Mrs Middleton
First Edition April 2021
Published by GPC Publishing
Copyright © 2021 Melissa Tereze ISBN: 9798713007287
Cover Design: May Dawney
Editor: Charlie Knight
Find out more at: www.melissaterezeauthor.com
Follow me on Twitter: @MelissaTereze Follow me on Instagram:
@melissatereze_author
All rights reserved. This book is for your personal enjoyment only. This book or
any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the
express permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. All characters & happenings in this publication are
fictitious and any resemblance to real persons (living or dead), locales or
events is purely coincidental.
ALSO BY MELISSA TEREZE
ANOTHER LOVE SERIES
THE ARRANGEMENT (BOOK ONE) THE CALL (BOOK TWO)
THE ASHFORTH SERIES
PLAYING FOR HER HEART (BOOK ONE)
OTHER NOVELS
BREAKING ROUTINE
IN HER ARMS
BEFORE YOU GO
FOREVER YOURS
THE HEAT OF SUMMER
FORGET ME NOT
MORE THAN A FEELING
WHERE WE BELONG: LOVE RETURNS NAKED
TITLES UNDER L.M CROFT (EROTICA)
PIECES OF ME
“To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest
punishment we can bring on ourselves.”
- Federico Garcia Lora
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
SIGN UP TO WIN
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Also by Melissa Tereze
CHAPTER ONE
WELL, THIS WAS IT. THE MOMENT EMMA HAD BEEN DREADING FOR
months.
It was one thing to be back in the UK after living a life of
simplicity in another country, teaching kids’ sports, but to
have to share a home with her best friend…it was going to
be painful. Lauren Middleton was everything Emma had
ever wanted in a friend, but a lot had changed since Emma
left the UK eighteen months ago. Oh, not with their
friendship, that could never be broken, but with…
something else.
As friends, it shouldn’t have worked. When they met
back at university, Emma was twenty-one, while Lauren
was only eighteen. But from the moment they’d met at
freshers, they’d hit it off. Lauren wasn’t an average
eighteen-year-old, and it showed. She had her head firmly
screwed on. Within months of starting their degree
together, Emma and Lauren had become the best of
friends, some might even have said sisters.
Emma had spent the nine-hour flight home from Ghana
thinking, yet nothing seemed any clearer than the day she
first left home. She couldn’t wait to see her best friend. She
was excited to spend some cherished time with Lauren
before she jetted off to Australia on her own three-month
adventure. It was the idea of staying in Lauren’s parents’
home that had her so on edge.
Because Mrs Middleton would be there.
Emma braced herself as she walked through the double
doors at the airport, the temperature quite pleasant
considering she’d expected it to be colder. After eighteen
months, she’d gotten used to the African heat. Now, to be
here in this less intense heat, Emma didn’t know how to
feel about it…or anything else for that matter.
Life was about to become interesting.
Vanessa Middleton was Lauren’s mum. With huge
crystal blue eyes and a smile that lit up the entire world,
Emma had foolishly fallen in love with her over the years
since meeting Lauren at university. And then the family
dinners started whenever they both went home to visit
their parents. Except Emma rarely visited hers. Instead,
she was joined at the hip with Lauren at the Middleton’s.
Emma was always invited over by Vanessa.
Then came the summer holidays, more occasions for
which Emma was present. She’d had a love-hate
relationship with her own mother since she was a teen,
and, though she wasn’t looking for another mother, Emma
would admit that the Middleton’s felt like family to her.
But it wasn’t what Emma wanted from their relationship
with one another. From the day she’d met Vanessa, Emma’s
feelings for her had spiralled. Almost out of control. She’d
managed to keep those feelings at bay for over ten years,
but the night before leaving for Africa, Emma had called
Vanessa in a drunken haze and confessed everything to the
older woman. Mrs Middleton had been a sweetheart, but it
had only made everything worse. A part of Emma wished
Vanessa had told her not to come home again, and if she
did, not to show up at her door. That would have been
much easier to deal with. But Vanessa hadn’t said any of
those things. She told Emma she was flattered and that she
was very fond of her before wishing her well on her travels.
