Splintered hearts, p.1
Splintered Hearts, page 1
Copyright
Copyright © 2024 by Author LS Phoenix
Published by LS Phoenix
New Hampshire, USA
https://linktr.ee/authorlsphoenix
First Edition: September 2024
Cover Design by LS Phoenix
Printed in the USA
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Splintered Hearts
LS Phoenix
Dedication
To the one who stole my heart and ignited a fire that burns hotter with each passing day. This story is for the lovers who find passion in every kiss, heat in every glance, and love that lingers long after the flames have cooled. May our desire always be this intense and our love forever unbreakable.
Acknowledgments
To my amazing readers, thank you for your unwavering support and for falling in love with my characters. Your excitement and feedback fuel my passion to keep writing.
A heartfelt thanks to my friends and family, who have been my biggest supporters through every late-night writing session. Your love and patience mean everything to me.
And to the one who inspires every steamy scene and heartfelt moment—thank you for being the spark behind the passion in my words. You make this journey even more exciting.
Opening Quote
"The heart that breaks is the heart that beats strongest, for it has felt love deeply and still dares to hope again."
Playlist
In no particular order, just a feeling for the book
Smoking and Crying by Alex Roe (Forever My Girl Movie)
Rock and a Hard Place by Bailey Zimmerman
Just About Over You by Pricilla Block
Beautiful Crazy by Like Combs
Reason to Stay by Brett Young
Bed on Fire by Teddy Swims
Over for You by Morgan Evans
Wings of an Angel by Lauren Alaina
Against All Odds - Phil Collins
I'll Never Love Again by Lady Gaga
She Likes It by Russell Dickerson & Jake Scott
Love You Again by Chase Matthew
Wasting All These Tears by Austin Snell
Giving You Up by Kameron Marlowe
Introduction
Aurora and Garrett have a deep history rooted in childhood, their connection fostered by the friendship between their mothers. Aurora, once a sweet, slightly tomboyish girl, has grown into a stunning beauty who turns heads wherever she goes. Garrett has loved her since they were kids, even if he never said it out loud. To him, she was always the one.
Their lives take a dramatic turn when they marry young and face a devastating tragedy. The loss leaves a lasting ache in Aurora's heart and nearly tears Garrett apart, driving him to leave. Five years later, he returns, unable to forget his love for her.
Can they rebuild what was lost, or will the weight of their past be too much to bear? Will their second chance at love be enough to defy the odds?
Trigger Warnings
Loss of a child
Attempted Suicide
Grief
Depression
Stalker
Explicit Sex Scenes
Profanity
Car accident
Basic details from surgery
Prologue
Aurora
The Past…
Alaina celebrated her second birthday yesterday, and the week has been filled with lots of excitement! It made me happy that she loved the gifts, but the wrapping paper might have been her favorite. Two years ago, an unexpected accident brought us our beautiful baby girl, Alaina Lynn Jensen. She is the sweetest, most empathetic soul I’ve ever met. She is my entire world, along with Garrett.
Before having her, I never felt a love this deep; I’m still not sure I fully understand it. The moment they put her tiny body on my chest, my love for her became endless and unconditional. She is beautiful, with her father’s dark, wavy hair that seems to go in every direction and his captivating baby-blue eyes. In an instant, her eyes captured me and merged my soul with hers seamlessly.
We spared no expense for her birthday celebration this year, our family made sure of it! Our parents gave her a lot of gifts, but grandparents are supposed to spoil their grandchildren, right? It’s pretty much a grandparent’s job, and I have NO problem with it. Despite being spoiled, she is still the sweetest little girl.
Sleep is eluding me right now. Ugh! It’s super early too. And while it’s not completely unexpected, I am surprised I don’t hear Alaina playing with the bunny she got yesterday. She was so enthralled with it, she wouldn’t let anyone take it from her. Maybe she’s still sleeping, worn out from yesterday’s activities. Although she’s pretty resilient, I’ll have my work cut out for me again today! It’s baffling to think she’s officially two now, something I’m finding hard to accept.
