Strange Love (Choose Yours Book 1) Read online

  “Could you be a little quieter, Kitt? I was up all night reviewing case files, I need to get as much sleep as I can.” my voice muffled by the pillow now covering my face.

  “So sorry! We’ll take our shoes off,” she answered with a slight giggle and then hushed voices on the other side of my bedroom door. Her giggling and then an immediate pause in conversation only meant one thing; she really wanted to talk about how great the guy she brought home was.

  “Alright, you can come in and tell me about your night.” I resigned.

  Kitt may have opened the door slowly but that was far from how she really felt. It didn’t take much guesswork, her excitement was obvious by the grin plastered on her face, “Great! I was hoping you’d ask. I don’t have much time because he’s waiting for me in my room.”

  “You’d better get to it then. I don’t think I’ll be able to fall back asleep.” I scooted over to the middle of the bed half-annoyed that there was a strange man in the house and alone in her room. Kitt hopped onto the mattress and sat cross-legged facing me.

  “I’m really sorry; I’m just too amped up. You know how it is, don’t you?”

  I used to.

  It had been a few years since I have had what Kitt called ‘first date excitement’. All of the butterflies and jitters we would feel whenever we met someone new and were hopeful about what future this potential Mr. Right would be like.

  “Don’t be, it wasn’t a restful one, unfortunately. I’ve been waking up every thirty minutes for some reason.”

  “Something bothering you?” Kitt asked.

  “Nah, don’t worry about it. Besides, we aren’t here to talk about me, I want to hear about this date of yours, so you can go back and continue it. Must have been something if you’ve brought him home on the first date.” I smiled.

  Not only was Kitt my best friend, office manager and business partner but she was also my roommate. It was only two years ago when I assumed ownership of my childhood home – a historic brownstone which Kitt and I later renovated the first floor as an office for Professional Private Investigators (PPI). We later turned the entire second floor into our personal living space. It took six months for a professional crew to rebuild and renovate everything up to code and ever since then, we have done well with generating an influx of clients to keep the business cash flow positive in order to recoup the capital we both put in to start it all. If you asked me two years ago if I would find myself back in Boston from Portland, I would have said no way in hell, because I was determined to live as far as possible from here. Yet, here I was again, years later.

  It was not Boston’s fault that I chose to live nearly 3,000 miles away; the only one who deserved to receive that honor was none other than Graham Reynolds, my ex-fiancé. Just saying his name left a bitter taste in my mouth and whenever I thought about everything that happened between us, it just reminded me all over again that the man I used to think was the love of my life had left me. It was a tough pill to swallow and thoughts of him burned more than any shot of vodka I have ever had. I grew up believing in old-fashioned romance and whenever you found the love of your life, you were destined to be with them forever. It happened to my parents who were going on their 35th year of marriage and my brother just celebrated his tenth wedding anniversary and had a couple of kids running around. Knowing I still did not have that same happily ever after that I was sure I was going to have with Graham, made me look like a fool in a family of success stories.

  Knowing I hadn’t followed in my family’s footsteps, made me feel so humiliated especially when I, not Graham, had to be the one to contact all of the wedding RSVPs to let them know that there would be no wedding after all. There would be no wedding because Graham left me without a goodbye. I had to be the one to let everyone know that Graham could not hack it. He could not handle the idea of loving me for the rest of his life. He was the reason why I did not want to be here anymore; he was the reason why I ran away to Portland and was hell bent on not coming back.

  If it were not for my grandmother’s estate calling me to let me know that she left me the brownstone in Boston whereas both my parents and brother were left the family business and cottage in Cuttyhunk Island, respectively. It made sense as to why she left my parents the brewery and why she wanted my brother to have the cottage to raise his family in. Yet, I wasn’t sure why she left me this old brownstone when all it would do is bring me back to the town that left me with so many bad memories.

  “It was something else alright.” Kitt beamed.

  “Oh, do tell. What’s his name and what does he look like?”

  “Why? So you can run a background check on him like you did with everyone else I’ve dated? I really like Tyler and I don’t want him to freak out like the last one you scared off.”

  “Hey, you are lucky that I looked into Joe. He started to act paranoid when he found out what we did for a living.”

  “Of course he would be paranoid. Anyone would be if they found out we ran a private investigation service but that didn’t mean you had to look him up!”

  “He was married, Kitt. You should be thanking me for finding out that little piece of information, which turned out to be a big piece. You could have been the other woman.” I said.

  “Fine, I said you were right didn’t I? You just need to promise me that you will not look Tyler up. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I want to find more about him over time. Don’t rob me of one of the most exciting parts of dating someone new.”

  “Okay, I promise I will not look into this Tyler guy’s life unless you ask me to.” I swore.

  “Thanks.”

  “So tell me all about this seemingly fantastic guy.” I asked.

  “Well, he’s tall. He is about 6’3”, blonde hair and built like a linebacker. Except that he does not play football, he is actually a hockey player for the Bruins, I think. He dresses well and smells good too.”

  “He sounds perfect for you seeing as you do like tall and athletic men that smell good.” I laughed.

