by C. R. Jane
Taking a huge breath of air, I quickly collected a paper towel, dabbed it with water, and cleaned the dirt off as best I could. Digging in my handbag, I pulled out my comb, taming my golden hair that always bounced with a loose curl over my shoulders. With the lipstick, I colored my lips a shade of nude with a hint of pink. Just enough to stand out, but not too much to look slutty.
I grimaced that I’d just recited Gloria’s words. Gloria was the stepmonster and her insults and orders were always in my head even when I hadn’t seen her for months.
I applied a few more layers of lipstick for a darker finish as a subtle “f.u.” to the thought of her. There, now I looked fantastic.
Staring at myself in the mirror at my blue eyes, I couldn’t help but think of my Mom. I hadn’t taken after much of her looks with my curvy frame and average five-foot five height. She had been tall and thin, like a model.
But I had gotten her eyes. My dad had always told me after she passed that he saw her in my eyes every time he looked at me.
I leaned in closer to the mirror, swearing if I looked deep enough into my eyes, it felt like she was with me again. My breath misted the mirror. My heart clenched with sorrow because I missed her terribly, especially at Christmas. When she’d make her famous Portugese turkey roast, decorate the whole house with way too many Santa Claus’s, and insist we sang carols. I used to hate doing them, now… now I’d give anything in the world to hear her persistent voice, her excited voice, her loving voice.
I swallowed the lump in my throat when someone moved behind me. I quickly stepped back from the mirror, wiped away the loose tear, and tossed everything in my handbag. In haste, I made my way to the toilet.
Back in the main area of the airport, I strolled with my wheelie bag behind me, past crowds of people, looking into the big branded stores I could never afford. Each cafe I walked past was jam packed with a line out the door. When I found no line in front of the sports bar, I marched inside to the bar, noticing people were everywhere. Large screens dotted the walls, playing all the latest sports, and the air smelled of beer and fried food. Perfect.
“What will you have?” a woman’s voice asked, and I turned to find the bartender offering me a curt smile, clear she’d been run off her feet from the influx of stranded passengers.
“Too early in the day for a Margarita?”
She half chuckled. “Ma’am, in my books, it’s never too early.”
I rarely drank, but right now I felt like drowning myself in something delicious.
“Sounds perfect. Can I get the nachos too, please?”
“Absolutely. Take a seat, and I’ll bring everything out to you.”
“Thanks.” I turned to find a table, even sharing with someone would be perfect, as long as I just got to sit in peace and work out my next steps. Except, every single chair was filled, even along the window with the single seats.
Someone waved to me from across the room at a tall table with three seats around it. Two of the seats were taken. The moment my eyes laid on those two arrogant jerks, my stomach dropped.
A smile crossed Blue Eyes’ lips, and I shook my head, then walked towards the far window, figuring I was bound to find something. All I needed was one chair and I’d squeeze in another table. But it wasn’t long before I realized that luck wasn’t on my side, and I glimpsed over my shoulder at them. Both were staring at me, probably laughing, and I sighed.
“Hi, ma’am, where will you be sitting?”
I looked over to the lady from behind the bar holding my margarita in a hurricane glass and a large plate of nachos.
Panic crawled through me as I looked around the room.
“Over here,” Blue Eyes called from his table. “She’s sitting with us.”
“Okay then.” The waitress marched toward them.
I eyed them with my best glare, but Blondie just winked.
They were going to make me suffer. I knew it.
Deep breath.
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About C.R. Jane
A Texas girl living in Utah now, I'm a wife, mother, lawyer, and now author. My stories have been floating around in my head for years, and it has been a relief to finally get them down on paper. I’m a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and I primarily listen to Beyonce and Taylor Swift…don’t lie and say you don’t too.
My love of reading started probably when I was three and with a faster than normal ability to read, I’ve devoured hundreds of thousands of books in my life. It only made sense that I would start to create my own worlds since I was always getting lost in others’. I like heroines who have to grow in order to become badasses, happy endings, and swoon-worthy, devoted, (and hot) male characters. If this sounds like you, I’m pretty sure we’ll be friends. I’m so glad to have you on my team…check out the links below for ways to hang out with me and more of my books you can read!
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Other Books by C.R. Jane
The Fated Wings Series
First Impressions
Forgotten Specters
The Fallen One (a Fated Wings Novella)
Forbidden Queens
Frightful Beginnings (a Fated Wings Short Story)
Faded Realms
Faithless Dreams
The Rock God (a Fated Wings Novella)
The Timeless Affection Series
Lamented Pasts
Lost Passions
The Pack Queen Series
Queen of the Thieves
Queen of the Alphas (2019)
The Rise Again Series
The Day After Nothing (2020)
The Sounds of Us Contemporary Series
Remember Us This Way
Remember You This Way
Remember Me This Way
Broken Hearts Academy Series
Heartbreak Prince
Academy of Souls Co-write with Mila Young
School of Broken Souls
School of Broken Hearts
School of Broken Dreams
Fallen World Series Co-write with Mila Young
Bound
Broken
Betrayed
Standalone Co-write with Mila Young
The Naughty List
Stupid Boys Series Co-write with Rebecca Royce
Stupid Boys
Dumb Girl
About Mila Young
Mila Young tackles everything with the zeal and bravado of the fairytale heroes she grew up reading about. She slays monsters, real and imaginary, like there's no tomorrow. By day she rocks a keyboard as a marketing extraordinaire. At night she battles with her might pen-sword, creating fairytale retellings, and sexy ever after tales. In her spare time, she loves pretending she's a mighty warrior, walks on the beach with her dogs, cuddling up with her cats, and devouring every fantasy tale she can get her pinkies on.
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Other Books by Mila Young
Gods and Monsters
Apollo Is Mine
Poseidon Is Mine
Ares Is Mine
Hades Is Mine
Winter’s Thorn
To Seduce A Fae
Haven Realm Series
Hunted (Little Red Riding Hood Retelling)
Cursed (Beauty and the Beast Retelling)
Entangled (Rapunzel Retelling)
Wicked Heat Series
Wicked Heat #1
Wicked Heat #2
Wicked Heat #3
Elemental Series
Taking Breath #1
Taking Breath #2
Fallen World Series Co-write with C.
R. Jane
Bound
Broken
Betrayed
Broken Souls Series Co-write with C.R. Jane
School of Broken Souls
School of Broken Hearts
School of Broken Dreams
Beautiful Beasts Academy Co-write with Kim Faulks
Manicures and Mayhem
Diamonds and Demons
Hexes and Hounds
Secrets and Shadows
Passions and Protectors
Ancients and Anarchy
