Love Leads Home, Leezy Mike [first ebook reader TXT] 📗

See you at the studio before nine."

"Okay."

I arrived at the studio exactly at 8 am. I opened up the photography studio five years ago with my brothers, Brad and Cain after I quit my job as a graphic designer. Business was great and I had fun working with my brothers. "I heard there's a new wedding planner in town," Brad remarked as he walked into my office with two mugs of coffee. I mumbled my thanks as I accepted the mug. "It was called 'Love Leads Wedding'. Catchy."

"Knock...knock...your nine o'clock appointment is here," our secretary, Nicole informed. "Where's Cain?" I asked. Brad shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I saw him a few minutes ago. I'll look for him. You go and entertain our client," he said and walked out the door.

 

 

CHAPTER 3: LOUISA

You got to be kidding me. I stood frozen to the spot as I watched a more matured Joey Philip strode toward the young couple with me. Then he stopped and looked taken aback. He stared at me in silence. He cleared his throat and addressed the young couple. Then he motioned us to sit down on a nearby couch. He settled down on an armchair with a graceful motion of a feline. "Good to see you again, Louisa. I guess you're the new wedding planner in town," he said and I nodded. Then he ignored me and turned his attention to Stacy and Cody, the young couple that came with me. I took the opportunity to study him closely. He was taller than I remembered, around five foot eleven. His shoulders were wider and his chest broader. His dark hair was cropped short, unlike the long and tousled style he sported eight years ago. It made him look dangerously handsome. The blue jeans he wore couldn't hide the strong legs underneath. Even the dark blue colored t-shirt that stretched over his broad chest left little to the imaginations. My eyes wandered to his left hand. No gold ring in sight. I frowned. Didn't he marry Danielle?

"Louisa, what a pleasant surprise!" I jerked my head up just in time to see a wide smile on Cain Philip's handsome face. He pulled me up onto my feet and hugged me tightly. Then Brad Philip appeared and shoved his brother aside. "Hey, my turn!" he said and hugged me. I smiled at the brothers. Eight years had change them into two fine young men. "You look great," Brad remarked and I blushed. "Thank you," I murmured. Cody and Stacy stood up, shook hands with us and left. Joey stood up to his full height. "Excuse me," he murmured and started to walk away. "I smash your face again if you're thinking about the liquor," Cain called out. Joey turned around and glared at his youngest brother in silence. "I need my coffee, Cain," he snapped. Then he disappeared into a room. Must be the pantry.

"What's that all about?" I asked. Cain looked at Brad. "Should we tell her?" he asked. Brad shrugged. I glared at the two men. "What the hell happened?" I asked in irritation. They never hide anything from me. They always tell me everything, including their first sex with girls from school. But today they were being secretive, as if afraid I might strangle them when they opened their mouths. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at them. "Well?" I asked impatiently. Cain sighed and slumped down on the couch. "You shouldn't have left, Louisa," he murmured and I stiffened. "And let me witness their wedding? No thanks!" I spat angrily. How dare they assumed I would stay and witness Danielle's happily ever after with the only man that I ever wanted in this life. I rather shot myself. Brad stepped closer. "There is no wedding!" he cried out. I stared at him in surprise. "N...no wedding?" I whispered shakily. "No! What kind of man do you think Joey is?" Cain growled.

"But Danielle said..."

"Danielle is a whore and a liar. Sorry, Louisa but I've been wanted to say that for a long time. Her boyfriend refused to marry her when she got pregnant. She needed someone who could become the baby's father. Didn't you know that she was already two months pregnant the night she drugged Joey? She envied you. We know that she fancied Joey and wanted to tear the two of you apart for years. She succeeded when you left this town but unfortunately for her, my brother isn't stupid. He waited until she gave birth then persuaded her to agree to a paternity test. That's when she confessed. Waiting for the result was pure hell but it confirmed my brother's innocence. The baby isn't his. Danielle put up the baby for adoption and left town after that."

