A Complicated Love (Complicated Love #1) Read online

  Complicated Love Series Book One

  D.M. Midgley

  A Complicated Love

  Complicated Love Series Book One

  D.M. Midgley

  Copyright 2015 D.M. Midgley

  All Rights Reserved

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the Author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organisations or places is entirely coincidental.

  All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the Author. All songs, song titles and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.

  Formatting by Swish Design & Editing

  Editing by Swish Design & Editing

  Cover design by Swish Design & Editing

  Cover image Copyright 2015

  To my husband and wonderful, amazing children. You are my world.

  This has been an amazing journey and I would like to acknowledge the support my family have given me. They have all been truly amazing. Mum and Dad, your encouragement means so much to me and gives me the confidence to continue. My wonderful husband, who has given me so much support. You have been wonderful.

  I would like to acknowledge my book cover designer, K E Osborn. You have been truly amazing and always there for me when I’ve had questions or need advice. You are much more than my designer, you are a dear friend.

  I would like to acknowledge my editor Kaylene Osborn. You have been with me every step of the way and I truly value your advice and friendship.

  I would like to acknowledge Liz Lovelock, a fellow author and friend. I came to you with an idea to write and you gave me the motivation to do it.

  I would like to acknowledge my beta readers, Dzintra Sullivan, Tracy Ehlers, Stracy Charran, Steph May and K E Osborn. You have all been brilliant, and have given me some great advice to make this book the best it can be. Also you have all been there when I’ve had a question or needed help. I thank you all.

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  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 Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Epilogue

  Connect with Me Online

  About the Author - D.M. Midgley

  It’s November and I’m walking through London in the pouring rain. My umbrella has broken so I’m freezing and dripping wet, but I really need to get a job. I’m currently living with my best friend, Tracy Campbell and even though she’s my best friend, she is driving me sort of crazy. Don’t get me wrong, I love her to bits. But Tracy is the complete opposite of me. She is wild, loves to party and is always trying to entice me out to clubs with her. Me, I like to spend my nights curled up on my couch, drinking hot chocolate with a good book. I’ve always dreamed of meeting ‘the one’ and have him sweep me off my feet… marry in a beautiful church, have beautiful children and live together in a lovely house outside London, where we can grow old together.

  I think we all dream of that. At the moment, my life isn’t going exactly how I planned. My love life is a car crash. I’ve had boyfriends that have never worked out and I’m beginning to think it’s me.

  What is wrong with me? Why can’t I find the perfect man?

  Anyway, I haven’t really introduced myself so let’s go back a bit. I’m Annabelle Connor and I’m twenty-three-years-old. I’ve not had the best start in life. My mum and dad were killed in a car accident when I was nine-years-old. They went out that fateful night for a charity fundraiser. My parents were big on helping charities and went to quite a few fundraisers throughout the years. That night I stayed with my Aunt Sylvia and it was the hardest night of my life. I woke up to loud banging coming from the front door. I quietly crept toward the staircase and peered over the brown polished banister. My aunt was at the door, but I couldn’t see who was on the other side of her. Suddenly she started crying and I mean really crying. I ran down the stairs as quickly as I could. Two police officers were at the door and as I glanced at them their eyes were tight and their expressions showed concerned. I didn’t know what was going on. After the police officers had left, Aunt Sylvia took me into the living room and sat me down next to her on the sofa, where she told me about the events of that night.

  My parents were dead.

  In one night, my life as I had known it had changed forever. They died in a car accident, and it was all because of a drunk driver, who was driving at night with no headlights on. I was totally crushed. I couldn’t believe I wasn’t going to see my parents ever again.

  How could the world be so cruel?

  I moved in with my Aunt Sylvia and she has been my rock. The one person that I can go to about anything. She continued to look after me until I went to college. This is where I met Tracy and when I made the decision to move out. Even though Aunt Sylvia had been good to me, I needed my own space. I moved into Tracy’s two-bedroom apartment with en-suites, I might add! I had a crappy job working in McDonalds at the time, but it was helping me pay the rent. Things were going well until I got fired! I mean who gets fired for telling their boss to “fuck off.” I’d been late on numerous occasions and this one day he called me to his office and advised me that I needed to start being punctual. He also told me that my work wasn’t up to scratch. He just started rattling off all my faults one after the other. When I swore at him, I think that was the last straw because before I knew it, I was being escorted from the premises. I didn’t care. I never really liked the job anyway.

  Aunt Sylvia was paying my rent and utilities while I was jobless, so this was why I needed a job badly. Aunt Sylvia had never even tried to coax me back home, but instead insisted on covering my expenses. It was great when I finally came across the perfect job as a PA at Lynn Publishing, but never did I imagine that I would fall in love with my boss and owner of the company, Joshua Lynn.

  This is my story.

