Love Conquers All (Forever and Always #16) Read online

  Love Conquers All

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious or used fictitiously. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher or author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

  Copyright © 2014 by E. L. Todd

  All Rights Reserved

  ISBN-13: 978-1497369122

  ISBN-10: 1497369126

  Love Conquers All

  Book Sixteen of the Forever and Always Series

  E. L. Todd

  1

  Cortland

  I tried to keep myself busy. Monnique kept coming into my mind, but every time I thought about her, I felt confused. I loved her more than anyone could possibly love another person, but maybe that wasn’t important anymore. No relationship was perfect. Every couple I knew went through hell to stay together, well, except for Ryan and Janice. Those two understood each other in an unearthly way. They fought like Roman soldiers, but they knew how to combat each other. Their love was obvious in everything they did, even their words of anger.

  Monnique and I had a tough road. When we got back together, the deciding factor was her being with someone else. I just couldn’t handle it. Plain and simple. And the idea of her sleeping with someone in a bar disgusted me. But she didn’t. That was the fact. She didn’t.

  So why was I so confused? I couldn’t put my finger on it. I guess she and I had been through so much that it was starting to weigh me down. I was being a perfect boyfriend to someone who didn’t appreciate me. I admit I wasn’t a saint and I made mistakes, but…I didn’t deserve to be treated that way.

  Monnique hadn’t contacted me for over a week. She gave me my space and I appreciated it. It allowed me to really think things through. When I analyzed my feelings, I knew I still loved her. Other women still didn’t catch my eye. When I was in the mood, Monnique’s perfection came into my mind. I couldn’t imagine feeling this way about anyone else. I didn’t know what to do. The only other person I knew who had been through worse was Scarlet and Sean. Maybe I should talk to her about this? Maybe I should have done it a long time ago?

  My phone vibrated on the coffee table. It lit up my dark living room. I didn’t realize no lights were on until my phone shined bright. I unlocked the screen and looked at the message.

  Hey. You want to catch a movie? It was Monnique.

  This was the first time she reached out to me. I didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t bring up the relationship or ask how I was doing. All she wanted to do was see a movie. That didn’t seem too stressful. What movie?

  Whatever you want. But there’s this new Tom Cruise movie that looks awesome.

  She liked sci-fi movies. It was one of the things about her that surprised me. Judging her appearance, any person would assume she loved chick flicks. My thumb was on the screen but I didn’t type a message.

  If you’d rather stay in, that’s totally fine. I just thought it would be something fun to do as friends.

  Friends. At least she was being patient with me. I felt more comfortable knowing she didn’t expect anything out of me. Sure. What time?

  It starts in thirty minutes.

  I’ll come get you.

  I’ll just meet you there. See you soon.

  I guess I shouldn’t pick her up anymore since we weren’t dating. It would take some adjusting to accept that fact.

  I grabbed my jacket then walked to the cinema. My heart was racing but everything moved in slow motion. I was nervous to see her. I didn’t know how the conversation would go. I hadn’t felt anxious like this in a long time.

  I spotted her standing on the sidewalk, away from the line winding along the building. She wore dark jeans and a black top. Her face was free of make up, and her hair was soft and smooth like it used to be. Her sex hair was gone. The casual clothes and virgin skin calmed me down a little. She looked exactly the way she used to, a natural beauty that was classy and perfect. She held herself with grace, perfect posture. The curves of her body were noticeable. She was still thin, but she seemed to be a little more plump. I was glad she was eating again.

  When I reached her, I took a deep breath. My hands were in my pockets and I didn’t touch her.

  And she didn’t touch me. “I already got the tickets.” She held them up. “I figured it would sell out pretty fast.” She had a slight smile on her lips and her eyes were bright. She was back to the way she used to be, and she didn’t act like anything was wrong.

  “You didn’t have to get my ticket,” I said immediately.

  “It’s not a big deal. You can get the snacks. But I’m not sharing so make sure you get your own.”

  Monnique hardly ate sweets but she always got Milk Duds when we were at the movies. It was an odd habit. “I know you would swat me away.”

  “And I have nails.” She extended her hand. The fake nails she wore at the magazine were gone. Now they were her true nails, and she painted them red, her favorite color.

  “I’ve been warned.” A slight smile formed on my lips but that was all I could do.

  “Let’s go.” She headed toward the door and I walked beside her, my hands still in my pockets.

  After I got the snacks, we went into the auditorium. Once we were in our seats and the lights dimmed, I felt nervous again. Did she expect me to hold her hand? To touch her?

  Monnique opened her box of candy and ate it in her lap. Her arm never touched the armrest between us. So I guess she didn’t expect anything from me. Now I felt better.

  “How’s work?” she asked.

  “Good. But pretty boring.”

  “Then why do you do it?” she asked. “Other than for your geeky obsession with computers.” The playfulness was in her eyes.

  “Well, it’s good pay and I get to see my friends at work. I can’t complain.”

