His Love Shattered (Love Shattered #2) Read online

  “So you would rather us think you were dead? While all along you are living on a deserted island that is only accessible by boat only an hour away from us this whole time. How could you do that to us? Don’t you think we would be much happier if we at least got to be with you Dave?” I yelled. I am furious now, I have finally snapped. All this playing nice not remembering shit and people trying to convince me of these things that are my life now. I have finally lost it. No longer able to reel in my temper I punch the pillow beside me. Sending pain through my back up my spine and throughout my head.

  That was not a good idea.

  “Courtney you need to calm down before you aggravate your injuries. As far as anyone is concerned I am dead. I have a new identity. I am not Dave Bedford anymore and we aren’t even considered married anymore Courtney and for the record you need to stop calling me Dave. That’s not who I am anymore. I couldn’t ask you to leave your family behind Courtney. If you all had come with me we would have had to leave our whole lives behind. You couldn’t have had any contact with your family anymore and I know how close you and your family are Courtney. You might have been okay with the decision at first but after a while it would have worn you down. I just couldn’t ask you to do that.”

  “Well what about after this guy is in prison for good? Then you can come back to us and then we can tell the kids? That’s what you said before to Dexter that you planned to come back to us.” I can already tell by the sad look in his eyes that I am not going to like what he has to say next.

  “It’s not that simple Courtney. There is a lot more to it than that. This guy could have a family, friends, fellow gang members that want revenge. I am not going to be able to return to our old life.” He shakes his head.

  “Then what was all that shit you were talking to Dexter about? Building our dream home in hopes to get me back?” I don’t know how I should be feeling but right now I am pissed.

  “All of that was just a bunch of added bull shit to get him riled up. However, if you want to live there it’s all yours. I am sure we can figure out some way to make sure it goes to you without having any connections to me. Once the trial is over I am being relocated again. I had to fill the officials in on the fact that I have been back on the main land. They want to relocate me after everything is a done deal. People are going to see me at the trial and they may recognize me if I stay. You can all come with me if you want to Courtney, we can start our life over and we can take the kids. We will all have new identities and start fresh in another state. We can get new jobs and the kids will go to a new school. We will all be together again, the only downfall is that you would not be able to have any contact with your family ever again once we leave. That’s the only option where we will be able to tell the kids about this. We were very lucky from the beginning that we even had the option of you getting to stay here. I went to great lengths to make sure no one knew who you were. Some of the wives and kids left with their husbands.” Huh that makes sense now. I was friends with some of the other wives and they seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. I just chalked it up to thinking it was just because of my own grief and we just lost touch.

  “I don’t know what to say. That is a lot to take in. A lot to think about. I need some time.” I tell him.

  “I understand. I will leave you be for now and give you some time to think. I will need a decision soon though so they can get the ball rolling on our location and everything else involved. I also have to say that living with me, even if we move, there is always the possibility of being found. It would be a life of looking over our shoulder at every turn. Always being suspicious of everybody you meet. I know you’re strong Courtney but living like that sucks and it’s hard. You could potentially be putting you and the kids at risk. You need to ask yourself if having a life together is worth the risk and giving up all of the things you have just to be together again.” He pauses at the door to my room and looks over to me. He sounds like he is trying to get me to stay like he doesn’t even want us to go with him.

  “I still love you Courtney. I will pop back up in two weeks I will need your answer then.” I just nod my head.

  “Just for the record Dave. I would have gone anywhere with you back then. You meant that much to me.” That seems to satisfy him.

  If only he knew I wasn’t so sure that I would be willing to go anywhere with him now. Especially if it meant possibly putting the kids and myself in any danger. I may love him now but it wasn’t a love like before. I can’t explain it, but seeing him now just doesn’t excite me the way it used to.

  My mind begins to race. Could I leave my family and everything I have ever known behind and uproot the kids’ lives so that they can have their father back again? One that they believed to be dead. Do I stay and continue to live like we have with them thinking he is dead? I am sure I could tell them the truth one day. Would they hate me for that if I decide not to go?

  My sister just gave birth to my first niece. I just became an auntie. I have wanted that forever. If I left I wouldn’t be able to have that anymore. Is it selfish of me to want to stay now even after I know the truth of what Dave has been through? Everything Dave sacrificed for us?

  Do I let Dave leave never to be heard from again and move on with my life like I was before he suddenly popped back up out of nowhere? Go back to living like he never came back in the first place? I have to believe that I would have never even seen him again had I not been on that island that night.

  Then there is Dexter.

  Even though I don’t even remember him at all he is going to play a part in my decision too. I can’t deny the electricity between us and once I remember him again because I know I will will I be able to walk away from him? If the love we share is as strong as Lillian and Dexter say, I am not sure I would be able to leave him behind.

  This is going to be one tough decision. He expects me to make a major decision like this in two weeks? He has lost his damn mind.

  I need to talk to my family about this. Looks like a family meeting is in order.