Eighteen months of long-distance pining had only sent
Emma’s head into a spin as she stepped onto the plane this
morning. And now here she was. Unable to comprehend the
moment she would lay eyes on Vanessa again. In Emma’s
ideal world, Vanessa would have aged dramatically and
turned into a cold-hearted bitch. But this wasn’t an ideal
world, and when Emma’s flight landed forty minutes ago,
she checked her social media. Searching Vanessa
Middleton hadn’t been a wise decision. That woman had
only gotten better with age. Her vivid blue eyes shone back
at Emma through her profile picture, her once long blonde
hair now cut into a stylish shoulder length bob.
Emma was in a lot of trouble.
But she would manage. So long as she didn’t make
Vanessa uncomfortable, everything would be perfectly fine.
It had to be. And if she blotted out the fact Vanessa was
going through divorce proceedings from her mind, Emma
wouldn’t crave to comfort her. She’s your best friend’s
mother. That should be enough to deter you!
A flash of dark blonde hair caught Emma’s attention.
She picked up her pace, almost bumping into someone in
front of the taxi rank. “Oi.”
&nbs
p; Lauren spun, grinning. “You’re actually here.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Well, that fills me with joy,” Lauren said, rolling her
eyes. “And why do you have shorts on? It’s not exactly hot.”
“I needed everyone to see my tan as I walked through
the airport.” Emma’s teeth chattered. “You’re just jealous.
But you needn’t be; you’ll have your own tan soon enough.”
“It’s like…winter in Australia.” Lauren laughed,
throwing her arms around her best friend. “It’s so good to
see you.”
“It’s good to see you too. But I’m freezing my arse off, so
can we head to the car?”
“We can. I had yours serviced last week for you.
Running like a little cracker again.”
“Mrs Middleton hasn’t minded it being on the drive all
this time, has she?”
Emma hadn’t been given a rollicking by her best friend,
so as far as she was aware, Lauren knew nothing about her
outpouring before she left. Vanessa didn’t seem like the
type to tell everyone about the thirty-something with a
crush, thankfully.
Lauren shook her head, linking her arm through
Emma’s. “You know she doesn’t. And if she hears you
calling her that, she’ll kill you. Call her Vanessa and save
me from having to listen to her harp on about how old it
makes her seem.”
“It’s…respectful.” And to save me from feeling the
intimacy of being on a first name basis. Emma cleared her
throat. “And she’s a teacher, so she’s used to it.”
“She hates it.”
“How is she?”
“Better now. Things have been hard for her this year, but
she’s getting back to herself. And I’m hoping if you’re free
now and then, you could swing by and say hi to her when
you find a place. No rush, by the way, but with me going
away, I hate the thought of her being alone.”
Emma bristled. She shouldn’t agree to Lauren’s ask. “I
don’t think she’ll want me around, but a cuppa and a chat
are something I can manage.”
“You know what she’s like. She’ll say she’s fine, but I
know she gets lonely. When I’m at Rob’s, I hate knowing
she’s home alone.”
“She’s a grown woman; I’m sure she does just fine.”
“Still.” Lauren sighed, shrugging. “I feel bad for
buggering off to the other side of the world for three
months. And I know she wants me to go, I do too, but since
Dad left…she’s not been the same person.”
“I still can’t believe he was sleeping with another
woman.” Truly, she couldn’t. In some ways, at least. Mrs
Middleton was the most attractive woman Emma had ever
laid eyes on. Perhaps it was the smouldering eyes and the
power suit, maybe it was the elegance she carried, but
whatever it was…Emma had been smitten at one time. You
still are, you complete fool! “Was he having some kind of
midlife crisis?”
“They just grew apart.”
“And that’s fine. But you don’t shag the secretary. You
explain and then leave on good terms. I mean, when you
called me to tell me…I was floored. Your mum is so lovely,
and I can’t believe he did that to her,” Emma lied. She’d
known for a long time how much of an arsehole Richard
was, his eyes always straying towards other women. She
suspected Vanessa knew too, but it wasn’t Emma’s business
to get involved.
“I haven’t spoken to him.”
Emma couldn’t blame Lauren for making that decision.
“I’m sure you’re still angry with him.”
“It’s not even anger anymore. It’s disgust. How dare he
sleep with another woman when he’s been married to Mum
for thirty years.”
God, that had to hurt. Emma felt awful for not being
there when her best friend needed her. To be in another
country while she was going through divorce proceedings
with her parents… “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you.”
“Don’t apologise. You’ve always dreamed of Africa. I’m
so happy you took the opportunity. You didn’t know my dad
was going to do what he did.”
If only that were the truth.
“Still, I didn’t like knowing I could only be on the phone
when the reception allowed.”
