Something Wonderful

Copyright © Mary Ting 2014

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Formatting by Inkstain Interior Book Designing

To my loves—hubby, Joshua and Kaitlin—thank you for all your support, especially when I’m on facebook…lol!

I would like to thank my street team. You are amazing and I can’t thank you enough, especially my admins-Janie Iturralde and Elliot McMahon

To Kim Rinaldi—Your feedback means the world to me. You’re not afraid to let me know. I appreciate your honesty for helping me make this book awesome.

To my PR, Damaris Cardinali—What would I ever do without you? Thanks for EVERYTHING you do and will do to get me out there. We make a great team!

To Alexandrea Weis—For giving me great feedback. I love sharing our crazy book ideas. And thank you for taking your time to look over mine when you could be writing.

To Jennifer Miller—Thank you for swapping teasers with me, but most of all for your friendship.

To Sam Stettner—for your continuous support in everything I write. I love you to the moon and back!

I want to give thanks to Lisa from The Rock Star of Romance for hosting the best blog tours!

To Laura Hidalgo, who does amazing book covers. She has done all of mine. You are truly talented!

To Esperanza Duarte and Jodi Shaw for being great editors and for polishing up my book.

To Jane Soohoo—for taking the time to make sure my book is polished and ready to go. Thank you for everything!

To Kitty Bowers—for being my number one cheerleader. I can’t thank you enough for spreading the love of all my books.

To Jenny Brewer—for loving this series so much, she runs Something Great Fan page. I can’t thank you enough. How cool is that!

To my breakfast club moms—thank you for ALL your support in books and in life—Rosie, Michelle, Gracie, Hung, Holy, and Patricia.

Extra thanks to the three amazing friends. I’m excited to have their made-up quotes as part of my story.

“Books! The other soul food." –Vanessa Strickler

“Book hangovers, a girl's worst nightmare.” –Ashley Garland

"Book boyfriends are better because they are always there when we need them.” –Pamela Joy Pope

To my readers and bloggers—I can’t thank you enough for falling in love with my characters. It means the world to me that you want to continue this journey with them. I hope you’ll love Something Wonderful just a much, or if not more than Something Great. Thank you for your continuous support, whether I write YA or NA. Your support means the world to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“Something Wonderful is truly something wonderful. M. Clarke/Mary Ting captures love, romance and forgiveness beautifully. One of 2014’s MUST READS!” -
Sammie’s Book Club, for Book Lovers

“Be mine, because I want to be yours. I want to give you forever. It doesn’t get much better than that. Something Wonderful from M. Clarke is an amazing sequel! Everyone will wish they had the epic love of their lives like Max and Jenna.” -
Vanessa, Fairiechick’s Fantasy Book Reader

“Something Wonderful heats up the series with its undeniable need, want, passion, incredible characters and intense heated plot. New Adult at its BEST!” -
Michele, Insane About Books.

“Something Wonderful is amazingly brilliant! Sexy, Romantic, Page turning good. Could not put this book done!” -
Janie, Crossangels

“Just when you think the art of storytelling couldn’t possibly get any better, M. Clarke paints a delicate and refreshing masterpiece that will inspire, electrify, and melt your heart. Her exquisite and unforgettable talent is rare jewel that you will treasure and enjoy over and over again.” -
Amber, The Wonderings of One Person

“In the darkest times, when your trust is tested, love will conquer all. Something Wonderful gives us two stories of love, passion, and the ability to save someone who was once broken.” -
Brittany, Spare Time Book

“M. Clarke has done it once again. I am officially addicted to this series!” -
Delphina, Delphina Reads too Much

“If you are looking for love, heartache, hot steamy sex and brothers that will rock your world this is the read for you!” -
Bella, Paranormal Book Club

“This title says it all. It’s so fitting for this book! It truly is Something Wonderful!” -
Jennifer, Jeni’s Bookshelf

“M. Clarke/Mary Ting has done it again with the sequel to Something Great. It was better than the first. I highly recommend it!” -
Victoria, Novel Reality

W
HAT A CRAZY NIGHT
. Everyone was wasted, including me. There were beer bottles and red cups all over the place. Couples were making out every which way I turned. There was even a body slumped over a sofa with legs dangling. Most of the party guests were juniors in college, including myself, but the invite was from a senior who was so trashed, he had no idea about the mess he would find in the morning.

