Running Back to You (The Running Series, #1) (57 page)

We rejoin our friends out on the deck.  Everyone has gathered around the
fire pit.  Reese is busy passing around graham crackers, marshmallows, and
chocolate.  Emmy is handing out sticks.  It would appear that I’m not the only
one that brought a dessert tonight.

I look around at the group of friends who have joined us here tonight.  I
know that each and every one of them played an important part in Evan’s surprise. 
“So, I guess all of you had a hand in this, right?” I ask the entire group.

One by one, each person takes a turn explaining his or her contribution. 
Auggie admits that he helped Evan find the location.  Adam takes credit for
putting a rush on the liquor license (no pun intended).  Evan confesses flying
Reese down to help him with the business plan.  Derek, Emmy, and Marcus have
been going out every night to scope out the competition, gathering menus and
doing research.  Brandon offers to help me decorate the space when I’m ready.

I thank each and every one of them for their help.  They each have
enriched my life in ways I cannot adequately measure.  They have been with me
and supported me through one of the most difficult events I could have imagined,
and now they are here to celebrate one of my happiest.  I don’t know how long
each of them will be a part of my life, but for now, I am grateful for them
all.

I take Evan by the hand, and we steal a private moment together, sneaking
away to the far corner of the deck.  Evan wraps his free hand tightly around my
waist while I stand on my tip toes, wrapping both arms around his neck.  “Look
around, chief.  See all these people here with us tonight?”

He kisses me.  “I do.”

“Do you think there is anyone on the planet as lucky as we are?”

He kisses me again.  “I do not.”

“Me either.”  Evan kisses me deeply, while I run my hand through his
thick, brown hair.  We find a vacant spot to sit and cuddle, close enough to
our friends to enjoy their company, but far enough away to enjoy each other.

We watch as they sit around the fire, making S’mores, laughing, and
socializing.  Derek, as usual, is entertaining them all with a story about one
of his misadventures.

As for us, Evan and I are snuggled up on the very lounge chair that he
brought me to the first time he found me on the beach. Maddy is once again
lying at his feet.  “Evan, thank you.  You’ve given me more than I could have
ever dreamed of.  I love you so much.”

Evan’s arm is wrapped around me, holding me tightly to his broad chest,
and he whispers in my ear, “Juliette, you’ve given me something I didn’t even
know existed, a life.  I love you, too, more than you’ll ever know.”

B
en Conway
–
student at JWU

David Jorgenson
–
Juliette’s college boyfriend

Grant
Nichols  –
Derek's
roommate

Kayla
–
Juliette’s
high school classmate

Luke
  –
fellow
BPA student at JWU

Reese Barrett
–
Juliette’s college roommate

Samantha
–
Juliette’s
high school classmate

Sara Curtis
–
Student at JWU

Siena Bradley
–
former girlfriend of Evan’s and an heiress

Simon
–
Student
at JWU

A
s I sit here
writing my acknowledgements, I still find it hard to believe that I’ve actually
done it – completed my first novel.  From the very first moment, this has been
an unbelievable adventure, filled with passion, heartbreak, joy and agony, all
at the same time.  These characters have all become real to me and I feel as if
they are members of my family whose stories deserve to be told. 

My first
sounding board was my dear friend, Michelle, who allowed me the opportunity to
work through the plot and character development for months on end.  She
listened to me talk as I twisted myself into knots, trying to find the right
mix of reality and fantasy.  Her advice provided me with the perspective and
inspiration I needed, and for that, I will always remain eternally grateful (
I
hope she’s ready to travel down that endless road again as I begin to pen the
sequel
).  ‘Thank you’ seems an inadequate way to express how much her help
means to me.

I need to
acknowledge my husband and children, who put up with me while I sat beside them
for months while typing furiously on my laptop.  They allowed me to
procrastinate on things like cooking and cleaning while whittling away the
hours in my own imaginary world.  For the many movie nights where we sat
together (but I still cannot, to this day, tell you what movies we watched),
thank you for your understanding, patience, and acceptance.  But most of all,
thank you for reminding me that I’m really a dork and a nerd at heart, and
loving me anyway. 

As a novice
to the world of publishing, I had no idea how much support was out there for
new and struggling writers.  I was fortunate to literally stumble upon one such
community, the readers at GoodReads.  I put my full faith and trust in the
hands of countless beta readers who volunteered to help me shine and polish my
book and, hopefully, turn it into a work of art.  There are too many to name
here, but there are a few who offered invaluable insights and guided me towards
the improvements that were needed.  Specifically, I would like to recognize
Lorraine, Dani, Marci, Tammy, Laurie, Elizabeth, Maria, Liz, and Beth for their
critical eye and exacting suggestions. 

Of particular
help was the guidance and encouragement of two particular women, Amy Malek
Concepcion and Arianna Kathrine.  Amy was one of my first beta readers who
provided me with outstanding ideas and suggestions.  She then surprised me as
my publishing date neared with unsolicited help and guidance to “pimp my book”
and garnish the attention it needs to get in the hands of readers like you. 
Arianna was the first to truly edit my book and point out the errors and holes
in plot and character development that were in need of revisions.  She, too,
surprised and astounded me with her publishing knowledge, networking ability,
and marketing assistance.  I didn’t expect to get this sort of help and
assistance from women I’ve never met before, particularly when they expected to
receive absolutely nothing in return.  Writing is a lonely, solitary process,
but publishing is a team effort and I’m so happy to have found support and
guidance from such a fabulous group of women.  Thank you, thank you, thank
you! 

And last, but
certainly not least, to you, the reader.  Thank you for taking a chance on me,
a complete unknown, and for allowing me the privilege of sharing Evan and
Juliette’s story with you.  To those of you who took the time to send me an
e-mail or to post thoughtful comments and messages, you have no idea how much
your words have brightened my day and brought a smile to my face.  It is your
support and encouragement that convinced me to continue sharing their story
with the next installment,
Running Home to You
. 

S
uzanne Sweeney is a graduate of
Georgian Court University where she studied Education and Sociology.  For some
time now, she has been sharing her love of literature with the young minds who
sit before her in class each and every day.  After years of teaching the art of
writing, Suzanne has finally taken her own advice and put pen to paper in order
to produce her debut novel,
Running Back to You
.  She writes what she
lives, residing in the community she loves, Point Pleasant, with her family who
provide a constant source of inspiration and support.