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Authors: Kristin Billerbeck

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A Billion Reasons Why

BOOK: A Billion Reasons Why
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Advance Praise for
A Billion Reasons Why

“Katie and Luc dance off the pages of this book, making you fall in love with them and New Orleans. A nostalgic trip full of surprises and romance.”

—C
AROLYNE
A
ARSEN, AUTHOR OF
T
HE
B
ABY
P
ROMISE

“A sparkling and lively romance . . . featuring the spunkiest heroine of the year!”

—D
ENISE
H
UNTER, AUTHOR OF
C
ONVENIENT
G
ROOM


A Billion Reasons Why
is a fun, sophisticated romance with Kristin Billerbeck’s unique voice and quirky characters. I loved it!”

—C
OLLEEN
C
OBLE, AUTHOR OF
L
ONESTAR
H
OMECOMING
AND THE
M
ERCY
F
ALLS
SERIES

Acclaim for Kristin Billerbeck’s previous titles

She’s All That
“Christian chick-lit star Billerbeck has moved on from her popular Ashley Stockingdale trilogy with an engaging new novel that features struggling fashion designer Lilly Jacobs and her two best friends, Morgan and Poppy . . . Snappy dialogue and lovable characters make this novel a winner.”

—P
UBLISHERS
W
EEKLY

“Billerbeck has the chick lit tone nailed, providing the angst without the juvenile whine too common in the genre. Settle in for madcap fun that leaves the reader wanting more.”

—R
OMANTIC
T
IMES

Perfectly Dateless

“[W]itty musings and snappy dialogue”

—B
OOKLIST

“Well known as a chick-lit author . . . Christy Award finalist Billerbeck turns her talent for witty dialog to the YA market . . . [a] hilarious novel.”

—L
IBRARY
J
OURNAL

A Billion Reasons Why

Other novels by Kristin Billerbeck include

What a Girl Wants
She’s Out of Control
With This Ring, I’m Confused
She’s All That
A Girl’s Best Friend
Calm, Cool & Adjusted
Split Ends

A Billion
Reasons
Why

Kristin Billerbeck

© 2011 by Kristin Billerbeck

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc. 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.
www.AliveCommunications.com
.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., books may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Billerbeck, Kristin.
    A billion reasons why / Kristin Billerbeck.
        p. cm.
    ISBN 978-1-59554-791-0 (pbk.)
    I. Title.
    PS3602.I44B55 2011
    813'.6—dc22                                                                         2010043882

Printed in the United States of America
11 12 13 14 15 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

TO NANCY TOBACK AND NICOLE CHRISTIAN
FOR MORAL SUPPORT.
AND TO THE BRICKS FOR INSPIRATION.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Acknowledgments

Reading Group Guide

Ten Random Questions with Kristin Billerbeck

About the Author

Prologue

S
OMEONE TO
W
ATCH
O
VER
M
E

Luc DeForges took the ring from Ian McKenna’s trembling hand and raised it to the sunlight that danced through the trees of New Orleans’ Garden District. “It’s exquisite.”

The old man’s tight expression relaxed, replaced by pride. “A full carat of diamonds, cushion-cut center set in solid platinum by my grandfather before he left Ireland. You see that workmanship? How he made the center stone appear so much larger than it is by the cuts of the smaller stones? He was a master.”

Mr. McKenna’s finger shook as he pointed to the ring’s bezel. “A gentleman like yourself is sure to recognize quality. You can’t buy this kind of craftsmanship anymore.” His voice held an edge of desperation.

“I agree with you,” Luc said, as he pushed the ring back toward its owner.

Mr. McKenna shook his head. He seemed to be waiting for something more.

Luc tried again. “It appears so much larger, but it’s dainty, like Katie. It belongs on a woman like her. The stones are a lighter color than I think of when I picture an emerald.”

“Aye.” Mr. McKenna’s voice sank. “That’s because they were hand selected to match my grandmother’s eyes. The gems were renowned in Ireland as not merely being green but transparent like worn sea glass. He would have spent the money for darker emeralds if that’s what the piece called for.”

Luc nodded as the image of Katie’s sea-green eyes and red hair flashed through his mind. “I’m certain he would have.”

“Notice the detail work in the platinum with the cut emeralds?” Mr. McKenna’s eyes watered as he stared hard into Luc’s own. “Platinum in an intricate design like this was extremely difficult, usually reserved for royals. He wanted my grandmother to feel cherished above all other brides.”

Luc studied the way the metal crossed and intersected in a complicated form of lacy architecture, like a jeweled web. “Any woman in Ireland would have felt that way.”

“My mam used to twist the ring around her finger and whisper to Katie that one day, when she found the right man, the ring would belong to her.”

“I’ll guard it with my life, Mr. McKenna.”

Again the older gentleman looked Luc in the eyes. “I know you will. And I can trust you to make sure Katie gets it on her wedding day?”

Luc held his fist to his heart. “On my honor.”

“And you won’t tell anyone you have this, you understand?”

“You have my word. Unless you ask for it back, I’ll keep it under lock and key.”

Mr. McKenna turned toward the sidewalk. “I won’t be asking for it back.”

Now, all these years later, Luc could still picture the slope of Mr. McKenna’s bent back, the way he stepped, broken and wilted, a shadow of the lively man he remembered from his youth. If only he’d known then that he’d be the last person to see Ian McKenna alive, there were so many things he would have done differently.

So many things.

Chapter 1

A F
INE
R
OMANCE

Katie McKenna had dreamed of this moment at least a thousand times. Luc would walk back into her life filled with remorse. He’d be wearing jeans, a worn T-shirt, and humility. He’d be dripping with humility.

That should have been her first clue that such a scenario had no bearing on reality.

“Katie,” a voice said.

The sound sent a surge of adrenaline through her frame. She’d forgotten the power and the warmth of his baritone. A quick glance around her classroom assured her that she must be imagining things. Everything was in order: the posters of colorful curriculum, the daily schedule of activities printed on the whiteboard, and, of course, the children. All six of them were mentally disabled, most of them on the severe side of the autism spectrum, but three had added handicaps that required sturdy, head-stabilizing wheelchairs. The bulk of the chairs overwhelmed the room and blocked much of the happy yellow walls and part of the large rainbow mural the kids had helped to paint. The room, with its cluttered order, comforted her and reminded her of all she’d accomplished. There was no need to think about the past. That was a waste of time and energy.

Her eyes stopped on her aides, Carrie and Selena. The two women, so boisterous in personality, were usually animated. But at the moment they stood huddled in the corner behind Austin’s wheelchair.

Carrie, the heavyset one in the Ed Hardy T-shirt, motioned at her.

“What?” Katie pulled at her white shirt with the delicate pink flowers embroidered along the hem and surveyed the stains. “I know, I’m a mess. But did you see how wonderfully the kids did on their art projects? It was worth it. Never thought of the oil on the dough staining. Next time I’ll wear an apron.”

Selena and Carrie looked as though there was something more they wanted.

“Maddie, you’re a born artist.” Katie smiled at the little girl sitting behind a mound of colorful clay. Then to the aides: “What is the matter with you two?”

Selena, a slight Latina woman, shook her head and pointed toward the door.

Katie rotated toward the front of the classroom and caught her breath. Luc, so tall and gorgeous, completely out of place in his fine European suit and a wristwatch probably worth more than her annual salary, stood in the doorway. He wore a fedora, his trademark since college, but hardly one he needed to stand out in a crowd.

BOOK: A Billion Reasons Why
6.39Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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