An angsty, new, first love, single dad, returning to hometown romance—set in a small mountain town in North Carolina—is coming next week from Stacey Lynn, and I have a sneak peek for you.
Excerpt
“This was my fault.” Valerie, the only friend I was allowed to spend any true social time with, had her lips pressed together. Proverbial steam billowed from her ears as her minty green eyes narrowed on my cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, and you know it. It was Jonathan being Jonathan.”
I’d long since given up making excuses for him. A few years ago, when Valerie had shown up after one of our worst nights and I was icing my cheek on the couch, dried blood on my lips, and ribs so bruised I could barely walk, I hadn’t bothered trying to come up with an excuse. She plied me with wine until the dam inside me broke, and I spilled all the horrid secrets I’d held on to for so long.
She would have seen right through it anyway. To this day, I was certain she knew the kind of man Jonathan was from the moment we met, and it was the only reason why she stayed friends with me. Valerie Sutton was desperate to save me, even while she was helpless to do so.
We both were.
“We were late. All because I wanted that vase.”
All true. I’d been allowed to shop yesterday. I was supposed to be home at four in order to have time to prepare myself for Jonathan, make us dinner, and have his bourbon ready for him when he arrived home. Instead, we’d wandered into an art gallery and had gotten lost among the vases and ceramics, all gorgeous, all from a local artist. I’d been an hour late getting home.
While I’d been changed and ready for him and had his drink ready, he’d been displeased he had to wait for his meal.
He took the wait out on my face.
But it didn’t matter what the reason or excuse was, he would have found me lacking in some way. Always did when the mood struck him to strike me. Eight years together, closing in on nine, and I could never figure out what the trigger was, or how to stop it. I just knew I couldn’t leave.
I’d never been dumb enough to try.
There was nowhere for me to go where his reach wouldn’t find me and drag me back.
Besides, where would I go? I no longer had a family, not one who’d want to see me after the way I treated them. Valerie was the only person I knew and since her husband and mine were co-managers of the Georgia Gators football team, they could only do so much.
Kip had tried to talk to Jonathan once. I ended up in the hospital and then an extended Spa Stay in Greece until I fully healed.
Lesson learned for everyone. Our business was ours and I was to keep my mouth shut.
“The vase is gorgeous,” I told Valerie. She was sweet as pie, southern born and raised in Augusta, Georgia and while we all now lived in Atlanta, I’d met her when I was still in New York.
We claimed our accents cemented us as friends. Regardless of the reason, I was thankful for her.
“Come on. I’m only allowed a couple of hours, and I need a new concealer at Sephora.”
“We could stay in and have it delivered.” Her eyes dropped again to my scrape.
Usually if there was any evidence of his treatment of me, I’d be locked up. I wasn’t lucky he was allowing me out. I’d earned it.
Both before and after his shower this morning. Neither had given me time to prepare myself, so while I was thankful I could get out of my jail, the pain I felt with every step I took made Jonathan, and any further punishments, a very vivid reminder.
“No. Please. I need this.” I blinked rapidly, forcing away my tears. It was a miracle I had any left, any ability to feel anything anymore. “I can’t be here today. I need to get out and breathe.”
“The fresh Atlanta air?”
Her brows arched. Her sass was clear. She could always make me smile.
“Exactly.” I chuckled and grabbed my purse. “Let’s go before he thinks you were here too long.”
“Right.” She scanned the rooms, but she wouldn’t see the cameras.
I couldn’t see them either, but I knew Jonathan received alerts every time I opened and closed the front door. Every time someone was in the house.
At first it’d made me feel protected.
At first, a lot of things had felt good.
Those days were long gone.
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