Behind Her Eyes
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.