Emily Lockhart has it all figured out. She's studying in a prestigious program, living abroad, and dating with marriage in mind. Her future is mapped out.
But life doesn't care about plans. When Emily's world is suddenly turned upside down, who will she turn to?
・・・
Alex Carmichael is a lost soul. She used to have a clear path laid out: she'd inherit her family's fortune, marry her high school sweetheart, and run one of the largest companies in the U.S. But now, she has no idea what to do with her life. The fame that once clung to her now feels suffocating, her will to meet new people nonexistent, and her heart seems broken beyond repair. But when she locks eyes with a familiar pair of deep, ocean-blue eyes, she feels like she can breathe again.
·········
This is an independent sequel to Melting The Ice, following the story of Alex and Emily from both POVs. It can be read as a standalone, and I will admit the writing is much better in this one, but you're more than welcomed to read Melting The Ice beforehand.
Trigger Warnings:
This story portrays a character who is struggling with eating disorders, particularly anorexia, so beware.
There will be mentions of depression and anxiety.
They are both going through it, and it is the trying that matters, so a lot of heartbreak before a happy ending.
And, of course, smut🫡
𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣' 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙
𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮
✿Charlene Alexandra Leigh. God, she feels like her parents definitely had a grudge against her.
Charley has just moved from Texas to New York in search of a different life, a more exciting life, something better. Problem is, she just doesn't know what actually is a better life.
Is it just she and her evenings with Xbox and Phoebe Buffay? Or is it pining over her hot boss from afar? Or just straight up telling this boss that she likes her, despite the fact that the latter has a lot of other things to deal with?
✿Comes in the hot boss, Evelyn Bridgers, tired of being defined as just "hot" and mourning the loss of a wife who committed suicide three months ago. She never actually knew what drove her wife, Lydia Ackles, to that point, and just when she's finally accepting that she herself must be at fault for this somehow two things happen at once:
she finds that Lydia Ackles was having an affair, and
she gets drunk and stumbles quacking into Charley's apartment, unleashing Lydia's secret on her.
Now will these two women find it in themselves to just "be" together when everything seems to be working against it, even their own personalities? Will the love built in destruction survive?
_______________________________________
#55 in undiscovered
#21 in lesbian romance
#35 in lesbian love
#6 in alexithymia
#12 in gxg
#1 in wsw
COVER CREDITS TO @sarcastic-mess
//COMPLETED//