Intro Chapter

Everyone has been soooo wonderful with promoting my book. Thank you all so much. As promised, here's the intro to my book.

For those of you that aren't on Facebook/missed the posts, I announced that the title of my book is

Coast to Coast. 

My characters are........

 Emerson and Logan.......and maybe Shane. I also said I would share my intro chapter. Those of you not on Facebook, NEED to sign up for my blog, then you can get my recent writing adventures sent right to your email inbox.

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                                        So here I go.  My intro is out there for the public. 

                                                                            Enjoy !

        

        I slowly start to awaken.  I roll over on my other side and grasp the comforter over my shoulders up to my chin.  A gentle breeze billows the curtains from the balcony door.  It was a warm enough morning, but I could feel a chill that signaled the impending fall.  The sheer curtains just barely allowed the first rays of dawn to seep into the room.  I look across to the other bed and see Jessica still fast asleep.  I hold my breath for a moment and listen for sounds of others stirring in the house.  Silence.  Except for the waves breaking on the shore outside, I seem to be the only thing alive at this early hour.  I lay my head back down on the pillow and exhale.  Maybe I’ll just stay here a little longer and enjoy the peace before I’m forced to start my day. 

            Suddenly, terror seized my body.  Memories of last night’s events come crashing through my head.  I pull the comforter completely over my head and squeeze my eyes shut.  How could I have been lulled by this false sense of peace and serenity for even a moment?  I had to go.  If I waited too long the others would be waking up and that would mean too many questions.  And I couldn’t see any logical answers presenting themselves any time soon.  No, I had to leave now.  Get back home and start living my new life.  I knew things were going to change after this summer anyways, so I should have been prepared.  I guess I expected to be able to wade in slowly from the shallow end though, not be thrown into the deep with a force strong enough to drown a person. 

            I jump out of bed and pull my suitcase out from underneath it.  I quickly dress in some jeans and a tee shirt from my dresser drawer.  I dump the rest of the drawer in the suitcase.  I only need to take some essentials to get me started.  I’ll get the rest later.  As I pull my hair back in a messy ponytail I hear Jessica stirring.  She’s going to hate me for leaving like this.  Once again escaping, not wanting to deal with any awkward situations and not even saying goodbye to her. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jessica murmurs as she sits up in bed.

“I’m leaving. You know I can’t deal with any of this right now. It was already complicated and I was unsure about my decision. After everything that went down last night… well, it’s for the better. Now I don’t have to choose. They made it easy. Now I don’t want anything to do with either of them.”

“You’ve got to be joking. Emerson, you can’t fool me. I know you loved him, and I know you still do. You might try to convince yourself that you don’t, but I know better.”

I glare at her.  “Nice try Jess. I don’t even know which one you’re talking about.”

“You know perfectly well who I’m talking about.” She beams a smile at me. “Now, slow down and take a breath. Your flight doesn’t leave for hours. Let’s have some breakfast then I’ll help you pack while we think of what you’re going to say to him. That way you can face the next phase of your life like a grownup, head on, no regrets. Emerson, you’re never gonna make it out there if you keep hiding from every uncomfortable situation you find yourself stuck in. You’re not a kid anymore. You can’t just pull the blanket over your head and pretend the outside world doesn’t exist. It’s time to…”

We’re interrupted by a timid knocking at the door.  I freeze.  Any courage Jessica just infused in me had immediately flooded out with the sound of his knuckles gently tapping against oak.  It was him.  It had to be, right?  Wait, was I actually excited that he might be here, coming here for me, ready to apologize or forgive, whichever way you wanted to look at it we certainly had unfinished business to deal with.  Maybe it wasn’t him.  What if it was…

“No, I just can’t deal with him yet, “ I whisper. “Tell him I already left and I’ll call him tonight once I’m back at the apartment. I’m sorry Jess. I’m just not as strong as you. I need that blanket a little longer.” I give her a little hug, grab my suitcase off the bed, and dodge out the patio door to the balcony and the stairs that lead to the beach below.  But as I reach the top stair some invisible force stops me from descending.  Curiosity gets the best of me and even though I don’t want to talk to him, I kind of want to hear what he has to say.  I stand on the balcony, out of view of the glass patio doors, which are still cracked open.  Jess answers the door and I listen.

“Is she here? I really need to talk to her. Maybe you can help me. She always did listen to you.”

Wow.  Not at all the voice I expected to hear.  I really should go in and just face him.  I take a deep breath and set my suitcase down.  Alright Emerson, it’s time to come out from under the blanket.  I close my eyes, take another deep breath, and reach for the door.  I pull it open completely and stand in its frame.

“OK, go ahead and talk. Say whatever you need to. I don’t like what’s going on and I don’t understand how it all came to this. So maybe you can shed some light on it for me. Go ahead. I’ll listen.”