Emily's Choice
Authors: Heather McCoubrey
Emily’s
Choice
HEATHER
M
cCOUBREY
EMILY’S CHOICE
Copyright © 2016 by Heather McCoubrey
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval
systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is
by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. Please do not
participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the
author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are
used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events,
or locales is entirely coincidental.
Heather McCoubrey
Edited by Chrissy Wolfe, EFC Services, LLC
Cover Photo by
Merbe
Cover Art by Carol Wise,
WiseElement
Author Photo by David
Buser
It’s summer
1993. My family and I were living in Colorado and I was going into my senior
year of high school as a 16-year-old and I knew I wanted to go to college back
in my home state of Maine. My grandmother made me an offer I couldn’t refuse–live
with her for my last year of high school to regain residency for college
tuition rates. I moved back to Maine, to a small town where my father grew up
and where I was born and lived for a short time as a baby.
Other than
family, I didn’t know anyone and there really wasn’t anywhere to meet people
except school. At issue, for the most part, was my age. I was a young senior
because I’d skipped a grade. I fit in with the age group of the junior class,
but it was hard to really get to know them because my schedule was different
than theirs. Even though I made some friends, I was still lonely, so I turned
to my writing to get through the long winter and loneliness.
I started
out with poems and had quite a few finished. Then one day, I was reading an article
about Pocahontas and learned that her Native American name was
Matoaka
. I thought it was such a pretty and unusual name
and I wanted to use it somewhere, somehow.
That’s when
I had the idea to write my first novel, with a young woman named
Matoaka
as the star. My grandmother used to have old issues
of
National Geographic
magazines
laying around and I loved to read them and look at all the pictures. Inside one
of those magazines, I found a map of the Old West. My eyes were drawn to a
barren section of New Mexico, to a specific town called
Mosquero
.
Right away I knew that would be the perfect setting for
Matoaka’s
home.
One
afternoon, not long after that day, I sat down at the table in my grandmother’s
kitchen. I had a pencil and a notebook in front of me and a story brewing in my
imagination. The story that began as
Matoaka
ends here as
Emily’s
Choice
.
That was the
winter of 1993. Now, twenty-three years and two published novels later, I am
finally ready to share the story of Emily
Camancho
and Jason Vaughn with you.
It’s been a
long journey and without the help, support and encouragement of many people
along the way,
Emily’s Choice
would
never have made it to your hands and heart.
First and
foremost, I must thank my husband and children. They are the light of my life
and I wouldn’t be here doing what I love without their love and support. We
added a new little blessing to our family last year and it has been a wild and
fun ride. I can’t wait to see where we go from here!
More often
than not, my friends and family are the ones who listen to me go on and on and
on about plot points, plot twists, character development, character names,
sales and marketing, book covers, and they answer my panicked calls when I’m
sure I’ve gotten myself way over my head and need someone to help me find my
way out. The fact that they listen, offer feedback, and are still speaking to
me goes to show just how much they love me.
This year I
did something a little different when it came to my beta readers. Instead of
reaching out to writers, I put a note out on Facebook asking my friends and
acquaintances if they would be interesting in beta reading. The response was
overwhelming! I had an almost entirely different team and I loved it. Here were
readers
, the very people I needed!
Vicki,
Carolyn, Heather,
Niki
,
Kacy
,
Kathy, Darlene, Michelle, and Heidi … You all helped make
Emily’s Choice
the best it could be. You helped make the story
interesting, you helped me find dropped plot points, you helped me tie up loose
ends and you fell in love with the characters. I can’t ask for more than that.
Thank you!
Stacey
Wiedower
helped me flesh out Emily’s career choice with
tips and pointers on Interior Design. Anything that doesn’t ring true is on me;
I took quite a bit artistic and writer license. Stacey is also an author (and
the only one I used for this book!), and she’s an amazing writer. I hope you’ll
take some time to read her books!
Carol Wise,
my mother-in-law and graphic artist extraordinaire. She has been the paintbrush
behind my artistic eye, giving my covers the professional look they deserve.
Every one of my covers are amazing because of her hard work and attention to
detail.
