Hearts & Arrows Read online

  CONTENTS

  Hearts and Arrows

  Valentine’s Day Surprise

  Untitled

  Letter from Cupid

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Letter from Cupid

  Cupid’s Arrows

  Letter from Cupid

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Untitled

  Tailor Made: The Proposal

  Letter from Cupid

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Follow Me!

  Sneak Peek of Tailor Made

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Tasha Lewis

  About the Author

  Cupid strikes again!

  Two brand new short stories and a bonus Valentine’s Day scene from Tailor Made.

  <3

  When Cupid meddles in these couples’ lives, true love is likely to strike.

  He’s the master at it, after all.

  Valentines Day Surprise

  What happens when you show up at your ex’s house only to find the one you were meant for all this time was someone you least expected?

  Cupid’s Arrows

  Making a deal with Cupid has never been easier—three arrows for the cost of love. What could possibly go wrong?

  Tailor Made: The Proposal

  Disclaimer. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously; any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locations is entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction. Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement.

  All Rights Reserved. This book contains material protected under the International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of the material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the author. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If you would like to share this book with others, please purchase a copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This book may not be resold or given away to other people.

  Cover Design Sly Fox Design

  Editing provided by AG Romance Reads LLC

  Proofreading provided by Jessi Gibson

  Publication Date: February 7th, 2019

  Hearts and Arrows

  Copyright ©Tasha Lewis 2019

  All rights reserved

  Created with Vellum

  VALENTINE’S DAY SURPRISE

  Spotify Playlist

  Max, Joe Bada$$: Still New York

  Avril Lavigne: Head Above Water

  James TW: You & Me

  Daughtry: As You Are

  So, you’ve come to feel a little spark within you while chowing down on some Valentine’s chocolate. Well, reader, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got three stories lined up for you to enjoy on my favorite day of the year—the day that I sling the most arrows. So, sit back in your favorite reading spot, or while you wait in the checkout line, and get your reading on. Let your heart soar and relax while I give you a little bit of that love bug feeling.

  Enjoy our first couple as they find the right timing—because we all know that timing is everything. . .

  CUPID

  CHAPTER ONE

  TERRI

  I never thought it would end. We did everything together, including our laundry, despite the fact we’d never officially lived together. It was planned that at the end of this month, February, I would move in with him, finally. No longer would I have to truck back and forth between his place and mine, we could finally be in one place—together.

  Then he told me that he met someone—that she ignites a passion within him. The one that makes him excited for life. I don’t get it. How does someone do this to another person? He’d told me that I was his love, and now he’s found someone else? Oh, and the best part of our conversation was at the end, when he told me that nothing had happened and that he still wanted to be friends. Insert eye roll here.

  He was meant for me. We’d had a plan. I’d move in at the end of February, we’d get married in the middle of September, and then the following year, we’d start trying for our first child.

  I don’t care that people say I can’t have everything planned, that things will come and go like the winds of the sea...ebbing and flowing. What they forget is that I, Terri Ann, am a planner by nature, and Franklin James is the one person who could deal with me. Well, there’s Jensen too, but he and I have always been just friends.

  The three of us met in our Psychology 101 class, where I’d continued on with the major and a minor in dance. The other two had copied my notes and barely passed the class. I’d always thought both Franklin and Jensen were cute. Jenson was such a flirt with all the girls though. Franklin was more closed off, so when he paid attention to me, I was floored.

  Finally, at a frat party our senior year, he made a move. Franklin had kissed me, and as they say, the rest was history. Shortly after Franklin and I declared ourselves an item, Jensen left to travel the world and promised to never return—until now.

  Franklin and I hadn’t lived together in our years of dating. He loved having his own place, and I had enjoyed mine. It made things easy for me to get to my day job, but it was a commute to see each other. Talking on the phone once or twice a day had helped, and I’d never known that he was lonely or had needed more, until two weeks ago when we broke up. Granted, I thought living together would be enough for him. Enough for us.

  But it’s wasn’t.

  And now, I’m driving across town to his house for a welcome home party for Jensen on his favorite holiday—Valentine’s Day. He’d decided to finally come home after backpacking around the world and demanded that “we should celebrate.” His words, not mine. Nobody in their right mind would want to spend Valentine’s Day with their ex and his new lover. So, why was I putting myself through this torture? One reason only—Jensen.

