Break Away (40 page)
Authors: Ellie Grace
I had resorted to tagging along with Ethan and Susie like a pathetic third-wheel anytime I thought she might be with them. I could tell she didn’t take me seriously, not that I could really blame her. I’d dated or messed around with half the girls in town, and had never been with one person for longer than a week or two. I knew that I would have to do something to make her realize that I wasn’t just messing around with her, and in order to do that I needed to spend some time alone with her.
Since she never would have agreed to go out with just me, I had to beg Ethan and Susie to help me out. After making fun of me for quite a while –
“Jake Harris needs help getting a date? Oh how the mighty have fallen!”
– they finally agreed to make “plans” for all of us to hang out at the cabin, and then never show up so that I could have a chance to be alone with Nora.
The day of our “date” had finally arrived, and everything at the cabin was set up perfectly. I’d planned it all out, spending most of the day getting ready. I’d strung twinkle lights along the path to the water and along the dock, and found an old radio in my dad’s garage. There was supposed to be some kind of meteor shower that night, so I’d brought blankets and set up lawn chairs so we could watch it. I didn’t know shit about romance, but I thought I’d done pretty damn good.
When Nora walked down to the dock, I’d handed her the flowers that I’d picked from my mom’s garden. I could still remember the look on her face. I’d never seen anyone look so confused… but there was a hint of excitement in her eyes when she started to realize what was going on. Moving in real close, I’d looked down at her and said,
“So, Nora Montgomery… are you just gonna stare at me, or are you gonna give me a chance?”
By some miracle she had actually decided to stay, and we sat down at the end of the dock with the radio on, staring up at the sky as I took her hand and entwined my fingers with hers. I don’t remember anything about what was going on in the sky that night, but I didn’t care. I barely took my eyes off her. At some point she’d turned to me, and our eyes met. Without saying a word I’d leaned over and kissed her. After that, we’d been inseparable.
Just thinking about it made my chest constrict, filling me with agony. So, I pushed the memories aside and started packing up my tools. Ethan was meeting me at my apartment in an hour, and I was in desperate need of a shower. A night out would be good for me. I’d been so busy with work and classes over the last few months that I barely ever left the house unless it was to go to a construction job or a class on campus. Now that I was finally finished with school, I couldn’t wait to unwind a little bit.
Ethan and I went down to the waterfront to grab some food. As we sat in the booth waiting for it to come, he held his beer up.
“Here’s to you Mr. Architect,” he said. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
“That makes two of us,” I chuckled. “And here’s to the future groom.”
“Hear, hear!”
We clinked our beers together. It was strange to think about how much we’d grown up. Ethan had been my best friend for as long as I could remember, and it seemed like just yesterday we were stealing beer from the neighbors and getting in brawls with the idiots at school. Despite how much had changed, sometimes I felt like I was permanently stuck at the age of eighteen.
Ethan on the other hand, was gearing up to marry his high school sweetheart and he couldn’t have been happier. After we graduated from high school, he had taken a year off to stay in town while Susie finished her senior year. Then, they’d both gone off to college together; somehow managing to beat the odds and stay true to one another. Ethan had proposed to her over their Christmas vacation, and frankly, I was surprised he’d managed to wait that long. He’d wanted to put a ring on her finger for almost as long as he’d known her.
In a lot of ways, I envied what they had together. It seemed so stable and uncomplicated. Sure, they’d faced their struggles throughout the years, but they’d always managed to come out stronger on the other side. For them, love had always been enough. If only it was that simple for everyone.
“So, what’s next?” Ethan asked. “Are you thinking about joining a firm, or are you gonna work on your own?”
“Still figuring it out,” I said. “There aren’t many architectural firms nearby, so it would mean branching out. I’d love to work on my own, but I’ve gotta get some projects under my belt first, and even then, who knows if I could actually generate any business here. You know how people are in this town… So, for now I’m still working with my dad, and maybe soon I’ll get some projects going.”
My dad worked in construction, and since I’d been working with him on jobs for as long as I could remember, I already knew a lot of contractors and architects in the area. Unfortunately, Beaufort was a small town, and most people here still saw me as the troublemaker I’d been when I was growing up. Especially the wealthy folks. If I was smart, I would get out of here and start fresh someplace else, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not yet anyway. I felt like I was tied to this place, and I couldn’t really understand why.
“How’s the wedding stuff going?” I asked, changing the subject. “Has Susie turned into bridezilla yet?”
“Not yet, but she’s been so preoccupied with final exams and moving back down here that she hasn’t had time to start freaking out. Now that we’re here and she’s giving it her full attention, I’ll probably have to run for cover eventually.”
After we ate, Ethan and I walked down Bay Street to find a place to settle in and grab a few drinks. When we passed one of the local favorites, The Landing Bar, we saw that a familiar band was playing, so we decided to check it out. I was two steps from the door when I heard the gentle strumming of a guitar, followed by a voice that halted me in my tracks. I’d recognize her voice anywhere.
When I got inside I saw Nora sitting on a stool up on the makeshift stage, strumming the guitar as she sang “Wagon Wheel.” The girl loved to sing… and I loved listening to her sing. So much of our time together had been spent with her singing and playing guitar while I just laid back and enjoyed it. I’d always told her that she had the most beautiful voice I’d ever heard. She still did.
Cowering behind the other people standing in the bar, I kept my head low and watched her. She looked exactly the same, and still made my mouth water. She was wearing a short pink lacy dress with her brown cowboy boots. Her long brown hair came down in light waves, and her eyes sparkled. She lit up the entire room. When Nora was around it was impossible to notice anyone but her.
I couldn’t believe she was here, and being around her made me ache with longing. Even though I’d expected her to be around for the wedding, I didn’t think she would here so soon… and nothing could have prepared me for seeing her here now.
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To the readers: I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to sit down and read my book. With so many amazing books out there to choose from, I truly appreciate you giving mine a chance. I started writing because it’s something I love to do, but I had zero expectations. I never would have imagined that so many people would actually read my words, and I am forever grateful!
A huge thank you to Autumn Hull, of The Autumn Review and Wordsmith Publicity, for all her wonderful advice and for helping me out along the way when I had no idea what I was doing. She was the first person to read my first book, and I had no idea what to expect, but her enthusiasm and encouragement gave me the confidence to move forward with it.
Tawdra Kandle and Stacey Blake, for all their hard work with the editing. They fit me into their busy schedules and really went the extra mile to help make this book better.
Angela McLaurin of Fictional Formats, for her wonderful interior design and formatting, and for putting up with me throughout the process!
Sarah Hanson of Okay Creations, for her amazing work on the cover. Her designs are incredible, and I was beyond excited when she found time to do mine.
To all the bloggers out there who signed on to my blog tours, and took time to read and spread the word about my books, thank you!
Last but certainly not least, my family, who have always supported me and been there for me no matter what. Especially Will, who is my biggest cheerleader, even when it means being neglected because I’m busy trying to write.
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Ellie is a reader, writer and overall book lover. When a story popped into her head that she couldn’t seem to shake, she decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a writer, and released her debut novel
This Time Around
. Now, she spends much of her time dreaming up new characters and stories to write, or curled up with her Kindle reading books by her many, many favorite authors.
To connect with Ellie:
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@elliegracebooks
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Website/Blog:
www.elliegracebooks.com
Also by Ellie Grace:
This Time Around
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