Chrissy
Wolfe, my editor from EFC Services, LLC. I first sent this project to her right
after I finished
Back to December
. I
asked for a critique to see whether this book was salvageable or if I should
just throw it away. After much back-and-forth and several lunch dates, we
determined that
Emily’s Choice
was,
in fact, salvageable. Without her ideas, handholding, encouragement, and kick
in the pants, I probably never would have rewritten this book.
When you
have a project that spans twenty-three years, you have to know that a lot of
people helped along the way. I remember back in the day, before Google searches
were the thing, I spent many hours on the phone trying to get an idea of what
Mosquero
was like and a picture in my head of what
Mosquero
and New Mexico looked like.
Paul Maurer,
a resident of
Mosquero
, was someone I called out of
the blue. I looked him up in the phone book (what?!?!) and he spent about an
hour on the phone with me, a complete stranger–an aspiring author–answering all
kinds of questions from the weather, to what businesses were in town, to what
the area looked like and what the culture was like.
Renee at
City Hall provided me with a map of the town and she hand-wrote the locations
of all the businesses, schools and courthouse on the map. She also answered so
many of my questions regarding what it means to be the county seat to the type
of cattle that is popular in the area.
My long-time
friend, Sam Brady. Sam has read almost as many versions of
Emily’s Choice
as I’ve written. He’s given me plenty of advice and
ideas over the years; I still have emails and notes from him from back in 1998
when I was working on Draft #6! He’s also the reason Jenny is STILL sick as a
dog, poor girl.
Last, but
not least, Michelle Perkins Holmes. She was the first friend I made at Calais
High School and she not only befriended the new girl but spent hours
brainstorming plots and adventures for
Matoaka
with
me. Those hours were so much fun and it’s a time I look back on with fondness.
This final
version is nothing like the original story we worked on, but I think it’s a
better and stronger story. I hope each of you can spare a spot in your heart
for Emily & Jason.
I’m sure
there are more people I’ve forgotten to thank. Know that I am grateful for each
of you and I appreciate and love you all so much!
xoxo
~Heather
For David.
The love of my life.
The one I would choose again and again.
Emily’s
Choice
May 2008
Emily
Camancho
was scared, no doubt about it. She took several
deep breaths to calm her racing heart as she wiped her slick palms on her dusty
jeans. Sitting in the driver’s seat of her beat-up rusty red pickup truck, she
rolled down the window to let a breeze blow through.
She was
late.
Three
weeks late
to be
exact.
Yesterday,
she’d finally worked up the courage to take one of those pesky tests she’d
bought last week at the pharmacy. It had been hiding under the bathroom sink
since she’d brought it home. Once Jason had left for class, she reached her
shaking hands into the cabinet and tore open the box. She sat down on the
toilet with the test stick and placed it in the stream for five seconds and
then replaced the cap on the end of it. She carefully set it down on the floor
and went out to wash her hands.
When she
checked the stick after washing her hands, well, there had been no mistaking
the results. Two dark blue lines. Positive. She’d let out a shuddering breath
and collapsed against the door. What the hell was she going to do?
Catching a
glimpse of herself in the truck mirror, she grimaced. Searching through her
purse, she blew out a sigh when all she could find was a ponytail holder.
Shrugging, she dropped her purse back on the bench seat and pulled her long,
auburn hair up into a messy ponytail. It would have to do, and she was out of
time anyway. Jumping from the truck, she grabbed her purse and walked slowly
into the Urgent Care facility. She’d come all the way across town to lessen the
chances she would bump into anyone she knew from school. For a split second,
she had thought about going home to see old Doc Martin but quickly nixed that
idea. It would have spread like wildfire through the town, her parents finding
out the results before she did. There was no such thing as doctor-patient
confidentiality in
Mosquero
. Hell, there wasn’t any
confidentiality at all.
She’d told
Jason that she wasn’t feeling well and was planning a visit to the doctor to
see what was wrong. He’d offered to go with her, but she turned her baby blues
on him and told him she would be all right. It didn’t make sense for them both
to miss classes today.
