This Unexpected Love (City Hearts #1)

Chapter 1

Ellie

Today I start my day the same way I have for the last two years.

I wake up, get ready, drink my coffee, and head to work.

When I get there, I’ll be doing the same job I have done for the last two years as well.

To say I am bored would be an understatement.

I’m ready for more out of life—in both my work life and home life. I have been for a while now.

I arrive at United Bell Bank, where I work as a controller.

Typically, every day is spent sitting at my desk, checking numbers and preparing reports.

I just got comfortable sitting at my desk in my small office to begin work for the day when my friend from HR, Maggie, walks into my office. “Good Morning, Ellie!” she says.

“Good morning, Maggie!” I reply. Maggie is one great thing about working here.

She has been an amazing work friend. Some days I think she might even be the only thing keeping me here; that’s how much I like her.

Not only has she been helpful around the office, but something about her just makes you want to smile when she is around.

She’s always cheerful, and she always looks ready for anything.

Her short, styled afro bounces right along with her, matching her personality perfectly.

“I wanted to talk to you about a chief accounting officer position the company needs to fill at our office in New York. They are desperately looking for someone to step in and take over. You’ve been here for so long, and you’ve been such a great asset to our team.

I thought maybe you would be interested in moving forward in your career,” she says.

I stare at her for a moment before responding. I wasn’t expecting an offer like this, but I would love to be able to take it. Then I think of Jason; he would never want to move. “Maggie, I can’t just move to New York on a whim,” I finally say.

“Of course you can! You are young and adventurous! Also, doesn’t your friend Bri live there? You always say how much you miss her. You could see her all the time this way.”

“Yes, she does, but I have more to think about than just the fact that I’d be closer to my best friend. I have a life here. I have a fiancé here.”

“Well, why don’t you at least talk to Jason about it and see what he thinks?

He works from home, so I don’t see why it would be too difficult for you to do this.

They want someone to start as soon as possible.

Their accounting officer quit a couple of weeks ago, and they thought they could manage without a replacement until the right fit came along, but they are struggling.

They reached out to us along with the other offices to see if there was anyone who would be a good fit that could be promoted from within the company.

I thought you would be interested, especially since Bri lives there.

I know she is like a sister to you, and the past couple of years have been hard for you.

I am not trying to force you, but I think this would make you happy, Ellie.

They are willing to help with the cost of moving on top of the raise. ”

I take a moment to think about everything.

My fiancé, Jason, and I have been together for a total of six years.

We met when we were freshmen in college during a football game.

I was going up the steps of the bleachers when I tripped and fell into his lap.

It was like love at first sight; his green eyes, brown hair, and toned body drew me right in.

We dated all through college, and right after graduation, we found an apartment together.

We finally got engaged six months ago. Part of me wonders if we only got engaged because it was the “right thing” to do. There was no elaborate proposal; we went and picked out a ring together, and he officially asked me while we were eating dinner that night.

Since that night, six months ago, we’ve made no plans for the wedding.

We haven’t talked about when or where we’d like to have it.

Really, we haven’t seen much of each other lately either.

We both work during the day. He works from home, and usually when I get home, he’s leaving to go out with his friends.

I don’t have many friends in the area. Most of my friends are more like acquaintances.

When Jason and I do go out, it is usually with his friends.

He is from here, and most of his friends stuck around after college as well.

I came to Chicago for college, leaving my family and friends in Indiana.

Since then, my parents have retired and moved to Florida, and my brother moved to Missouri to pursue his racing career.

Finally, I answer Maggie, “I’ll go home for lunch and mention it to Jason. A promotion would be great, and I would love to be close to Bri again.” I just hope Jason will even consider it.

“That sounds great, Ellie. I think you’ve been waiting for something new, and this might just be what you’ve been waiting for.” Maggie smiles at me.

“I’ll give you an answer after lunch,” I say, smiling back.

