Irreplaceable (29 page)
“I’m ready,” I interrupted, sniffling and wiping away the
final tears. “As long as you’ll stay with me. Don’t leave. Not yet.”
His eyes softened. “Cassandra, I’m not going anywhere,
ever.”
Logan stood and brought me with him as I relaxed against
him. Face to face with him, I leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to his
lips.
“Thank you,” I murmured into the gentle kiss.
“Don’t thank me. It’s what a man in love does.”
“Miss Clarke?” An officer stood behind us, clearing his
throat.
“I love you, too,” I whispered, then took a deep breath
before turning around.
Kurt was lying on a gurney, wearing a neck brace in the
all-too-familiar scene. He was alive, but was going to be in some serious pain
when he woke up.
“We need your statement, ma’am.”
“Of course. Let’s go in the kitchen,” I said, my hand
wrapped around Logan’s.
He was my strength, my rock, my everything, and I was
never more confident than with him at my side. We could take on anything.
Collateral
~Natasha~
Two days—that’s how long it had
been since I’d showed up at Logan’s vacation house, sneaking in the back,
waiting to surprise him. To have him alone and remind him how good we once
were—how we could be again.
Yet here I’d sat for two long days. Alone.
As the sun set over the snow-covered mountains, I picked
up my phone and dialed.
“I figured you’d be back by now,” Jax chuckled. “Good
thing you have the looks, ‘cause baby, you’re not the smartest.”
“Where is he?” I asked, anger lacing my tone.
“Logan? Oh, you know, out.” He laughed again. “Actually,
he’s probably
in
Cassandra as we speak. You know, the pretty blonde that
lives next door—the girl he actually enjoys hanging around.”
“You played me!”
“No, Logan played you. I simply got paid to make it
happen. Having his ex-fiancée around on Valentine’s Day didn’t sit well with
him, so I’m sure you understand. And by the way, no rush on your return.”
Rage consumed me, surging through my veins. Logan wasn’t
coming. He was never going to give me a fair chance—at least, not with that
woman around.
“I’ll be coming back soon, Jax. And when I do, you’re
going to help me win him over.”
“And why would I do that to my own brother?”
“Because if you don’t, I’ll tell him all about this past
summer in Miami—every juicy detail of how you tracked me down for Oliver, only
to spend the week in my bed!”
“I was out of my mind that week! Whatever you gave me—”
“I gave you exactly what you wanted. It wasn’t my fault
you couldn’t handle it.” I smiled to myself.
“I went looking for you in the hopes that you’d
changed—that you could be his mother. But like I told you the day I left Miami,
you’re nothing to this family, and Oliver doesn’t need you. He was happy enough
before I got involved and dug you up!”
“No, he wasn’t. You said so yourself. You asked me to
return—”
“No, I told you to stay as far away as possible when I
realized what you were into! That week is still a fucking blur to me.”
A blur to him, perhaps, but an eye-opener for me. Oliver
wanted his mother, and it was the push I needed to return to him.
“I want my son, and I want Logan where we once were:
heading for the altar. And you will help me!”
“Logan won’t even speak to you, and you think you can
convince him to marry you?” he scoffed.
“I think, with a little persuasion, Logan will see
exactly what I want him to.”
“He loves her,” Jax said, sounding a little too convinced
for my taste. “He won’t screw that up again, so if you think you can break them
up now, you’re too late.”
“Who said anything about
me
breaking them up?” I
grinned as I hit the ‘End Call’ button. After surfing the web on my phone, I
found the number I needed. After one ring, a man answered.
“Twenty-Four-Hour Pawn, how can I help you?”
I looked around the lavishly decorated room, smiling.
“Yes, do you buy furniture?”
“If it’s in good shape, we buy just about anything.”
“Good. Send out your largest truck, because I have plenty
to sell.” After giving him the address, I hung up and walked over to the
window.
This wasn’t the way I wanted things to unfold. I tried to
be what he wanted, what Oliver needed, but I was running out of time. If Logan
wouldn’t listen to me, then I’d just have to make him see things my way.
Look for Book Three of the Harmony Series, the conclusion
of Cassandra and Logan’s story, coming early 2014!
Angela Graham resides in Tipp City, Ohio with her loving
husband and three beautiful children. Her first novel, Inevitable, was
released in early 2013 and is part of a three book series.
I have to admit, writing this was harder than I expected.
So many kind and generous people have entered my life since I released
Inevitable. I am awed by the support I have received and I don’t really know
where to begin, so I’ll start with my family that have dealt with my preoccupied
state the last few months.
First and foremost, I want to thank my husband, who has
stuck beside me and watched from the sidelines, helping out more than ever as
I’ve pursued my dream. I love you, babe!
To William, my handsome son, the genius artist who
inspires me to dream bigger, I love you. No matter how tall you grow, you’ll
always be my little baby.
My little darlings, Tinsley and James, I love you both so
much. Hugs and kisses every day.
I also want to thank Maureen and Tom for all their
support while I wrote most of this book hidden away in the cottage. You gave my
kids a summer to remember, so thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Through this journey, I’m blessed to have Stephanie, my
CP and friend, still by my side. She has been my writing rock.