Emily walked
into the facility and wrote her name down on the sign-in sheet. She picked up a
gossip magazine to browse through while she waited but let it sit on her lap
while her mind skidded all over the place. Was she really pregnant? They’d been
careful every time. They both were fanatical about condom use, but she supposed
one could have broken. How would she tell Jason? How would she tell her
parents? What would everyone say?
They were in
their last year of college, she at Santa Fe Community College for Interior
Design and Jason at New Mexico State University for Animal Science and
Rangeland Resources. Jason was planning to return home to
Mosquero
after graduation to help his father with the ranch. Emily had planned to stay
in Santa Fe to work with the design company she’d been interning with while at
school. It was going to be a hard adjustment for them, seeing as they’d never
spent any real amount of time apart, ever. But if she was indeed pregnant, how
would she balance a baby, a new city, a long-distance relationship, and a new
job? Santa Fe was only two and a half hours from home but that was a long way
to commute every day if she had to live at home.
Everyone
would be shocked and appalled at first; she knew and accepted that. She hoped
that part was quick though. She wouldn’t have an abortion, and she wasn’t
giving the child up for adoption. Emily knew enough about herself to know that
once the baby was born, she wouldn’t want to let it go. Everything would be
okay, and everything would work out the way it was supposed to. Emily was sure
of that. She had an amazing family; they were incredibly supportive and she
knew they’d help her reach her dreams regardless. Once the baby did arrive,
they’d all be happier than a rooster at dawn.
By the time
the nurse called her back, she’d almost gotten herself talked into a positive
outlook. She calmly followed the nurse back and answered all the embarrassing
questions. The nurse took a blood sample and told Emily it would be about
twenty minutes for the results. Instead of waiting in the cold, sterile room,
Emily opted to go outside instead. She walked around to the back of the building
and was pleased to see a picnic table, a garden, and a nature path. She walked
along the path, keeping an eye on the time as the nurse had cautioned her to be
back on time as they had a lot of patients to see. Emily let her mind wander as
she enjoyed the sights and smells of nature.
She had no
idea what she’d do with a baby. Her life plan didn’t include children, at least
not for another several years. She and Jason had been an item for as long as
Emily could remember, and their parents had always joked they’d been betrothed
at birth. She and Jason had begun as playmates and friends, moved on to being a
couple, and now they were lovers and practically engaged. She imagined their
parents would want them to wait until after they’d settled into their jobs, but
she and Jason had already talked of going to Las Vegas at Christmas to get
married. She could picture all the lights, the people, and the excitement. The
sounds of the slot machines, the range of emotions from the players at the
tables. And their wedding ceremony. She’d always dreamed of a big, elaborate
wedding, but the closer they got to Vegas, the more excited she was about just
eloping and leaving the stress, cost, and craziness behind. Emily was confident
she and Jason could take this next step together and come out with a stronger
relationship, even if it was several years earlier than they had planned, at
least in the baby department.
Checking her
watch, she turned around and hurried back to the examination room. When she
stepped into the room, she noticed the nurse had laid out a gown, so Emily
stripped down and put it on. The doctor knocked on the door just as Emily was
climbing onto the table.
“Come in,”
Emily said shyly.
“Hello,
Emily. I’m Dr. Williams,” she said kindly as she shook Emily’s hand.
“Hello.”
“All right,
I’m sure you’re on the edge of that table wondering what the results are.” Dr.
Williams paused as Emily nodded her head and twisted her fingers. “The test was
positive. You are pregnant, Emily.”
The breath
she didn’t realize she’d been holding came rushing out along with a strangled, “I
am?”
Dr. Williams
nodded, pressing the button to recline the table flat and motioning for Emily
to lie down. “I’m going to order an ultrasound for you so we can pinpoint
exactly how far along you are. Let me just check your tummy, and then we can
talk prenatal care.”
Twenty
minutes later, Emily walked out to her truck in a daze. She couldn’t remember
one thing the doctor had told her, and if there’d been a test, she would have
failed. The drive back to the apartment was a blur, and Emily was shocked when
she pulled into the parking lot with no memory of the drive home. Running a
hand over her face, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She climbed
out of the truck and shuffled to the apartment. Exhausted from stress and the
pregnancy, Emily collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep instantly.
