True Love (Volume 4) (Now and Forever)

  TRUE LOVE

  BY

  MELISSA JOHNS

  TRUE LOVE

  MELISSA JOHNS

  Copyright © 2013

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or

  stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to all my fans around the world. I always wondered what people would think about me if I released my stories. I never imagined the response that I would get from them. You have been supportive, critical and everything in between. I have read every email, every Facebook post and every tweet. Thank you for spreading the word!

  Please check out these other books

  By: Melissa Johns

  FIRST LOVE (Now & Forever Series #1)

  EVERLASTING LOVE (Now & Forever Series #2)

  FOREVER LOVE (Now & Forever #3)

  ICE DREAMS PART ONE

  Her website is now up: http://melissajohns.webs.com

  Stop by her blog: http://firstlovethenovel.blogspot.com/

  “Like” her facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/firstlovenovel

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER ONE

  Alex was thirty two years old and a very attractive man. People told him all the time that he was a catch. He had dark brown hair, brown eyes and a chiseled body. Being a fit, healthy six foot tall man, any woman would be lucky to have him but he still hadn't found his true love. Every relationship that he experienced ended with a cheating girlfriend, a better opportunity or they returned to their first love. He wanted to get married, settle down and have a family but every time he opened up his heart, it would be stomped into the ground.

  His sister, Peggy would tell him that he was too eager and jumped into relationships without giving them a second thought but Alex thought of himself as a romantic. Maybe it was time for change. Maybe he needed to take a step back and rethink his life.

  He was very proud of his success in the art world. Alex grew up in a family that appreciated all forms of fine art. His father passed away from cancer years ago but left him with a strong passion for treasuring priceless masterpieces.

  Alex worked for years at the Buffalo Art Museum as the youngest curator in the museum's history at the age of twenty eight. But after his father passed away, he decided it was time to design a venue that could house his favorite pieces. It was always a dream that he shared with his father.

  The doors of the Lakeside Gallery had been opened for two years and had achieved great success. Alex helped to design the rundown dilapidated building into a place that people could walk around and fall in love with the masterpieces just as he had as a young child with his father.

  As he sat in his office and looked over the lake, he decided that he couldn't focus on the paperwork in front of him. He started to think about her again. It had been two years since the love of his life walked out on him and he still hadn't been able to let her go.

  Emily Stone, now Emily Mason was the reason that his past two relationships had crashed and burned. He couldn't get her out of his head. Alex was a football fanatic and every time he went online, he would see the pictures of Denver's famous quarterback, Eric Mason. Alex wanted their relationship to work in every aspect but her heart always belonged to Eric and when he looked back, he never stood a chance.

  Alex heard his assistant, Becca drop some contracts on his desk as she entered his office. "Are you ok, Mr. Smith?"

  He spun around in his chair and smiled at her. "Yes, just thinking of someone that I haven't seen in awhile."

  "An old friend?" she asked.

  He grinned. "She was more than that to me, Becca."

  She smiled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

  He waved his hand in the air. "You didn't. I’m just lost in a thought that I shouldn’t be. How are the exhibits coming along?"

  "They are beautiful. You should come downstairs and see them."

  “That’s a good idea, lead the way." Alex followed her out of his office and walked towards the grand wooden staircase. He glanced around the upper floor and stopped as he reached Emily's portrait of her daughter, Emma. Those sections of the floor were from his personal collection and of those, his favorite pieces. He remembered the first time he met Emily and knew that he would fall in love with her. She was young but had a very mature attitude about her. He purchased her first public painting at a local fundraiser and made it part of his permanent collection.

  He turned away from the painting and walked down the main staircase and into the atrium. The centerpiece of the gallery was a large stone fireplace that sat against the far wall. He felt it brought certain kind warmth to the gallery.

  "Mr. Smith, we put the exhibit over here in the west room. I thought it needed more space. Are you ok with that decision?"

  Alex walked around the room and viewed the contemporary art pieces. The new artist was from California and very mainstream at that moment. "It looks fantastic. I'm very happy with your vision, Becca. You did a great job on your first exhibit."

  "Thank you, I really enjoyed putting all the pieces together."

  Alex grabbed the folder out of her hands and flipped through the pages. "Do we have a meeting with Ms. Matthews scheduled?" he asked.

  Becca quickly responded. "Yes, she will arrive tomorrow afternoon for a short meeting with you. Her agent said that she likes to see all of her displays before the show starts and she will be here for two nights to answer questions from the public."

  "Sounds fantastic, I think you have it all covered and because of that, I'm going to go see an old friend. I will return later this afternoon."

  Alex left the gallery and hopped into his car. He drove a short distance down the road to another gallery owned by his good friends, Henry and Barbara.