It was past two in the morning and I was getting really tired. Not wanting to spend the night here, I thought it was best to go home. As I looked for my roommate, everything seemed to move in slow motion. I wouldn’t have gotten this buzzed, but since it was Amber’s turn to be the designated driver, I let myself go and drank as much as I wanted, even knowing I would regret it the next morning.

Since I had just broken up with the guy I had been dating, I really needed this. He turned out to be a jerk, but as far as the guys I’d been attracted to, that seemed to be my pattern lately. I was an asshole magnet.

“Amber!” I yelled, but I don’t think my voice carried. I couldn’t tell. It was difficult to figure out how loud I was over the music pounding in my ears. When I couldn’t see her, I opened the nearest bedroom door. There were people in there, but they looked really high, and I could only assume they’d taken drugs.

“Amber?” I wasn’t as loud as the last time I called out. When I heard my name, I rushed into the restroom.

“Amber,” I said again, and stopped from going in any further.

Her hair was pushed over to one side, and her hands were resting on either side of the toilet seat as she bent over it. “I need a minute.” Her words echoed inside the toilet. A few seconds later, whatever she drank and ate poured out of her mouth.

“Amber, you okay?” I asked, grimacing. I dropped to the floor next to her.

“Yeah,” she managed to say, flushing the toilet. After wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she collapsed beside me. “I feel…awwwful. Let’s go home.” I was pretty sure she slurred her words.

“You said…you weren’t supposed to drink, remember? You drive. Me drink.” I pointed at myself. I wasn’t feeling sorry for her anymore. Actually, I was pissed. “What the fuuuck, Amber?”

“Sorrrry. I saw him…with…her,” she sighed, somberly. Holding on to the sink, Amber stood up, stumbling until she got a hold of herself. “Come on.”

When I wasn’t responding, she grabbed my arms. With an irritated sigh, I pulled myself up. “I don’t….” I started to say, but I lost my words and finally understood what she meant by seeing him.

Her boyfriend had broken up with her and had started seeing this girl right away. I could sympathize, but it didn’t matter. Now we were both out of it, and there was no way we could go home. Amber tugged me along. I had no idea where we were going as I let her lead the way. We passed the kitchen, the living room, and oh, crap…passed her asshole ex-boyfriend and somehow, we were out of the house with our purses.

The cool wind whipped against my face and made me alert, reminding me that I’d left my jacket inside. Not only that, I felt a few drops of rain, falling faster by the second. Shivering, I looked at Amber, who was struggling to get her keys out of her purse.

“We can’t,” I said, a bit more aware of the situation. “We’re both wasted.”

“I feel better,” she argued, pushing me aside to get in the car.

I held on to the door, hoping to calm her down. “Forget him. He’s not good enough for you.”

Amber had already started the engine. “Get in,” she demanded. Her tone was angry, but I could see the hurt and tears that dampened her eyes.

“Please…get out of the car. We’re both too drunk,” I said forcefully, trying to snap her out of the buzz and make her come to her senses.

“I can’t be in the same room with them.” The tears she was trying to hold back were now streaming down her face. “How could he just move on like that?”

Feeling her pain, my heart ached for her. If we were home, I would cry with her. “We’ll stay away and hide in one of the rooms.”

Amber looked at me and wiped her tears, and then she looked up to the sky. “I’m getting wet. You coming?” She reached for the door and missed. Her coordination wasn’t all there. Finally, on her third try, she managed to grab the door, forcing me to jerk back as she slammed it shut.