Where We Left Off (Phoenix Falls Series)

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I knew you’d be even better in person,” he says and he gives me another winning grin as he leaves the dining area. I let out a shaky breath as he disappears. It’s amazing that now that he thinks I’m unhinged – even in jest – the air is suddenly clear. He’s real smiles and belly laughs. So… you’re letting me use this tonight?” he asks. We look into each other’s eyes again and I think about how his warm fingers are still firmly wrapped around my wrist. What can I do?” He’s stroking my cheek with impossible gentleness. “Is there any way to relieve it?” There’s a horrible shooting pain deep in my oesophagus but the words tumble out of mouth anyway before I can stop them. Are you sure?” she asks as she pulls out a secret, hidden garment from one of her under-the-bed drawers.

There’s a tiny flutter in my chest when I drink in the room. It would be cramped for most people but, at my height, it’s cosy. Dark curtains, pillow cases, and quilt covers. A lamp on each side, framing the bed. The downpour outside creates a calming, repetitive thumping sound against the roof above us, and there’s beautiful bespoke wood panelling everywhere. She snorts lightly. “I hate public attention almost as much as you do. I want to live in the shadows like a vampire.” Tate steps out of the driver’s side and closes the door, looking down at me hesitantly. The rain runs like sweat over his skin. Your son rides a motorcycle?” she asks. She has an intrigued look in her eyes now that she knows it isn’t her boyfriend who is going to risk life and limb on the road, but her voice is laced with displeasure.I scrunch up my nose. “I might not actually go to Homecoming as an attendee.” My stomach feels weird just thinking about it. Watching people have fun in their big social circles as I cling to my one friend in her all-leather suit. He rounds the other side of the bed and pulls up the tarp, squinting up at me against the beating rain. “Put the bike in the bed. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

As River prepares to graduate and begin a life at college, she must decide whether to believe in her memories or to trust her gut. When the time comes to put her heart on the line, only one thing is for sure: not everything is as it seems. Get that for me?” Shoulders is talking. It’s pre-period so the hallway is rammed and, almost comically, the entire corridor turns to see who he has graced with his attention. Hmm,” she says, her mouth suspiciously full of my sliced-to-perfection lettuce. I narrow my eyes on her and stop her wrist when she goes for another forkful.

Our faces are only a few inches apart. He’s looking down at my mouth so I look up at his. A water droplet runs over the curve of his bottom lip and I think about how it would feel if I were to catch it on my tongue.

At the end of the week I had become more comfortable, so I asked him if I could unfold the blankets and lie down whilst we were out here. Being a full-time swat was kind of tiring, and I could use the resting time.I smile at the paper and then slide it gently into my satchel. There’s a little skip in my step as we make our way to the gym. Mitch doesn’t look up at his son but he nods in agreement. “The cuts aren’t deep but there are multiple, and it’s swelling because one of them must’ve become infected. Hopefully only one of them. We’ll get you antibiotics tomorrow.” I know why he’s being so amenable and he damn well ought to be. I hope that he is ridden with guilt over what he put me through. The bell will ring any second now so I push myself off the wall and turn to walk to class. I feel Kit behind me but I can sense her potent glower on the boys up ahead. She hisses over to me, “Did you submit your poster to the Homecoming committee?” just as her overly-stretched hair bobble snaps and flies across the room, Pablo Picasso at the whiteboard evidently none the wiser.

I bend my arms up and thrust my elbows into his chest, hard. He doesn’t budge but I manage to claw my way out of his arms anyway. I’m sprinting up the stairs and my heart is thundering in my chest because I can hear him racing on my tail. I push into my room and purposefully spin around so that I can look at him whilst I slam the door in his face but he drives his arm out, stopping it.

Thank you for all of the wonderful messages, comments, videos and book photos that I have received, and I hope that this book provides comfort for anyone else who has experienced what the main character has been through ♡