I can’t believe the Wreck Me release is only two days away. To continue the countdown I’m letting the main characters Piper and Chase tell you their favorites. Make sure to Check Danielle Sibarium’s blog to see her character’s favorites. And don’t forget to enter to win some cool prizes at the bottom of the page.
Piper:
Favorite Color: Red
Lucky Number: 2
Favorite food: Blueberry pancakes.
Favorite sport: Doesn’t really care for sports.
Favorite Book: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Favorite Song:
Chase:
Favorite Color: Green
Lucky Number: 6
Favorite Food: Steak
Favorite Sport: Looking for girls.
Favorite Book: The Entire Works of William Shakespeare.
Wow, the Wreck Me release is 3 days away! And to celebrate I’m sharing my top choices of my favorite characters I’ve had the pleasure of falling in love with. Make sure to check out Danielle Sibarium’s choices for book boyfriends. And don’t forget to enter to win at the bottom of the list.
5. Jeremiah from The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy by Jenny Han. I know Conrad was the star of the books but I preferred Jeremiah. He wasn’t so moody.
4. Tony from Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves. Tony is so sexy and has a heart of gold.
3. Henry from Heart on my Chain. By Cindy C. Bennett. This book broke my heart, while Henry rebuild it over and over again.
2. Marcus from Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty. I liked Marcus in the first book Sloppy Firsts, but I fell head over heels for him in the second book.
1. John After from Going too Far by Jennifer Echols. He is the full package including being an artist.
Yes, Wreck Me is only 4 days away from being released. To continue the countdown I’m letting the secondary characters have their day. Make sure to check out Regret Me Not’s secondary characters, and don’t forget to enter to win at the bottom of the page.
Meet Lola~ She is Piper’s best friend and roommate. They have been best friends since elementary school. She is the only person who knows what Piper has been through and why Piper chose to go to Castle Bridge University.
Meet Mike~ He is Piper’s boyfriend. She met him at college and has been her crutch for the last six months.
Meet Robbie~ He is Lola’s boyfriend and Chase’s best friend. Robbie is also the bass guitarist for the band Almost Broken.
Meet Amber~ She is Piper’s friend and former roommate. Amber and Piper became friends when Piper first arrived at Castle Bridge University.
Meet Kiki~ She is Chase’s friend and the lead singer of Almost Broken.
Meet Colin~ He helps run the bar Screaming Turtle, and has a crush on Piper.
Meet Reagan~ She is a waitress at the Screaming Turtle. And loves to flirt with Chase.
Meet Dixie~ She is Amber’s best friend and has a crush on Mike.
I’m so excited to announce Hold on Tight is got a new cover. To celebrate I’m sharing the first chapter with you.
Synopsis:
After suffering a great loss, Emma is ready to get her life back to normal. She is spending her summer, before her junior year, with her new boyfriend Court. They are both working at Fairland Park alongside her best friend Britney. Emma is spending all her time with Court and is really falling for him. But things change when she meets Nash. She begins to question her feelings for Court. Is Court the right choice? Or is Nash the right choice? Emma will fall in love this summer. But will it lead her to happiness or a broken heart? It will be a summer full of romance, music, and moments Emma will never forget
1 HANGING BY A MOMENT
“Court wants to talk to you, after school,” Adam states, as he prevents me from entering my last class. I open my mouth to object but he walks away before I can respond, I think I’m about to lose my lunch. Court Dobberson is the last person I want to talk to, especially after being ignored by him for the last couple of days.
It has been six days since Court and I shared an incredible kiss at Laura Burn’s party. For six days, I’ve waited for Court to call me, but he never did. For six days, I’ve waited for Court to talk to me, but he never did. And for six days, I have felt really guilty for kissing someone that was not Jason.
Now, after six long days, he finally wants to talk to me. He probably wants to tell me he regrets kissing me, I already know he’ll use the “I was so wasted” excuse. Well, I don’t care! I don’t even like him. In fact, as of a month ago, I hated him. If I hadn’t been forced to work with him on our economics project, I would have never even spoken to him.
