by Abbi Glines
I managed a shrug. “You wouldn’t have to argue with me if you didn’t drink so much.”
He let out a hard laugh. “You really are a perfect little preacher’s daughter aren’t you Ash? Once upon a time you were a helluva lot more fun. Before you started sucking face with Sawyer, we use to have some good times together.” He was watching me for a reaction. Knowing his eyes were directed at me, made it hard to focus on driving. “You were my partner in crime Ash. Sawyer was the good guy. But the two of us, we were the trouble makers. What happened?”
How do I respond to that? No one knows the girl who use to steal bubble gum from the Quick Stop or abduct the paper boy to tie him up so we could take all his papers and dip them in blue paint before leaving them on the front door steps of houses. No one knew the girl who snuck out of her house at two in the morning to go toilet paper yards and throw water balloons at cars from behind the bushes. No one would even believe I'd done all those things if I told them... no one but Beau.
“I grew up,” I finally replied.
“You completely changed Ash.”
“We were kids Beau. Yes, you and I got into trouble and Sawyer got us out of trouble but we were just kids. I’m different now.”
For a moment he didn’t respond. He shifted in his seat and I knew his gaze was no longer focused on me. We’d never had this conversation before. Even if it was uncomfortable, I knew it was way overdue. Sawyer always stood in the way of Beau and I mending our fences. Fences that crumbled and I never knew why. One day he was Beau, my best friend. The next day he was just my boyfriend’s cousin.
“I miss that girl, you know. She was exciting. She knew how to have fun. This perfect little preacher’s daughter who took her place sucks.”
His words hurt. Maybe because they were coming from him or maybe because I understood what he was saying. It wasn’t as if I never thought about that girl. I hated him for making me miss her too. I worked really hard at keeping her locked away. Having someone actually want her to be set loose made it so much harder to keep her under control.
“I’d rather be a preacher’s daughter than a drunk whore who vomits all over herself.” I snapped before I could stop myself. A low chuckle startled me and I glanced over as Beau sunk down low enough in his seat so his head rested on the worn leather instead of the hard window behind him.
“I guess you’re not completely perfect. Sawyer’d never call someone a name. Does he know you use the word whore?”
This time I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. He was trying to make me mad and he was doing a fabulous job. I had no response to his question. The truth was, Sawyer would be shocked I’d called someone a whore. Especially his cousin’s girlfriend.
“Loosen up Ash, it’s not like I’m going to tell on you. I’ve been keeping your secrets for years. I like knowing my Ash is still there somewhere underneath that perfect facade.”
I refused to look at him. This conversation was going somewhere I didn’t want it to go.
“No one is perfect. I don’t pretend to be,” which was a lie and we both knew it. Sawyer was perfect and I worked hard to be worthy. The whole town knew I fell short of Sawyer’s glowing reputation.
Beau let out a short hard laugh. “Yes Ash, you do pretend to be.”
I pulled into Nicole’s driveway. Beau didn’t move.
“She’s passed out. You’re going to have to help her,” I whispered afraid he’d hear the hurt in my voice.
“You want me to help a vomiting whore?” he asked with an amused tone.
I sighed and finally glanced over at him. He reminded me of a fallen angel with the moonlight casting a glow on his sun kissed blond hair. His eyelids were heavier than usual and his thick eyelashes almost concealed the hazel color underneath.
“She’s your girlfriend. Help her.” I managed to sound angry. When I let myself study Beau this closely, it was hard to get disgusted with him. I could still see the little boy I’d once thought hung the moon staring back at me. Our past would always be there keeping us from ever really being close again.
“Thanks for reminding me,” he said reaching for the door handle without breaking his eye contact with me. I dropped my gaze to study my hands now folded in my lap. Nicole fumbled around in the back of the truck causing it to shake gently reminding us she was back there. After a few more silent moments he finally opened the door.
Beau carried Nicole’s limp body to the door and knocked. It opened and he walked inside. I wondered who opened the door. Was it Nicole’s mom? Did she care her daughter was passed out drunk? Was she letting Beau take her up to her room? Would Beau stay with her? Crawl in bed with her and fall asleep? Beau reappeared in the doorway before my imagination got too carried away.
Once he was back inside the truck I cranked it up and headed for the trailer park where he lived.
“So tell me Ash, is your insistence to drive home the drunk guy and his whore girlfriend because you’re the perpetual good girl who helps everyone? ‘Cause I know you don’t like me much so I’m curious as to why you want to make sure I get home safe?”
“Beau you’re my friend. Of course I like you. We’ve been friends since we were five. Sure we don’t hang out anymore or go terrorizing the neighborhood together but I still care about you.”
“Since when?”
“Since when what?”
“Since when do you care about me?”
“That is a stupid question Beau. You know I’ve always cared about you,” I replied. Even though I knew he wouldn’t let such a vague answer fly. The truth was I never really talked to him much anymore. Nicole was normally wrapped around one of his body parts. And when he spoke to me it was always to make some wise crack.
“You hardly acknowledge my existence,” he replied.
“That’s not true.”
He chuckled. “We sat by each other in history all year and you hardly ever glanced my way. At lunch you never look at me and I sit at the same table you do. We’re at the field parties every weekend and if you ever turn your superior gaze in my direction it’s normally with a disgusted expression. So, I’m a little shocked you still consider me a friend.”
