Saved by a Soldier (Love Conquers Life #1) Read online

  Marissa: The readers? Or your agent wants more.

  I laugh at this comment because she publishes traditionally without an agent and she tried to convince me to stay away from agents, but I didn’t listen. She says she has more control over her career, and she’s probably right, but oh well.

  Patty: A little of one and more of the other, I will let you decide which is which.

  Marissa: LOL, drop that agent of yours. You would have no problem getting published without her.

  Patty: I’ll think about it ;-)

  My agent may be a bit of bitch but she has done a lot for me, so I don’t really want to bash her. I just need to make it clear that a break means, like, a year, and that’s what I will be taking soon.

  Chapter 5

  Patty

  It’s Saturday morning and I’m pretty excited that Bella’s coming up to visit today. I’ve been hard at it and have sent my agent another chapter. I told her I was partway into the fourth in the hopes that she’ll relax a bit. Bella is a lot of fun, but she won’t let me even think about my book or my agent while she’s with me. Sometimes I wish I were as strong and confident as she is.

  Bella is a model for one of the top agencies in the area and has had many contract deals. My mom has often said things like, ‘I wish you would dress more like Bella.’ I’m thankful my best friend understands that I’m not her and I don’t want to dress like her. I have no need to wear expensive, uncomfortable clothes when I work from home. The only time I have to dress nice is when I’m meeting with my agent. I dress a little nicer for her, although it isn’t too much of a step up from my normal jeggings and a tunic with a messy bun.

  Bella is a gorgeous tall blonde with crystal blue eyes and a stunning body. She only wears the top brands because if she is caught out somewhere dressed in anything but, the press has a field day. The thing I love about Bella is that she isn’t bitchy or snobby. She loves everyone for who they are and doesn’t think she’s better than you because she’s a model and wears great clothes.

  There’s a knock at the door before it opens. “I’m here!” she shouts, walking into the lake house.

  She has spent so much time here with us over the years it’s like her home too. Bella may have money but she wasn’t born with it. She and I have been best friends for years, actually we’re more like sisters. Her parents were kind of shitty and stopped talking to her when she made modeling her career and so my parents stepped up to support her in her journey. I don’t understand why her parents were so against it because she’s very successful and has done well with it.

  “Bella!” I run and hug my best friend. “I feel like it has been forever since we’ve hung out.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, Patty, my schedule has been crazy lately between gigs and parties with networking. It’s what I do. The good news is things are slowing a bit so I’ll have a little more time to hang out.”

  “That’s great and I don’t want you to feel bad. You’re awesome and you look amazing as usual.”

  “I brought you something.”

  “What?”

  “Your mom is part of a huge fundraising party next weekend, as I’m sure you know, and she’s really hoping you will attend. I thought if I brought us dresses that coordinated, you would be more open to going with me.”

  “You’re so lucky I love you. I’ll go because you are going and I won’t be stuck dealing with my mom and her friends alone.”

  “Thanks, Patty! My agent wants me there because they have people who are a part of it and the dresses we’re wearing are part of a line that I’ll be modeling. They’re ours to keep but there will be pictures taken and such, so be prepared.”

  “Let me see the dresses,” I say trying to be excited for yet another night of dinner and drinks with a bunch of rich people who pretend to care about what’s going on in my life.

  We go out to her car to bring in her things as well as the dresses she’s brought for us. She wants me to try mine on so she can be sure it fits before next week. I know it will because Bella knows my body as well as I do. Still, I appease her and try it on anyway. The dresses are both floor length. Mine is cream color with glitter all the way through. It is a halter top that is very low cut in the back so I won’t be able to wear a bra. The slit in the front comes up to just above my knee. Bella is wearing a similar dress but hers is pale pink instead of cream. I slip the dress on and it is absolutely gorgeous. I hold the bottom up so it doesn’t drag, and she pulls some shoes out of her bag. I’m in trouble because she brought me four-inch Louboutin heels to wear with it. My feet do not like four inch heels. However, the shoes match the material perfectly and the heel has some stones going up them that form a really pretty pattern.

  Bella comes out in her dress and she looks beautiful. “Patty you look gorgeous in that dress,” she gushes.

  “Thanks, Bella, I feel pretty in this dress.”

  “I said gorgeous not pretty.”

  “You look pretty gorgeous yourself.”

  “Let’s take a selfie and send it to your mom. She’ll be so excited.”

  We take a selfie in our dresses then take them off so we don’t ruin them.

  “Now that I know your dress fits I’ll take them back with me and I’ll book us a spa day for that morning so we will be all set for the formal event that night.”

  “That sounds so great. Thanks, Bella.”

  “We’ll have the works, mani/pedi, facials, hair and make-up. Your mom has a limo picking us up at my place at five.”

  I just nod, knowing she’ll have all the details worked out. She’ll call me with a time to be at her place and all I have to do is show up.

  My phone buzzes a minute later.

  Mom: You girls look beautiful.

  Patty: Thanks Mom, see you at the fundraiser next week.

  Mom: Thanks for coming.