  As he stepped through the door, he recognized her perfume instantly and standing in front of him was Emily Mason.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Emily turned towards him and smiled. Alex quickly remembered how beautiful she was. Her brown eyes glimmered at him. She had grown her hair to her shoulders. Even though she was dressed very causally in her jeans and red blouse, she looked amazing.

  "Emily, how wonderful to see you," Alex said as he smiled.

  "Alex, it's been way too long. How are you?"

  "I'm doing ok. I'm here to talk with Henry."

  "He ran upstairs to grab the information from my last show," Emily explained.

  Alex walked closer to her and heard her breathing stop as she took a step back. "How are your exhibits going?"

  "It's been incredible and it's all thanks to you. You made my dreams come true."

  Alex smirked. "I'm very proud of you, Mrs. Mason."

  Emily couldn't help but laugh. "I see that you haven't changed, I used to love when you were so formal with me."

  Alex’s thoughts were interrupted as Henry returned. "Alex, what a wonderful surprise, what can we do for you today?"

  "I wanted to l
et you know that starting this Wednesday. We will be displaying the contemporary works of Eve Matthews. I wanted you and Barbara to stop in. Her pieces are truly beautiful and original."

  "Absolutely, I heard she was the next up incomer," Henry said. "Isn't it great to see Emily again?"

  "It was definitely my lucky day that I came to visit you," he said as he glanced towards Emily. He smiled as he noticed the familiar blush spread across her cheeks. He missed running his fingers across it and feeling her warmth.

  Emily tried to change the subject. "How's Sue?"

  Alex frowned. "We broke up over a year ago."

  "I'm so sorry, Alex. I honestly thought you made a good pair."

  Alex shrugged. "It wasn't meant to be."

  Henry handed Emily the sealed envelope. "Everything you need is inside. You really have created a fan base here."

  Emily smiled with pride. "What would I do without you, Henry?"

  "Well, I do have an announcement to make and it's good that you are both here."

  Emily frowned. "What's wrong, Henry?"

  Henry looked at Alex and back at Emily. "Thanks to the huge success of your last show, Barbara and I have decided it's time to retire. We want to see the world before it's too late."

  "Henry, I can't do this without your guidance," Emily pleaded. “You can’t leave me now!”

  "Don't be silly. You have matured into a young professional artist and whomever takes claim of your next show will not want to let you go. Just continue to have faith in yourself."

  Emily hugged Henry. "I really want to wish you all the best but I’m not happy about this."

  Henry laughed. "Thank you and Alex, I want to talk with you about buying my inventory. I want to know they will be looked after properly."

  Alex nodded. "Of course but we can discuss that later."

  "I need to run along. My mom is watching the kids,” Emily explained.

  Alex spoke up. "I will walk you out, Emily. Henry, I will be in contact and give Barbara my best."

  He opened the front door for Emily and waved back at Henry. He followed her towards a brand new black SUV. "Wow, nice truck."

  Emily laughed. "Yeah, Eric insisted on having a safe vehicle for when we were in town with the kids."

  "I can't blame him. Are you getting used to the rich and famous lifestyle?"

  Emily smirked. "It's nice to be comfortable. We are trying to be smart and plan for our future so we will always be taken care of."

  "That’s a smart way to live life. How is your family?”

  Emily beamed. "They are wonderful. Eric is doing so well in Denver. He is a true leader of that team. Emma has turned into a beautiful young girl. She started school and loves to draw like her mommy and Lucas is your typical boy. He is always into trouble and if Eric has his way he will grow up to be football player."

  Alex smiled at her. "I'm so happy for you, Emily."

  She frowned and reached out to touch his arm. They both felt the electricity instantly as she pulled away. "What about you? What happened with Sue?"

  Alex leaned back against her truck. "Do you want the truth?"

  Emily nodded slowly. "Yes, of course."

  "She wasn't you. At the time, my heart was still broken. Maybe at a different point in my life, we would have been perfect for each other but she could see there was no passion. I had no choice but to end it."

  "I'm so sorry, Alex. I never meant to hurt you like that. I respect you so much and only want you to find happiness."

  Alex smiled and nodded. "I know that I shouldn't ask you but would you like to have dinner tonight? A public place, just as friends, I would love to talk more with you."

  Emily grinned and lowered her head. "I don't know, Alex."

  "Come on, it’s one burger at the lake, just like old times. I will even call Eric and ask for his permission."

  Emily laughed. "Can I call you later? Do you have the same number?"

  Alex nodded. "Call my cell phone. I need to head back to the gallery for the rest of the afternoon. You should swing by and see how it has evolved since you helped me design it."

  Emily nodded and Alex opened the car door for her. "Talk soon."

  He walked back to his car and leaned into his seat. He wanted the night to be about closure, plain and simple. He needed to move on with his life and wanted to take the opportunity since Emily was in town.

