by L. B. Carter
“You too.”
“What?” Reed asked Nor vaguely, trying to get some blood back to his brain and remember what they had been talking about. “No, no. Left side,” he muttered to Val, then zipped his lips before his brother heard him rooting against his futures sister-in-law if Nor had any sense in him. He was all for sibling rivalry, but as both of the women’s trainer, it was unprofessional to take sides.
“You have my permission too. With Val.”
“Oh no.” Reed sputtered, waved his hands like telling a helicopter it wasn’t safe to land. “We’re not… We haven’t even… We’re not dating.” They hadn’t done much more than toss some sexual tension back and forth like a volleyball and make out a time or two.
He definitely wanted to do other things though. Almost losing her really made him want to embrace their time together, and life. There were just too many disasters that could end things in an instant. They had to live while they could… and maybe keep working together to save the world. They were getting damn good at that.
Nor crossed his arms, feigning shock. “My brother. Unable to get a woman he wants.”
Reed scowled. “That’s not—”
Nor interrupted. “That’s what I’m talking about though. You’ve met your match. It’s perfect. You should keep her.”
“I don’t have her. You just said that yourself.”
Nor scoffed. “You will.”
Reed laughed. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, bro.”
Nor shook his head. “Not in you. In her.” He gestured at Val. “She’ll make it happen.”
“She doesn’t want me.” His heart was liking what Nor was saying though. “And I don’t want her. Not like that. Not a relationship. I’m not …ready.”
The fact that his thoughts grappled with her connection to his deceased girlfriend meant he wasn’t ready to actually be with her. Closet play was different than considering someone forever. His heart was beginning to heal, starting to open to the possibility of someone else. However, he had far to go.
“You do want each other. You just need time. That is true. You’ll get there though. You two are right for each other.”
Reed thought of how Val had responded to the emergency, running in, putting herself in danger, doing what she despised, and taking charge, how she’d read him and known what he’d needed and done it without him even saying it, how he’d had his back, how they were becoming a team.
She knew all his moves on the mat, and she knew him off the mat. They shared a traumatic past which brought them together in the first place, saved each other’s’ lives on various occasions, and supported each other during tough times. He did have hope.
Hope for them and hope for the world. Together, they could take all the disasters thrown at them, one day at a time. They’d proven that. Just like he told her. They’d handle it.
There was a lot to overcome; he needed to learn to accept her connection to Jen. He needed to learn to let Jen go and of the guilt that moving on meant letting her go. That admitting how perfect Val was somehow made his relationship with Jen less meaning ful, that it meant admitting that she hadn’t been perfect for him.
“You wanna do a quadruple wedding?” Reed joked. “Henley and Ace, you and Rena, me and Val, Kayna and Liam.” As soon as his fever had broken and he’d woken up about forty-two hours after they’d administered the vaccine, Liam had hugged his sister and girlfriend to him and proposed on the spot. Guess he too was feeling that don’t-wait-until-it’s-gone vibe.
They’d gone back home to let him fully recover in peace… and deal with their mum. They’d taken a couple sets of clean suits, but Nor guessed the virus was dead with the host having been dead for almost two weeks. The virus was—God willing—eradicated forever.
There’d be something else. Reed had learned from his mistakes: expect the worst. Disaster is always lurking, especially while the world was changing.
“Val—the original Val. Your Val. Jen.” Nor struggled to name Reed’s former girlfriend, which showed that they all had some adjusting and moving on to do. “She had been right for you at the time. You’re different now—partly due to her …passing.” Nor also knew Reed and pinned right on one of the things that was holding him back: guilt. “But now, this Val is right for you.” Nor’s wisdom was beyond his years. The psychoanalysis was both insightful and incredibly right—but hard to come to accept. Reed would get there. He had a great support team.
“What’s this? My little brother giving me advice on women now?”
Nor laughed and as Rena tripped Val, rolled under her legs and kicked her knees. She fell on her face, and Rena pinned the taller woman down. Nor shouldered Reed. “The tables have turned.”
“And what makes you think I’ll listen to your advice, oh young one?” Reed challenged.
Nor started clapping when Rena looked over, a cocky grin stretched across her face. “You’ll give in when you realize I’m right. You’re stubborn, not stupid. You know when to give in.”
Reed caught Val’s eye, her cheek pressed into the mat. He grinned as she slapped a hand onto the mat, admitting defeat to Rena. Nor was right. He did know when to give in.
“Yield,” Reed said to Nor, as Val’s lips mouthed the same word to Rena. He too celebrated Rena’s win, watching Val’s eyes narrow on him, knowing she was going to let him have it for that.
“Bring it,” he told her through the window. There was nothing he and his team couldn’t handle together.
The End
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I truly hope you enjoyed reading this boxset as much as I did writing it! Reviews are incredibly important for indie authors like me—please consider leaving one on Amazon, Goodreads or BookBub. You can also reach out by email or social media and check out my other novels via LBCarter.com.
This whole series means a lot to me, as an Earth scientist and general Earth-hugger, as well as an indie author. But this entire trilogy—my first complete series and first published book, my first bestseller, my first international bestseller, my first Amazon “hot new release,” my first five-star book, my first award-winner, my first non-Amazon books—would never have existed (and neither would I as an author) without a kick in the rear and a lot of advice and encouragement from my friends, mentors and supporters.
The heroes of my world, who help me survive every day include: the generous and amazing authors Ednah Walters (RIP), ST Bende, C.L. Monaghan, LeAnn Mason, Lorna Richmond; my family; my amazing editor Dawn Yacovetta; my PA Kallie K. and moderator Hollian Rickman; my ARC team and my Wild Crew; and all family and friends who have shown pride and cheered on my dream.
Additionally, I would never have written at all without the patience, pride, challenge, love, and companionship of my Apple, and without the endless snuggles and comfort from my lap-warming Mr. Cat. They hold me steady on my teetering ladder, as I climb toward my lofty star in the dark sky.
BOOKS BY L.B. CARTER
Climatic Climacteric Trilogy
(Upper YA Disaster Dystopian)
Silent Siren
Faded Flare
Arid Alarm
Loan Soul Series
(Dark Paranormal Fantasy)
A Lost Soul
No Free Souls
One Loan Soul
Two Sold Mates
Three Broke Souls
Four Poor Souls
The Quick Dead Fox
Stand-Alone Novels
(Mystery/Thriller)
Fish(y) out of Water
Learn more and get free books at
www.LBCarter.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
L.B. Carter is an award-winning, internationally bestselling author, bookworm, scientist, and cat-mom with a penchant for sarcasm and puns and an adoration about alliteration. Her novels are a myriad of dark fantasy, interesting facts, mystery and suspense, twisted humor, and relationships, romantic, friendly, and familial. Curled up in front of a winter fire under fairy lights with a book, a cup of spi
ced hot chocolate, something she’s baked, and her snuggly orange lap-cat is her happy place. Like the fox in her favorite book, Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, L.B. believes what’s important to the heart is not seen with the eyes… but sometimes visible with imagination.
Follow L.B. Carter at @LBCarterAuthor on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Join her reader group, Carter’s Wild Crew. Find her books on Amazon, Goodreads or BookBub. And subscribe to her newsletter at LBCarter.com to get the latest news, catch all the sales, enter giveaways, and read exclusive stories!