  Patty: ;-)

  “You know you just made your mom’s night right? Well, and mine,” she says with a grin. “Now I don’t have to endure this evening alone.”

  Once we’re dressed in our comfy clothes we settle on the couch to play catch up.

  “So tell me about this hottie next door,” Bella says.

  “I don’t really know much about him. He’s a handsome guy, well built, like he works out. He has a cute smile.” My smile fades for a minute as I think back to the expression on his face that morning on the porch.

  “What is it, Patty?”

  “The other morning we were both sitting on our own porches doing our own thing and I noticed this expression come over his face. I feel like he was recalling a bad memory or something. Anyway, he’s sporting a grunge look and he looked like he was in pain, but emotional pain not physical pain. I felt really bad for him.”

  “Do you know who he is?”

  “I assume he’s Mr. Montgomery’s son because he looks a bit like him, though I don’t know for sure.”

  “That might make sense. I think I remember him bragging about his son being in the Army.”

  I shrug. “Maybe. I feel like it’s weird that I have never met him. We spent so much time up here when we were younger and I know Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery but have never met their son. And if I did, it was when I was young because I don't remember it.”

  “Actually, if you think about it, there weren't too many times that they were here when we were.”

  “True.” I make a mental note to ask my dad about it later.

  Celia tells us that lunch is ready. Once we’re seated at the table, we can see him from the window. He’s sitting on his dock fishing. Suddenly he turns around, like he can sense us watching him.

  “That's him, Mr. Montgomery’s son,” Bella says.

  “How do you know?”

  “We were at an event last year. You couldn't attend because of a book event. Your mom was in a bad mood and a bit bitchy to him. She said something about guys in the Army being too poor to make a good husband or something stupid like that.”

  “My mother really annoys m
e. The guy is defending her freedom to speak the shitty words that come out of her mouth and she bashes him.”

  She nudges me. “He was pretty hot in uniform.”

  I smile shyly. “He’s pretty hot out of uniform.” I blush because that hadn't come out the way I meant it.

  We spend the remainder of the afternoon and evening watching chick flicks and doing girly things. Bella brought over some beauty products for us to do our own facials. We watched TV with goo all over our faces, laughing at a romantic comedy while we looked up pictures of pretty formal hairstyles for the fundraiser next week. We both saved a couple of styles we liked to show the salon when we get there.

  We ate junk food and drank soda until after dinner then it was time to switch to wine. Celia was great to us. She cut us a great cheese and cracker tray with some grapes to have with our wine. She kept us fed and had tons of great munchies for us to enjoy during our girl’s night. Bella was great about making sure I didn’t think about my book or my agent once during the night. Sometime around midnight we got tired and passed out on opposite ends of the couch.

  Carter

  As I’m finishing my workout I notice a car pulling up to the house next door. I’m on immediate alert. Who the hell is this and is Patricia expecting someone? I try to see who is driving but the angle is off and I can’t get a good view from this window. I sit perfectly still waiting for the person or people to move. A tall female gets out of the car and I swear I know her from somewhere. Since she’s a female, I’m a bit less nervous but I still can’t let my guard down. She walks right in without peeking in windows or making any signs of being a threat. I let it go as someone coming to visit. I’ll keep an eye out though. I get a bottle of water and watch the house for any signs that something is wrong and once I see the princess and her friend come out together laughing, I know all is good. I wish I could just tell this woman that I’m here to protect her and to let me know if she’s planning on having visitors so I don’t have a heart attack when a fucking car pulls up. I take a shower and then throw some clothes into the wash because my room is starting smell foul from all of my gym clothes. I feel damn good now that I’ve hit the gym every day this week.

  I decide I’ll grab a bite to eat before going to the shed to gather my fishing gear. My dad and I have some great memories fishing out here. I wonder why I don’t ever remember seeing Patricia here growing up. As a matter of fact, I feel like I never saw their family here. Why would my father and his friend both buy lake houses near each other but not spend time in them together? That just doesn’t make any sense.

  I shrug at my thoughts as I place my coffee and a bagel on the table and take a seat. I’m hoping by the time I’m done eating, my laundry will be done and then I can spend a little quiet time fishing.

  When I finally get out to the dock, I have a thermos of coffee in hand, a bag of nuts for a snack, and all of my fishing gear. I’m happy to be able to just sit and enjoy the quiet. As I cast my first line, I think about the time my dad and I had gone out in his small boat. We weren’t too far out but we had been fishing for a few hours. It was getting toward the end of the season and the water was cold. I discovered just how cold the water was when I tried to reel in a huge fish but lost my balance, falling into the water.

  Smiling at the memory I get this sense like I’m being watched. I turn around to see if someone is there, but I see nothing. I chuckle and flash back to a time when I was overseas and one of my men thought I was crazy because I felt like we were being watched. I wasn’t crazy, I was right. The same is true today. I turn again and when I do I have to squint to see them but Patricia and her friend are in the window watching me. I shake my head.

  Yup, I still got it.

