Finding Me Love's Not Easy Series Book One by Nicole Rickman - HTML preview

Coming soon….

Chapter One

Aimee has been back to the States for three weeks now.  The internship with her dad turned out to be with his campaign headquarters instead of at his office like he led her to believe. The entire experience was horrible.  She hated being part of the campaign team.  The worst part was the camera crews.  They were everywhere she turned.  Deandre was trying to use Aimee in more episodes of her reality show and Aimee had ever intension to find out why.

Today was her first day of not working at Clint Pittman Campaign Headquarters’ and she could not be happier.  Today she was going to relax.  No one else was planning on being home so she planned to go back to the attic and search for more of her mom’s stuff.

She picked up her cell and found she had five new messages. Message one was from Piper her best friend she meet in boarding school three years ago.  Hi Aimee.  How is your Summer Holiday?  Mine is going so great.  My parents both got save last night.  James and I are spending so much time together.  We received the stuff you sent for Vacation Bible School the kids are so excited.  I wish you could be here to help us with it. Is LJ calling or texting you?   I will call you soon.  Love you Bestie.

Aimee hit reply:  Hey so glad you are having a great summer.  You and James are so great together I am so glad choice him for you. I just finished my horrible three week internship with dad.  It turned out to be with his campaign not office.  Today starts my summer vacation.  Liam is calling all the time.  I will tell you more when we talk.  Love you Bestie.

 The second message was from LJ.  Hey Aimee.  I am so sorry I did not call you last night.  I tried to call early it went straight to voice mail.  I will try to call you later. I can’t wait until I hear your voice.

Aimee checked the time it was ten a.m. it was only seven in Neahovia.  She decided to call him.  The phone rang four times before he picked it up.

“Hey, I thought I would change things up a bit and call you for a change.”

“Hey babe.  I am glad you decided to call me.  I wanted to call but was not for sure if you had to work today.”

“No.  My internship is over.”

“I bet you are happy.”

“Yes definitely.  How was your day?”

“It just got better when you called.  I got my dorm assignment today.  I will be staying in Chester Hall.”

“Wow.  That is great.  I hear it is the ultimate Senior Hall.”

“Yes it is great.”

“I can’t wait until I come back to Neahovia.  I miss you guys so much.”

“That is why I was trying to call.  I have an opportunity to get tickets for the Theater in August.  Do you know what day you are returning so I can get our tickets for that week?  We can celebrate you coming home to Neahovia.”

“I am not sure just yet.  Let me check with my dad and get back with you tomorrow.”

 A tap on the door took Aimee’s attention for a second.  “LJ hang on someone is at my bedroom door.  Come in.”

“Aimee guess what your father just called we are going to a Gallia at the country club tonight.”  Her stepmom Deandre rushed through the door followed by Aimee’s cousins Mindy and Tara.

“Deandre I was thinking of spending the evening home at home.”

“Nonsense.”  Tara plopped down on Aimee’s bed.

“Yeah.  Your dad gave his credit card.  New cocktail dresses all around.”

“Fine whatever.  Excuse me I am on the phone.”

She turned her back to everyone.  “Sorry LJ I am back.”

“You still don’t like to be told what to do?”  He was chuckling.

She was smiling ear to ear.  “Not at all.  So we were discussing our date.”

“Did I hear you right you just referred to the theater with me as a date?”

“Yes you did.  What days are the tickets available?”

“The dates available are August eleventh through the fourteenth.”

“I think I can arrange to be back to Neahovia by then.  I need to go but I promise to call you tomorrow to let you know the exact day.”

“Ok.  Have fun with your cousins today and tonight don’t be kissing every guy you dance with.”

“Oh, you know me dear I am not one to kiss and tell.”

He was laughing so hard he snorted.  “By love.”

Tara and Mindy sat up on the bed.  “Who is LJ?”

Aimee went to her closet to get an outfit.  “One of my friends from Neahovia,”

“A friend you have a date with when you go back to Neahovia.  You are talking about kissing and he called you love.  Spill the beans now Aimee.”  Tara winked at her.

Ok because of my dad tricking me with the internship.  We have not had a chance to catch up.  LJ is a third year business student.  He is a friend of my roommates.  I met him when Aiden, I have told you about him his my roommate that has the same major as me, had to attend a dinner for first year students.  LJ went on the ski trip I told you about at Christmas Break.  Anyway we hung out a lot.  On Valentine’s Day we went out on a date.  We kissed three times.  He said he call the next day. 

Two and half months later I ran into him at a non- alcoholic club my roommates and I went to.  He came over and we talked.  He apologized and wanted a second chance.  I put him back into friend zone to see how serious he is”

Mindy was biting her bottom lip.  “I am trying not to laugh because I know how serious you are about kissing guys that was big for you. Plus it was big of you to give him a second chance.”

Tara hit Mindy.  “I think it is sweet. He must be passing your test because you have a date with him.”

Aimee was ready to shower just before entering the bathroom she turned to look at her cousins, “We have a date.  But it will be a while before his lips caress against mine again.

Tara drove her car to Cassie’s Dress Shop.  Aimee was looking through the summer cocktail dresses when her phone rang. She had a hard time finding it in her purse then some lady shoved her in the side trying to get a dress she was looking at. 

“Hello.”  Aimee moved away from the dresses.

“Hey Aimee. I missed you.”

“Lexi hi.  I am doing great.  How are you?”

“Great.  Listen when you are coming back to Neahovia.”

“You are the second person who has called me and ask me that.”

“Well my friend are being missed horribly.”

Aimee giggled.  “Whatever. What’s up?”

