Bait (Wake, #1)(119)

I turned my head and looked away. Her words were both acid and salve on my shredded heart. I was so tired.

Time would tell.

She got out of the car, and Andy helped with her bags.

I thought that she’d already walked off, that was the only reason I stole a look in the direction of the doors. But she hadn’t, she was pulling something out of her bag. She knocked on the window, and I reached her direction, pressing the button of it to descend.

She tossed a piece of paper into the car and walked away.

Like a masochist, I watched her go.

When she was deep inside the doors and I couldn’t see her through the people walking around anymore, I pulled out my phone.

I read a message that she’d sent earlier.

Honeybee: Are you trying to hurt me?

I looked at the time. It was midnight on the dot. Another New Year, another new day.

Me: Our pain and our love are one and the same. I’ll wait for you. Probably, forever if that’s what it takes.

Delete.

Me: Happy 2010. Goodbye.

…The Bait





To you,


I’m sitting here this morning making wishes on waves.

I’m on my honeymoon, yet I can only think of you. Of us. I wish I could talk to you right now, but we both know I never say the things that I should. Or maybe I do, but just to the wrong people.

I’ve used the excuse that we met in a bar, and that we were only a one-night stand, but you know me. It turns out that I’m a liar. Because the truth is, we’ve met lots of places. And no matter how hard I fought not to, I fell in love with you every single time.

I made a mistake when I said my wedding vows, because my heart had already promised them all to you. And you deserve someone who isn’t afraid to tell the whole world how sacred a feeling it is being loved by you.

I wish that someday that someone is me. The whole me. All of the parts of me. Because you’re the only one who’s ever seen them and it’s a crime that I’ve made you feel like they weren’t yours all along.

You asked me once what parts of you I wanted. I’m selfish because I want them all. I want to find new parts of you and plant flags with my name on them.

If the saying “you hurt the ones you love the most” is true, then I wish I could love you less so that loving me wasn’t so hard.

We fight. And we fight hard. I’ve only just realized that we were on the same side. And I’m rooting for us.

I don’t know how I’m going to do it, and it might take me the rest of my life, but I’ll see to it that you and that bait of yours catch this fish.

But most of all, you precious man, I wish you knew that I’m here, wishing for you.

Your honeybee,

Your Blake,

Yours only, always.





Dear Reader,



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Love,

M. Mabie & N.A. Alcorn





To my readers, my love for you has no boundaries or borders—it goes everywhere.


To the Mo Stash, you girls are the most fun cheerleaders I’ve ever met. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

To the blogs that drop everything for me at the drop of a hat. Bare Naked Words, The Never-ending Book Basket, Back Off My Books, Mixed Emotions Book Blog, Two Unruly Girls with a Romance Book Buzz and so many others that I hate myself for leaving out.

To Wendy and Claire, there are no bigger hearts than yours. Anywhere.

To my beta and proofreaders, Aly, Megan, Elizabeth, Michelle, Wendy, Tara, Jordan, Sandie, Laura, Sandra and Alexis this book is better because of you. Thank you.

To Laurel, your sweet heart and kindness make me want to be a better girl. So, you’re stuck with me. When are you moving?

To Aly, you boss me around and I like it. You’re my backbone. You say no when I want you to say yes. You make me look at things from the best possible angles, twisted as they might be.

To Erin, I can only hope to be as cool you when I grow up. Maybe we’ll set off the airport metal detectors together one day.

To Natalie, I get emotional thinking about how much I love you. That’s not healthy. You’ve been cheering these two characters on for over a year now. Part of my heart belongs to you—it’s the weird part that no one else wants. Never leave me.

To my husband, you let me pass go AND collect $200 by taking the steering wheel of our home while I wrote this book. I love you so much. Forever and ever and probably the time life comes around, too. Kindred spirits we are. I’m chasing my dreams and I learned how from you. Fifty-fife cents, my love.





M. Mabie lives in Illinois with her husband. She loves reading and writing romance. She cares about politics but will not discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne’s World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. M. Mabie has never been accused of being tight lipped or shy. In fact, if you listen very closely, you can probably hear her flapping her gums.


You’re encouraged to contact M. Mabie about her future works, as well as this one.