by Shea Olsen
I lift my camera and snap a photo of a little girl wearing a pink-and-yellow swimsuit as she chases a dog out into the water, hands splashing as the waves lap up against her legs. The dog barks at her, tail wagging.
“Mi scusi,” a voice says behind me.
I set down my camera and turn, smiling. Tourists often ask me questions about the town, sensing that I might speak English. But when I look up at the person standing beside me, everything swerves briefly out of focus.
“Before you say anything—” Tate says, his eyes slipping to mine, and his T-shirt pressed tightly against his skin. “I want you to know that what you said on the plane was right—I’m sorry, Charlotte. Especially because it took me this long to figure that out.”
I stand up from the stone wall, the smile fading from my lips. I can’t believe he’s actually here. He seems so out of place among the tourists and the tiny houses and the sand and sea. This has been my home, my secret place, and to see him standing here among it all is a shock to my system.
“I wanted to make sure I did everything right with you, that I was careful...but in the end, I hurt you anyway,” he continues.
A black-and-white bird lands on the wall next to me. I glance at it, and then away to the sea, dazed.
“The truth is,” Tate says, and suddenly I can’t look at anything but him, “I’m in love with you, Charlotte.”
My lips drift open. Despite myself, despite everything, I’m stunned. He’s never said those words to me before. And I always thought it was because he never really loved me—never could love me. But maybe I was wrong.
“I’ve been in love with you since the beginning, maybe since that first night you agreed to go on a date with me. And I know that it might be too late—I’ve screwed everything up—but I’m still in love with you. I tried to be without you, I tried to forget, but I can’t get you out of my head. And now I know that I don’t want to.”
An orange kite whips across the sky above us, its tails fluttering in the wind. I lift a hand, shielding my eyes from the sun, and Tate takes a step closer.
“I hurt you... I know I hurt you, and I’m so sorry. You’re the only thing in my life that makes sense. Even the music, the thing I used to think I wanted above all else—it’s meaningless without you. And... I want to start over. No more rules, no more control. No more pushing you away when I get scared, or making decisions that should be yours. I want to do this right this time, finally.” He pauses again. “Can we start over?”
It’s taken him so long to get it, to realize he made it impossible for us to be together before. And maybe I should hate him for that. But I can’t. Instead, I realize that I’ve been waiting to hear him say it. I’ve needed to hear him admit that he hurt me, that he’s sorry, that he’s loved me all along. Tears skim down my cheeks, warm and salty like the air.
He takes another step toward me, and the closeness of him ignites every nerve—every fiber of my body—making my skin quiver and ache to feel his touch again. He extends his arm, staring into my eyes.
“Hello,” he says with his palm open like he wants to shake my hand. A first introduction. “I just happened to be traveling along the Italian coast, when I noticed the most incredible girl I’ve ever seen sitting beside the ocean, taking photographs. And I was wondering if I could take you out on a date—nothing fancy, of course. I hope you’re not that kind of girl.” His dark eyes are so familiar, glinting in the afternoon light.
I stare down at his hand, suspended in the void between us. I want so desperately to touch him, to slide my fingers along his, to say something that will make him mine again—but for some reason I can’t. I don’t. I’m too afraid.
After a moment, he clears his throat. “Okay.” And he drops his arm, glancing away from me. “I’m sorry I came here... I won’t try to find you again. I love you, Charlotte. I hope you have a happy life—the life you deserve. Because you deserve a good one.”
He turns away—his shoulders slumped, every line in his body defeated—and moves back up the stone street toward the center of town.
A distant memory surfaces, itching up to the front of my thoughts. A few years ago, Carlos and I had a ten-dollar palm reader tell us our fortunes on Venice Beach. She said that my fate line was divided, that I would have two paths and I would need to choose which life I wanted. At the time, I thought it was stupid, something only my mother would have believed in. But maybe she was right. Maybe the choice comes down to this: a life with Tate or a life without him.
And for all the pain and heartache... I still love him.
I run—my heart suddenly exploding with fear that I’m about to lose him again. I grab his arm as soon as he’s within reach and I feel his muscles tense beneath my touch. The world spins, tilts off axis—everything shuddering in slow motion—and he turns back to face me.
I can’t lose him again.
His fingers find my face, clearing away the tears that stream across my skin. He lets out a slow exhale, and his eyes light up once more. I lift onto my toes and press my lips to his and he kisses me back, pulling me deeper against him. And it’s all the kisses we’ve missed: the lost months, the nights I lay awake in my rented room, windows open to let in the ocean air, thinking of him. His fingers tangle in my hair, his mouth drawing me closer, and he kisses me like he won’t ever let me go—not for a thousand years, not for anything. And I don’t want him to. There are no boundaries now, no edicts, no limitations—only a beginning.
This moment is our first kiss. Our first I love you. Our first forever.