Now, here I sit in history class trying to listen to Mrs. Levy explain the events that lead to the Korean War, but I haven’t really heard a word she’s said, instead I keep watching the clock on the wall. What is going on with it? Every other day the seconds seem to take minutes, but today the minutes seem to take seconds.
My stomach spins as the bell gets ready to ring. Somehow, I need to get to my car before Court even has a chance to look for me. RRIIINNNNGGGGG! I grab my bag and rush down the hallway, I don’t even stop at my locker to wait for Britney, like I always do. She’ll understand when I explain the whole situation to her. She thinks Court is a dick for dissing me after kissing me. Oh my god, did I just rhyme? I’m such a dork when I’m nervous.
I push open the glass doors, step outside, and absorb the hot sun. It’s mid May but feels more like mid July. The high school parking lot is already full of teenagers eager to escape the walls that have held them captive for the last seven hours.
I make my way to my car focusing on the black steaming pavement, believing if I keep my eyes down, Court will not be able to find me. I know its a little egocentric of me. Unfortunately, staring at the ground doesn’t allow me to see where I parked my mom’s car. I quickly look up and feel all the air escape my body–Court is speaking to Adam in front of my silver Toyota, right in front of the driver’s side. Damn him!
I try to move, but can’t. Air refuses to re-enter my lungs, I try to breathe again, but it doesn’t work, I need this air to stop my heart from racing. Come on Emma, you don’t really care about what he has to say, I tell myself. Who am I kidding? In a few seconds, the wrong words can easily shatter my heart.
For the last six days, all I’ve thought about has been that stupid kiss, trust me I’ve tried hard not to. After Jason, I never thought anyone else would invade my mind like this again.
It’s all that damn project’s fault. For two weeks straight I’ve worked closely with Court on it. At first I thought I would have to do all of the work, but I was wrong. Court ended up being incredibly smart and an awesome person; he was not at all the rich spoiled brat I always made him out to be.
He began to talk to me outside of class, and even sat with me at lunch, which in Cypress Oak High School society is a huge deal when you’re not in each other’s social circles. We were actually becoming friends–until that kiss. That damn kiss! I didn’t even want to go to that stupid party, but Britney insisted I’d go with her.
She dragged me to Laura Burn’s house, which happens to be on the wealthy side of Cypress Oak, uninvited. The last time I had gone to a party was with Jason by my side. It was awkward walking into that enormous house by myself, especially since it was surrounded by the people I once wanted to be like, but now could hardly tolerate.
Britney left my side two minutes after we arrived to find Derek Peterson, her new conquest, and the only reason we had gone to that stupid party. She hated these people as much as I did.
I was hoping to become invisible and blend in with the unadorned eggshell walls, as hip- hop music blared out of the speakers. The beautiful people were all packed in drinking, dancing, hooking up, and making me sick. I didn’t belong, and the truth was I didn’t want to.
I stood against the wall missing Jason, and trying not to make eye contact with anyone, but I soon learned that was unavoidable. Christy LeVandal was glaring at me from across the room, with pure hatred in her cold sapphire eyes. She sent me violent messages as she twirled around her fake blond hair.
She hated me, but because of what happened with Jason, she had stopped making her nasty comments towards me. I knew she wanted to attack me for being at that stupid party, but I also knew she wouldn’t, so I smiled and waved hello. Before she could respond someone blocked my view, and tried to share my personal space. Court was standing right in front of me, offering me a drink. He looked so good in his green Hollister T-shirt and blue jeans,
“Thanks,” I said, taking a small sip of beer. I held the cup in my hand and wished it was water, I hate alcohol.
“No problem. I’m glad you’re here.” He formed his perfect smile.
“I wish I wasn’t.”
“What, you’re not having a good time?”