  I call up my mom and ask her to find someone to watch the kids and have the rest of the family come up to the hospital. After I talk with all of them maybe I will have a clear mind and I can make a decision.

  I can trust my family not to say anything to anyone or else I wouldn’t even bring this up to them at all. After all if I decided that I was going to leave, I would tell them all what was going on anyway. I wouldn’t leave my whole family to think we had all died or that we just dropped off the face of the earth. I can trust them and they mean too much to me to do that to them.

  Chapter Six

  Dexter

  It has been four long days since I left Courtney and I haven’t heard a word from her either. I have talked to Lillian several times though. She filled me in on a family meeting that they all had that has left me unsettled. I can’t believe Dave or whoever he was now would try and pull this on my girl. I bet that asshole never intended on trying to come back for her and now that he sees there is someone else in the picture he is trying to take back what was his. Too bad for him she isn’t his anymore.

  I know Courtney will make the right decision for her family. I just hope that ends up working out in my favor. I just want her to do whatever makes her happy though and if that includes me being left with a shattered heart then that is just something I am going to have to learn to deal with. If that was me in Dave’s position and I knew all the risks involved here I would have just called an ambulance that night of the boat accident, made sure she was safe, and then left like I had never been there. Instead he put her and the family in danger by sticking around.

  I have wanted to call Courtney every single day but Lillian told me to give her some time and try not to confuse her. Lillian said that Courtney is coming home today so that is some good news at least. Becky and Sarah will be staying with Courtney since Julie has been staying at Lillian’s helping out with the new baby. Luckily they have a big family and are so close to
each other. They are always willing to help each other out when they need it.

  Since I have been back we have had to put filming on hold because most of the scenes are outdoor scenes and go fucking figure it’s been raining the whole damn time. Not just a small drizzle either. Nah it’s a down right torrential non fucking stop down pour. Four whole days twiddling my thumbs waiting for the weather to clear.

  Four more days I could have spent with Courtney.

  Looks like I am going to be stuck in Alabama longer than I thought and that pisses me off even more because how am I supposed to function knowing that Courtney is getting out of the hospital. I want to be with her while she is dealing with this tough decision she has to make. I want to be there for her. If I knew for sure this rain wasn’t going to stop the second I try and leave town, I would be on the next damn plane to North Carolina.

  Rob asked me to go to dinner tonight at our favorite Italian restaurant so I decided instead of sitting around with my thumb stuck up my ass I would get out for a while.

  I could use some comfort food and what’s better than Italian? I head into the restaurant and I notice it’s unusually busy for a Monday night. Someone must have gotten wind that we would be here tonight. That doesn’t seem to be a problem because the hostess tells me Rob is already here and she leads me back to the table where Rob is already waiting. Only Rob is not waiting alone. Seems my good buddy has brought us a couple dates to dinner tonight. Normally I would be grateful to Rob for this. Tonight not so much.

  What the Fuck.

  As I arrive to the table, Rob introduces me to the girl by his side whose name is Michelle. Then he introduces me to her friend, the girl sitting in the chair beside the only empty chair left, presumably my chair. My “date” for the night’s name is Jennifer. Hope she doesn’t expect too much out of me because even if Courtney doesn’t remember me right now, she is still mine and I am going to be faithful to her.

  Before I sit down I ask Rob if I can have a word with him in private. He pushes his chair back and stands.

  “Please excuse us ladies,” Rob tells them and they both giggle. I roll my eyes. Yep these two are your typical actor stalkers as I like to call them. Tall, tanned, all legs and fake blonde hair. We see the type all the time in our profession. They only want one thing…. To say they got to sleep with someone famous. I used to be into that but that shit gets old after a while. That is not who I am anymore.

  Rob and I head down the long hallway and stop just before we reach where the bathrooms are. When we are out of ear shot I lay into Rob.

  “What the hell do you think you are doing bringing chicks to dinner man?” I whisper hiss at him.

  “Dude. Chill out. I just thought maybe you could use a distraction. You are wound so tight after everything with Courtney. I figured you would want to take the edge off before we start filming again.”

  “Seriously you thought I would want to just “take the edge off” you are terribly mistaken. I. Love. Courtney. Why the fuck would you think I would want to dip my dick into some actor stalker when I have finally found the real thing?” I cross my arms over my chest and stand tall and intimidating.

  “Well Courtney doesn’t even remember you man. What if she never remembers you? You just gonna sit around and pine away for some chick that doesn’t know who you are? A chick who has a husband that she does remember that is trying to get her to run away with him into the sunset and never look back. Fuck dude use your head.” He points to his temple with his pointer and middle finger jabbing at it twice to drive his point home.

  “I guess that’s where we are different people man. I am not going to do anything that could jeopardize what I have with Courtney. I thought you and Lillian were together too. So I am sorry if I am shocked to see you here with a chick hanging off your arm. Rob, you are my best friend man but sometimes you don’t use your fucking head. I am outta here man.” With that I turned and stormed out of the restaurant not even glancing back at Rob. Fuck him.