  I did not want to see my ex, and his new boo, play lovers in a home that I’d plan on making my own. They’d met at work and then one thing led to another, but again, nothing happened according to him. If my eyes could roll any further in the back of my head they would. I’m supposed to believe that in the span of two weeks my boyfriend of five years breaks up with me and his new girlfriend moves in with him? Nothing happened my ass!

  I let the thought instantly die and brush the tears back and chant in my head to get a grip. It’s not the end of my life, just the end of a dream. The end of a love. I mean, children are starving around the world and I’m crying because of what could have been.

  I decide not to look in the mirror. Instead, I wipe the trails of mascara-stained tears from my cheeks. No need for the reminder that I’m a train wreck right now. I hope to keep that a secret while I play nice at my ex’s house.

  Our love wasn’t meant to be. So there. I’m over it. I keep telling myself this as I sling my purse onto my shoulder and get out of my car, slamming the door a little too hard. Oops.

  Again, I chide myself. Terri, it’s not the end of the world. Plus, my heart isn’t all that shattered if I’m honest. My relationship with Franklin was easy. It was all mapped out. Jensen was the fun one—always getting the two of us to try ne
w things, or getting us to go skinny dipping when I’d said I would NEVER do that. Ever. Yet, on graduation night, I’d torn off my clothes and had run for the lake diving in head first. Two splashes followed behind me.

  Again, if I were being honest with myself, I knew I shouldn’t have been with Franklin. He’d never pushed me to grow or expand my horizons. Hell, even our sex life was mapped out. Neither of us wanted children yet, so we had to plan accordingly. And as I wouldn’t take birth control, I had to make sure that we’d scheduled according to my menstrual cycle. I mean, I didn’t set out to plan our whole life, it just kind of happened.

  Oh man, if Jensen only knew that I had our sex scheduled, he’d be rolling on the ground in a fit of tears wondering what had happened to our spontaneity. I’d wondered where it had gone as well. Jensen didn’t have to know, seeing as Franklin and I are over. Meaning that I’m alone.

  A chill runs up my spine and the cool February night reminds me that I shouldn’t be outside freezing to death pondering thoughts of the past. Besides, that won’t get me anywhere. However, if I stay stuck outside, my thoughts on a constant loop, maybe I’ll be so late that I’ll miss the entire event. Why am I going in anyway? Oh, right, Jensen’s in town to celebrate his favorite holiday.

  This is the worst holiday of the year, in my opinion. You give candy to your significant other—professing your undying love—and it’s so jazzed up with expectations that I’d rather stick my hand in a running blender till all I was left with was a bloody stump. People forget that there are three hundred and sixty-four other days they should be sharing their love with each other, not just one day a year.

  Franklin and I had never done anything for this holiday. However, if Jensen had called and asked us what we’d been up to, we’d totally cheese it out for him, telling him exactly what he’d wanted to hear. He would call us out on the lie and we’d all laugh together.

  Wait, did Franklin and I even laugh together, or had that been planned too?

  CHAPTER TWO

  JENSEN

  I t feels so good to be home. I haven’t had my mom’s fresh baked cookies in years. And tonight, on my favorite holiday, I get to be surrounded by my closest friends eating yummy treats.

  All my friends and family have gathered at Franklin’s place. His house is impractically huge, but if you’d ask him, he’d say that every room has its purpose. I won’t ever understand that as I’ve been living out of a backpack for the last few years, so having rooms is a foreign thing to me.

  “Hey bro, you really think Terri will show up after everything?” I leave my question hanging in the air. They’d just broken up a few weeks ago. He’d said he didn’t want to spoil my favorite holiday for her, even though she always claims that she hates it. But I know better, she loves Valentine’s Day with all the frills and hype.

  “Come on, we all know that it wasn’t gonna work with the two of us. We’re too much alike. You were always the one that got us out of our element and helped us enjoy life. Kimber does that for me,” Franklin says with a bit of love in his voice as he gets a few of the party dips out of their containers and pours them into “decorative” bowls— again, something else I don’t understand about him.

  “Makes sense man,” I tell him as I unfold my arms and pull a piece of lint off of my shirt. A piece of lint doesn’t normally bother me, but I need something to do with my hands. I’m talking with my best friend about his ex, my other best friend, any guy would be a little nervous.

  “You know, you can go after her if that’s what you are asking.” He says matter of fact as he sets the white heart-shaped bowl on the table, moves to another dish, and gets that one ready as well.

  My heart starts to pick up the pace as my mind wraps around what he just told me. My brain takes its sweet time to catch up with what he just said. He gave me permission to date his ex, my best friend—the one woman I’ve been pining after for years, but who I wasn’t ready to settle down with just yet. It’s not that I didn’t want them together, I just wasn’t ready for her back then. And now I am.

