Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)(98)

“I’m trying. It’s stuck.”

She toys with it for a few more minutes before it shifts loose. She pulls out a diamond solitaire engagement ring and her eyes snap to mine. Everyone knows but her, and they all stand behind us clicking pictures and smiling.

“Brett?”

“Gorgeous?” I respond walking the few steps to meet her.

“Um…” She holds up a diamond that is nowhere near worthy to sit on her finger, but still far bigger than anything she would allow me to buy her.

“I love you. I think we’ve covered that part by now,” I smile as tears start to slide down her cheeks, but her smile never waivers. “I don’t think words can adequately explain all the reasons why I think you should marry me. For now I can only offer you one, and it’s selfish as hell. Jesse James Addison, I can’t live another day without calling you my wife. We have wasted too much time already. I should have married you that day at the football game fifteen months ago.” She starts laughing just as I hoped. As the magical sound washes over me, I drop to a knee.

“Marry me, Jesse.” I pull the ring from her hand and slide it on her finger.

She doesn’t say a word as she drops to her knees beside me. She throws her arms around my neck and buries her face into my chest. I hold her for a few minutes waiting for an answer that never comes.

“You didn’t answer,” I whisper as the large crowd looks on.

“Shhh…do you hear that Brett?”

“Hear what?” I ask, thoroughly confused.

“The silence,” she mocks my words, then bursts into laughter. I can’t help but join her as I fall over backwards dragging her with me.

Without shame, I kiss her indecently on the filthy bowling alley floor.

“Yes,” she finally whisper against my lips.

It’s more than a word. It’s a life, a future, and more than I will ever deserve. It’s forever.





STOLEN COURSE


Caleb Jones’ Story

Coming May 2014



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So let me get this straight, I get as many pages as I want and no one will turn on the music and play me off the stage while I’m thanking people? I’m kind of scared this might be longer than the actual book. Well, here we go.

To my amazingly sexy husband Mike: I love you. Writing Changing Course might not have been “work” but thank you for letting me pretend it was. Thank you for picking up extra wine at least twice a week, and for not complaining about the dirty house and seven-bazillion piles of laundry. Oh, who am I kidding, it always looks like that. Thank you for not complaining about that too. Thank you for staying up all night and actually reading your wife’s sexy book. You have always been the silence in my crazy world. MMmmMMMmmmMM!

To my kids, Lunny, Toots, Grey, and Hoppy: Yes, Mommy wrote a dirty book. I hate to say it, but I’m pretty sure this won’t be the most embarrassing thing I ever do to you. I love you more than words can ever express.

To my Mom: Thank you for agreeing to read the abridged version of Changing Course. You know, the one where Brett never says a bad word, and never goes further than holding hands. Most of all, thank you for always supporting me, no matter what wacky idea I had. I may not always be the most thoughtful or the easiest to get along with, but the fact that you put up with me unconditionally means more than you will ever know. I love you.

To my Dad: Oh jeez, thank you for NEVER reading this book. I won’t even send you the abridged version I sent Mama. Trust me, for the sake of awkward Christmas dinner conversation, it’s better this way. But thank you for always being my Daddy. I love you.

To my sister Lori, Thank you for giving me shit and always having my back when I need it, and even when I didn’t know I needed it. Oh, and thank you for the one star rating you will surely give me…ya know, just to keep me in check.

To my sister Jennifer: Thank you for editing the crap-tastic first draft of my very first book. Seriously, you deserve an award for that, but all you are getting is this three sentence acknowledgement. Don’t let it go to your head.

To my brothers, Jay and Matt: If y’all ever open this book, I will never speak to you again. But thanks for letting Mama read this little part to you over the phone, when she finally tells you that I wrote a book. Random, right? Don’t worry, I won’t mention the championship underwear in any of my books. Oh, wait. Nevermind.

To the whole Martinez Family, Juan, Wilma, Telisse, Anthony, and Ashley: Thank you for being my second family, and supporting me every step of the way.

To Autumn: Without you Changing Course would be a drag, and I’m not talking about the good kind of drag. There would be no sexy without you, so I’m sure Brett and Jesse thank you for that, almost as much as I do.

To Ashley T: Thank you for reading every agonizingly rough chapter along the way. Seriously, that was a tough job. I can’t thank you enough for the endless amount of hours you spent brainstorming with me. I can honestly say Changing Course is better because you were involved.

To my AMAZING betas, Bianca, Bianca, Adriana, and Lakrysa: I have no words. Changing Course would never have been the same without y’all. You ladies kept me laughing with your emails, and made me get down and dirty with the ending (Ehm…mean B). I’m so thankful to have such an incredible group of smart, funny, and beautiful ladies to help me on this crazy journey.