The One Left Behind (The One Series) by Lena Nicole Read Free Book Online

moved back from New York so if you ever need someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to call me. I know how a drunk driver can take your life and flip it upside down.” I look up into his eyes and an understanding passes between us. He hands me a business card from his wallet with his information on it. I take a minute to read it.
     
    Pierce Whitmore, CEO
    Whitmore Enterprises
     
    He looks a little young to be a CEO, but that will be a question for another time. If there is another time. I have so much going on right now I don’t know if I need a new friend to throw into the mix.
    I give Pierce a smile. “Thank you for everything, Pierce. It was nice having someone to talk to who didn’t have any stake in the situation. You really helped me today and I appreciate it.”
    “I’m glad I could help. Can I walk you to your car?”
    “That’s really nice of you but that’s me there.” I point to my condo behind us and turn to walk away.
    “Okay, then I will walk you to your porch.”
    I look over my shoulder, “Oh, that isn’t necessary. You have done so much already.”
    He raises his hand to stop me. “I insist. I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t make sure you got home okay. Besides, you might forget where you live on the walk up.” He has a playful grin on his face.
    I laugh at his joke and we head to my place. I thank him again as we part ways and I go inside to start unpacking the boxes in my condo.
    Looking at my whole life packed away in boxes, I can’t help but think, “How did my life come to this?” I start to second guess the part of myself I can’t remember. I stop and remember what I told Pierce at the beach. I’m taking control of this situation and that starts with unpacking. I’ll call Colby and invite her over for a girl’s night in, AKA helping me unpack my boxes while drinking and watching movies. It will be a nice way to unwind after the day I just had.
     

MAN, THIS SITUATION just gets shittier and shittier. I’m sitting on my leather couch in my house with a beer in my hand. My house isn’t anything glamorous. It has three bedrooms and two baths, but it was the view that sold me. It’s not an oceanfront property, but if you stand on the balcony upstairs, you can see the ocean over the houses. It’s a nice, quiet spot to think. Too bad I haven’t moved from this couch since I got home other than to get more beer out of the refrigerator.
    I think back to how my life got to where it is. I’m shocked by the way Addison pushed me away. It looked so easy for her to do it too. I’m contemplating what the best course of action is to get her mind to come back to me. I need her in my life in some way. I refuse to let her shut me out completely. I can’t go from being engaged and getting ready to move in together to not seeing her at all. I think it would kill me if she cuts all ties.
    I finish my beer in a long swig, go to the refrigerator, and pull out my seventh one from the case. Damn, I’m almost out. Maybe I’ll call Jeremy and see if he wants to come over and bring me some more. No. I just want to be alone. Hell, at the rate things are going now it looks like I’m going to end up alone anyway. I might as well get used to it.
    Then I come up with a temporary solution. I’m going to suggest we be friends. With any hope, the more time we spend together, maybe the more familiar it’ll seem to her. Then, just maybe, something will snap her out of this and she’ll remember me. Remember us. Then we can get back to living our lives.
    Yes, she’ll eventually remember and love me again.
     

I WAS TOO tired after returning from the beach, so I decided to just go to bed. As I wake up this morning, I feel refreshed and ready to conquer my day. But first I need to call Colby. Looking for my cell phone, I spot it by the back table right next to the sliding glass door that leads to my back porch. On top of my phone is the business card Pierce gave me the night before. I program