The Mix Up Matrimony

The Mix Up Matrimony A SINGLE MOM SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE AURI EDWARDS Copyright 2023 by Auri Edwards- All rights reserved. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher. Contents 1. Highschool Heartbreak 2. Checklists 3. Expansion 4. Ghosts 5. Timeout 6. Catching Up 7. Lemon Meringue 8. Awkward 9. Warning 10. Liquor Kisses 11. Cold Shoulder 12. Rage 13. Fatherly Love 14. Venue Hopping 15. Love & Family 16. The Prescription 17. Turmoil 18. Wedding Bells 19. The Reveal 20. Ever After CHAPTER 1 Highschool Heartbreak LOREN I despise confrontation. It’s not something I’m good at. There’s a debate club at school that begged people to join for nationals, but I knew to steer clear of that. Besides, I hate failure. The overwhelming need for my life to go according to plan is the absolute most important thing. The only problem? I never saw Barret Jacks coming. He’s my brother’s absolute best friend in the whole world. They spend every day together, so how Barret and I ended up in bed together after homecoming is beyond me. I have always had a crush on him, but knowing he liked me too made things complicated. Now he’s sitting on the edge of my bed, overwhelmed with the confrontation that I so terribly want to avoid. It’s too late now. The words have already left my lips. He’s going to culinary school in a few short months, and I graduate after this upcoming semester from my senior year in high school. Albeit unfortunate, it’s nothing we can prevent. We’ve already been distant, trying to keep things a secret from Christopher. I don’t want to make things more strained with Barret because of the distance added on top of it. We live in rural Rhode Island. I want him to be my small-town sweetheart, but it’s clear that isn’t going to happen. His hand rests softly on my leg, apprehensive about touching my body, even though he’s done it a million times. We’ve been in love for a year, and intimate with one another for almost two. It started off as a fun fling, but he fell first and pulled me down with him. “I don’t know about this,” he breathes, his once bold tone suddenly so lowly and rough. He’s been crying; I can tell by the redness in his eyes, and I’ve dragged this conversation on for three days too long. “I think we can make it work, Loren. I really do.” I hang my head, avoiding his bright honey irises that drift over my downtrodden features. He knows it’s my weakness, so he pulls my face to his and kisses my lips gently. I let my mouth take over, my hands falling over his shoulders while he pulls my hips forward, making our bodies flush with one another. His chest is warm against mine, his tongue sweet against my cheek. If we could stay like this forever and be happy, then everything would work out! But there’s too much going on that is adamant on splitting us up. I pull away first and he frowns, the sight breaking his handsome, hopeful features. “You’re really doing this, aren’t you?” I nod somberly, wishing he could see it like I do. I could try to verbalize it, but it just sounds painful and hard. The last thing I want is for the guy I love to be hurt by me. It’s for his benefit, though. He can move away to his prestigious culinary school. He can live his life with a woman of his choosing, one not directly related to his best friend. “I’m sorry,” I murmur again, unsure what else I can say at this point. “I just want you to have the relationship you deserve, Barret. That’s all.” “I want you,” he insists. I brush his cheek with my hand, feeling the wet tracks of tears that rest on his pale skin. He leans into my touch; the sight is funny to watch. He was the star football player in school, the rowdiest guy in the halls, but he’s a big softy behind closed doors. He’s muscular and confident; he’s also loyal and sweet. I’m going to miss having him come over while Christopher is at his part-time mechanic job, and my mother is working late shifts at the grocery store. It’s been nice to have Barret here all to myself, but he’s moving away soon, and I have to face my own graduation in a couple months. It’s time to let this childhood whimsy go. “Is this because of Christopher? I can talk to him, Loren.” “It’s a lot of things,” I reply, feeling a shutter pour down my spine. “Please don’t talk to Christopher. Ever since Dad died, he’s been really protective of me. He doesn’t want me to get hurt.” His brows pinch, his hand squeezing my leg like he’s clinging to me for dear life. “Why does he think you will get hurt? If he knew it was me, maybe that would change things, baby. You don’t know what his reaction could be.” I bite my lip, hoping to spare him this part of the conversation, but it needs to be said. “He mentioned something about the football locker-room talk between the guys at school,” I breathe. He doesn’t react right away, just leaning in to hear more. “He was telling me how all of the guys on the team have several girlfriends, that none of them ever tell the truth to their girlfriends because they’re hooking up with other women behind their backs.” He exhales a breath he’s been holding for a while. “I hope you’re kidding, Loren. You know I would never