There has been one person welcomed into my life that I
can’t imagine not having, and that is Whitney. She keeps this new world
organized for me, and in doing so keeps my mind clear so I can focus on
writing. Thank you for everything you do.
Another wonderful addition who has come on last minute
has been my fabulous new editor, Jen. She has helped me pull this book together
to give you the best reading experience possible. I look forward to many more
books with her on board.
To my beta readers—you know who you all are—I’m so
appreciative of your honest feedback and patience. It was beyond helpful, and I
look forward to hearing your thoughts when the third book is ready.
Now here comes the tricky part—the part I’m terrified
I’ll forget someone if I start naming names. I have
never
,
in all
my life,
met anyone as generous with their time and kind with their
hearts as bloggers. It’s because of all you guys out there supporting indie
authors that readers discover our work. My gratitude is indescribable. I wish I
could start from day one of publishing and list every blogger with a heartfelt
comment for each, but the fear of missing even one person is too much. I hope
you know who you are. To everyone who has reviewed, shared, and promoted my work,
as well as spent precious time answering my e-mails, giving me invaluable
advice, and helping me navigate down this unfamiliar path: thank you, thank
you, and again, thank you!
Lastly, but most importantly, I want to thank my readers.
From the very beginning, you have amazed me with your kind words, filled me
with happy tears, and lifted my spirits when l was overwhelmed. Your constant
support amazes me daily, and is more than I ever could’ve dreamed of. I hope to
someday meet you all and wrap you in a tender, warm embrace, as that is what
each and every one of your e-mails does to me. There have been so many amazing
readers who have gone above and beyond to support my books, and I hope you all
know that I see it and am extremely grateful. Thank you!
Irreplaceable
Playlist
Plumb—“Cut”
Ed Sheeran—“Give Me Love”
W Temptation—“All I Need”
Jason Walker—“Echo”
Ross Copperman—“Holdin On & Letting Go”
Christina Perri—“Jar of Hearts”
Alex Band—“Will Not Back Down”
Birdy—“Skinny Love”
The Fray—“Never Say Never”
Florence & The Machine—“Never Let Me Go”
Sum 41—“With Me”
While
you wait, be sure to check out
Embrace, Book 2 in the Evolve Series
by
S. E. Hall, releasing Oct 1, 2014!
You
can also visit S.E. on
Facebook
!
Chapter 1
Dear Laney
~Evan~
My phone is burning a hole in my pocket. Ninety percent
of me wants to respond to the text Laney had sent about an hour ago, but the
other ten percent, the shred that still has some dignity, is winning. As much
as I want an exact explanation, I simply can’t bear to hear it right now.
Sawyer’s a godsend, shoving beers in my hand and
attracting every lady in the bar over to our table. He’s doing a better job than
anyone else could at distracting me, including the brunette currently perched
on my right leg… Manda? Mandy? She’s hot with long dark hair, full lips and
huge tits that she’s not afraid to let play peek-a-boo. She even smells decent
and her hands know no boundaries, but all I can think about is the one who got
away; a beautiful blonde with a quick wit, smart mouth and devastating smile.
“Dude, you need another one?” Sawyer’s question drags me
from my mental misery, and I’m almost sure he’s asking about another beer, not
another girl.
“Sure,” I respond with no feeling whatsoever. It’s sadly
the correct answer no matter what he was asking.
“Want me to get it, sugar?” Man—whatever asks with a
syrup to her voice that I just noticed and don’t particularly like.
“Two, Amy,” Sawyer directs her and hands her some money.
Amy? Shit, I wasn’t even close. Good thing I hadn’t
spoken to her even once.
“She’s hot, bro.” Sawyer raises his brows and motions to
Amy with his head, to which I shrug noncommittally. “What is it, you need a
blonde? I figured that’d be too much, but I can—”
My hand shoots up, cutting him off. “I appreciate it,
man, I do,” I stop and take a swig of beer, “but a parade of girls isn’t gonna
help me tonight. I just need to crash; wake up to a new day. You think you can
take me to my truck?”
“Nah, but you can bunk with me.” He throws some bills on
the table and stands. “Let’s go.”
We leave the bar, not collecting our beers he’d already
shelled out money for and not saying goodbye to Amy. I appreciate the hasty
retreat.
“Why are you going out of your way for me?” I ask him as
we drive back to his dorm—her dorm.
“Real talk?”
“Please.”
“I’m not just helping you. I mean, I feel for you; damn
do I feel for ya.” He chuckles and reaches over to punch me in the arm,
offering a grin covertly lined with sympathy. “But it’s more than that. Laney’s
my girl, and I know she’s probably worried as shit about you right now, so I’m
partly looking out for ya cause she’d want me to. She’d feel better knowing
you’re not off crying in your beer alone.” He laughs again. “But mostly, Dane’s
my boy. Not only is he my employer, but he’s one of my best friends, and he
loves Laney. So I’d be lying if I pretended this wasn’t a little about
distracting his competition.” He parks his car and turns to me, waiting for my
reaction to his honesty.