  I reel in my line and cast it again. I start to think about how excited I am for this job opportunity and what I’ll do if I don’t get it. I really hope I do but if not, I need to find some other similar jobs to apply for. I feel a tug on my line so I reel in what I think is a fish, but when the hook comes out of the water I have caught nothing. I cast the line, remembering a particular weekend that my dad brought me out here, just the two of us. He was so awkward that weekend and when I finally got him to talk to me about what was going on he started stumbling through telling me about manhood. He laughed at me because I kept telling him I caught something and every time I would reel in my line it was empty. That was the weekend I told him I wanted to serve my country.

  I was fourteen years old and had already made the decision. I was a freshman in high school and a recruiter had been at the school talking to students. I thought it was so cool that this guy was defending his country. He had been overseas twice. I spent an entire lunch period talking to him. That’s when I decided I wanted to be like him.

  Chapter 6

  Patty

  It’s Saturday morning and I’m exhausted. I got back to my place late last night after being gone for two weeks. I did some cleaning up, fed my fish, and jumped in the shower before I crashed for the night. While I was lying in bed I couldn’t help but think about how empty it is. My head has been filled with thoughts of the mystery man from the lake house. He has been invading my dreams from the moment he got to the lake house and last night I didn’t sleep because I was thinking about him. I even had a date with B.O.B. because I needed to relieve some pressure.

  I stretch in bed, trying to shake my thoughts of him because I’ll probably never see him again. Even if I do go back to the lake house to finish writing what are the chances he will be there?

  Joan is happy with what I’ve submitted and told me she can give me until the end of next month to get her another two or three chapters. Now I have to decide what I will do next, but first I need to get through this weekend and tonight’s event.

  I slide out of bed, slipping my feet into the slippers I keep by my nightstand, and go to the kitchen to make some coffee. I turn on my one cup coffeemaker and take a frozen breakfast sandwich from the freezer to heat up. I know how to cook and I don’t mind it but it sucks to cook for one person. I often eat freezer meals just because it’s easier. The microwave beeps and my coffeemaker finishes brewing me a perfect cup of coffee. I take both my coffee and breakfast sandwich to the living room to watch the news.

  I don’t watch TV often because I hate reality TV and there are always negative things on the news. I do watch for the weather and I want to see what the ten day forecast is going to be like before I think about going back to the lake house.

  My cell buzzes; it’s Bella.

  Bella: Are you ready for some fun tonight?

  Patty: We’re going to have fun?

  Bella: Aren’t you funny. You know what I mean.

  Patty: Hehehe, about as ready as I’ll ever be. See you soon.

  Bella: See you soon.

  These events are more her and my mom’s cup of tea, but whatever, I’ll go to please both of them. Hopefully I can have a good time and do some networking over my next book, which I have yet to name. As much as I hate to deal with snobby people at these events, I’m almost hoping to be recognized and have someone ask me about my last two books. I would love for my mom to see that I can be me and still be successful.

  The weather forecast comes on just as I’m finishing my sandwich and I see the weather is getting cooler, but not so bad that I can’t enjoy some more time at the lake. I try not to be there as it gets closer to winter because it can snow a lot and I don’t want to get stuck. I put my dishes in the sink and go to take a shower. It only takes me a few minutes because I washed my hair last night and don’t want to wash it again or it won’t cooperate for the hairdresser later today. After I’m washed, I pack some clothes to sleep in tonight, as well as an outfit for tomorrow since I’m spending the night at Bella’s.

  I arrive at Bella’s and she starts squealing like we’re in high school again.

  I roll my eyes. “Why do you get so excited over these events?”

  “Because we get to get all dressed up, have our pictures taken, maybe
do a little flirting, and of course do some networking for a new contract.”

  “Oh of course, don’t forget the contract,” I say sarcastically and she giggles, pulling me into her apartment.

  Her place is so cute. It’s a very open layout with a nice sized living room. On the other side of her living room is her kitchen. She has a huge snack bar that seats six and divides the kitchen from the living room. She has two bedrooms, which is really nice for nights like this. Her room is large, and has a huge walk in closet. She needs it because this woman has a serious wardrobe. She probably has more pairs of jeans than I do pants and skirts in my closet. I head into the spare room to put my bag away.

  “I want to show you a new hairstyle I found for you,” Bella says, then goes to get her laptop. I kind of liked the one we picked the other night but she wants me to see this one too.

  She brings it up on the screen. “Check this out, Patty, it is perfect.”

  It is really pretty. My hair would be swept to the right and flow over my shoulder in curls.

  “I like that. You can have a stylist do that to my hair.”

  “I’m so glad, because I already saved it to my phone hoping you would like it. I also got you this really pretty hair clip.”

  Even if I didn’t like it she would convince me to do it anyway. She knows fashion better than I do and although she can be overpowering when it comes to me and the things I wear, I know she means well.

  “What are you doing to your hair?” She brings up the picture for the style she chose and I have to say I’m a bit shocked because she is doing it similar to mine. Her hair is thicker than mine and the back of hers will be different but still the same idea.

  “That is going to look really pretty on you, I can’t wait to see it.”