  I need to see Courtney so bad right now but since that can’t happen I go ahead and break down and call her. She should be settled in at home by now and I need to hear her voice. I can’t wait another minute. So going against Lillian’s wishes to give Courtney her space, I dial her number and to my surprise she answers on the first ring.

  “Hey Dexter. I was just sitting here thinking about giving you a call myself. You must have read my mind.” The instant I hear her voice all the rage inside of me subsides.

  “Hey sweetheart. I just needed to hear your voice I miss you so bad I couldn’t go another second without calling you.” I sigh.

  “Is it weird that I miss you too?” She chuckles, “I don’t understand how I can miss someone I don’t even know so severely but apparently my soul misses you even if my mind can’t quite comprehend that.” Hearing that she misses me brings a smile to my face.

  “I think you are exactly right baby. Your mind might not understand but your heart never forgets.” I say softly.

  “You sound upset Dexter is everything okay?”

  “Yea baby I am fine. I did want to tell you something though because I will always be truthful with you. I want you to know that.”

  “Okay Dexter you can tell me anything.”

  “Well tonight Rob asked me to dinner and when I arrived he had two girls with him. He thought I might wanna… you know… have sex with one of them to relieve some stress. Boy did that backfire on his ass because all I did was chew his ass out and leave.” I laughed and she laughed too.

  “You didn’t have to leave on my account Dexter. You could have at least stayed and had dinner. If you say you didn’t do anything I trust you.” She paused and laughed again. ”I guess I trust you anyway, at least I feel like I should. I thought Rob and Lillian were like together though. I am a little surprised to hear he was with another girl and trying to get you to also. I don’t know Rob though so that may just be the type of guy he is.”

  “It’s good to hear you laugh Courtney. I am not sure what is up with Rob lately. I think he is just confused. Enough about all that though. How are you feeling? Is it good to be home?”

  “It is wonderful to be back home and I am feeling pretty good actually. My back is just a little sore. They said it was just a lot of bruising and was strained a bit but other than that I am feeling good. The stitches itch like a bitch on my back though. It will be nice to sleep in my own bed tonight for sure. The hospital beds aren’t worth a shit to sleep on. I just have to go back to my regular doctor Friday for a follow up and to get the stitches out.”

  She continues talking, telling me all about the last few days in the hospital and what she plans on doing now that she is home. She tells me the kids are coming home tomorrow and I can tell by the sound of her voice how much she misses them and how excited she is to see them. I just love hearing her voice. I tell her all about how I didn’t want to leave her and how we haven’t even been able to film because of the weather.

  The conversation flows easily and before I know it an hour has passed and I am still sitting in my car in front of my house. It is getting late and I know she is probably getting tired so I reluctantly tell her that I needed to go and tend to a few things before heading to bed.

  “It was really nice talking to you Dexter. I hope that you can begin filming again tomorrow.” She says.

  “I hope so too because the sooner we can get everything wrapped up, the sooner I will be able to see you again. Sweet dreams baby girl. I love you” I tell her.

  “Good night Dexter.” She hangs up and it doesn’t slip by me that she didn’t say I love you back. Yeah it hurts a little but that is okay.

  I head to bed and attempt to get a good night sleep. Before my head hits the pillow I send up a silent prayer that tomorrow it is not raining and we can get this filming done.

  When I wake up the next morning the birds are singing and I can hear Cooper the rooster barking. That is his way of cockadoodling each morning. I actually laugh out loud thinking ba
ck to when Courtney told me she was scared of roosters. Poor Coop didn’t stand a chance at first but my girl finally came around and gave him a chance. They will be best friends before too long.

  The sun is shining on this fine Tuesday morning and I have a permanent smile on my face. I shower, get dressed, and head out to where we will be shooting the scenes today.

  Once I get through make up and run through my lines a few times I am ready to start filming.

  The morning flies by and I get most of my final scenes done. I just have a few more to do in the next couple of days at different outdoor locations. Then Rob and I have some scenes that we have to shoot together. I know I need to talk to him and clear the air so that there isn’t any awkwardness during filming, but that is going to have to wait a few days for my temper towards him to calm down some.

  If everything goes as planned I can be heading back to North Carolina in the next few days or so. I am hoping I can catch a flight this coming Saturday or Sunday.

  I can’t wait to get back to my girl.

  Chapter Seven

  Courtney

  After talking to Dexter last night I did some catching up with my sisters, Becky and Sarah. It was nice to get to hear what has been going on with them lately. I know I am not as close to them as I am to Lillian, but I love them just as much and it is great to hang out and do sisterly type things again. It’s just like when we were growing up.

  We catch up on their love life and who they are dating. They tell me a little bit more about my relationship with Dexter. I admit to them how weird it feels for everyone else to know how much you are in love with someone when you don’t even know it for yourself.