Forgotten Love (Derrien Island Trilogy) (11 page)

“Sheldon
, I’m sorry but I need to be alone to think right now,” said Marcus.

“Are you sure you are going to be okay?”

“Yes, I just need to be alone,” he repeated in an agonized tone.

“Look if you need an ear, you know where to reach me, night or day, okay?” advised Sheldon
.

“Yes. I know thanks.”

Sheldon saw how all the energy had drained from Marcus at the mention of the possibility of a divorce and hoped that he would come to his senses and not give up the fight. Realizing that there wasn’t anything more he could do at the moment he slowly retreated toward the front door before slowly turning around and let himself out quietly.

Hearing the door close as Sheldon left Marcus finally let the fa
çade fall. The truth was and he could admit it to himself now that he knew the details. Natasha’s leaving had left him utterly devastated and nothing he had ever experienced before was able to prepare him for this.

Striding into their now vacant bedroom
, the airy green and white decor no longer held that refreshing appeal for him anymore. It meant nothing without her, without Nat. He remembered how happy she was to decorate the house and to select the colour scheme. Her touch was branded into every single thing in the room. She had even hung a few of her own original paintings throughout the house.  Everywhere he looked he saw Natasha, everything he touched he knew she had a hand in it. The scent of her perfume still lingered in the atmosphere and he could hear the memory of her voice etched into everything he saw, because it had all been experienced with her. Walking toward the double French doors leading out onto the balcony, the memories of all the times they had shared out there came flooding back. Times when they celebrated his successful purchases of his two restaurants Shores and Sands, his book releases even to his volleyball team winning few local championships from time to time. The times he was featured in magazines like the Global Writer’s digest and even on the cover of Author Spotlight magazine as when his novel became an almost overnight sensation.

As he reflected on those things,
a crushing realization arrested him so forcefully that he had to grasp the banister for support. It was as though a fist had smashed into his solar plexus and all of the air had rushed out of his lungs once again.

None of those achievements were Natasha’s. Not a single one!

“Oh my god! Oh my god!” groaned Marcus as the realization finally dawned on him. Now instead of the euphoria of those moments he now remembered the occasions when he would find her sitting looking depressed or see her disinterested approach to her job at the restaurant. The night she quit singing at Sands one of the most noted businessmen on the island complimented her singing without even looking at her. He’d directed the compliment to him saying, “Your wife, sure can sing!” That was shortly before the day he saw her eyes become lifeless and cold toward him eight months ago as he chided her for being childish and jealous after he got his book deal.

Leaning
forward on the banister on his elbows Marcus allowed his hands to slide upwards along his face until he was holding his head in his hands. He had been such a fool and it took Natasha leaving him for him to finally see it.  He had been so caught up being the success and trying to be a success for Natasha that he pushed aside her dreams and made them unimportant. Now she had Lucas. Who knew what kind of promises that bastard was making to her right now while she was so vulnerable?

Lucas. Just the sound of that name filled him with an insane jealousy
that threatened all of the remaining hold he still had on reason. All that he refused to give her she had now found with this Lucas. Sheldon was right; he needed to think things through and to make a decision about what he was going to do about his marriage. He knew he did not have all of the answers but he knew he had already made one decision and it was the most important one.

He wanted
Natasha back in his life and he was prepared to do anything to get her to see that happen again.

March 18th
Atlanta, Georgia, USA

“Congratulations, Natasha, I told you that this contract was yours
for the taking. You have incredible talent,” praised Lucas feeling a sense of pride as he acknowledged Natasha’s successful interview and audition.

“Thank you Lucas, I am still on cloud nine, I just
can’t believe this is really happening for me now,” she whispered breathlessly before taking a sip of bubbly champagne from her glass and laughing as it tickled her nose.

“I know it may seem like a lot
of changes to take in now, but your manager and team will help you to get settled into your new career quickly. Before you know it you will be living a lifestyle that few have been privileged to live.”

“Well, let’
s be cautious about using the word career until I have at least released my first single, yes?” replied Natasha nervously.

“First single?
” exclaimed Lucas. “You need to see what I see in you love. You have albums, live performances and world tours in you yet! This is just the beginning of a wonderful future for you. No more singing in little restaurants for you dear.”

“You make it sound so easy and as if my life wi
ll become so amazing, automatically!”

“It can be Natasha, and I want to see you make it
straight to the stars”, said Lucas gesturing widely with his hands.

“This is really a
dream come true for me!” exclaimed Natasha. “I had almost given up on any chance of this being possible again.”

“Call me the dream maker
,” laughed Lucas. “No, but seriously, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You had real talent back then when we first met, but I think that somehow you have matured and you are better than ever,” replied Lucas gazing at her and drinking in her beauty knowing in his heart he was already way past simply wanting Natasha Nicholls.

“You do know that I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met!” he
admitted boldly, fully mesmerized by the light shining in her green eyes and by the way her long hair softly fell in curly waves over her creamy brown shoulders. The form fitting sky blue dress she was wearing only highlighted how incredibly feminine she was and not just that but humble, graceful and elegant in her own right.