  He just gave me permission to have his ex. The words whisper around my mind again as I restrain myself from leaping into the air whooping around like I’ve won the lottery. I’d never seen it before I’d left, that Terri was meant to be mine. My playboy heart was too ecstatic at the opportunity to travel the world and meet all types of women.

  Until a few years in, things became redundant, almost boring. The only time I’d felt anything romantically, was when I’d talk with Terri. I’d suddenly turned into that guy. The one pining after his best friend’s girl, our best friend. I knew I couldn’t have her so, I stayed away. I might as well have kept seeing the world, then come home to nothing.

  Then they broke up and it was the perfect timing to return. As shitty as it sounds, maybe I can be the one that helps her smile again. The one to see the world in even brighter colors than she already does. That is if she’d have me.

  The pang of doubt hits me square in the chest and I inhale, hoping she won’t hate me once I tell her why I’m really here. Why I had truly come back.

  I take in the white wall and cream accents. The house is almost devoid of everything Terri likes—she’s blues and pinks and reds. She’s color in all its vibrant kaleidoscope. Even the plants are even fake. I checked. She would‘ve had bouquets of fresh flowers every week.

  I watch as Franklin’s girlfriend Kimber walks in. She is the total opposite of Franklin—she’s color. All color. Her long moo-moo looking dress was nothing but jeweled colors, with a Magdalena outlined in black all over it. She paired it with her bare feet, much like mine.

  “I wasn’t asking for permission, but thanks, man.” I smile at him and he shrugs at me. Never thought I’d date my best friend’s ex, but here we are.

  “You don’t need to. Just know that I’m happy, and you both should be happy, too. She’d love your hippie ways. The same way I love Kimbers.” He rolls his eyes and points at both of our bare feet, only mine are paired with light brown harem pants and black form-fitting shirt. He’s still in work slacks and a buttoned-up shirt.

  I’d told him to dress comfortably and he’s in work clothes. When I’d left with my backpack a few years ago I didn’t think I’d turn into a hippie. I was just going to explore the world for a few months, not become a man who cares more about the environment than I do about politics. Now, I’m not the same man I was when I left. My stomach turns into knots as I wonder what Terri’s going to think about my man-bun and loose linen clothes.

  Seeing the world will do that to someone—change them from the inside out. At least it did for me. What started as a summer backpacking trip turned into a five-year exploration of the world, until my soul told me it was time to return home. Some say that five years was a long time, and yet, it went by in the blink of an eye. And now I’m here, ready to share my story with the world, take all the videos I’d created and put them in some kind of documentary. First, I’d start here with my friends and family.

  I glance out of Franklin’s kitchen window to see Terri standing out by her car with a look of serious determination.

  She has a somber look about her that I crave to strip away just so I can see her smile, illuminate my world. I want to be the one to make her eyes light up again, where they dance and turn into something darker and more alluring. I want her to tell me the true story of her life, not the planned one she tries to show the world.

  I find myself drawn to her, as I’ve always been, only now I finally just might get to have her. I walk to the front door, reach open it, and when I do, I see her. Standing still, I soak her in as the sun sets. The backdrop to her beauty.

  The rays of the sun catch on her golden blond hair and light it up giving her a more delicate look. If she ever heard me call her delicate, I’m sure she’d punch me, but at that moment, I see the true beauty that she is and drink her in.

  CHAPTER THREE

  TERRI

  I can’t believe I’m here.

 
If anyone had told me that I would be spending the evening at my ex’s house, I’d laugh at them. Then I’d cry into a bucket of ice cream; which so isn’t me, but has now become me. Yes, I’m now that girl who stops at the grocery store just to buy a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, a different flavor each night. Of course, I make sure to stop at a different location so I don’t have to see the pity in the eye of the cashier. But it’s there, inevitably, haunting me even now as I stand at the curb of my ex’s house.

  Fine, let’s do this. Let’s go inside and play nice with his new bohemian girlfriend—who I’m not even here to see but will most likely sit across from. I brace myself for the worst, but when I look up, I see my best friend and my breath catches.

  He grins at me.

  I smile back.

  And we just stand there looking at one another.

  Jensen.

  The other part of my soul. The words whisper in my mind.

  I’d once thought that he and I would end up together, but he’d kept me firmly in the friend zone, and I’d stopped trying to get out of it.