Authors: Aprilynne Pike

Earthbound (37 page)

BOOK: Earthbound

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“How ’bout a name?” I ask, playing dumb.

“I’m Logan,” he says, shoving his phone into a pocket and holding out a hand to me.

I shake his hand, feel our warm skin meet, and euphoria tingles through me. He’s a little different—modern, I guess—but most parts of him are the same. The eyes, that lopsided tilt in his smile. I don’t know if I’ve ever managed to find him this young.

A lifetime. That’s what we have.

A twinge shoots through me at the memory of Benson saying those same words, but I push it away.

I don’t have time for regrets.

“Tavia,” I say, and cling to his hand just half a second longer than necessary. “Thanks for this,” I add, holding up the scrap of paper. “I’ll call you.”

“Sure,” Logan says.

I stride down the street, peeking once more over my shoulder at him. I don’t know where I’m going, don’t even have a place to stay tonight, but it doesn’t matter. We’re both here now, and somehow, it will work out.

It’s fate.

“Wait,” Logan calls out only a moment after I manage to tear my eyes from him.

I stop and he takes a few steps forward, looking almost sheepish. “Do I … I know this is going to sound weird, but do I know you?”

I grin, confidence bursting in my chest. “No,” I say playfully, “not yet.” I hitch my backpack higher and turn away, holding our eye contact as I look over my shoulder. “But you will.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Wow. This book has ended up being one of the scariest things I’ve ever done and I would probably be a crying, quivering mass curled up on the floor if it weren’t for the people who seriously forced this book into awesomeness.

To Jodi Reamer, my agent, thank you for giving me courage when I didn’t have any. Ben Schrank, my publisher, for taking a chance on me even when it looked like things weren’t going to work. Gillian Levinson, my editor, for having the guts to ask the one thing you should never ask a romance writer! That, more than anything else, is what made this book shine.

To my amazing cover designer, Emily Osborne. Seriously, I. Owe. You. One.

To Scott and Ashley, for letting me steal so many aspects of Scott’s injuries and for letting me share in this journey with you. Writing it is so much easier than living it, but watching the two of you work through this together has brought a realism and life to this book that could never have existed any other way. Just remember, Tavia had a brain injury before Scott did! I promise!

Kenny, for letting me leap. It may have been even scarier for you than for me, but you let me do it anyway. Thank you for believing in what I knew I had to do.

To Audrey, Brennan, Gideon, and Gwendolyn, who are more important to me than my books. Thank you for dealing with all the eccentricities of your “Writer Mom.”

And lastly, thank you again, Kenny. Because you deserve two mentions. Nah, you deserve ten. But two will have to do.

Copyright

First published in hardback in the USA by Razorbill, a division of the Penguin Group in 2013

First published in paperback in Great Britain by HarperCollins
Children’s Books
in 2013

HarperCollins
Children’s Books
is a division of HarperCollins
Publishers
Ltd, 77–85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 8JB.

www.harpercollins.co.uk

Aprilynne Pike asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of the work.

Version 1

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