I lowered my voice and with a sly grin I said, “Well, this is not my scene. I can’t stand these people, and you’re the worst of them all.” He started laughing, as he stood next to me. Court and I started talking about the books we are reading, the latest episode of
Shameless, and about the obsession people have with collecting friends on social networks, and letting them know what they are thinking or doing every minute of the day. Court admitted he was guilty of this obsession. He, himself has over two hundred and fifty friends, and minutes earlier had updated his status by writing “Ready to drink 1 too many at Laura’s party.”
I couldn’t stop laughing when he told me. At first he looked upset I was laughing at him, but seconds later he began laughing too. He stepped in front of me with his perfect smile and said, “I love that about you.”
“What?” I asked, trying to breathe.
“That you make me laugh, but most of all that you make me think.”Court’s electrifying baby blue eyes were swallowing me up. Before I knew it his light pink lips began to come closer, making my heart pound even harder.
My body began to shake from the fear and excitement his touch might produce. Slowly his face began to get closer and closer, I could smell the beer on his breath, and at that moment I forgot how much I hated that scent. He was about to kiss me. Court Dobberson was going to kiss me! I wanted to run, afraid his kiss would erase Jason’s last, but I couldn’t move. He gave me a little smile right before his soft lips touched mine. We slowly began to kiss.
His lips gently absorbed my upper lip as mine absorbed his lower lip. Court’s kiss was beautiful; he never tried to put his tongue in my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to my body. In that moment, I was no longer at that stupid party, but instead on a magical voyage I never wanted to end.
But it did, I was brought back to reality when I heard Britney yell, “Emma, let’s go!” She didn’t realize I was enjoying some mouth to mouth with Court. I pulled away from him, just as Britney stormed by, taking me away from a kiss I hadn’t realized I had wanted so badly.
I didn’t blame her though, she was having a horrible time. Minutes earlier she had witnessed Derek making out with Lila Diller. Britney cried about the betrayal she had just lived, while I thought about the amazing kiss I had just experienced.
That was the last time Court and I shared any personal space together, and the last time I got a smile from him. Now there he is smiling, as the warm mountain air blows his chestnut brown hair in different directions.
I can’t handle this, I don’t want to be hurt by him, not after what I’ve been through with Jason, losing him was the worst thing in my life, I suffered more than I needed to. I don’t need this insignificant person crushing what is left of my heart.
I’ll run home, he can’t hurt me if he can’t talk to me. All I have to do is avoid him for another month, and then I’ll use this whole summer to get over that stupid kiss that’s been holding my mind hostage.
Oh no, it’s too late to run. Court is focusing his eyes on me. He puts his white Yankee baseball cap on his head, says goodbye to Adam, and begins his journey towards me. I want to run, but I can’t, Court’s baby blue eyes hold me in place. My heart begins to beat louder and louder, Thump, THump, THUmp, THUMP!
“Hi,” he says, making all my insides shake.
“Hi.”
“How are you?”
“Okay.” His eyes are too powerful for me. I quickly bring my focus down to the ground while I tuck my hair behind my ear.
“So, I’m glad we got an A on our project. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“We both worked equally hard on it.” Oh come on already, break my heart, so I can run off and find comfort in a bowl of double fudge chocolate ice cream.
“Umm, so you’re working at Fairland Park this summer?” Is this why he wants to talk to me? Oh man, I forgot his father owns the park. He probably wants to brag on how I’ll be working there while he hangs out with all his friends, and wants me to cater to all of them. What a jerk! I just nod my head. “Then I guess I’ll be seeing you there this summer.”
“Yeah, when you come hang out…” “No.”
“Huh?”
“I’m working there too!”
Did he just say he’ll be working at the park too? I’m confused. Is his dad making him work there? God knows he doesn’t need the money. Maybe he wants me to cover for him, and do his share of the work. What the hell does he want? “Just tell me already!” Oh no, did I just say that out loud?
“I’m sorry, umm…” Court mumbles, bringing his baby blue eyes down, now he’s having trouble making eye contact.