I’ve been thinking it’s time to transition her into a big girl’s bed. The recent attempts to scale the sides of her crib on three separate occasions within the last two weeks tell me she’s ready. She woke up during her nap and tried to climb out and onto the rocking chair I have near the crib so I can nurse her. I’ll have to ask Garrett later and see what he thinks.
A slight frown forms on my face as I lie here, straining my ears for any sound from her room, but I’m only met with silence. After all the excitement, she must be completely knocked out. Glancing at Garrett snoozing away beside me, it’s no surprise he’s wiped out. He’s been pulling crazy hours at the ranch. We’re trying to save up for our own place, you know, somewhere Alaina can eventually run around to her heart’s content.
Our apartment has been okay, serving its purpose during our time here. But I want a place I can truly call my own, you know? Garrett’s feeling the same way. Lately, he’s been considering the possibility of finding a piece of land, eager to find a spot we can settle down on. Perhaps even arrange a small stable for Applejack and Cotton, our two horses at Daddy’s ranch.
Finally deciding to leave bed, I do so cautiously to avoid waking Garret. I carefully rise from bed. Letting him get some extra sleep is a priority, he deserves the rest. He’s going to need it so I can have my wicked ways with him tonight. I can’t help but chuckle to myself thinking about it.
I step out of our bedroom into the quiet hallway, my heart beating a little faster as I make my way down the hall to Alaina’s room. Slowly, I push the door open and cautiously peek inside. Something seems off. Typically, she’d be quick to greet me with a mischievous grin on her little face. A look that says, “Caught you, Mama. I wasn’t really sleeping.” But this time, she doesn’t move.I approach her crib with a smile, ready for the usual game, but my face falls as concern creeps in. Her face is unusually pale, with almost a bluish hue.
A surge of panic courses through me as I quickly reach into the crib to lift her into my arms. Her skin is so cold, and fear tightens its grip around my chest. My voice trembles into a frantic scream as I clutch her tiny body to my chest, collapsing to the floor in a desperate attempt to wake her. Her small body feels limp, her limbs motionless, and dread takes over as I realize she’s not breathing. Every fiber of my being I know she’s gone. A gut-wrenching sob racks my body. It feels like someone has ripped a part of me away and made it disappear.
With a voice that feels foreign even to my own ears, I cry out for Garrett, the agony in my screams escalating into a piercing crescendo.
He hurries in and finds me with our baby girl in my arms on the floor, rocking and softly whispering, “No.” He reaches between us and checks for a heartbeat. He won’t find one. Reality hits him when doesn’t feel one and he sinks to his knees in front of me. Tears stream down his cheeks as he gently places his hand on Alaina’s tiny head as he wraps his arms around us, holding us both in his arms. He drops his head to the top of ours, rocking us both softly without saying a word.
Aurora - 2 Years Later…
The past two years since our baby girl was taken from us have been a constant struggle. The doctors explained that she had passed away peacefully in her sleep without pain. I’m sure they said that to offer some solace, but it fell short. It didn’t give me the comfort I needed. Nothing could. I still lost my child. Their lack of a definitive answer for her death didn’t make it any easier. If anything, it made it worse.
They suggested an underlying genetic disorder could have been the cause and suggested they run tests, but I couldn’t bear the thought. My only wish was for them to allow her to rest. I’m sure it was to give us peace of mind, as if uncovering the reason could somehow undo the heartache. But deep down, I knew even if they unearthed the truth, it wouldn’t bring her back. The emptiness remained, regardless of the answers they might give us.
Lately, I’ve been pushing Garrett away, and I feel really guilty about it. I’ve been doing it for so long, we’re like strangers that share a house. Roommates who don’t know each other. Roommates who lack intimacy. I made the choice to move out of our bedroom, not because of him or his actions, and certainly not because I don’t love him. The love I have for him is the same and still as strong as the day I first realized it. I moved because I miss my daughter and it made me feel more connected to her.