  My hands are sweaty and I really feel like I’m going to be sick right now. It’s Friday morning and I’m sitting in a plush, fancy armchair in a really spacious lounge room. I can’t call it a waiting room because it looks so posh, and I’m not sure I’m supposed to be here. It has two big white leather sofas, a chrome coffee table and the walls are painted in cream. The only thing that looks out of place is the water cooler in the corner. I have a job interview as a Personal Assistant to Mr. Lynn at Lynn Publishing.

  I wasn’t sure what to wear and I’m terrible at dressing myself. Yes, I know, I’m twenty-three and can’t d
ress myself? Ridiculous, but I’ve never been one for the latest fashion trends and I’m sure, I’m completely colour blind. It hasn’t been proven, but I can’t seem to understand what colours go with what, you know colour matching. It’s so frustrating being a woman sometimes. I decided after rummaging through my wardrobe for around three hours, on wearing black dress trousers with a white blouse which has beautifully frilly buttons, and a pair of black four-inch heels which I can’t walk in by the way. I have my new black John Lewis bag which my Aunt Sylvia bought for me for my birthday. I wasn’t sure what to do with my hair, so I left my brunette, long, wavy hair to flow down across my shoulders. I really want to make a good impression and I know that it’s imperative that I get this job.

  Every so often I keep wiping my sweat covered hands on my trousers. I look over at the water cooler in the corner. I stand on shaky legs and cross the room. Grabbing a cup, I fill it with crystal clear cold water. My throat is very dry and I’m finding it hard to swallow. I hear the door open and in walks two models. I say models because they’re elegantly put together right down to the makeup they’re both wearing. One has long, wavy, brunette hair that’s been left down. She’s wearing a black all-in-one suit with brown heels and a brown bag to match. She’s gorgeous and definitely looks the part. The other is completely different. She’s wearing a tight, short, black mini-skirt with a bright pink boob tube.

  Do people still wear them?

  She’s finished it off with knee-high black boots and a black bag to match. She looks gorgeous with her long blonde locks down past her bottom. How she keeps her hair that nice is anyone’s guess. The blonde glances at me, but looks straight away again and then takes a seat next to the brunette. I can’t keep standing by this water cooler, so I walk back over to my seat, which happens to be right next to the blonde.

  “Hi, I’m Annabelle,” I say.

  The blonde looks over at me curling her lip in disgust and then averting her gaze which appears to be cold and flat. Flinching as I’m unsure what I’ve done wrong.

  “I’m Tammy,” she eventually replies, still not looking at me.

  Tammy pulls out her mobile phone and begins typing away. I guess my conversation with her is over. I look over at the brunette and notice that she’s staring at me.

  “Don’t mind Tammy, she’s always a bitch to people she doesn’t know. I’m Madison.”

  I smile. “Hi Madison, it’s nice to meet you. I’m really nervous about this interview.” I give a nervous smile while wiping my sweaty hands once again on my trousers.

  “Yea, I’m quite nervous too.” She gets up and proceeds to the water cooler.

  “I’m not nervous at all. You both might as well go home because I know I’m going to get the job,” Tammy says snidely.

  The door opens and in walks a middle-aged woman with grey hair piled up in a bun and a very expensive looking suit which fits her body perfectly.

  “Miss Sanders, Mr. Lynn will see you now.”

  Tammy stands up and follows the woman out through the door.

  “Wow, Tammy seems lovely,” I sigh while fiddling with my fingers. The wait is killing me.

  “Yea, she’s really nice once you get to know her. But she’s just a bit too self-assured at times almost bordering on cocky, but that’s just the way she is. I’ve been friends with her for a long time, so I just tend to ignore that side of her.” Madison comes and sits next to me while sipping her water. We sit in silence for a while.

  I’m quite socially awkward at times and in situations like this I never know what to say or do. After half an hour, the middle-aged woman comes back in and asks Madison to follow her. I don’t know where Tammy went, but I’m really glad that I don’t have to be alone with her. I open my bag and pull out my Kindle. I’m currently reading ‘Little Women.' I really love this book, and it’s one of my favourites. Nothing like a good classic. So, I sit here and get lost in the fantasy world the book has created.

  I’m so caught up with reading that I don’t hear the middle-aged woman come back in, or her calling my name. I get a shock when a hand taps me on the shoulder. I look up to see the middle-aged woman smiling down at me.

  “I’m sorry dear. I did call your name, but you didn’t hear me. Mr. Lynn is ready to see you now.”

  “Thank you. Sorry, I was lost in my book,” I reply embarrassed.

  I stand up and follow the middle-aged woman out the door and down toward the mahogany double doors at the end of a well-lit hall. The middle-aged woman knocks and I hear a very masculine voice reply, “Come in.”

  The door opens and I walk into a massive office with floor to ceiling windows. Through the huge windows, I can see the river Thames, glistening in the low winter sun.