“I’ll make it easy for you, the kiss was a mistake. Well I got news…”
“What? No! In fact it’s the total opposite.” Court gazes into my eyes again. “What?” My legs are struggling to keep me up.
“I wanted to know if maybe you would like to go out with me.”
“What?”
“Do you want to go out? I’m not sure if you’re ready to date yet, I mean it’s been six months. I don’t know. Would you like to go out with me?” Court asks.
My heart races and breaks at the same time. I like Court, and for six days I have really wanted him to ask me out, however, now that he’s asking, I’m not sure if I am ready to say yes. He’s right, it has been six months, but as I see it, it’s only been six months since Jason died. “When?” I whisper.
“Tonight? I mean I know its short notice…”
“No.”
“Oh,” Court utters, as pain spreads across his eyes.
“No, I mean I don’t care about the short notice. I’m just not sure if I’m ready for this. I mean I want to go out with you, but…”
“We’ll go slow. We’ll only go out as friends tonight.”
“Okay,” I agree, watching Court’s beautiful smile appear on his face again, which makes me smile even harder.
“Then I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Okay. Um, Court? Where are we going?”
“I thought we’d go to the opening of Fairland Park, as customers, before we become park employees.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you tonight.” With each step I take to my car my smile becomes wider. I can’t believe Court asked me out! Britney is going to die when I tell her about this.
I close the door to my car and tears begin to run down my face, my heart is tight with pain. Why did I say yes to Court? Can I really do this to Jason? He’s only been gone for six months. Oh God, this might be a mistake. Am I really ready for this?
I’m excited to report that Because of You is now out in Amazon.com BarnesandNoble.comKobo, and iBooks. Here is the first chapter. Enjoy 🙂
Synopsis:
Six years ago Austin broke Jade’s heart. On that day he went from being her best friend to the person she hates the most.
Now six years later Jade’s life has been turned upside down, the family she once knew no longer exists. Her father’s infidelity has made it hard for her to trust anyone.
That is until she reconnects with the one person she’s despised the most.
Will Austin be able to break through Jade’s wall of anger to get her to trust him? Or will he break her heart again?
Together they will experience the ecstasies and agonies of being in love.
1
Life is Full of Traitors
My father sits across from me biting his lower lip intensely looking at the menu. I can’t believe he’s covered all his grey hair with a dark brown color. He looks so weird. Like he’s trying too hard to look young. Next thing I know he’ll be getting a piercing or a tattoo. I really hope not. He’s too old for that.
My sister Carrie taps her fingers loudly on her iPhone. It’s beginning to get on my nerves. Why does she have to text her fiancé so much? I don’t understand what they can be talking about that’s so important it can’t wait until later. Ohmigod! I’m beginning to sound like my mother.
Carrie’s heading back to New York City in forty-eight hours and I can’t wait. She’s been driving me crazy all week long. She thinks the world revolves around her and we are all here to serve her. Maybe that’s why she’s so into her fiancé Jeff, his world begins and ends with her.
I glance back at my dad wondering why he chose the same restaurant we used to come to as a family to share his latest news. The last time we were here was the night before he told us he was leaving my mother for that stupid skank. Hopefully this time we’re here so he can tell us he’s finally come to his senses and he has dumped her.
“Do you know what you’re going to have?” he asks, shooting his bright green eyes up to finally make some kind of eye contact with me.
I shake my head no. The smell of grilled steak has been dancing around my nose since we entered the restaurant. I look at my menu and try to decide between steak or a double cheddar bacon burger. They both sound so good. My stomach growls just thinking of taking a bite of either one.
“How about you Carrie?” My father asks her.
“Water and a salad with no dressing,” she coldly answers, without looking up from her phone.
“Don’t you want some real food?”
She shoots her hazel eyes up in horror and states, “Daddy, you know I’m getting married in a year. Do you want me to walk down the aisle looking like a cow?”
“Of course not,” my father says, raising his eyebrows up and down while giving me one of his silly grins.