  He tried to clear his head and headed back towards his gallery. As he walked through the front door, he noticed a woman standing alone at the far side of the main room. He walked over to his reception desk. “Who is that, Beth?”

  “I don’t know, Mr. Smith. I asked her if she needed any help but she said she just wanted to have a look around.”

  Alex stepped away from the desk and slowly walked towards the mysterious lady. She had her back towards him but he could tell that she was in great shape. She wore high heels that defined her beautiful long legs. She wore a black pencil skirt with a light blue blouse. Her blond hair was pulled up into a loose bun that sat on the back of her head.

  Alex continued to walk towards her as she turned around. She softly smiled at him. He was immediately drawn to her piercing blue eyes. “May I help you with something?” Alex asked.

  The woman smiled at him. “I just happened to drive by the gallery and wanted to stop in and have a look around.”

  “I’m happy that you did. Just so you know we have a wonderful show that starts tomorrow night featuring the work of Eve Matthews. I also have a few assistants that float around to answer any questions or to provide you with pricing.”

  She smiled at him playfully. “So, you don’t want to help me?”

  Alex couldn’t help but think that she was flirting with him. “I would love to help you. What would you like to know?”

  “Nothing right now but I’m in town for the next few days. Any suggestions on what I could do in Buffalo?”

  “What brings you into town? That may be helpful to me to point you in the right direction.”

  “Business, I’m trying to see if Buffalo is a good fit for me.”

  “Well, I hope we don’t disappoint you,” Alex paused as he started to get lost in her eyes. “We have a wonderful theatre district if you are into musicals or plays. My biggest suggestion would be to check out the restaurants. We have something for all tastes. But, I will let you finish your tour of the gallery. By the way, my name is Alex Smith and I’m the owner. Just ask for me and it would be my pleasure to guide you through any of the rooms.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Smith. I look forward to seeing you again soon and thank you for the suggestions.” She smiled, walked around him and entered one of the smaller exhibit rooms.

  Alex took a deep breath and smiled. It had been a long time since a woman had made his heart skip a beat. He headed back to his office and found Becca waiting for him. She was behind his desk but he thought nothing of it. She quickly moved as he entered the room.

  “Mr. Smith, I have some news that you may find interesting.”

  Alex continued his desk. “What’s going on?” he asked as he removed his jacket and placed it on his chair.

  “I have some friends who really pay attention to the latest artists and who will break through. Have you heard of Emily Mason?” she asked curiously.

  Alex stopped signing his paperwork on his desk and looked up at Becca. “What about her?”

  “I know you have a painting of hers in your personal collection. Well, my friend said one of her paintings just sold at a gallery in Denver for over $500,000. They said it will put her on the map. We need to try and get her next show but I think she shows her work at the gallery down the road, right? I hoped since you have so many connections that you knew her.”

  Alex took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Yes, I know her but I don’t know if she would be interested in working with us. I’m sorry Becca.”

  “I don’t understand, Mr. Smith. This would be a great opportunity for us. Can I ask why she wouldn’t work wi
th us? You are a well known pillar in this industry.”

  Alex took a deep breath and muttered, “Because she’s my ex-girlfriend.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Emily called Alex around five in the evening and agreed to have a small meal with him. Alex sent his workers home and locked up on his way out. He shed his suit jacket and undid his tie.

  As he pulled into the parking space at the local restaurant, he noticed how busy they were already. He loosened his shirt collar as he walked towards the bar area. He noticed a group of younger ladies look his way as he continued through the crowd. He wasn’t fazed by any of that anymore.

  He spotted Emily as she leaned against the outside patio railing. He walked up next to whispered in her ear. “Good evening.”

  Emily smiled up at him. “Hey there, how are you?”

  “I’m doing a lot better now,” Alex said as he winked at her.

  “Behave yourself, that’s your first warning.” She smirked.

  Alex laughed. “Alright, let’s go find a table. This place is crazy tonight.”

  They found a table on the outside patio and started to discuss what had happened in their lives over the past couple of years. Emily showed him pictures of her family and talked about her career. Alex watched as she beamed about how wonderful her life had become with Eric. His heart sunk every time she smiled about her children or her husband. He looked back down at the menu as he heard her stop talking abruptly.

  “I'm sorry. I shouldn't talk about my life so much. Is there something I can do to help find you happiness because I can’t stand to know that you are lonely?”

  Alex chuckled. “You don’t have to feel bad for me. I just never experienced closure with you and I think I rushed into the relationship with Sue. My mother set me up with women that she thought I would like,” he paused. “I didn’t. I was in love with you, Emily and the next day you ran into someone else’s arms. You were never in love with me and it’s been hard accepting the truth.”