedy dark.

Leseprobe

MAKE OR BREAK IN MARRAKESH

IAN PARSON

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

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About the Author

Copyright (C) 2021 Ian Parson

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2021 by Next Chapter

Published 2021 by Next Chapter

Edited by Elizabeth N. Love

Cover art by CoverMint

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

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author’s permission.

This book is dedicated to all those searching for love

CHAPTERONE

Justin Tondidori was thirty-nine years old. He was slightly overweight, his hairline was receding, and he was on a mission to be in a relationship before these issues grew worse. Before he hit middle age.

He was shallow enough to believe that if you were to stand any chance of finding a girlfriend you had to meet certain expectations, so he played the role he thought women looked for in a man, rather than being himself.

He thought the phrase ‘just be yourself’ was a trap.

Most days he dressed the same way he had since he was fifteen, in that grungy style made popular in the nineties by Kurt Cobain. Worse than dressing like a child, he still daydreamed like a child. Justin dreamed of being loved.

It was all he wanted in the world.

He knew his parents loved him and probably his sister too. That wasn’t the love he yearned after. They were his family. They sort of had no choice.

He wanted the other kind of love. The unconditional, all-encompassing, take your breath away kind. Like in the movies.

Justin had seen Love Story, and he wanted that.

Many years had passed, and still he was hoping that one day it would happen. So far, he hadn’t even liked anyone enough to experienced missing them when they weren’t around. Nor had he ever known how it felt to put someone else’s interests ahead of his own without an ulterior motive.

Being the childish romantic that he was, he thought this wasn’t fair, he felt left out. As though he was lacking something, a key ingredient without which his adult life hadn’t properly started yet.

He had nearly reached the tender age of forty, and still that elusive state of happiness eluded him. Some might say he was old enough to know better. That it was time to put childish dreams away.

Yet the idea of what true love should be. What it must feel like, what he was missing out on, had always ached within him. If he gave up on that what was the point of anything?

Over the years, Justin had taken many lovers and watched plenty of porn. He saw these things as part of a training regime, preparing him for the big event. Consequently, he’d learnt something about the physical expression of love.

Unfortunately, he’d failed completely to realise this wasn’t enough. That he also needed to get in touch with his feelings, his emotions.

This was a department in which he showed no maturity. Emotionally his growth was stunted. He was no better than a clueless schoolboy, aimlessly searching for love’s impossible dream.

After each fresh failure he’d lick his wounds and tell himself, ‘She just wasn’t the one’ or ‘I tried, I really tried.’

Playing the victim nullified any need to examine if he might be, in some small way, partly to blame for the latest failed relationship.

Without the necessary soul searching, he could genuinely convince himself that he was trying his best. The way his brain performed somersaults to reach such conclusions would have been adorable if the consequences weren’t so tragic.

A large part of Justin’s problem is that he thinks on the dating scale, he’s a seven-and-a-half at least, probably an eight.

Arguably there was a brief moment he was eightish. But that was years ago. He’s nearly forty now, his best days are far behind him. He’s a six-and-a-half at best.

Despite that, in his mind, he’s an eight, always was and always will be.

And since it’s reasonable for anyone to aim high, as an eight, he could realistically stretch for one place above. Somebody who’s a nine.

Trudy is undoubtedly a nine, if not a ten.

CHAPTERTWO

Trudy Andrews was an absolute stunner. She had long, wavy, thick blond tresses that tumbled halfway down her back. She rarely wore much make up, yet her skin was radiant and flawless. Her figure would grace any catwalk, and her face belonged on the cover of Vogue.

She had a trusting personality which unfortunately led to her marrying her childhood sweetheart. The relationship she fully expected to last until death parted them had not limped past four years.

Reality had bitten hard. The endless possibilities of youth faded fast when Trudy became a single mother. Nowadays her self-confidence was close to nonexistent

For years now she’d avoided men, devoted all her energies to her children. In those quiet moments, she told herself she led a fulfilled life. It was bullshit. Trudy was lonely. She was ready to get back in the game, she just needed a push.

One evening she was sitting in her local wine bar with her best friend Lucy Daniels.

The girls bore striking similarities in that both were gorgeous with kind hearts; it was in their private lives that differences abounded.

Lucy possessed an abundance of confidence. She had played the field, gone on many dates before settling down with an architect who loved, respected and provided for her. The marriage was solid.

Trudy glanced up as a good-looking stranger walked in.

Lucy smirked.

“What are you smirkin’ about?” Trudy demanded to know.

“I saw that.”

“Huh,” Trudy replied, feigning ignorance. “Saw what?”

Lucy smirked again. They had been friends since they were five years old; she knew Trudy inside out. There was no need for words.

Trudy sighed. She was fooling no one and certainly not the girl who knew her better than anyone.

“Who’d want me with two kids in tow?” she asked.

“You’re beautiful,” Lucy insisted. “You could have any man in this room.”

Trudy glanced again at the stranger.

“It would be nice to meet someone who’s not a complete asshole,” she admitted.

“Yeah,” Lucy agreed. “He’s definitely out there.”

“A man worthy of love?” Trudy elaborated.

“You deserve someone special.”

“You think such a creature exists?” Trudy asked doubtfully.

“Of course!” Lucy opined, optimism practically bursting from every pore. She believed it, why wouldn’t she? She was living it.

Trudy considered the prospect. It seemed unlikely to her.