* * * * *
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ELIZABETH CRAFT
Wow. Many people made this book happen, most of who deserve more credit for it than I do. Thank you first to my pal Les Morgenstein at Alloy for saying yes. Also huge thanks to the rest of the Alloy team: Josh Bank, Lanie Davis, Elaine Damasco, Romy Golan, Joelle Hobeika, Sara Shandler, and, most of all, Annie Stone, editor extraordinaire.
I’m beyond grateful to the team at HarlequinTEEN who got behind this book in such a big way—especially Natashya Wilson and Margo Lipschultz. Being part of the Harlequin family is the fulfillment of a nearly lifelong dream.
Thanks to my agent, Christy Fletcher—I swear I’ll write the next one eventually.
As always, I’m lucky to have endlessly supportive friends and family. Special shout-out to Adam Fierro, Sarah Fain, Gretchen Rubin, and Mindy Wilson, who read the initial pages and said they made her heart pound.
Shea Olsen, Flower wouldn’t exist without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
SHEA OLSEN
It takes a village. And in writing this book, it took more like a small metropolis. First, thank you to Elizabeth Craft for being the brainchild behind Flower; without your initial idea, the seed of this story never could have taken root.
To the rock stars at Alloy for being a true force of nature. Annie Stone, you are made of sugar and sunny days, brilliant edit notes and genius plot fixes. Without you, this book would be a pile of goo on the twenty-ninth floor of Manhattan. And to all the other staggering minds at Alloy, I thank you: Josh Bank, Sara Shandler, Lanie Davis, Joelle Hobeika, Romy Golan. You guys leave me speechless...in all the best ways.
To Margo Lipschultz, for seeing the beating heart in this story and giving it a major jolt. You are lightning disguised as an editor. And your skills astound me! To Natashya Wilson and everyone at HarlequinTEEN, thank you for believing, for your passion, and for your commitment through this long trek. To my agent and fairy godmother, Jess Regel, for being magical and sparkly.
Thank you to my husband for being the best partner in life a girl could ask for. To my parents, for raising me in a home overrun with books and imagination and art. You impress me every day. To Andee and Andra and Mel—you know why.
If you loved FLOWER, you won’t want to miss this heartfelt,
hopeful, must-read romance—SOMETHING IN BETWEEN by Melissa de la Cruz, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Isle of the Lost and Return to the Isle of the Lost!
She had her whole life planned.
She knew who she was and where she was going.
Until the truth changed everything.
Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.
And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all and the very real threat of deportation.
Read it here!
Connect with us at www.HarlequinTEEN.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
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Did you enjoy FLOWER? Then you’ll absolutely fall in love with the addictive, page-turning romance in IF I FIX YOU by Abigail Johnson!
Some things are easy to fix...but are some meant to stay broken?
Struggling with her mother’s abandonment and a lost friendship, Jill Whitaker becomes consumed with fixing the life of the inappropriate boy next door. Intense, seriously cute, but with scars—on the inside and out—that he thinks don’t show, Jill finds herself trying to make things better for Daniel. But over one long, hot Arizona summer, she realizes she can’t fix anyone’s life until she fixes her own. And she knows just where to start...
IF I FIX YOU is an unforgettable debut novel perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Cammie McGovern and Morgan Matson.
Read it here!
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If you liked FLOWER, you won’t want to miss THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout!
Discover a riveting story of friendship, survival and finding your voice.
“Heartbreakingly real…a remarkable novel about the power of first love and the courage it takes to face your fears.”
—Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Growing up, Mallory Dodge learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. Now, after years of homeschooling, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at a public high school. But she never imagined she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.
It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet soon it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants and the truths that need to be heard.
Read it here!
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If you loved FLOWER, be sure to check out the THUNDER ROAD series from critically acclaimed author Katie McGarry—jam-packed with romance, adventure and danger, you won’t want to miss it!
Read the complete series here!
NOWHERE BUT HERE (Book 1)
WALK THE EDGE (Book 2)
LONG WAY HOME (Book 3)
An unforgettable series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.
For even more from Katie McGarry, check out the PUSHING THE LIMITS series!
It all starts with book 1, PUSHING THE LIMITS...
All Echo Emerson wants is to remember—the brother she lost, the friends she once had, the traumatic night that left scars on her arms.
Noah Hutchins just wants to forget—the parents who died, the foster system that failed him, the future that can never be his.
They should have nothing in common. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And now each must ask themselves just how far they’ll push the limits to reclaim what they want most—and how much they’ll risk to learn truths that might change their lives forever.
Read them all!
PUSHING THE LIMITS (Book 1)
CROSSING THE LINE (Novella)
DARE YOU TO (Book 2)
CRASH INTO YOU (Book 3)
TAKE ME ON (Book 4)
BREAKING THE RULES (Book 5)
CHASING IMPOSSIBLE (Novella)
Connect with us at www.HarlequinTEEN.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
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ISBN-13: 9781459293977
Flower
Copyright © 2017 by Alloy Entertainment
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