The MORE Trilogy (107 page)

He didn’t look up as she approached but scooted over to give her room to join him.

She tore apart a yellow flower, letting the petals fall to the ground, and glanced at him sideways. “So what are you going to do now? Go after the missing Rogues?” The pit Ava had created was empty once the Protectors had gotten back to it, the Rogues on the run once again.

Tiernan looked off into the distance and shrugged slightly. “Nah. I told Madeleine I needed some time off.”

“Time off?
You?
” Ava laughed. “What are you going to do? Work on your tan?”

Tiernan just shrugged again.

Ava sobered and touched his hand lightly. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He seemed to chew on the question before answering. “I don’t know. I’ve been at this a long time. Maybe it’s time for a change of pace, you know?”

“Where will you go?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe back to Europe for a bit. Or I have a place up north. Haven’t been there in a while. Might head there.”

Ava felt a sudden prickle of tears, and she linked her arm with his, leaning her head against his thick bicep. “What am I going to do without you, though? You’re my best friend.”

Tiernan scoffed, but he didn’t shake her off. “You have Lucy. And Caleb.”

“Okay, then, my best friend who could crush a man’s skull in his bare hands.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“Shut up.”

“Seriously, you’ve become kind of bloodthirsty. I think you need therapy.”

“Tiernan!” Ava laughed through her tears, and after a moment, Tiernan gently pulled his arm free.

“You’ll be fine,” he said. “You’re always fine.” He smiled at her and lifted a hand to wipe the tears from her cheek. He rubbed the wetness between a thumb and forefinger, his green and blue eyes focused on hers.

It hit Ava how those eyes had once struck terror in her but were now associated with a person she held so dear.

Tiernan opened his mouth as if to say something but shut it a moment later, shaking his head as he stood and brushed his hands on his pants.

Ava realized he had a rucksack sitting at his feet, and her heart stopped as he hoisted it onto his shoulders. “You’re going now?”

“No time like the present.” He started toward the forest.

“But . . . what if I need you? Can I call—”

“No cell,” he said quickly. “Katherine will know how to contact me if there’s an emergency.”

She stood, wringing her hands, her heart racing. “Will you be back?”

He slowed but didn’t stop. “Not anytime soon.”

“That’s not never,” she called out stubbornly.

Hopefully.

Tiernan looked over his shoulder and grinned. “Never is a very long time.” He lifted his hand in a final wave, and he was gone.

Ava stared after him until his imprint vanished as surely as the rest of him. Wiping her tears, she turned to head back, smiling when Caleb’s gift announced his arrival a few seconds later.

He materialized a few feet in front of her, his smile falling when he spotted her. “What’s wrong?” He hurried over and cupped her face. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine . . . it’s just.” She shrugged. “Tiernan’s gone.”

“Gone? Gone where?”

“Away, for a while,” she replied, leaning close as he put an arm around her shoulders, and they started to walk back toward the center of the city. “Said he needed a change of pace.”

“I can understand that,” he said quietly.

“I feel bad for him. He seemed so alone.”

Caleb was quiet for so long that Ava prodded him with her hip. “What’s up?”

“You really don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“How Tiernan feels about you.”

“What are you talking about? He’s my friend.”

Caleb shook his head, his gaze locked on the ground. “He
is
your friend. And he’s mine, too. Which is why he had to leave.”

Ava’s heart sank as the reality of what Caleb was saying hit her. “You think he—”

He squeezed her closer and kissed the top of her head.

“But he never said anything.”

“Have you met Tiernan?” he asked, lips quirking slightly. “You think he’d actually talk about his feelings?”

Ava winced. “Now I feel even worse.”

Caleb stopped and pulled her into a hug. “Which is another reason why he’d never say anything.”

“So why did you?” she grumbled, smacking him lightly on the chest.

“Because, Miss Intuition, I assumed you’d already figured it out!”

“Nope,” she said quietly.

“Nope?”

“Nope.”

“Sorry.” He kissed her again and took her hand. “He’ll be okay, Ava. I promise. Tiernan’s been through worse.”

She nodded, but the sadness hung over her as they walked through the city. She would miss him. And she hoped he would be okay. That someday he’d come back or they’d cross paths.

“There’s plenty of time,” Caleb reminded her. “You’ll see him again.”

“I thought I told you a long time ago not to read my mind.”

“And I thought I told you I can’t read minds,” he said with a laugh, his eyes twinkling. “I’ve just gotten a little better at reading you.”