“They don’t make men like your Seamus anymore,” she decided.

“I disagree!” her friend said. “You just need to lower your expectations.”

They both giggled.

CHAPTERTHREE

The following weekend, fate threw Justin and Trudy together. It happened in Camden Town at a fundraiser for Syrian refugees.

Trudy was there because she religiously attended such events, cared deeply for those less fortunate than herself and wanted to make a difference.

Justin was there because it was close to his house and he was on the hunt for a new girlfriend.

He hadn’t been there long before his eye fell on her. It was inevitable they would. She was the best-looking girl in the room by far.

‘This is it,’ he told himself, mistakenly thinking that what he felt looking at her could only be described as love. He moved closer to this vision in a red dress.

“People are living on the pavements of Hackney,” he heard her say. “It’s disgusting what they have to endure in one of the wealthiest countries in the World.”

‘Look at that passion.’ Justin was spellbound. ‘The way her nostrils flare when she emphasises a point. The way she flicks that shiny ponytail.’

She was fascinating. She was stunning. He moved closer still. He got so close that Trudy broke off her monologue and turned to look at the interloper.

Their eyes met.

He grinned like a naughty schoolboy.

‘He’s full of confidence,’ Trudy thought. ‘Maybe a bit too full.’

Justin ignored the people crowded around her.

“Hi, I’m Justin,” he said.

“Trudy,” she replied and allowed her hand to be shaken.

He bought her a drink and casually steered her away from the group she was with. He asked her about herself. He made an excellent job of pretending to be interested. And even though she didn’t reveal much of a personal nature, she pontificated in great detail on what should be done to solve the plight of the homeless.

‘I love her sexy voice,’ he decided.

Justin had very little to add to the conversation that wouldn’t show immediately he didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, yet he desperately wanted to impress her. So when the collection tin came round, he donated handsomely, hoping she’d notice.

“Gosh, a hundred quid! That’ll really help.” Trudy smiled at him.

His little scheme was working.

“Well, you know, I think it’s important we do what we can,” he lied.

He added a shrug and a half-smile that was supposed to convey a deep sympathy for his fellow human beings.

“You know what I mean?” He said it as though injustice to his fellow man, unfairness to those less fortunate, hurt him deeply.

“I do,” she agreed, nodding.

Justin was sure that nod really said, “Where have you been all my life?”

They had a few more drinks, and he listened attentively. When expected to speak, he settled for telling Trudy how interesting she was, how knowledgeable she was, and towards the evening’s end, how sexy she was.

Before she left, Trudy gave him her number.

CHAPTERFOUR

A few nights later she was back with Lucy in the wine bar.

They discussed kids, work, and all that was wrong in the world.

“How was that fundraiser the other night?” Lucy asked innocently.

Trudy blushed.

“Oh my God!” All innocence was instantly wiped from Lucy’s demeanour. This was serious. “You met someone, didn’t you?” she accused. “What’s he like?” she demanded to know.

Trudy sucked her lip and wiggled her nose, clearly searching for the right words with which to answer the avalanche of questions.

“Is he cute?” her friend couldn’t wait.

Trudy raised an eyebrow as though considering. She smiled and blushed a little. “So-so,” she said.

“Did he try and bum any money off you?”

Trudy shook her head vehemently.

“No.” She clearly objected to the slur on his character.

“Oh my God, you like him!”

They sipped their Prosecco, studied each other, both weighing up the situation.

Trudy not sure what she could say about him, what she even knew about him.

Whilst Lucy was wondering if she should offer her friend some condoms,

she leant forward. “I say shag him,” she advised.

Trudy giggled. She pretended to be excited, but Lucy knew nervous laughter when she heard it.

“Did you give him your number?”

She nodded.

“Has he called yet?”

Trudy sipped her drink before answering.

“I’m meeting him on Saturday” she confessed, and Lucy shrieked, causing a few of the other patrons to look across at them.

Lucy leant over the little glass table and kissed her friend on both cheeks.

“I’m so proud of you,” she declared. Beaming at her as though she were a child who’d just come first in the egg and spoon race.

“That doesn’t mean I’m gonna do anything.” Trudy tried to pour a little cold water on her friend’s enthusiasm.

Lucy snorted. “Not this again?”

“What do you mean?”

“At least give him a chance this time,” she advised darkly.

“What does that mean?” Trudy asked defensively.

Lucy sat back; she took a sip of wine. “You know what that means. It means, if you get the chance to do something nice, say yes!” Lucy lowered her voice, adding, “And if he wants to shag you, let him!”

Trudy snorted wine bubbles whilst failing to commit to anything.

CHAPTERFIVE

Saturday night came, and Justin had prepared well. He put on a new shirt and his best Hugo Boss suit. He made reservations at the ultra-trendy SkyView restaurant. He picked her up in a taxi, which went down extremely well. Trudy hated walking in heels.

As they rode through the streets of London Trudy studied him surreptitiously. She had to admit he scrubbed up nicely.

‘Maybe I will shag him,’ she thought as they were dropped right by the door.

‘You can’t shag him just because he saved you from getting a blister on your heel,’ she realized, and uncertainty reclaimed its place in her decision-making process.

In the bar, they settled into plush window seats. Ambient music wafted over them, soft lighting added to the romance.

‘She’s gotta love this,’ Justin concluded.

‘It’s nice to get somewhere new,’ she thought.