  She smirked. “I couldn’t imagine working with Sean and Mike. God, that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”

  “They’re actually really professional in public. When they are in their offices…that’s a different matter.”

  “So Scarlet has told me…” She ate more Milk Duds then finished the carton. “I could eat those all day.”

  “Do you want mine?” I handed her the box.

  “No,” she said immediately. “I don’t want to get a sugar rush.”

  I put them back down. Do I bring up our relationship? What do I talk about? “How’s everything with you…?”

  “Good,” she said. “I’m working in ICU now. I’m actually really liking it.”

  That wasn’t an answer I expected. She was so calm and easy going. “Why do you like it?”

  “Well, I only have three patients instead of four,” she said with a laugh. “And I get to spend more time with the patients, so that’s nice. They’re usually there for several weeks.”

  “Cool. I’m glad you’re liking it.”

  “Yeah.”

  The silence fell.

  A couple in front of us started making out. They were right in our line of sight so there was no way for us to not see them. This was awkward… And the fact I wanted to kiss Monnique didn’t help matters.

  The movie finally started and it became dark in the theatre. I eyed Monnique’s hands but they were in her lap, right between her thighs. Even if I wanted to grab one, I couldn’t. The lack of pressure was calming me. I snuck a few glances at her and saw the light reflect off her eyes. The brown color sucked me in and lost me. I missed looking into them. I turned away, knowing I should
keep my eyes to myself. It was hard to concentrate on the movie when she was sitting beside me. She was the love of my life, the woman I wanted forever. But why did she have to hurt me?

  When the movie ended, we left the auditorium then stood outside. A light chill crept into the city.

  Monnique crossed her arms over her chest. “I should get going. I have to be at work at five tomorrow.” She cringed. “Ugh.”

  “At least you get off early.”

  “Not much point when I’m exhausted all day. I’ll probably take a nap since I have the next four days off.”

  I nodded. “I wish I had that schedule. I have to see Mike and Sean every day.”

  “But your lovely computers need you,” she teased.

  I smirked even though I didn’t want to. She elicited that reaction from me.

  “Good night.” She turned around and walked away without waiting for me to say it back.

  I watched her go, wondering if I should walk her home. But I stayed rooted to the spot. I didn’t know how that meeting was going to go, but I didn’t expect that. It was like we were really friends. Or better yet, like we were dating a year ago. We went back in time and relived the past. I didn’t know what to think. For a second, I felt out of time and out of place.

  Scarlet invited me over for dinner. When I arrived, Ryan was there too. I was surprised Janice wasn’t, but then I realized he probably left her behind on purpose—so I wouldn’t feel bad for being alone.

  “What are we having?” I asked as I sat down.

  “Pizza,” Scarlet said.

  “You can make pizza?” I asked in surprise.

  “Nope.” She placed the pizza box and the beers on the table.

  Sean smirked. “That’s the one thing she doesn’t know how to do. She burns it every time.”

  She glared at him. “Cooking is a lot harder than it looks.”

  “Isn’t baking a pizza like the easiest thing in the world?” Ryan asked. “Shit, I could do it.”

  “Shut up, Ryan,” Scarlet snapped.

  Ryan leaned toward Sean. “And you want her to be the mother of your kids?”

  “I heard that,” she hissed.

  “I wasn’t trying to be quiet,” he snapped back.

  I smiled since I was used to their constant arguments.

  She put the plates on the table then sat down. “Dig in.”

  Even though me and the guys ate a lot and demolished the boxes, Scarlet still beat us by two slices. She ate and ate and never gained any weight. Her metabolism was an enigma.

  “What’s new with you?” Ryan asked me.

  I shrugged. “Nothing, really.” I knew what they were really asking.

  “Done anything fun this week?” Scarlet asked.

  “Monnique and I went to the movies the other day,” I said.

  Ryan stilled for a moment then kept eating his pizza. “How’d that go?”

  “It was…good.”

  Scarlet studied me. “Good?”

  “It was weird,” I said. “She and I were hanging out as friends—and that’s exactly what we did. It was like when we started dating a long time ago.”

  “Like a new beginning?” Scarlet asked.

  “I guess,” I said.

  “So…what does that mean?” Ryan asked. “You’re getting back together?” The disapproval was in his voice.

  “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I haven’t decided anything yet. I feel hurt but I have to keep in mind that she didn’t betray me. I keep persecuting her for a crime she never committed. I just can’t get the feeling out of my body…”

  Scarlet finished her last slice then wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Well, she shouldn’t have been that wasted when she was out by herself.”

  “But she wasn’t by herself,” I said. “She was with her friends, or whatever the hell they were. And someone did call me to come get her. She wasn’t abandoned.”

  “But it’s still wrong,” Sean snapped. “If Scarlet pulled that shit, I’d be pissed at her.”

  “But would you leave her?” I asked.

  His anger disappeared for a moment. “No…but that’s different.”

  “How’s it different?” I asked.

