Fallen Crest Home (Fallen Crest High #6)(94)

My stomach grew uneasy. I knew what that meant.

Mason finished, “I’ve been suspended pending a personal investigation.”

“Mason, it’ll be fine.”

“No.” He sat down on the comforter, resting his hands over his knees. He watched as I sat next to him. “The fighting’s on my record. They’ll get ahold of the case we have against Caldron. Then they’ll start looking into the past. I was fucked before I even started.”

“Mason.” I reached for his hand. I needed to say more, but that seemed to be all I could get out. I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say next…

“The NFL has a strict policy on scandals, and this whole shitstorm over the summer? They’ll see it as one giant scandal. It’s over for the NFL.”

“Mason.” I closed my eyes, just holding onto his hand.

Then the question came. I wasn’t expecting it, though I should’ve been.

His voice sounded raw.

“Sam, will you marry me?”





Oh, holy crap! I cannot believe I’m at this point already. It’s very very surreal. Fallen Crest Seven is done as well, and I’m just numb. Cripes! Lol! Oh my gosh. Okay. I have a feeling I’m going to be a babbling idiot for the acknowledgments in Fallen Crest Seven, but I’m here right now and all the emotions are spilling out.

First—thank you to my agent, to Debra Anastasia, to all of my admins, to Cami, Kerri, Eileen, Heather, Autumn, Crystal, Stacey, Amanda B, and Amanda W. Thank you to Lisa Sylva for checking in and being my cheerleader. Gah! So many.

Thank you to all the girls in the reader group! You guys have no idea how much all the posts and comments help me to keep sticking to what I love to do!

Thank you to J and B, for everything!





BONUS READING


COLE





I was surrounded—by champagne, crystal lights, and beautiful people. And I wanted to die.

Not really, but I was huddled in a corner with my back turned to the party. This was Sia’s job. She was the event coordinator at this art gallery, the Gala. I wasn’t even sure what event she was throwing, but I was here because she asked me to be. This was her thing, a typical Friday night for my best friend. The rich and gorgeous people came together to drink, socialize, throw money at some charity and mainly gossip. This was not my thing, and among all these paintings and socialites, I wanted to disappear.

I moved to Chicago two years ago, but that seemed like a lifetime now. We came for Liam’s job. He was the newest counselor at the Haven Center, but a year ago he was killed, struck by a drunk driver on his way home.

A shudder went through me as I remembered.

Liam had left a message that he was stopping to get flowers—he was a block away. The local florist had a booth in our grocery store. I’d had the genius idea to walk Frankie and meet him at the store. Our dog furry child could wait in the car while we got food together. It was silly, but grocery shopping was a favorite “date” for me. Liam thought it was ridiculous. He always laughed, but he’d humor me. And Frankie loved it. He got out of the house and could wag his tail to his heart’s content in the car. We lived in a nice neighborhood, and it wasn’t too hot, so I trusted our child would still be there when we returned.

When Frankie and I walked around the corner, Liam’s car was waiting to cross the intersection and turn in to the parking lot. He smiled when he saw Frankie and me, and he looked so happy. He’d lifted his hand to wave. So had I. When the light changed, Liam started across—I saw his smile fall away. I saw his hand grab for the steering wheel. I saw the blood drain from his face. He’d started to mouth, “I lo—“

My heart twisted. It was being yanked out, slowly, inch by inch.

As I’d watched, my husband’s car was T-boned by a truck.

I bowed my head and gripped my champagne glass now. I could still hear the sound of metal being smashed, crunching and grinding. Then the car had started in a roll.

Once.

Twice.

It had rolled three times before stopping. He had rolled three times before dying.

The terror—I’ll never get that image out of my mind. His crystal blue eyes, high cheekbones, a face I’d always teased would keep the ladies hitting on him long after he passed fifty, had never looked so scared. Everything happened in slow motion. His eyes went to the truck, and then they found me. Frankie was barking. I couldn’t move. My heart slowed.

I was told later that I’d kept Frankie from running in to traffic, but I have no memory of that. All I can remember is Liam and the look in his eyes when he knew he was going to die.

My future died that day.

“Addison!”

I had one second to ready myself, and I wiped away the tear that had leaked from my eye. Sia rushed to my side, hissing my name in an excited whisper as she grasped my arm. She moved close, turning so she could speak quietly to me but still watch her friends behind us. Her dress grazed my bare arm.

“I just got the best news ever for you! Seriously, I’m gushing like a twelve year old because it’s that damned good.” She paused, her eyes searching my face, and her head moved back an inch. “Wait. What are you doing all the way over here?” She glanced over her shoulder. “The street’s beautiful and all, but the party’s behind you.”