The large live oak trees signaled the turn into the trailer park Beau had lived all is life. The rich beauty of the southern landscape as you pulled onto the gravel road was deceiving. Once I drove passed the large trees, the scenery drastically changed. Weathered trailers with old cars up on blocks and battered toys scattered the yards. More than one window was covered by wood or plastic. I didn’t gawk at my surroundings. Even the man sitting on his porch steps in nothing but his underwear and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth didn’t surprise me. I knew this trailer park well. It was a part of my childhood. I came to a stop in front of Beau’s trailer. It would be easier to believe this was the alcohol talking but I knew it wasn’t. We hadn’t been alone in over four years. Since the moment I became Sawyer’s girlfriend, our relationship had changed.
I took a deep breath then turned to look at Beau. “I never talk in class. Not to anyone but the teacher. You never talk to me at lunch so I have no reason to look your way. Attracting your attention leads to you making fun of me. And, at the field, I’m not looking at you with disgust. I’m looking at Nicole with disgust. You could really do much better than her.” I stopped myself before I said anything stupid.
He tilted his head to the side as if studying me. “You don’t like Nicole much do you. You don’t have to worry about her hang up with Sawyer. He knows what he’s got and he isn’t going to mess it up. Nicole can’t compete with you.”
Nicole had a thing for Sawyer? She was normally mauling Beau. I’d never picked up on her liking Sawyer. I knew they’d been an item in seventh grade for like a couple of weeks but that was junior high school. It didn’t really count. Besides she was with Beau. Why would she be interested in anyone else?
“I didn’t know she liked Sawyer,” I replied still not sure I believed him. Sawyer was so not
her type.
“You sound surprised,” Beau replied.
“Well I am actually. I mean, she has you. Why does she want Sawyer?”
A pleased smile touched his lips making his hazel eyes light up. I realized I hadn’t exactly meant to say something he could misconstrue the way he was obviously doing.
He reached for the door handle before pausing and glancing back at me.
“I didn’t know my teasing bothered you Ash. I’ll stop.”
That hadn’t been what I was expecting him to say. Unable to think of a response I sat there holding his gaze.
“I’ll get your car switched back before your parents see my truck at your house in the morning.” He stepped out of the truck and I watched him walk toward the door of his trailer with one of the sexiest swaggers known to man. Beau and I had needed to have this talk. Even if my imagination was going to go wild for a while, where he was concerned. My secret attraction to the town’s bad boy had to remain a secret.
The next morning I found my car parked in the drive way as promised with a note wedged under the windshield wipers. I reached for it and a small smile touched my lips.
“Thanks for last night. I’ve missed you,” he had simply signed it “B”
Coming Soon:
The Vincent Brothers 6/5/12
(The Vincent Boys #2)
While It Lasts 8/7/12
(Sea Breeze Series #3)
AND........
Ceaseless 9/18/12
(Existence #3)
Acknowledgments
I have to start by thanking Keith, my husband, who tolerated the dirty house, lack of clean clothes, and my mood swings, while I wrote this book (and all my other books).
My three precious kiddos who ate a lot of corn dogs, pizza, and Frosted Flakes because I was locked away writing. I promise, I cooked them many good hot meals once I finished.
Tammara Webber, my critique partner. When Tammara suggested we become critique partners I had a major “fan girl” moment. I adore her Between the Lines series. And of course I immediately JUMPED on that offer. Tammara’s advice, edits, and friendship are all major factors in the creation of Predestined. She’s brilliant and I’m honored to be able to call her my CP as well as friend.
Monica Tucker, my best friend and Becky Potts, my mother: these two are in competition for title of my biggest fan. They both read Predestined and helped catch typos, point out problems in the story and faithfully cheered me on.
My FP girls. I’m choosing not to share what FP stands for because my mother may read this and it will give her heart failure. Kidding... maybe. You girls make me laugh, listen to me vent, and always manage to give me some eye candy to make my day brighter. You are truly my posse.
Stephanie Mooney who is the best cover artist ever. She is brilliant and I shout it to the roof tops on a regular basis.
Stephanie T. Lott for her incredible job at editing Predestined. I can not express how thankful I am to have found her. *Points back up to where I mentioned Tammara Webber and her genius*
I have her to thank for directing me to Stephanie.
The Paranormal Plumes http://www.theplumessociety.com/ are a group of YA paranormal writers that I absolutely adore. We travel together to hold book signings and we support each other in our writing ups and downs. I love each and every one of them.
About the Author
Abbi Glines can be found hanging out with rockstars, taking out her yacht on weekends for a party cruise, sky diving, or surfing in Maui. Okay maybe she needs to keep her imagination focused on her writing only. In the real world, Abbi can be found hauling kids (several who seem to show up that don’t belong to her) to all their social events, hiding under the covers with her MacBook in hopes her husband won’t catch her watching Buffy on Netflix again, and sneaking off to Barnes and Noble to spend hours lost in the yummy goodness of books. If you want to find her then check Twitter first because she has a severe addiction to tweeting @abbiglines. She also blogs regularly but rarely about anything life changing. She also really enjoys talking about herself in third person. www.abbiglines.com
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty- One
Chapter Twenty- Two
Chapter Twenty- Three
Chapter Twenty- Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter One
Chapter 1