  “We’re married.”

  “So?” I said. “If she did everything Monnique did, would you leave Scarlet?” Now I really wanted to know.

  “We aren’t like you and Monnique,” Sean said. “We’re different.”

  “Just answer my question,” I said.

  “No,” Sean admitted. “But my wife could do anything to me and I would still take her back. So…it’s different.”

  “What about you?” I asked Ryan.

  “I’d dump her ass,” he snapped.

  “Really?” I had a hard time believing that.

  “Yeah,” he said immediately. “If she dumped me then came back and then started acting like a bitch, I’d toss her aside.”

  I still couldn’t believe that. “I guess I find that unlikely.”

  “So do I,” Scarlet said. She gave him a hateful look.

  Ryan rested his left hand on the table, his ink around his ring finger. It was permanently marked on his body—forever. I couldn’t believe a man who loved a woman that much would give her up so easily. “Okay…maybe not. But I definitely wouldn’t let it slide.”

  I sighed then rested my chin on my hand. “I don’t know what to do…”

  They all gave me sympathetic looks.

  “Scar, help me,” I said.

  She looked away. “Cortland, this is your relationship. You know what’s best for you.”

  “I’m asking anyway,” I said.

  She looked at Sean for a moment before she turned back to me. “We all know Sean was a total ass when we got together.”

  Sean didn’t react at her words, accepting them.

  “And I took him back once, only to have him break my heart again. And the second time, he slept with Penelope. That was hard to let go but I loved him so much so I did.”

  “After he proved himself to you,” Ryan added.

  Scarlet kept going. “My heart was set on Sean. If it were somebody else, no, I wouldn’t have put up with that bullshit. And even though it was painful at the time, now I have the most amazing husband and relationship ever. We’ve both done things that could have made the other leave us, but we stuck together and pulled through. And now I wouldn’t trade all that pain for anything.” She grabbed his hand on top of the table and squeezed it. “I told Sean we should get a divorce because I was so upset. He was pissed at me but he didn’t leave me. And I knew it really hurt him.”

  He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Because you give me amazing sex.”

  She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away. “Anyway, that’s our story. But keep in mind that my story isn’t yours, Cortland. You have to make your own. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the pain is worth the relationship. It really depends on how much you love her.”

  I knew I loved her very much.

  “So…I can’t help you with this. I’m sorry.” She gave me a sad look. “We’ll support whatever decision you make.”

  Ryan rested his elbows on the tables. “I wouldn’t go back to her unless you knew for sure she wasn’t going to fuck around anymore. What’s the point of being with someone if they just hurt you over and over again?”

  I could tell Ryan didn’t care too much for Monnique, at least right now. “Thanks for all the advice, you guys.”

  “And remember, you’re a good-looking stud.” He clapped my back. “You can get any pussy that you want.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Thanks—I think.”

  “I could always hook you up with some of Janice’s friends,” he offered.

  “I’m not ready to date,” I said immediately.

  “And they are pretty slutty.” He winked at me.

  “Ryan, no,” I said firmly. I didn’t mean to be rude, but he set me up on a blind date when I wasn’t ready for one. Even though she ended
up being one of my closest friends, that didn’t matter.

  “Maybe you should date a few girls before you go back to Monnique,” Scarlet said. “Just to make sure that’s what you really want.”

  “That’s not me,” I said immediately.

  “Just dates,” Sean said. “You don’t have to marry them.”

  “I don’t know…” I felt like I was cheating on Monnique just from thinking about it.

  Ryan gripped my shoulder. “What if you go on a date with one girl and she ends up being your soul mate, someone who would never hurt you? And you never met her because you tried to make this dead relationship work?”

  “It’s not dead,” I said immediately.

  “You aren’t together, right?” he pressed.

  “Well, no, but…”

  “I think you should go on three dates. Just three. At the end, make your decision.”

  “Like, with other women?” I asked.

  “No,” Ryan said sarcastically. “Raccoons.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know…”

  “If Monnique is the woman you really want, you’ll know at the end of the three dates. But if you’re attracted to these girls and want to see them again, then you know it’s time to move on.”

  “But I told Monnique I wouldn’t see anyone,” I said.

  “Then tell her you changed your mind,” Ryan said simply. “She should understand since she’s the one who fucked all of this up.”

  “I…I’ll think about it,” I said.

  “You should do it,” Scarlet said. “I think it’s a good idea.”

  “Really?” I asked. “What about all that stuff you just said about Sean?”

  “I meant it,” she said immediately. “But like I said, you aren’t me and Sean. And who knows if our relationship would have been as wonderful if he hadn’t been with Penelope first. I know I’m way better than she is and Sean wouldn’t have realized that if he hadn’t been with her first.” She shrugged. “Everything happens for a reason. And if Monnique has hurt you so much, you deserve a chance to find something better. Besides, it will show you what you really want. You’ll either realize how much you love her, or you’ll realize you can live without her. Either answer is enough.”