A few hours later, I am on my way home for lunch. I usually go to the café down the street from my office for lunch, but since I told Maggie I would talk to Jason about moving, I changed my plans for the day. I don’t want to keep her waiting for my decision.

Music is playing when I walk into the house.

I go to Jason’s office to let him know I am home and want to talk to him, but he isn’t in there.

The music is coming from the bedroom, so I walk that way.

The music gets louder as I approach. Just before I open the door, other noises and what sounds like a woman’s voice reach my ears.

Opening the door to our bedroom, I find the last thing I ever expected.

My fiancé balls deep in another woman, on our bed.

“What the fuck!” I scream louder than I have ever heard myself scream.

They finally notice I am standing in the doorway, and they scramble out of the bed. They use the blankets and sheets (the ones I just purchased last week) to cover their naked bodies.

“It’s not what it looks like, Ellie!” Jason exclaims.

“Oh, so I didn’t just find you fucking another woman in our bed? That’s what it looked like to me!” I shout. The silence is deafening as Jason just stares at me. He doesn’t even look guilty or sad about me walking in on this.

Finally, the other woman speaks up. “I’m just going to go,” she says as she is grabbing her clothing. She leaves the bedroom after she has collected it all. Glaring at Jason the whole time, I wait until I hear the front door click shut.

“How could you?” I shout. I don’t think I have ever felt anger anything like I am at this moment.

I can feel my pulse beating in my temples and hear the slam of it in my ears.

I think I might have cracked a tooth with how hard I’m clenching my teeth.

I really don’t know who I am more angry at, though, myself or him.

“I didn’t think you would be home until later tonight. Since when do you come home for lunch?”

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t warn you that I was coming home so you wouldn’t be fucking some woman in our bed when I got here!” I am spiraling. How could he do this to me? Have all these years meant nothing to him? We just got engaged. What am I going to do?

“We can fix this,” Jason starts in. “She was a mistake.” As if having sex with someone who isn’t your fiancée just happens or even that I am the one who needs to fix the situation. My mind is reeling, and then suddenly an idea comes to me, and all the anxiety about what I am going to do vanishes.

“I’m leaving,” I state.

“OK, fine. We can discuss this later when you get back.” Jason sighs.

“No. I mean I am leaving Chicago. I am moving to New York.”

“What do you mean you are moving to New York?” he yells. “You are my fiancée. You can’t just up and leave like this!”

“Interesting that you say that, because you didn’t seem to care about me being your fiancée when you were fucking that woman in our bed.”

“I already told you, Ellie, that was a mistake. She means nothing to me. You are my fiancée; you are the one I want to marry.” He reaches for me, and I step even further away from him. The thought of his touch makes my skin itch right now.

“You sure have a funny way of showing me you want to marry me, Jason.” I take a moment to catch my breath and avoid allowing my voice to break.

“I am moving. I cannot be with someone who would do this to me. I can’t believe you did this to me.

The reason I even came home for lunch today was to tell you they need a coordinator at the New York office and Maggie thinks I should go.

I thought we could discuss this together. ”

“Ellie, it won’t happen again. You can’t just leave me.” He pauses for a moment. “If you really feel like you can’t be around me, go spend some time with Bri, but come back. We can discuss a move together, but I don’t know if we should just up and move. We have a life here, Ellie.”

I laugh. “No, Jason, you have a life here. We are done. I’m not going to be the girl that stays with her cheating fiancé and allows him to continue to do it behind my back. I am going to go back to work for the day. I would like for you to be gone when I get home.”

“Fine, I’ll go to Gary’s for the night, but we’re talking about this tomorrow.”

But it’s too late; my mind is already made up.

We will not be talking about this tomorrow.

I won’t even be here tomorrow. I work out a plan on my drive back to the office.

I’m going to call Bri tonight and tell her what happened while I pack and spend tomorrow night in a hotel and then go to New York on Friday.

I know Bri will be fine with me staying in her spare room until I can find my own place.