Okay so last week I promised that this week I would post a teaser of chapter one from book two 'Forever Changed by Love' -- so here it is. Let me know what you think of it :)
Enjoy it!
Chapter 1-
Taylor Dugan sat in her car on a chilly mid-April
night, after her best friend Elle’s wedding; trying to get it started but
nothing was happening. She tried countless times to get it to turn over. She
looked around the dark parking lot and thought to herself, “this can’t be
happening, not today and not now.” It was a bittersweet day, Elle married an
amazing guy who was perfect for her, and Taylor loved him. She was so happy for
Elle and Trevor; they were married and having a baby. That life was everything
she wanted for her friend but… also, everything she wanted for herself. They
were off to some tropical paradise honeymoon in Hawaii while she was stuck in a
car that wouldn’t start and memories of the day with the best man, Jake Conners.
Jake was Trevor’s best friend, but also a guy that Taylor had a short-lived ‘romantic
past’ with, if it could even be called that. Now that their best friends were
husband and wife, it seemed they wouldn’t be able to avoid each other like Taylor
wanted.
She looked around the parking lot; to see if she saw
any other cars, the only other vehicle in the lot was Jake’s, but she didn’t
want him helping her now or ever. Their story had ended before it started so,
no happily ever after for her. She tried to start the car again but still
nothing. She began gathering her things from the car to walk to the gas station
down the block to call for a tow because her cell phone had died hours ago. She
would also have to call her sister to come back and give her a ride.
Jake sat in his truck watching Taylor try to start
her car. She was still inside the car even though he knew she had to have seen
his truck; he was the only other damn car in the lot. He was tired as hell;
today had been long, but he wasn’t leaving her alone. Whatever it was they had
didn’t end on a good note, but he thought they were past that until he saw her
a few weeks ago at a barbecue at Trevor and Elle’s house. Then, today he put
his foot in his mouth again. He managed to take their still-friendly encounters
from ‘semi-awkward’ straight to awkward and uncomfortable. Taylor would barely
look him in the eye and never gave him more than one word answers if she didn’t
have to. He didn’t want to hurt her, and that’s all there was to it. He saw her
under the dim light in the parking lot getting her stuff together and realized
she intended on walking somewhere, maybe the nearest gas station, rather than
ask him for help. He was not going to let that happen.
Taylor was still grabbing all of her stuff from the car;
she felt like she brought almost everything she owned with her today, when she
heard a knock on the window. She turned and saw Jake standing outside her car.
In the dim lights, his green eyes looked darker, and his hair looked lighter
than normal. She groaned and opened the door.
“Car won’t start?” Jake asked looking back and forth
between her and the car.
“Nope, but its fine,” Taylor said without making eye
contact.
“Do you need help?” He wondered how it could be fine
and why he’d asked if she wanted help instead of just saying I’ll help.
“No it’s okay; I’ll call for a tow then call V and
have her come back to come pick me up, she didn’t leave that long ago.” She
left out the part about walking to the gas station knowing he wouldn’t let her,
even though she could see it.
“It’s after midnight; a tow will take forever and
probably cost twice as much, how about you let me drive you home and then tomorrow
morning call to get the car towed to your mechanics? I’m sure it’ll be fine
here overnight.” He said crossing his arms over his chest impatiently.
“No, its fine. I don’t mind waiting, and V won’t
mind either. To be honest, I don’t know if I want to spend any more time with
you today.” She had to be honest; she
just wanted to get away from Jake and go home. Thanks to all the wedding festivities
she’d seen him way more than usual and today they had been inseparable, but not
by her choice. They were apart only when Trevor’s brothers each asked her to dance
and Jake made a snarling face both times, but damn him! It’s not like he was
making a move; he made his intentions clear before the wedding and again at the
wedding, so she could do what she pleased and with whomever she pleased. Just
the thought of spending any more time with him today made her feel uneasy, restless
and something between hurt and anger.
Looking wounded and hurt by her words Jake said
quietly, “You don’t? Have I been that awful to you?”
“No, I don’t know. I guess awful isn’t the right
word but I would like you to leave; I’ll call V.”
Jake rocked back on his heels and tugged his tie to
loosen it. It killed him to think she thought ill of him and that he had hurt
her so badly she wouldn’t even accept a ride home from him. He was trying to do
the best for her in the long run, so neither of them would get hurt…
He ran his hand through his hair and made an unintelligible
sound before he said, “No, I am not leaving you. Let’s go.” And tried to get
her out of the car.
“What? No!” Taylor
said as she crossed her arms in defiance, determined to stay in the car.
“You’re
coming with me; you can worry about the car tomorrow; it’ll be fine here until
then.” He practically growled.
“Fine I’m coming you big ape!” Then she muttered
under her breath so he had to strain to hear her.
“If I had just done what Elle
did and bought a new car when the business started doing well this wouldn’t be
happening, and I wouldn’t be going home with you. But no, I had to keep my heap
of junk because I loved it soo much.”
Jake took a deep breath and tried to ignore her
comment about him but couldn’t and said, “I heard that, and this could’ve
happened at any time.”
“Yeah well, yours is working right now isn’t it?!” And
with that she begrudgingly hopped in his truck.
She kept thinking it didn’t matter what she felt for
Jake he didn’t feel the same, he had never shown any indication he felt that
way for her. She knew he cared for her on some level but didn’t know the nature
of his feelings. Maybe he treated all his female friends the same way; since
May his interest hadn’t been romantic in any way. What happened during their
trip to the Poconos must have been a fluke or the two of them being caught up
in the moment. Jake never gave her a clue why he was always so hot and cold
with her. At times she caught a glimpse of emotion in his eyes but he never
said anything unless he was happy, which he rarely let her see. He was always
so closed off with his emotions and thoughts she never knew how to read or take
him. She never knew what he was thinking or how he felt.
Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek. Check back for me to possibly post more of chapter one.
Kristin :)
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