“Emily?
Babe?”
She reached
out her hand and pulled Jason down onto the bed with her. She peeked a quick
glimpse of him, sighing with pleasure. She was so lucky. At six feet tall,
Jason was head and shoulders above most of the guys in school. His dark blond
hair was ruffled, and she could picture him running his hands through it in
frustration during classes this morning. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown that
twinkled when he laughed and only looked at her with love. Working on the ranch
his whole life had given him a lean and toned body. Many underestimated his
strength, especially on the football field.
“How are you
feeling? What did the doctor say?”
Emily’s eyes
snapped open and she bolted upright as the morning’s stress and results came
rushing back to her. She inhaled sharply, ready to tell him, but she couldn’t
find the words.
When he sat
up with her, she turned and buried her face in his chest, taking several deep
breaths to calm down. She couldn’t fathom why she was panicking. Jason loved
her and she loved him.
She tried
her best to smile but failed miserably when tears gathered in her eyes.
He wrapped
his arms around her. “What’s wrong, babe? Are you okay?”
Shaking her
head no, she hid her face against his shirt as the tears fell down her cheeks,
hugging him hard.
“Can you
tell me what’s wrong?”
Sighing,
Emily buried her face in his neck and nodded. “I will, I promise. I need you to
hold me a little longer.”
“Babe, you
know I’ll hold you forever, but you’re scaring me. You never cry, what’s going
on?” He slipped a finger under her chin and raised her face so he could look
into her eyes. He wiped her tears with his thumb and offered her a comforting
smile.
“I don’t
know how to start. I thought it would be easy, but now that you’re here, I’m
scared.” She turned her face into his neck and took a deep breath. He always
smelled so good, like the outdoors mixed with sunshine.
“It can’t be
that bad, babe,” he soothed. “Spit it out, we’ll figure it out.”
“I’m
pregnant,” Emily blurted quietly.
She felt
Jason stiffen and thought for a moment he was going to push her away and flee.
Instead, he tightened his hold on her. “Are you sure?” he asked quietly.
Emily
nodded. “They took a blood test, and I have to call tomorrow for the results of
the ultrasound. She thinks I’m about six to eight weeks along.”
Tears began
to flow in earnest down her face. Frustrated with them, she swiped her hand
across her face. “What are we going to do, Jason?”
Smiling, he
hugged her close. “Sounds like we’re going to have a baby!”
Shocked at
his easy acceptance, she pulled out of his arms and searched his face. She saw
a broad smile gracing his lips, a sparkle in his eyes. Breathing a sigh of
relief, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.
“You’re
surprised at my reaction.”
“Honestly, I
really wasn’t sure what to expect.”
“It’s scary,
a little exciting. But it’s happened, and we can’t undo it. We’re almost done
with school. Instead of getting married at Christmas, we’ll just get married
this summer after we graduate. We can still elope if you want.”
“What are we
going to tell our parents?”
Jason
shrugged.
“We’ve got
to tell them something!”
“Babe, we
don’t have to tell them anything right away. Let’s get used to the idea first.”
“What do you
mean?”
Sighing,
Jason leaned back against the pillows, taking Emily with him. Sprawled against
his chest, Emily felt her heart rate pick up. Jason rolled with her and gently
pushed her back against the bed. Lowering his head, he brushed a kiss against
her lips. “I mean . . .” he drawled. “Let’s enjoy the news, and the secret, and
we’ll tell them when it’s right.”
She put a
hand against his shoulder to stop his descent. She needed a clear head, and
once he started kissing her, she’d fog up and forget everything. “Jason,” she
pleaded.
Sighing, he
lifted his head. He ran a hand up her torso and brushed a thumb over her
nipple. When it hardened under his knowing hands, he grinned. “Babe, it’s not a
big deal. Our parents are going to freak out and wonder what we were thinking,
but it’s our life,
Em
. Don’t stress. We’ve got each
other and that’s all we need,” he said against her lips.
Emily moaned
when his tongue slipped through her lips. The hand that was holding him off
slid up his neck and tangled in his hair.
Jason was
right; all they needed was each other. They could get through anything so long
as they had each other.