There’s the father I remember. Once upon a time, he and I were inseparable, always doing things together and having our own private jokes. Carrie and my mother were always jealous of the relationship we shared. But then again they have their own special relationship.
My father was my whole world and couldn’t do anything wrong, that is until he began to see Trisha and destroyed our family. He didn’t only break my mother’s heart he also broke mine. Things really haven’t been the same since then.
The way he’s looking at me right now makes me think we could get that relationship back on track, especially if we’re here for him to tell us he’s done with his midlife crisis.
That’s it, I’m going to order the burger and maybe he’ll have the same. The way we used to.
“Sorry I’m late!” I hear a high pitch sound say shattering my eardrums. My heart bounces off my chest when I see Trisha running towards us in a red dress so short and tight I don’t think it would even fit my old Barbie dolls. Her perfectly styled black hair doesn’t move an inch as she bounces toward us with way too much make-up on her face.
I shut my eyes tightly and imagine her tripping on her five-inch heels, flying across the restaurant, and landing flat on her face. She stands up in horror when she notices her breast implants have popped. Trisha is rushed to the hospital where she’s pronounced dead from silicon poisoning. A wide smile comes across my face at the thought of being at her funeral. What can I say; I hate the bitch.
I open my eyes again and see her standing in front of us with a big idiot smile, showing off her new white teeth. I’m sure another gift from my father. I can’t stand how fake she is. I hope by the time I’m twenty-seven I won’t need as much work as she does to look good.
Trisha knew exactly what she was doing when she dug her acrylic claws into my father, a very successful oral surgeon. She gets anything his money will buy her.
“So, did you tell them yet?” Trisha asks, sliding into the booth right next to my father.
“No. I was waiting for you.” He leans in and gives her a kiss on the lips. Yuck! I think I’ve just lost my appetite.
“Can I take your order?” The waitress asks interrupting their moment of grossness.
“We need another…”
“Yeah, I’ll have the New York strip and lobster, and can I also have an order of the twin lobster tails,” I say, cutting off my father. If he wants me to have dinner with that home wrecker I’m going to make him pay.
“That sounds good. I’ll have the same, but also add a salad with no dressing,” Carrie adds. Sometimes I really love my sister.
“Wow, you guys must be starving,” Trisha observes, “Well, I’ll take a grilled chicken salad with the dressing on the side.”
“The full size or half?” The waitress asks.
“The half size…actually, bring me the full size, since I’m now eating for two,” Trisha announces, now looking at both my sister and I with a huge surprise I just fucked up your life smile.
The waitress quickly congratulates her, while Carrie and I begin to take slow, deep breaths. Did she really just say she’s having a baby? Who’s the father? Please don’t let it be my dad’s. Who am I kidding? Of course it’s his.
My stomach begins to twist in horrible burning knots. I can’t believe she’s having a stupid baby. Does she not know my father is forty-nine? He’s too old to have another child. I bet she’s just trying to trap him into staying with her.
That bitch!
“Are you serious?” Carrie hollers.
“Yes. I’m due at the end of May. Are you guys excited? You’re going to be older sisters,” Trisha cheers as if this is all good news.
“I’m already an older sister. Dad, how could you? Does Mom know?” Carrie’s body trembles with fury. While I feel myself shrinking as tremors of terror spiral through me.
“Yes. I told her last night.” No wonder she looked so unhappy today, my poor mother. “She agreed I could be the one to tell you girls. Carrie, Trisha and me are in love. We want to have a family together.”
Each word coming out of his mouth pierces my body with pure venom draining every drop of life out of me. “Excuse me,” I mumble, trying to get out of the booth. Carrie stands up and allows my escape.
I look at my father and want to yell at him, “You already have a family! You just fucked it up by leaving us for her! I hope you and your new child will be very happy together!” But I don’t say anything. Instead I begin to walk towards the door. I need to get out of here.
“Jade! Where are you going? Come back here right now!” My father orders, making everyone in the restaurant turn and stare at me. I take a deep breath and take off running before anyone can see me cry like a bawling baby.