“You’re here now. And I can’t wait to spend the entire
week with you before I have to take a ridiculous flight to
Australia.”
“Honestly, I hate flying.”
Relieved when she spied Lauren’s car, Emma grinned as
the lights flashed, climbing inside the second her luggage
was safely in the boot. Lauren joined her, firing up the
engine and backing out of the space. “Fancy a takeout and
catch up tonight?”
Emma relaxed her shoulders. She’d been tense all day.
“I can’t wait.”
CHAPTER TWO
IF SHE RECEIVED ONE MORE CALL THIS WEEK FROM HER LAWYER,
Vanessa was going to book a flight to the farthest country
possible and never return. Richard was playing hardball,
she had the end of year exams coming up, and her bout of
migraines hadn’t lessened at all this week. It was Friday;
she was supposed to be relieved. Instead, she found herself
slowly climbing from her car, dragging her handbag from
the passenger seat.
But then Vanessa stopped mid-stride, glancing at the car
which had been on her drive for the last eighteen months.
Emma…was home. I don’t know if I can face her. Vanessa’s
stomach lurched, the idea of coming face-to-face with a
woman who had confessed her undying love for her over
the phone now a reality. Emma Bradley was stunning,
astonishing even, but Vanessa hadn’t expected a call late
one December night while Richard was away. Honestly, she
hadn’t known what to do with any of the information.
Emma…loved her?
How? And why? Her own bloody husband didn’t even
love her, so how could a thirty-something possibly feel the
way she did towards her?
But now, standing outside her home, Vanessa ached to
see Emma. While she had initially been shocked, Vanessa
secretly shared many of the feelings Emma did. The
problem was, she’d been a married woman at the time.
Okay, things hadn’t been great within her marriage for a
while, but Vanessa couldn’t throw her family away for a
potential fling. Because that’s all it would have been. A
fling. Emma Bradley couldn’t have been looking for a
serious relationship with a woman seventeen years her
senior. Life didn’t produce those happy endings.
At the thought of seeing her luscious black hair, those
grey colour changing eyes, Vanessa felt her heart begin to
pound. Emma had no idea how Vanessa had felt about her
over the years, but it didn’t matter. It was far too late for
them to sit down and talk. Emma had spent eighteen
months in another country; there wasn’t a chance she still
felt that way abo
ut Vanessa. The nights Vanessa had lay in
bed thinking about her daughter’s best friend, how her
laughter always brightened the house…God, this was a lot
to take in right now. But then she reminded herself that
Emma was Lauren’s best friend, and her heart settled. It
couldn’t possibly work. To think otherwise would only add
issues to Vanessa’s life that she didn’t need.
She steeled herself. She should be spending this time
with Lauren, not worrying about something she had no
control over. Her daughter hadn’t stopped preparing for
her best friend’s arrival for over a fortnight, wanting to be
sure Emma could be as comfortable as possible. Vanessa
had made up the spare room, the en-suite attached had
been fully stocked, and now the day had arrived. The day
when she would see her daughter smile for the first time
since Rob left for Australia.
She never had understood why Lauren chose to fall in
love with someone who often worked so far away, but her
happiness mattered, and Lauren was elated to finally find a
man she felt complete with. She’d told Vanessa as much
several weeks ago when they shared too many bottles of
wine. A lot of crying had been on the agenda for that night.
From Richard and his adultery to Rob and his beautiful
smile.
Vanessa scoffed, rummaging for her keys in her
handbag. I hope he doesn’t do to Lauren what Richard did
to me. The anger and bitterness were beginning to eat
Vanessa up inside. She didn’t want to always feel this way.
Rob had done nothing to warrant Vanessa’s incessant
worries; this was all down to her own experience. And in all
honesty, Rob was a lovely guy. He held down a steady, well
paid job, and he still lived at home with his parents. If
Vanessa could hope for Lauren to fall for anyone, Rob was
the one.
The sound of laughter made Vanessa smile as she
opened the front door. She couldn’t recall the last time
Lauren had been so carefree. Vanessa knew what it had
done to her daughter when Richard packed his bags and
left. She felt resentment towards him more so for that than
anything else. She could deal with him cheating on her, but
to hurt Lauren too…it tore at Vanessa’s heart every night
as she climbed into bed.
They’d gotten pregnant and married when Vanessa was
twenty. From the moment, they looked into Lauren’s little