Natasha swivelled on the bar stool in the lounge of the
Houghton Park Plaza Hotel, so that she faced away from Lucas’ penetrating gaze. She could feel the warmth and sincerity in his words and his strong attraction for her. She could clearly see that amidst his congratulations he did have feelings for her, feelings she did not share or return, at least not to that degree and not at the moment.

Tracing her fing
er in the circular ring of moisture left on the black granite counter by her chilled wineglass she began, “Lucas, I am so grateful to you for this second chance at my career, I hope that you know that.”

“I keep telling you Natasha that it was my pleasure.”

He reached out and captured the finger that was circling the water and drew her hand into his own, caressing its length gently.

“Listen, I know that this is an overwhelming time for you and I
can see that I have made you uncomfortable. I don’t want to pressure you into anything.”

“I don’t want to feel that I am obligated to you in that way
either Lucas,” said Natasha.

“I know that, b
ut I also want you to know that does not change the way I feel about you. I think you are an amazing woman. However, we both know that you need to sort out your life and get your divorce finalized as soon as possible, if not for me, for your contract. I’m not going anywhere but your contract was clear, you must be divorced by the launch of your first album to ensure that your new image and brand has no obstacles in the way!” he stated firmly.

Natasha looked across at Lucas and wondered how she could deserve the support of this wonderful
well-connected man while she was destroying the life of another, her husband Marcus. He would never agree to her being branded as a sexy, young woman while she was still his wife. It wasn’t what she really envisioned for herself either, but she was desperate to have the contract.

She was positive that
Sheldon had called him by now and he knew that she was here in Atlanta with another man. He must be in incredible pain but as those thoughts rose in her she forced them away, reminding herself that it was finally her time, finally her time to be free. Perhaps when she got settled in her new career there would be room in her life for a man again and perhaps it would be Lucas, but the thought of having a relationship now seemed more like an obstacle to her rather than support. The last relationship she got involved with put her life on hold for six years, so now her career and her dreams had to come first. She would make sure that she made plans for the divorce as soon as she could. It was the best thing for all of them wasn’t it?

“Lucas I think that you are an absolutely wonderful man and I know that some woman would be lucky to have you.”

“But not you?” he said guessing that she was about to add on one of her usual politely veiled protests to his advances.

“
I don’t want to lead you on. I am really focused on having a career now and I don’t want anything to jeopardize that! The last thing I need right now is another relationship when I am still in the middle of one, do you understand what I am saying?” she asked with a note of panic in her voice, like she really needed him to understand this.

“Natasha, not only do I understand you, but I respect you. I am willing to wait for you, just let me be your friend
in the meantime,” said Lucas. The lights over the dance floor danced and reflected in his eyes making them almost serpentine in their allure. Natasha felt herself shudder involuntarily as the association came to mind but she forced that thought away and tried to be positive and cooperative.

“Ok
ay, I can live with that! We will be friends, but nothing more!” she replied cautiously.

“Come let’s dance, let’s loosen up a bit. You just signed a major contract and we are here to celebrate not to feel gloomy
or burdened.”

“I don’t know Lucas, I’m not really up to it right now!
” she hedged hoping her disinterest would dissuade him.

“Come on, dance with me!” he said tugging her gently off the stool.

Being with this woman did funny things to him. Although she was entering the industry by what many would call an old age at twenty-six, the younger stars had nothing on her. The blue dress she wore accentuated her toned arms and narrow waist and her hair now long and straight hung midway down her back. Unlike many of the women it was all hers and he could get lost in her green eyes just by looking at her. He was not about to mess this up even if it meant pretending to be just friends until she worked out the details of her life.

“Come on, I love this song! Let’s have fun as friends. I promise no hanky panky!”
he continued coaxing her gently with a reassuring smile.

Natasha could not help but return his infectious smile as he led her out to the floor
. But as she did, she kept seeing visions of times she and Marcus had danced and how much fun and laughter had once filled their relationship. How once they had been dancing in the living room of their home in Manderley just after it had been built and one thing led to another and before they knew it they were making love right there on the brand new sofa. It had always been like that between them, very passionate and very spontaneous. So the last few months when they hardly talked or made love was something so foreign to her.

Even though she knew that she was
the one pushing him away, deep down she missed Marcus, she missed the feeling of being free with him, missed feeling that she was loved. Well that was over now and maybe she should look forward to a new life, after all things really seemed promising right now. She was not sure how her art and advertising degree would be finished now with her schedule about to fill up but who knows she might not even need it anymore. She was about to be a star and that was one thing no one could ever deny her again.

October
19
th
, Six Years Earlier

Wiltshire Heights

“Natasha, we are so disappointed in you! How could you do this to us and yourself? Haven’t we always told you how important it is to guard your reputation?” scolded Coreen Mitchell, her eyes flashing with anger.

Natasha had no words to reply to her mother’s verbal onslaught. She felt sick to her stomach and nothing was staying down.
She had returned home from university three weeks earlier because she felt too ill to continue studying. Not just that, but the continuous fatigue and soreness had made it impossible to study and complete her assignments.

“It’s that man you are seeing!
He has been a terrible influence on you,” chimed in Rev. Mitchell. “He should be ashamed of himself for taking advantage of you like that!

“Father, I am not exactly a child anymore and Marcus did not take advantage of me,” argued Natasha.