I run out the door into the hot sticky August night air just as my tears begin to stream down my face. How can my father do this to us? Aren’t Carrie and me enough for him? How could he think this was something to celebrate? I will never forgive him for this.
I continue running, trying to breath in the thick air. I run down the parking lot until SMACK! My body bounces right off someone’s hard chest and fall backwards onto the inflexible wet ground.
“Whoa! Are you okay?” I hear a deep voice ask. He gives me his warm hand and helps me up.
“Yeah,” I answer, as the pain throbbing in my chest now travels down my body.
“Are you sure?” I look up at him and roll my eyes in revulsion. Why out of everyone in the world, do I have to bump into Austin Evans? He makes me sick.
His dark eyes narrow with concern and I remember I have tears in my eyes. He must think he’s the one who hurt me.
I yank my arm out of his grip. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Look, if you’re hurt…”
“I said I’m fine.” I continue to walk down the parking lot. I have no idea where I’m going. My dad drove so it’s not like I have a ride. Damn it!
“Hey,” Austin calls out running behind me.
“What?” I don’t stop walking.
“You don’t look like you’re okay. Do you need me to call someone for you? Or…”
“No. Just leave me alone,” I spit out, without looking back. I don’t need this right now. All I want to do is crawl under my covers and cry my eyes out.
“Where’re you going?”
I don’t say a word.
“Do you…”
“Austin!” A girl calls out. This time we both stop walking and look back at Leah Turner with her lips twisted up into a phony smile. Of course it’s her! Where ever Austin is Leah is sure to follow. “Where are you going?”
“Nowhere. I was just making sure that umm…” He looks at me once again acting like he doesn’t know my name. He’s so full of shit. I can’t stand him.
“Jade,” I remind him.
His look of concern disappears as the corners of his mouth point up producing an annoying smile. “I know who you are, Jade Miller.”
Does he want an award or something for remembering my whole name?
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“She looks fine,” Leah calls out trying her best to sound sweet.
Leah and me do not have a good relationship. She blames me for our cheerleading team losing at finals last year. It’s not my fault I walked out half way through the routine. My dad had just sat down with Trisha, and instead of watching his daughter cheer he was too busy shoving his old tongue into her disgusting mouth. Just another thing my father is responsible for ruining.
“Look, she’s right. I’m fine,” I reassure him, wanting to get away from him and this moment.
“Where are you going?” he asks.
“Home.” I turn around and continue to walk away from him.
He follows right behind me again. “Do you need a ride?”
“Aren’t you on a date or something?”
“What? No. I’m meeting a couple of friends, but it’s okay. I can take you home.” I spin back around to see him smile again making his dimples appear. I hate those damn things. They drive all the girls at school wild, but they have the opposite affect on me.
A long time ago Austin was my best friend. He was the person who I shared all my secrets with. He was the person who knew I broke my sister’s iPod. He was the person who held me when my grandma died. He knew everything about me as I knew everything about him. But that was six years ago. Now all I know about him is his growing list of hook ups, while all he knows about me is my name.
“Jade!” I turn my head and see my sister marching out of the restaurant with the same tears I had in my eyes. “This is all bullshit. Come on, Mom is on her way. I told her we’d meet her across the street.”
Austin’s face falls. “I guess you don’t need that ride.”
“No. I don’t.”
I begin to walk towards my sister. “Hey Jade?”
I whirl back around to face him. “Yeah?” What the hell does he want now?
“There’s a party on the beach tomorrow night. Are you going?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
“I just thought it might help cheer you up. You can never be sad at a party.” He smiles his big goofy smile again. “Maybe we can hang out.”
Did he really just say that? “I don’t think so.”
“Why? Is it cause your boyfriend will get mad?”
“No. It’s because I can’t stand you!” I turn back around and stomp away. I’m not in the mood to inform him Garret and I broke up two weeks ago.
Maria E. Monteiro: Having too Much Fun 