  “Oh yes, you know I do. Anyway, when he called me yesterday afternoon, he told me that he had everything planned out for us. He planned a fancy dinner at a restaurant overlooking Charles River but I told him that we didn’t have to do anything fancy for our first date. It would put too much pressure on the situation and I said we could just do something a little lighthearted so we ended up going to a sports bar for some beer and wings. Afterwards, we went bowling and then we went for a walk.”

  “Beer and wings huh?”

  “Hey, don’t judge. I just wanted to make sure we did something we both would enjoy and it was fun. We had a great time and laughed a lot and then as you know we came back here for more drinks even though I didn’t want to.” Kitt rolled her eyes and snorted.

  “Why not?”

  “I didn’t want to come back here because you would have scared him off with the way you act like my mother sometimes and we’re not even the same age!”

  “I do not.”

  “Yes you do. Shall I remind you about Michael, Jordan, Caleb…?”

  “Hey, I was just looking out for you.” I protested.

  “It’s one thing to look out for me but it’s another to spy on me while I’m on a date and then threaten him with a butcher knife.”

  “It was a joke and it was Halloween. It wasn’t my fault Jordan didn’t realize that it was a part of my costume.” I laughed.

  “Well, I really like Tyler. He is such a nice person. I want to take things slowly with him. He invited me to see him play next weekend and then we’re going out with some of the guys from his team and their wives and girlfriends.” Kitt gushed.

  I wanted to be happy for her, I truly did, but Kitt was an even bigger romantic than I was. So much so, she was completely naïve to the faults of men and should have protected her heart more often than she did. Her naiveté made her ignore the faults in the men she dated and that same naiveté made her fall in love harder and faster than she should whenever
she dated someone new.

  “Well, he sounds like a great guy so far and I’m happy for you. Promise me you’ll keep me updated?” I asked.

  “I will. I should get back to my date, he’s probably wondering what’s taking so long.” she winked.

  “I’m sure he is.” I laughed again. “Goodnight, Kitt. See you in the morning and try not to be too noisy, if you know what I mean.” I winked back.

  “Yes, mother.” Kitt hopped off the bed and kissed me on the cheek before shutting the bedroom door. I really needed to get some shuteye before I had to get up in a couple of hours for my first appointment of the day.

  ****

  After I managed to get a couple of hours of sleep and had my first cup of coffee, I set up for my first appointment of the day with enough time to review the notes I scribbled down when Will Grayson initially called about his client. Apparently, Will claimed his client received threats and wanted to find out who had sent them as quickly as possible before they went to the police.

  The conversation didn’t last long before I asked him if I could talk to his client for an initial consultation because I wondered what stopped them from reporting to the police right away and I’d rather hear it from his client directly. I also wondered if they were involved in anything criminal and if it was the reason why they did not want to report it to the police. If that was the sole reason, then I would have to turn the case down. I did not want to get involved in anything illegal or any suspicious activity of any kind. I made that mistake in the past and I wanted to continue to make sure I didn’t make the same mistake a second time.

  The case sounded intriguing, however. It wasn’t surprising his high-profile client received a threatening note that could potentially affect his client’s business. Celebrities were usually the ones that had secrets the public wanted to know about or had the lifestyle others envied. They were often the victims of threats, stalkers and the paparazzi but a business executive? What did he have that others wanted? Unless the company was one of the Fortune 500, CEOs and other executives were hardly victims of external threats and if they were, the threats typically came from the inside. Even then, threats like this one rarely happened so who in the hell did he piss off? Also, who in the hell was he? I didn’t know but in about an hour I was about to find out.

  Chapter Two

  Graham

  I didn’t believe in tradition, superstition, karma or in creationism. I was much too level headed and logical for any of that. The one thing I did believe in, however, was having strict rules for myself so that I could make sure everything in my life stayed in order and I never put myself in a situation where I was in over my head and could not get out of it. I also had a strict routine so that every single task I needed to take care of was completed. Without those things and an executive assistant to keep me in line, then I would not have achieved all of the success I have had. GPR, Inc. would not have been a success if I had not stuck to the vision I created and executed from the beginning.

  I would not be in the position I was now in without all of the hard work I’ve put in and I owed it all to my parents. They had the most illogical and unexplainable methods of order the world would ever see in a lifetime or two. I used to think their preferred method was the road to madness and anyone who followed it would fall down the rabbit hole and never get out. Now that I’m older, wiser and have had time to reflect upon it, their belief systems had merit. I’m not an over-the-top guy by any means but when it came to staying on track, it did help to go out of one’s way to be safe.

  Everything about my life was structured from the way I was dressed, the path I took when I went for a jog in the mornings, and the way I ran GPR, Inc. It was run like a tight ship and even my dating life was run with the same finesse. With that kind of lifestyle, there was the added factor of the stress I endured in keeping it that way and without my morning runs to cool me down or help me prep for my day ahead, I would have become a nervous wreck a long time ago. I wouldn’t have remained as calm and collected as I have been during GPR’s growing pains if I didn’t have a way to handle all of it.

