Behind Her Eyes Read online

  First Edition March 2022

  Published by GPC Publishing

  Copyright © 2022 Melissa Tereze

  ISBN: 978-1-915242-14-3

  Cover Design: Melissa Tereze

  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)

  BEFORE YOU GO (BOOK THREE)

  THE ASHFORTH SERIES

  PLAYING FOR HER HEART (BOOK ONE)

  HOLDING HER HEART (BOOK TWO)

  OTHER NOVELS

  AT FIRST GLANCE

  ALWAYS ALLIE

  MRS MIDDLETON

  BREAKING ROUTINE

  IN HER ARMS

  FOREVER YOURS

  THE HEAT OF SUMMER

  FORGET ME NOT

  MORE THAN A FEELING

  WHERE WE BELONG: LOVE RETURNS

  NAKED

  CO-WRITES

  TEACH ME

  TITLES UNDER L.M CROFT (EROTICA)

  PIECES OF ME

  “Your task is not to seek love, but merely to seek and find all

  the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

  — Rumi

  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

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Epilogue

  SIGN UP TO WIN

  Did you enjoy it?

  About the Author

  SOCIAL MEDIA

  Also by Melissa Tereze

  CHAPTER ONE

  “ABI! ABI! ABI!”

  Groaning as she cracked one eye open and spied the clock

  on the living room wall, Abi protected her head from the kid

  who was about to jump all over it. This was becoming an

  issue.

  “Time to get up!”

  She lifted her head, noting the lack of light coming through

  the bottom of the curtains. “Benji, it’s still dark outside.”

  “Get up!” For a four-year-old, Benji had decent strength.

  He jumped down from the couch, tugging Abi’s arm.

  “Five more minutes.”

  For three weeks, this had been Abi’s morning routine. But

  what else did she expect when she was sleeping on her friend’s

  couch? A friend who had two kids. She hauled herself into an

  upright position, powering on the TV for Benji. That usually

  kept him quiet while Abi at least opened her eyes fully. “Okay,

  mate. Sit on the couch while I make you breakfast.” It was the

  least she could do since Ruth was giving her a place to sleep.

  “Time to feed you.”

  “I sit with you.” Benji frowned.

  “When I’ve made breakfast.” Abi dragged a hand through

  her cropped light brown hair, puffing out her cheeks. She

  needed to move on soon. Abi hadn’t slept properly since she’d

  taken Ruth up on her offer. As she turned towards the door,

  Ruth was leaning against it. “Mornin’.”

  “Did he wake you up again?”

  Abi smiled weakly and lifted a shoulder. “I am sleeping on

  his couch.”

  “Come into the kitchen. I’ll put the kettle on.”

  Abi followed Ruth through the house, her eyes fluttering

  closed as she pulled herself up onto a stool at the breakfast bar.

  Ruth had been a great friend to her over the years, she didn’t

  know what she’d do without her, but Abi couldn’t rely on her

  forever. She had a home to run, a husband to be with. Sooner

  or later, Abi would outstay her welcome. And judging by the

  mood Mike was in last night when he was going to bed, she

  was on her way to being unwelcome. Abi didn’t want that. She

  hated feeling like an infestation in people’s homes. “I was

  thinking that I’d get my stuff together today and get out of

  your way.”

  Ruth turned to Abi. “You don’t have to do that. You know

  you can stay as long as you need to.”

  “I know. And I really appreciate it. But it’s time I looked

  for something else.”

  Abi hadn’t imagined her future panning out this way.

  When she’d enrolled in culinary college five years ago at the

  age of twenty-four, everything seemed to be on the up. She

  still lived at home with her mum, she had a job to keep her

  going while she did her training, and her life was fairly

  ordinary.

  Fast forward five years, and Abi was homeless, with no

  family and no job.

  “Have you tried the shelter place again?” Ruth asked,

  giving Abi one of those sympathetic looks she hated. Why,

  when life wasn’t going to plan, did people think smiling at you

  weirdly would help? It just made Abi cringe. Still, she knew

  Ruth’s heart was in the right place.

  “No. I don’t want to take up a space that a mother and

  child could need. I know it doesn’t work that way and that I’m

  entitled to help, but I’ll be fine. I have a few quid in the bank.”

  “What’s a few quid?”

  Abi chewed her lip. “Hundred. Maybe just under.”

  “Where the hell are you going to go with that, Abi? It

  would just about get you a room for the night around here.”