“A trip to the spa with a small group from Wise.”

“That sounds great.”

“I will let you know as soon as I know.  Where are you?”

“The palace.”

“Are you having fun there?”

Aiden grabbed the phone from Lexi.  “Hey Aimee.  How is my favorite American?”

“Hey Aiden.  I am great and because I am so happy to hear your voice I am letting that slide.”

“You know I am just kidding.  Is today your first day off the job.”

“Yes and you will never guess what I am doing.”

“Shopping.” He laughed very loud.

“Oh you are psychic.”

“No I just know you Aimee.  Lexi is making me give her phone back.  I will call you later tonight.”

“Ok I have a Gallia to attend so I will be home around midnight her or seven in the morning your time.”

“Talk to you then.”

Lexi grabbed her phone.  “Aimee call me as soon as you make your reservations.  I will take care of all the details for the spa.”

“Sounds great.  I hate to hang up but I am shopping for a Gallia tonight.”

The rest of the day Aimee had to explain her first year of college.  Tara and Mindy was so relentless with the questions.  Aimee left out most of the details about Aiden.  She did not tell them he was Princes Aiden or that she nearly kissed him twice. 

Today was the first day she had talk to Aiden since she returned home for the summer.  Hearing his voice immediately reminded her of how much she missed Aiden. 

*   *   *   *   *

The Gallia started at seven p.m.  Aimee arrived with her dad and stepmom.  When she stepped out of the car door the valet was holding open she immediately seen Morgan, her high school prom date, standing by the entrance.

He came straight over to her and extended his arm for her.  “I was so excited to hear I had the pleasure of escorting you tonight.”

“Excuse me.  I never agreed to that.”

Clint took her arm.  “Aimee dear can you please humor me tonight.”

“You owe me big time dad.”

Aimee returned to Morgan and followed him to the dance floor.  She danced a few slow songs with him before he was time for the dinner portion of the Gallia.

Aimee and Morgan sat at the table with her father, stepmother and his campaign team.  Aimee sat quietly and ate her dinner.  Mrs. Pennington (the Richmond society gossip queen) came to the table to chit chat.  Aimee tried to leave the table but Deandre stopped her.  She is very important to your father’s campaign Aimee. 

Mrs. Pennington showed up talking in her annoying voice.  “Deandre dear. You look so lovely and much too young to be the mother of this lovely girl.  Aimee you look darling.” 

 Deandre smiled and nodded.  “Thank you Mrs. Pennington.  You look very lovely as well.”

Tori just smiled and gritted her teeth as she spoke.  “Thank you Mrs. Pennington.  Deandre is my stepmother.  My mother passed away when I was ten.”

“Oh yes, dear forgive me I forgot.  You are in College correct.”

“Yes mam.”

“If I am correct you will be tending the University of Richmond?”

Deandre answered before Aimee had a chance.  “Actually Mrs. Pennington Aimee has been studying abroad.  She is expanding her horizon.”

“Oh that is wonderful dear.”

“Thank you mam, if you excuse me I see my friends waiting on Morgan and me.”

When Aimee and Morgan reach Mindy and Tara they were conversing with a small group of people Aimee did not know.  Tara was clinging on to a tall skinny guy.

“Aimee this is Ashton Meeks.”

“Hi Ashton, I am Aimee Pittman.”

“Oh so you are Clint Pittman’s eldest daughter.”  His fake voice was as annoying as Mrs. Pennington.

“Yes that is my father.”  She hated this stupid Gallia’s.

“Our mothers work on several committees together.”

“Really.”  She was anxious to see what Deandre has said.

“Yes but I have to say Deandre looks way too young to have a daughter our age.”

“That would be because she is too young.  She is my step mother.”

Ashton looked really surprised.  “Your parents are divorced wow.”

“No Ashton my mother is deceased.”  Aimee had enough of him she turned to walk away.

“I’m sorry Aimee my father did not tell me that.”

Aimee stopped and turned toward him.  “Your father.”

“Yes my father is Edward Meeks.  You fathers campaign manager.”

Mr. Meeks was the one person the campaign team who she never saw.  “Excuse me.”

Morgan took Aimee by the arm.  “Let’s go for a walk.”

“No, this conversation is just getting interesting to me.”

Aimee started to drill Ashton she had lots of questions she wanted answers to.  That is when Tanner Scites came over and greeted her.

“Aimee Pittman, I hear that you are going to joining us at the University of Richmond in few weeks.”

“What?  No I am continuing my studies abroad.  Who told you that?”

“I just overheard your dad telling Mr. Daniels that you would be studying business at the University of Richmond when fall classes resume.”

“He has mistaken.  And why all of sudden is people calling Deandre my mother.”

Tanner frowned.  “I over heard some of the ladies saying that Deandre adopted you after your mom…”

“She did not.  What is going on here?”

Ashton came over.  “Tara told me all about your mom’s accident and I talked to my dad.  He said he knew that they was going to use the story for sympathy votes….”

“NO!”  Aimee yelled and started walking off.  “I will not allow that he will not tarnish her memory that way.”

“I have to go.”  Aimee was so hurt and mad.  The tears were pouring out of her eyes and down her face.  She did not care what she looked like or who saw her. She was running for the front entrance to get her father’s car.  She told the valet to send for her father’s driver and she went over to the side to wait. 

Morgan finally caught up with her.  “Aimee I am sorry I was going to get you along and tell you what was happening.”

She turned to face him.  “Whose ideal is all this?”

“Deandre came up with and told my dad and he is pressured your dad until he agreed.”

“Thanks Morgan.  Will you tell my dad I will send the car back for him and his wife?”