I slumped on the couch next to Cain. My body shook. What have I done? I let the man I love down when he needed me the most. I left him to face everything alone. "He tried to forget you, Louisa. He dated several women but he couldn't get you out of his head," Cain said sadly and shook his head. "Then he took up drinking. He's always drunk whenever we came to see him. He said he could only forget you when he's drunk but once he's sober, your face haunted him. He chose to stay drunk so he could forget everything but I couldn't stand by and watch him slowly destroying himself. I smashed all the bottles and punched his face. I had to do it. I had no choice. He hated me for weeks but once he realized why I did it, we became best friends once more. He quit his job five years ago and together we started this business. He'd been sober ever since."

"Why did you come back?" Brad asked and I stared at his handsome face. "This is my home, Brad. This is where I belonged. How could you ask me that?" I said in disbelief. He sighed. "Don't get me wrong. We're glad you came back. It's just..." He sighed again. "What?" I asked. "I'm worried about Joey. He became a broken man after you left. I'm not sure his heart can be mended at all. He stayed far away from women as if trying to protect his already broken heart. He's a different man now, Louisa. I hadn't seen him smile or laugh for years." A lump formed in my throat. Joey hadn't smile in years? Oh God, what have I done to him?

For eight years, I thought I was the only one suffering. But Joey suffered more. Why couldn't I just stopped and listened to him that day? Why must I turned my back on him and left town? Tears fall down my cheeks. You're blind, my heart scolded me. You're a stupid and stubborn woman. Have you really think about Joey's feelings? Look what you have turned him into! Can you mend his heart? Can you?!

I left the studio, numb from shock at what I've done. My visions blurred when I parked my car in front of my house. I couldn't go back to the office. I needed someplace private where I could be alone. I pushed open the front door and strode toward the couch. I lay down and curled into a fetal position. My body shook violently as I cried.

CHAPTER 4: JOEY

I opened my eyes when the door opened. Cain and Brad sauntered toward the desk. "You should at least talk to her. She looked pale when she left minutes ago," Cain remarked and sat down on the chair across from me. I frowned. "What do you want me to say?" I growled. "That I'm happy she's home? And who asked you to relate my miserable life to her? I'm good before she suddenly showed up out of the blue." Brad huffed. "No you're not!" he hissed as he leaned forward. "You need her in your life." I shot up to my feet and glared at my brother. "The hell I don't!" I shouted. "She left me when I needed her the most. She turned her back on me and threw my love back at my face! She broke my heart and God damned knows I don't need her!" I stomped out of the studio and headed toward my car. My hands shook as I started the engine. I let out a heavy sigh and rested my head against the steering wheel.

God, I lied to my brothers. I still love Louisa no matter what she'd put me through for these past eight years. My life was so empty without her. She was my first love and the only woman I wanted to marry and grow old with. But I couldn't forget the distrust that I saw in her beautiful brown eyes that day. She didn't trust me and that hurt more than anything.

It was already dark when I got home. I spent the whole day at the lake, thinking. As I mounted the short steps, I noticed the yellow house was bathed in darkness although Louisa's car was in the driveway. I shook my head. Why should I care? I switched on the lights and closed the door behind me. I kicked off my shoes and strode towards the kitchen barefooted. As I waited for the water to boil, I peered outside. It was raining cats and dogs outside right now. The lightning flashed and I thought I saw someone sitting by the small pond behind Louisa's house. I turned off the stove and jerked open the back door. My heart thudded wildly against my ribcage as I made my way towards the pond barefooted. "Hello! Who's there?" I shouted. I received no answer so I shouted again. Still no answer. I quickened my steps. "Louisa," I murmured when I saw her sitting on the grass, staring at the water. "What the hell are you doing sitting here in a weather like this?" I shouted at her. She didn't seem to hear me. She just sat there, not moving at all. She's still wearing the same skirt and blouse from this morning. Her wet hair was plastered to her face which looked pale and her lips had turned blue. She was shaking so hard it was painful to watch. How long had she been sitting here, I had no idea but I couldn't leave her like this. Gently, I picked her off the wet grass and started walking back