  Abi honestly didn’t know where she would go. She had a

  best friend she could beg, a cousin who she still spoke to

  occasionally, but in an ideal world, Abi would have her own

  place to go to. Relying on other people had never been her

  thing. She wasn’t about to go down that route now. “Look, you

  don’t need to worry about me. I’m going to be okay. This is

  just a blip.”

  “Losing your flat isn’t a blip. You have nowhere to live,

  Abi.”

  “But I will. Eventually.”

  “And until then?” Ruth turned, making two cups of coffee

  and setting them down on the counter. “Where will you go?”

  Abi reached a hand forward, placing it over Ruth’s.

  “Please, stop worrying about me. You have kids to look a
fter

  and a husband. I’m the least of your worries, Ruth. Just…a

  cuppa now and then will do.”

  “Right, well, you know I’m always here for anything you

  need. Don’t forget that.”

  Abi appreciated everything Ruth had done for her over the

  last few weeks. She hadn’t planned to lose her job or her

  home, but it had happened, and Abi had come to terms with it.

  All she could do now was move forward and pray something

  came along in the not-too-distant future. Jobs were few and far

  between these days; even the one she’d had barely covered her

  rent. Hence the reason for her losing her place.

  God, she loved that flat. It was in the ideal location, just

  ten minutes from her job…but she didn’t suppose that

  mattered anymore. Because she had neither. She had no

  family, no money… nothing.

  “Would you mind if I jumped in the shower before I left?”

  Ruth smiled. “Not at all. You do whatever you need to do.

  If you don’t come up with anything by the end of the day, the

  couch is still yours. I’d offer you Benji’s room, but we’ve only

  just got him into a routine.”

  Abi held up a hand. “No. I’d never expect that. This is

  your home, and I’m the intruder. The couch has been perfect,

  but I don’t think I’ll need it anymore. Once I’m back on my

  feet, dinner and drinks are on me, okay?”

  “Absolutely. And I know that will be sooner rather than

  later.”

  Abi got to her feet and drained her coffee cup. She rounded

  the counter and pulled Ruth into a hug. “Thanks for

  everything. And thanks for having some kind of faith in me.”

  “You’re a hard worker. I know you’ll be back at it in no

  time.”

  “NO, it’s fine. I’ll catch up with you soon. Enjoy your night

  with Sara.” Abi lowered her phone from her ear, exhaling a

  breath. Her best friend, Sian, wasn’t around this evening. She

  had a date night planned with her new girlfriend at home, so

  that was a no-go for Abi. “Think. Come on.”

  But the truth was, Abi had nowhere else to turn. She could

  go back to Ruth’s, but the unease in Mike was definitely

  getting worse the longer she stuck around. The last thing she

  needed was to be the talk of their friends when they met up, so

  Abi would show them that everything was okay, that she was

  perfectly fine, even if she was slowly falling apart inside. This

  was her mess, and one day…she would fix it.

  As she shoved her phone back into her shirt pocket, she

  looked up at the restaurant over the road. Adley’s was the place

  to be; it had been for the last ten years or so. Abi had eaten

  there once or twice when her wage allowed—the food was to

  die for—but the thought of stepping foot in there ever again

  caused her to laugh. It was thirty quid just for a salad. She’d

  grown up dreaming of working there one day. She’d dreamt of

  being head chef, but those dreams had been crushed when she

  dropped out of culinary school. Abi knew everything

  happened for a reason—however rubbish that may be lately—

  so perhaps it was just never meant to be. But for a few years,

  Abi imagined it. In her chef’s whites, calling for service on a

  menu she’d worked hard on to create. Owner, Victoria Adley,

  would be impressed, they’d have a perfect working

  relationship, and Abi would be set for life. She may even

  admire her boss from afar. Victoria was the most desired

  woman in the north of England, regardless of the fact that she

  was married.

  Get real, kid. That’s never going to happen.

  As if she’d conjured up the very owner in her mind,

  Victoria strode across the front of the building, something

  falling from her handbag as she rummaged around inside it.

  Abi grabbed her hold-all and shot to her feet when a passer-by

  picked it up and kept walking. It looked like her purse.

  “Excuse me!” She rushed down the pavement, tapping

  them on the shoulder. “I believe that doesn’t belong to you.”

  She pointed at the fancy purse in the woman’s hand, taking it

  from her grip. “I’ll just hand it back and say no more about it,

  shall I?”

  “Do-gooder!”

  Abi turned back to the woman. “Maybe I am, but it beats

  being a thief.” She looked around for Victoria, catching a

  glimpse of her through the crowd waiting at the bus stop. She

  rushed around the outside of them, stopping Victoria before

  she headed inside Adley’s. “Victoria!”

