Trace + Olivia Series Boxed Set (56 page)

My heart skipped a beat at his sweet words and tears of happiness pricked my eyes. That stupid flat tire, that I had been so mad about, had changed my life. One moment, that’s all it took, for my life to change completely, and veer onto a different path.

I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes: “Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.” From the moment I met Trace, he’d been taking my breath away, and showing me what life was really about.

“Come on,” he grinned and opened his car door. I did the same.

We climbed onto the hood of his car and watched the sunset. The color of the sun reflecting off the leaves made them seem as if they were on fire.

“I think there’s one last thing to cross off,” he beamed, pulling the folded piece of paper from his pants pocket.

He kissed my cheek before placing the paper in my hand. He grabbed a pen and handed that to me as well.

He skimmed his nose along my cheek, and pushed my hair back, so he could whisper in my ear, “I love you, Olivia.”

I smiled at him and leaned my head against his shoulder. “I love you, too.”

The metal hood of the car wasn’t the most comfortable place, but I didn’t mind. I was here, with my love, and nothing else mattered.

I looked down at the list in my hand, reading through all the things that just a year ago, had merely been dreams of mine, and now I had accomplished all of them.

Everything was crossed off except for the very last thing.

With a smile aimed at Trace, I drew a line through the last item on the list, the most important one.

Get drunk

Fly in a hot air balloon

Go to the carnival

Go to a concert (even if it’s

someone I’ve never heard of)

Go to a party

Lose my virginity

Dance in the rain

Go roller skating

See the ocean

Learn to paint

Get a dog… or a cat… or a rabbit. Any pet will do.

Sing in front of real people. Avery doesn’t count.

Make more friends

Shoot a gun

Smoke

Get a tattoo

Learn to pole dance

Go skinny dipping

Pierce my belly button

Fall in love

I never meant to fall in love with Trace, but I did, and by some miracle, he fell in love with me too. We had some crazy adventures along the way, and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world, because all of those crazy things defined us. All the laughs, all the tears, all the kisses, it was all us, and it would always be that way, because I had found someone worth loving through the good and the bad.

I handed the piece of crinkled up paper to Trace and he smiled as he read it over.

“Well, what are we going to do now?” He asked, with his signature cocky grin, that I had learned to love. He threw his arm around my shoulders and pulled me fully against him. Both our legs were stretched out, my left flush against his right.

His lips pressed tenderly against the top of my head.

I stared out at the setting sun, squinting against the brightness, as it disappeared over the line of trees.

“I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

Copyright © 2013 Micalea Smeltzer

All rights reserved.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Cover Design and Photography by Regina Wamba of Mae I Design

Interior Design by Angela McLaurin, Fictional Formats

How far would you go to reignite the spark you once had?

Two years later, Trace and Olivia are as much in love as they’ve always been. But the spark they once had for life is waning and Trace is determined that they find it again. His solution? A road trip. But he doesn’t tell Olivia the real reason they’re heading north.

Olivia is happy to go on a road trip and have more adventures with Trace. Besides, she needs a distraction from the soap opera her life has become. With college over, this is the perfect opportunity to chase down the carefree girl she once was.

But life isn’t a fairytale and you can only escape reality for so long.

Love, laughs, and a hidden agenda.

That’s the name of the game when you’re Chasing Olivia.

This book is for everyone who fell in love with a shy girl and cocky plaid-shirt wearing mechanic.

I hope you enjoy the rest of their journey.

 

I wiggled in my itchy dress as the sun beat down on my back. Whose idea was it to have a wedding at the end of May? The humidity was about to suffocate me.

“We are gathered here today, to celebrate the wedding of Nickolas and Nora,” the minister stated.

Yep, my mom was marrying my best friend’s brother, a guy that was only two years older than me.

It was weird, but I’d had two years to get used to it.

What I wasn’t used to was the fact that in five months, I’d be a big sister.

I’d been an only child for all of my twenty-two years of life, so it seemed weird to be getting a sibling now. One day, I’d have kids, and it would be awkward explaining why my brother or sister was so much younger than me.

I shuddered at the thought, but quickly sobered.

Today was my mom’s wedding day and I needed to act happy. Well, not
act,
because I was happy for her, I just couldn’t seem to get over the weirdness of the situation.

It wasn’t right of me to judge my mom or Nick for loving each other. Love shouldn’t be determined by your skin color, gender, or age. When you love someone, others shouldn’t question your decision, they should respect it.

I gripped the bouquet tighter in my hands, wishing the minister would speed up the ceremony. This dress was some kind of itchy and if I didn’t get to scratch myself soon, I’d go crazy.

They exchanged their vows, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes, as they stood under the flowered arch. Bright green grass surrounded us since the wedding was being held in the park.

I turned my head slightly when they kissed, eyeing the ground.

It might be awkward having a step-dad that was only two years older than me, and the same age as my boyfriend, but I knew Nick loved my mom, and that’s what mattered most.