  The office is decked out with mahogany furniture and a cream leather sofa down one side. The mahogany desk is in the middle with plush-looking chairs on both sides, facing each other. The office is amazing, but not as amazing as the man sitting in the black high-backed chair. Oh my God, he is beautiful. Beautiful in a masculine way, that is. He has short, thick, black wavy hair that’s styled to perfection. He’s wearing a white shirt that’s clinging to his muscular bulging arms. This man definitely works out. After giving him the once over, I look up and my eyes lock with the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen. They are emerald green with little brown flecks near his pupils. I can’t look away and I’m sure my mouth is agape. I don’t even realise that the middle-aged woman had shut the door and left.

  Mr. Lynn clears his throat. “Good morning Miss Connor, please take a seat and we’ll get started.”

  On shaky legs, I make my way to the chair in front of his desk and sit down. My heart is thumping loudly, my ears are ringing and my hands are so sweaty.

  I can’t stop staring at him.

  Get a grip Annabelle. You’re making a fool of yourself, I keep repeating to myself in my head.

  “Miss Connor, I’ve been looking over your CV and I can’t find any previous experience as a PA, secretary or anything like that. It says here that you were at college studying animal care, and then went on and were employed by McDonald’s for two years, but that’s the only employment experience you’ve had?”

  “Yes, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at college, so I studied animal care because I absolutely love animals. They’re just so cute and adorable,” I blurted.

  Oh God, I’m so embarrassed. I look down at my hands and start fiddling with my fingers in my lap when I hear a deep-throated laugh. I look up to see Mr. Lynn laughing at me. I’m mortified. My face is beetroot red and I could really die of shame right about now. After Mr. Lynn composes himself, he looks at me with a smirk on his face.

  “Well, that’s good to know Miss Connor. Why don’t I tell you what the job entails and see if it’s a job you could see yourself doing? My PA is required to take messages and book appointments. You will be working closely with me and helping me out with any jobs that need doing. If you get the job, you’ll be working alongside Wendy, my present PA to learn the role before she retires. Does this sound like something you would be interested in?”

  Working closely with Mr. Lynn? Oh boy, this just got interesting.

  “Most definitely. I know I haven’t had any experience, but I know I can do this job, and I will work really hard to get up to speed quickly. I really need this job and if you give me a shot, I promise I won’t let you down,” I plead.

  Mr. Lynn stares at me with a scrutinizing stare. He’s silent for a while which is only making me more nervous. I feel like I’m going to vomit.

  “Where are you from, Miss Connor?” His emerald eyes capture me and I can’t turn away.

  “I grew up in Harrow. I went to live with my Aunt Sylvia when I was nine.” I shift uncomfortably under his gaze. “I moved to London when I left college.” My throat is feeling very dry and I cough unexpectedly.

  “Would you like a drink, Miss Connor?” Before I can reply, he gets up and makes his way to a cabinet in the corner. It’s an old looking mahog
any cabinet, probably an antique. He opens the doors and pulls out a bottle of water. “Would you like a glass of water?”

  I smile when he looks at me over his shoulder. “Yes… please.”

  He pours a glass and places in front of me on the desk. He doesn’t move from his position, but perches himself on the desk. His leg brushes my arm and a bolt of electricity surges up my arm.

  What do you do for fun, Miss Connor?”

  I’m a little shocked by his question and his closeness. I can smell is cologne. Oh my God, he smells good.

  “Fun?” I gulp. I can’t seem to speak. I look up into his eyes and see his emerald green eyes are now darker.

  “Yes, Miss Connor… You like to have fun, right?” He smirks and I’m not sure what he’s talking about anymore.

  “Yes, Mr. Lynn… I try and have fun when I can. I do like to read a good book and sometimes… ” I smile, “I even have a hot chocolate with marshmallows.”

  He laughs a deep throaty laugh. Even his laugh is intoxicating. What’s he doing to me? I look down and my hair falls around my face. I’m glad I made him laugh, but I’m not sure if he was laughing at me or with me. He tips my chin up with his finger and I lock gazes with him. His eyes are smouldering and he smirks.

  “You are very funny, Miss Connor.”

  Am I? I smile.

  “God you're gorgeous,” he mumbles very quietly, but I hear it.

  He thinks I’m gorgeous?

  I’m doing a little dance inside with that compliment. I lick my lips and I notice his eyes are drawn there. I want him to kiss me and he looks like he’s going to. He inches closer and my eyes instantly fall shut. I can’t believe this is happening. I don’t know this guy, but I don’t seem to care. I wait in anticipation. Suddenly, Mr. Lynn clears his throat. I open my eyes to see him jump up and return to his chair across from me.

  “Well, Miss Connor, I’ll give you a ring if you’re successful.” He smiles.