I hate that this is happening to us, but I can’t help it and I can’t stop it. I still feel that deep, heart-wrenching emptiness inside me, and it still consumes me every day. Eventually, he’s going to leave me and I honestly don’t bla me him. He should leave me. He deserves to be happy and I’m just not capable of that right now, if ever.
He’s young and an amazing man. I have no doubt he’ll make the right woman happy. Unfortunately, I’m no longer that woman. I wish I was because I love him so much. But loving him only adds to the hurt I already have inside me. I don’t know how much more I can take.
I leave Alaina’s room and make my way to the kitchen, needing a cup of coffee. It’s what I survive on these days. There, I find Garrett seated at the kitchen table. His demeanor is subdued, and a large yellow envelope sits in front of him. I look away from him, focusing on the coffee maker instead. With a coffee pod placed inside, I pivot and turn back around. He remains seated, his attention fixated on the envelope lying on the table. That’s when I notice his large duffel bag on the floor next to him. I clench my teeth because I know what’s coming. He’s leaving, just like I figured he would. I knew this day would come. I stay quiet, grab my cup from the machine, and take a sip of black coffee. It suits my mood.
He stands, his knuckles turning white as he tightly clutches the handle of his bag, his hand trembling. I’m sure it’s because of the envelope. He walks towards me, the room feeling heavy with unspoken emotions. He sets the envelope on the counter, making the reality of him leaving sink in. As he leans in and kisses my cheek, it’s a bittersweet reminder of what we had and what’s ending. “I’ll always love you, Rory. You will always be my girl,” he whispers. Then he heads for the door.
As the latch clicks softly into place, I release a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The silence that follows is palpable and overwhelming. A single tear slides down my cheek, showing just how much I’m hurting inside.
In the quiet of our apartment, I’m left alone with my thoughts as realization sets in. The emptiness I’m feeling is deeper than I could have ever imagined. The loneliness creeping in wraps itself around me, a cold reminder of my grief and the ache in my heart.
Outside, the world just keeps going, unaware of the love story that’s slowly breaking inside these walls. I press my hand to my chest, trying to keep the emotions from taking over. I realize I want the love we used to have instead of being alone.
Sighing heavily, I move away from the counter and sit in a chair. The empty seat across from me makes his absence even more real. The coffee I wanted earlier is cold now, matching the chill in my heart. The tear that slipped down my cheek has dried, leaving a faint trace behind.
Now, in the quiet, I have to face the pain of him leaving and come to terms with my sorrow. As the world outside moves on, I’m at a crossroads, where my past choices meet the ones still to come. These moments make up the unpredictable story of my life.
Chapter One
Aurora
The Past…
It's the middle of summer, and growing up in Texas, you'd think I'd be used to the heat. But no, it feels like the devil is breathing fire on us. I'm glad to be by the lake with my friends, where I can at least jump in the water to cool off. I'm thinking about doing just that right now. My mom bought me a new swimsuit, a two-piece, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm not one of those girls who likes to show off her body. I’m also not a girly girl by any means. I’ve never been overly feminine. Most of my life I was flat-chested, but this past summer I've sort of…changed. It's like I woke up one morning and developed in all the right places, even gained an extra inch in height.
So now I'm curvy, busty, and slightly taller, which I’m not used to. I feel like I'm going to fall out of this thing. It doesn't cover my boobs very well at all. But since it's all I have and I'm hot as hell in this heat, I'll just have to deal with it.
My biggest concern is that Garrett and the guys are also here. I've had a crush on Garrett Jensen for as long as I can remember, but he just treats me like one-of-the-guys. We've been best friends forever. Our moms have been best friends since grade school.