  At five o’ clock, every morning, I ran the pathway that took me from my penthouse all the way down as far as my stamina would allow, parallel to the Charles River. I never, ever missed a beat. I loved the smell of the salty river, hearing the wailing birds and the burn in my calves after I completed the eight-mile circuit. I know it made me look like a glutton for punishment, but I loved pushing my body out of its natural element in order to find out if I had what it took to accomplish anything I set my mind to. I wanted to see if had what it took instead of giving in to the desire to quit.

  I wasn’t always like this; there was a brief moment in time where I let my guard down and just lived in the moment ignoring the consequences that came afterword. The only problem with letting my guard down was at some point, I not only hurt myself but I hurt the one I loved as well. When I hurt the one person who loved me at an under the surface level, she eventually learned that some people weren’t worth the patience nor the time. She also learned that making mistakes weren’t good enough excuses and that some acts weren’t forgivable.

  My ex-fiancée, Lindsey, didn’t believe in living with very many regrets and before she came to any decisions, she would often think long and hard about it. When we met, she bet everything that made Lindsey who she was, on a risk like me. Instead of listening to her mind, she followed her heart and in the end, our relationship crashed and burned. I had some regrets too. I never got the chance to apologize to her and the one thing that stopped me from doing so was the idea of having to tell her why I disappeared without any explanation.

  If I bothered to track her down and knock on her door (assuming she would open it if she knew I was on the other side), I would also hate to see the hurt on her face when it came down to it. I don’t think I could handle the fresh tears that would erupt and spill down her cheeks nor the sound of her heart breaking all over again if I had to share the reasons why. Then again, she could have moved on and had long forgotten about me, our history and the memories we once shared. I’m not sure why, but I think it would bother me if Lindsey categorized our history together as irrelevant.

  After I got up at my usual time, went for a run, had a quick shower and then a cup of coffee, it was almost time to head to the appointment with PPI that Will set up for me. I wanted to see if they could help me find out who was trying to blackmail me. I didn’t know if the culprit was bold enough to reveal any secrets I’ve held throughout my life if I ignored any of their threats, assuming they knew anything about me at all. If they knew anything harmful, it would be devastating to my professional and personal reputation, I wasn’t willing to take any chances especially when it came to things I’ve never shared with anyone.

  I was not going to fall for some weak ploy and pay them to go away with an inordinate amount of hush money that I’m pretty sure they’ve extorted out of others. I was also not going to allow someone to get incredibly rich doing something immoral as blackmail instead of working hard for it. People who extort others for personal gain didn’t deserve my respect. I was going to give whomever was behind all of this a long, uphill battle because Graham Parker Reynolds never backed down from a fight.

  ****

  It didn’t take long for me to get to the offices of PPI as it was just across the bridge from Cambridge in the beautiful Boston neighborhood of Beacon Hill. Beacon Hill was one of the most expensive and sought after areas in Boston with its lush greenery and brownstones. It was also the home of infamous and historic landmarks such as Boston Commons and the Cheers Bar.

  As I pulled up to the offices of PPI, I thought I was lost at first until I realized that their office was actually a renovated brownstone, complete with signage in front. I’ve never sought out a private investigator before because there was never a need for one, so I wasn’t sure what to expect and how much they would want to know about me personally in order for them to do what they do best. To be honest,
I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing but I had to go through with this. Whoever left me that note potentially had the power to take everything I’ve worked hard for, away.

  As I knocked on the robust red door, I could hear commotion coming from the inside that sounded like a combination of panic, slammed cabinet doors, muffled voices and heels. Sounds I was quite familiar with at the office except that it was much louder and on an exponential level.

  After knocking a couple of times and then resorting to ringing the doorbell, I received a response, “Er…coming…um…be there in a second.”

  A loud crash sounded followed by more rapid heel tapping, “Uh, hello? Are you all right in there? I have an appointment with PPI, I think I’m at the right location.”

  “You are at the right place,” came the muffled response before the door creaked open finally. “I just got caught up in some minor things, come in…uh… sorry, I don’t know your name. Will…uh…didn’t give it to me…”

  She may have only opened the front door slightly, but I would recognize my ex-fiancée Lindsey anywhere, “Lin? Is that you?”

  She froze at the sound of my voice and then looked up with surprise, “Shit. Graham? What in the hell are you doing here?”

  Was I at the wrong door? I swore I heard someone acknowledge I was at the offices of PPI. Most of all, what was Lindsey doing back in Boston? The last thing I heard about her was she moved across the country to Portland or somewhere on the west coast.

  “I could ask you the same thing.” I said glibly. “I’m actually here for an appointment but I’m starting to think I’m at the wrong address. I was looking for an office, actually. You wouldn’t happen to know where PPI is, would you?”

  “This is PPI. Look, I don’t know what you’re doing here on my doorstep but you can’t be here. I have an appointment with a potential client who should be here any minute now. I swore I heard him a second ago until I realized it was just you. You have to leave, Graham. I have nothing to say to you.” Lindsey responded in the only way I expected to come out of her, scorned. It could have been much worse, at least she was talking to me.