“She texted me.” I have no idea why this is what I’d
chosen to respond.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands,
fighting off the beginnings of a headache. “I didn’t answer her. I have no idea
what to say.”
“Don’t ask me,” he says as he gets out of the car. “I’m
terrible with women. Well… I’m terrible at talking to women about important
shit.” He opens the door to the dorm, letting me walk in first. “Never saw the
need.”
I crash on Sawyer’s couch, resting another beer nightcap
on my bare chest, thoughts of how differently I saw things panning out swirling
in my head. She’d warned me, I knew this Dane kid was creeping in; I’d gotten
here as soon as I could. Just not soon enough.
How naïve I’d been, thinking Laney and I were forever,
that distance wouldn’t affect our closeness. The thought of Laney coming out of
the box she keeps herself in long enough to meet someone, to actually fall for
them, shutting me out—I’d have bet you all the money in the world it would
never happen. Well, there goes that safety net. You know what they say—take
care of your woman or another man will.
I don’t even know how to proceed with this—I certainly
don’t know how (or if) to respond to her messages. I’m definitely not qualified
to write the manual on Plan B, since Plan A, plunge head over ass into a year
of ineligibility for the girl who is now with another guy, blew up in my face.
Delirious with grief, jealousy, and a million other things, I rudely dig around
Sawyer’s living area until I find a pen and paper. Who writes letters anymore?
This guy, apparently. It just feels more personal than a text, and if Laney and
I are even one single thing anymore—it’s personal. No matter what Dane has with
her now, he can’t undo ten years of us.
I can imagine what she demands of him, what she expects.
I helped set those precedents. I proved to her there are guys that will listen
and treat her like a queen. Since she’s been a little girl, I showed her how a
man should treat a woman as special as her. So he’s getting a real lady…
You’re Welcome, Asshole.
I want to know why? What had he done, so well, so
quickly, that I’d been forgotten; replaced? Is there anything I can do to get
her back? Do I want her back?
It’s around 4 am when I finally finish my letter to her,
calmer now that I’ve gotten some of it out on paper, the racing questions in my
mind slowed down enough that I can finally fall asleep.
No sooner than I finally fall asleep, I’m awake, sun
streaming obnoxiously through the curtains and straight into my eye. The
microwave clock says it’s 9:12. Ugh. I wanted to sleep so much longer than five
hours.
The least I can do is run out and grab breakfast.
Sawyer’s been pretty cool, and since I’m starving and he’s got twenty pounds on
me, he’s got to wake up ravenous. I get up and dressed, checking my phone out
of habit. There’s six texts waiting, all from Laney, the last one from around
midnight. I didn’t answer her then and I don’t answer now, heading out with my
letter and appetite.
I hit the nearest drive thru and curse myself for not
grabbing Sawyer’s keys. I wait about fifteen minutes in front of the dorm, holding
bags of breakfast in my hands, before a cute co-ed lets me back in the door. I
thank her and walk slowly down the hall, giving her a chance to gain some
ground. I don’t want her, or anyone, to see my pathetic next move.
I’m not sure how I remember, but I find Laney’s door
easily. Pulling the letter from my back pocket, I bend to slip it under her
door, shocked when I hear her sweet laugh from the other side. She’s here?
She’s not with him anymore? My heart suddenly lifts, as does my hand, ready to
knock, when his voice reaches out and rips my heart out of my chest.
I should walk away. Definitely the right thing to do.
Fine, open a spot in hell for me, like it’s so much different than where I’m at
right now anyway—I’m not moving. Their voices are muffled and I’m straining to
do so, but I hear it.
“So you forgive me?”
“Yes, caveman, I forgive you, but I’m still not ready to
forgive myself. I mean it, though, don’t ever do anything like that, ever
again.”
“I promise, baby. I love you.”
“Me too.”
Ah fuck. Me too? Whatever does or doesn’t happen now, no
matter what words she says to me, it’s those words, those last ones to him,
which will ring in my ears.
How could she love him? I’ve had ten years with the
little girl, the young lady, and apparently the “I love you as a best friend,”
but in the span of only months, he’d taken the woman. This realization sends a
wave of nausea and loneliness through me, but I muster the energy to move my
feet, not wanting them to open the door and catch me standing here like the
loser I’ve become.
I turn to head to Sawyer’s room, and with every step I
take, a new fervor flames inside me. Yes, my face grazed tits, and she’d gotten
a picture of it. Sure, her best friend woke up in my room, her only clothing
mine…but I never told anyone I loved them! I never gave my heart! I transferred
schools for her, gave up a scholarship, fought like hell with my parents about
it…damn right she shouldn’t forgive herself. I flex my hands in and out of
fists, rolling my neck, fighting the urge to punch a hole in the wall. Nostrils
flared, chest heaving rapidly, I take a few deep breaths before finally
knocking.
When Sawyer opens the door, I have only one thing to say.
“Last night was a bust. Think we can do better tonight?”
He smiles and fist bumps me, which I take as a yes.
Fuck this. Disney movies suck anyway—bring on a porno!