They continued toward the center of town in silence their joined hands swinging between them.

“So what now?” she asked.

“Now?” He tilted his head up, considering. “Now, I’m thinking a lazy evening watching a boring movie . . . maybe some Chinese food—”

She shoved him, he laughed, and her gift seemed to laugh with him.

“You know what I mean,” she said, resisting a little—only a little—when he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.

He leaned down to nuzzle her cheek and breathe into her neck. “Now, I kiss you, then we go to my place, and I give you something I’ve got hidden in my top drawer.”

“Something?” She let out a shaky breath and tilted her head as he trailed his lips over her skin. “What kind of something?” She shuddered at the scrape of his teeth and the gentle, teasing bite on the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

Caleb pulled back and smiled softly. “Something I’ve been saving for a special occasion. Or at least until we weren’t running for our lives.” He rested his forehead against hers, all teasing gone. “I meant it when I said that I wanted you forever.”

Ava’s stomach flipped and warm, tingling electricity swept through her. Whether it was her gift, or simply adrenaline, she wasn’t quite sure. She smiled and placed a palm on his cheek. “I meant it when I said yes,” she said.

His smile widened until his eyes—his beautiful blue and green eyes—crinkled at the corners. “Good,” he said, and he leaned in to kiss her properly.

Ava wasn’t sure how long they stood there in the middle of a city street, making out as if breathing was an unnecessary inconvenience. She wasn’t sure if Caleb would give her a ring that night, or if they’d end up watching a movie and eating Chinese food. She wasn’t sure about a lot of things. But she knew, in that moment, that whatever lay ahead, Caleb would be right there beside her. And as she drew closer to him, breathing him in, tasting him, feeling their gifts winding together—exuberant and free—she knew that was enough.

It was more than enough.

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About the Author

T.M. Franklin started out her career writing nonfiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a BA in Communications specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. Her first published novel,
MORE
, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days.
MORE
was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Awards.

In addition to
MORE
and its sequels,
The Guardians
and
TWELVE
, Franklin penned the Amazon best-selling short stories
A Piece of Cake
and
Window
, which also won a Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Award for Short Story/Fantasy. Her new YA romance,
How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You
, is Franklin’s first love story without paranormal or fantasy elements, although she believes love is the best kind of magic.

Connect with T.M. Franklin

Website:
www.TMFranklin.com

Email:
[email protected]

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TMFranklinAuthor

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/TM_Franklin

Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/T.M.Franlin/e/B009NV2HHG
 

Acknowledgements

This series has been a long time in the making and now that it’s come to a conclusion, I would be remiss if I failed to thank those who’ve put so much work into the MORE trilogy all along the way.

To my lead editor, D.J. Gann, who’s been there since the beginning—thank you for your support, encouragement, firm talking-to when I needed it, and your friendship. It’s been quite a ride, and I loved sharing it with you.

To Jennifer Matera, my copy editor on the first two books, Deanna Noga, who took over on this one, and Andrea McKay, who’s been the proofreader on all three books—you ladies are amazing. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.
 

To Kathie Spitz and Shay Donovan, who brought me to TWCS in the first place—thank you ladies for the crazy ride!

Thanks to Sydney Logan. You passed my name on to Kathie and Shay in the very beginning, and you’ve been a great friend and colleague ever since.

To the readers who’ve gone above and beyond to share MORE with their friends and family: Fern, Mich, Leslie, Chao, Nikki, Marty, Alyssa, Ashley, Lauren, Kristin, Jacqueline, Mackensey, Olivia, Shandi, and the countless others I’ve failed to mention here, but who have my gratitude as well.

To the many bloggers who’ve reviewed and promoted my books over the years—thank you!

To the fabulous ladies at Author to Author and to my fellow TWCS authors—thank you so much for all your support and cross-promotion.
 

To my son, Ryan, for being an amazing and sometimes tough pre-reader, my mother-in-law, Bobbie, who is a street team unto herself, my sister-in-law, Pam, for bringing my books to her book club, and the rest of my family and friends for their unwavering support.

To Jennifer McGuire for her help nailing down the cover of TWELVE when I was pulling my hair out, all her help with graphics, and her patience in setting up signings and such.

To Jenny Pedroza and Christa Beebe for all their marketing and promo help on the first two books and their incredible support.

To Catherine Edwards for her help with the blog tour and marketing, and to Amanda Hayward, Cindy Bidwell, and Lea Dimovski for backing me and encouraging every step. It’s been a pleasure, ladies, and I’m sad it’s coming to an end.