Stanton Bliss by T.L. Swan
Acknowledgements
It takes a team to write a book.
I am one of the lucky ones and my precious team has grown with each one I have written.
Let me start my thank you’s.
Mum, You are the best…….that is all!
Vicki, you have been with me for ten years before I wrote one word. Your friendship and advice on my writing mean more to me than you could ever know. Thank you for every thing that you do for me and please know that you are stuck with me for life……..you can not escape.
Amanda, my loveable sarcastic Dom. I met you through Adore as a reader and never in a million years did I expect for you to become one of my closest friends. Thank you for everything that you do, you are so very appreciated.
Rachel, the funniest and sweetest chick on this earth. You live on the other side of the world from me and yet I feel like I have known you forever. The day your blog asked you to review Adore was a huge blessing in my life. I can never ever repay you and Amanda for all that you do for me. If it wasn’t for you two I probably would have sold one book to date.
Lisa, funny, sweet and totally addicted to Joshua. Your friendship brightens my days, another blogger turned beautiful friend. Thank you for making me laugh, I truly value our friendship.
Anissa, I honestly didn’t know that girls like you existed. You are the sweetest, kindest person I have been lucky enough to meet. It was your blog (The Christian Grey Fan Page) that started me off. I can never thank you enough and its not even about books any more between us, its about friendship.
Linda, you are kicking my ass all the way home and I love you for it. Thank you for all that you do for me.
Victoria, my smart little friend and an awesome author, thank you for all that you do for me.
To my beta team. Tara, Nadia, Charlotte, Anne, Sharon, Renee, Brooke, Tracey, Laura, Donna, Rachel, Nicole, Laura, Kelli, Nikki. Thank you girls, you make me better. I couldn’t do this without you.
To the awesome girls in my street team The Lamborghini Chicks…….oh my god, you blow my mind with your support. Thank you so much for everything that you do.
To the beloved girls in the Swan Squad…….I LOVE YOU…….you make my days brighter, thank you for your friendship and giving me a safe place to hang out. I am forever grateful and sincerely hope that one day we can all meet.
To all the wonderful bloggers in the world, your support has helped me more than you could ever know. Special mention to Three Chicks and Their Books, Christian Grey Fan Page, The Rock stars of Romance, Sassy Savvy and Fabulous, Book Lovers Down Under and Sharing The Book Love
My beautiful husband and my gorgeous kids, you are my everything.
I love you more than life itself.
And YOU. Every single person who has purchased Stanton. I still pinch myself that people actually read my books, let alone enjoy them.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And Last but not least I would like to thank my beautiful Joshua and Natasha. You came to me at a time when I didn’t think this was possible. You did not go away and you never left me……every time I thought I can’t do this, you whispered yes you can, keep going. You got this.
Although it was me who wrote your story, I think it was you who really wrote mine.
I miss you already.
Gratitude
The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Chapter 1
Regrets. For every single minute of every hour that I sat locked in that room, I had a new regret. Regret that I didn’t love him sooner. Regret that I had wasted so much time being insecure and unsure. Regret that I blamed myself so hard for my beloved father’s death. But when it all comes down to it, the only person who feels the pain of my regrets is me. Nobody gives a flying f*ck how insecure I am on the inside, so why did I put myself through it for so long?
I’ve been given a second chance at my life.
A do-over.
I’m going to take the bastard by both horns and ride it home hard, without fear, without hesitation and without one more single regret.
Look out world. Here I come!
We arrived in Thailand this afternoon and I am in Kamala surrounded by my loved ones. The sun is setting over the horizon and the staff are lighting the candles that are scattered throughout the garden. Joshua and his family are here along with Adrian, Nicholas and Abbie, and my family. We are sitting around the pool area of the main house after enjoying a beautiful meal, it’s been a big day… a big month, actually. Exhausted doesn’t even come close to how I’m feeling, but the very last thing that I want to do is go to bed. I don’t want to miss one single second with these beautiful people. I’ve missed them all so much and family has never been more important. Didge, Abbie and I are in the pool and we have swum to the other end to talk in private.
On the steps of the pool, in the darkness, we talk quietly. We haven’t had a moment to ourselves since I was found two days ago.
“I’ve missed you two,” I breathe. I can’t believe I’m actually here with them.
Abbie smiles and wraps her arms around Bridge and I as we sit on either side of her.
“Tell me, what exactly have I missed?” I whisper.
“A lot of crying.”
I smile sadly.
“Nothing has happened since you left, Tash. Our whole world stopped.”