Daddy decided I needed to focus more on dressage training this summer, so we didn't get to see each other a lot. Don't get me wrong, I love dressage. It's always been my thing, but lately, I’m not feeling it. It feels more like something Daddy wants more than I do. I’d rather focus on my art. But I'm doing it because I love my daddy, something fierce. He’s the best man I know! So I keep doing it to make him happy, even if it's making me a little miserable.
I guess I should just get this over with. “Hey Sutton, let's get in the water. I'm so freaking hot I seriously think I might melt into the sand,” I say to my best friend, aside from Garrett.
“Sure,” she says, undoing her cutoffs and pulling them down her long, tanned legs. Sutton is the epitome of a girly girl. Long golden brown hair, bright blue eyes, and skin tanned to perfection. She's wearing a string bikini in a bright teal blue color that makes her skin practically glow. I'm not jealous, really. I just wish I had the confidence she did to wear it.
“Are you planning to wear your clothes into the water, Rory?” She teases, knowing full well I have a bathing suit underneath that I'm not fully comfortable with just yet. She just likes to tease me.
Glaring at her, I reply sarcastically, "No, I thought I'd go naked! You know I have a suit on!" I unbutton my cutoffs and slide them down my legs, my long t-shirt covering my butt, which seems to be a little bubbly these days. Then I take a deep breath and grab the hem of the t-shirt, pulling it up over my stomach and off over my head. The boys are sitting about 10 feet away from our blanket, so I'm nervous as I pull it off, hoping they aren't paying attention to us. The beach has other people here, other girls they've been talking about, even Garrett. As soon as the top is over my head, I hear audible gasps from the boys and I just roll my eyes. Ugh! Boys!
"DAMN! Aurora Briar, where have you been hiding all of... that?" Gentry Allen, one of Garrett's friends, hollers, whistling and hooting again as he inspects me from my head to my feet and back up again, landing on my boobs.
I just roll my eyes and flip him off as Sutton says, "One more word from your mouth, Gentry, and it'll be eating sand," kicking sand at him and hitting him with her foot.
I turn towards the water after that, peeking back to find Garrett staring at me with a look on his face I can’t read. I can't tell what he's thinking. Which is fine, whatever, it's not like he cares what I look like. I'm just one of the guys to him, anyway. I just wish I wasn't. "Ugh! Whatever!" I mumble to myself. Sutton reaches me before I get to the water and I think I hear Garrett telling Gentry to shut his mouth before he shuts it for him.
Did I hear that right? It sounded like Garrett was defending me, which I guess is kind of normal, but it was the way he said it. I look back again to see the boys all laughing and getting up with the football in Garrett’s hands, walking towards the girls they were talking to. I guess what he said wasn't because of me.
"Did you see that?" Sutton asks me as we step into the water. The cool water laps at my legs, sending a refreshing shiver up my spine. It feels so good, the cool water on my legs feels amazing! I really think I might melt from this heat.
“See what?” I ask as I swish the water with my hands and walk deeper into the cool depths.
"Garrett! I swear to god," she says, crossing her heart. "The look on his face was murderous the minute Gentry opened his mouth and catcalled you. Are you sure you two aren't more than friends?"
"I don't really think he was protecting me from Gentry. It was just boys acting like boys and NO, we are NOT more than friends. Never have been. He doesn't see me that way, I'm just one-of-the-guys," I say matter of fact.
“Yeah, okay! Keep telling yourself that Rory! Boys don't look at girls like that if they consider them just one-of-the-guys. I think your metamorphosis this summer made him notice you, but in a completely different way. I think you should go for it!” Sutton says, bumping my shoulder with hers. So I splash her because she’s being absurd. Garrett does not see me that way. Not like I'm a girl.
I look back to the shore and see the boys playing a game of football and the girls they were talking with are on the sidelines cheering them on. I see Garrett catch the ball and grin, then he looks over to where Sutton and I are and looks away quickly.