  Victoria spun around; her brow creased. “Do I know you?”

  “Well, no. Sorry. But I wanted to catch you before you

  went inside.”

  Victoria sneered. “I’m not interested in making a comment

  for your rag of a newspaper. And I’d appreciate it if you

  remembered that in the future.”

  “Oh, I-I…” Abi looked down at the purse in her hand, then

  back up at Victoria. “You dropped this on the street. I was just

  handing it back to you.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Victoria grimaced, taking the purse from

  Abi.

  She was incredibly beautiful in the media, but upfront…

  wow. She was something else entirely. Her dark hair fell just

  above her shoulder in a sleek bob, and those blue eyes were all

  the more intense when she was looking directly at Abi. She’d

  always appreciated the beauty of a woman—she was a lesbian,

  so it was hard not to notice those little things—but now that

  she stood face-to-face with Victoria, Abi felt as though she’d

  stolen her breath.

  “Thank you for picking it up. Busy morning and I don’t

  know if I’m coming or going.”

  Abi swallowed. “No problem. You’re welcome.”

  Victoria hitched a thumb over her shoulder. “Did you want

  to come inside and eat? It’s the least I can offer you.”

  “No, thank you. So long as you have it back—that’s the

  main thing.” Abi’s stomach growled, the idea of eating at

  Adley’s more than appealing, but she didn’t belong in a place

  like this. She looked down at her clothing. Boy fit jeans, a shirt

  that practically hung from her given the lack of nutrition lately,

  and a pair of boots. No, she didn’t belong.

  Victoria beamed a smile. “Okay, well, the offer is there if

  you change your mind. Just come inside and ask for me, and

  I’ll sort it out.”

  “Really, there’s no need. Great restaurant, though.”

  Victoria looked up at the old sandstone building, smiling

  weakly. “Most of the time, yes.”

  “Well, it was great to meet you. Have a lovely day.”

  Victoria cocked her head slightly, that beautiful smile still

  present. “Yeah. You too.”

  Abi watched Victoria head inside the restaurant, the

  expensive décor reminding her of just how different their lives

  were. She couldn’t afford fish and chips from the shop down

  the street, so Adley’s was most definitely not in her dinner

  plans today. Still, she greatly appreciated the offer.

&
nbsp; She crossed the street, taking up the space in the old shop

  door again. Maybe if she just sat here minding her own

  business, nobody would realise she was homeless. Perhaps if

  she kept her head down and found a place tomorrow to hook

  up to the internet, she’d find a job sooner or later. She had

  been looking, but it was difficult to find the motivation when

  she was sleep-deprived and close to having a bad back from

  being curled up on a two-seater couch.

  Sleep…tomorrow is a new day.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “DINNER TONIGHT. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?” Victoria

  rocked back in her office chair, rubbing at her temples. “And

  what time are you home?”

  “I’m…having dinner with Dad.”

  “Kirsten, I know you’re not happy with everything that’s

  happened recently, but if you don’t come home at a reasonable

  hour, how are we supposed to talk about it? I’m not doing this

  over the phone with you.” Kirsten had been avoiding Victoria

  since the fall out three weeks ago. In one breath, she was

  coming home; in the next, she wanted no part in Victoria’s life

  anymore.

  “There’s nothing to talk about, Mum. You had an affair,

  broke Dad’s heart, and now I don’t want to see you.”

  Victoria closed her eyes, breathing through not only the

  pain that she felt at hearing those words but the anger, too.

  Kirsten, her only child, hated her. And for what? Because

  Victoria had stupidly entertained a new member of staff. Okay,

  entertained was a strong choice of word—nothing had

  happened between them—but that didn’t stop the papers from

  printing the story Liza had sold to them. Someone was always

  phishing for information on Victoria’s life…but this had really

  blown everything.

  “Right. So, that’s it then?”

  “Yep.” Kirsten cut the call, just a dial tone now filtering

  through the speakerphone on Victoria’s desk.

  Victoria thought about calling back, demanding that her

  daughter at least hear what she had to say, but Kirsten was a

  twenty-year-old woman. If she wanted to form her own

  opinion, who was Victoria to change that? They’d been close

  at one time, but Darren seemed to be making sure Kirsten was

  in his corner this time around. Clearly, he felt he needed the

  support more than Victoria.

  “Mrs Adley?” A light knock on the door had Victoria

  groaning.

  People didn’t interrupt her unless they absolutely had to.