Daring Hearts: Fearless Fourteen Boxed Set

by Box Set

  “I wasn’t trying to hurt Austin,” she hissed. “I was trying to hurt you. You’re beautiful and smart, with not one but two hot guys crazy about you. It’s not fair.”

  Her venom shocked me. “I’m sorry you feel this way.”

  She squinted at me. “Did it work?”

  “Did what work?”

  “Did I hurt you?”

  I blinked. “Yes.”

  Misha shifted her chair back, grabbed her books and her tray of lunch trash. She smirked back at me. “Good.”

  I watched her storm away, and instead of feeling angry, I felt pity.

  Once she disappeared, my eye was drawn to the window where a lunchtime ball game was going on outside. A tall, dark-haired guy was up to bat. I squinted against the light. Tim?

  I was perplexed and a little worried. There was no way Tim could run with his bad leg. What did he think he was doing? The pitcher let the ball go, and I heard the faint “thwack” through the open window. The ball went high and long. Someone else ran the bases. I found myself cheering along with Tim as the runner, hit first, second, third, and then slid into home seconds before the ball slapped into the catcher’s mitt.

  I felt a smile stretch across my face. Way to go, Tim! I loved how he was making the most out of life, not letting his disability get in his way. His can-do attitude pushed the foggy effect of Misha’s vindictiveness out of my mind. Suddenly, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for Nate. I was going to make things between us right again.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Lucinda and I were mall junkies. There wasn’t a shop in the massive two-story complex that I didn’t know about. I rode the escalator to the top floor, getting off by the food court. The corner of my mouth lifted up as I remembered meeting Nate there, tripping back to the nineteenth century together and then watching his public breakup with his evil girlfriend, Jessica Fuller. She’d verbally attacked me, and he came to my defense. It marked a major turning point for us.

  There was a little clock shop that also did a bit of shoe repair. It was tucked incongruously down a narrow hall behind Build-a-Bear.

  An elderly gentleman worked quietly behind a wooden counter. He wore loose trousers held up with suspenders. His white hair was slicked back, and he watched me over the top of narrow spectacles perched on a long nose.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for a pocket watch.”

  He shuffled to one of the glass cases in the shop and pointed to a selection under the glass.

  There were several in varying degrees of condition. I pointed to a brass one in the center. “How old is it?”

  The man opened the case and removed the watch popping the ornate cover open. A long chain hung from the hinge and he wrapped his fingers through it while laying the piece on his hand. “This one originates from the mid 1800s.”

  Perfect. A reminder to us both where our love story began. “Does it work?”

  He wound the pin and handed the watch to me. It felt cool, and heavier than it looked. I held it to my ear and grinned at the ticking sound.

  “Can you engrave it for me?”

  The old man shrugged. Sure.

  The cost of the watch wiped out my savings account, but I knew I’d done the right thing. Nate would love this.

  The man wrapped the watch in thick white tissue. I pushed it into my pocket before reaching into my purse for my phone. I took a deep breath and sent Nate a text.

  Casey: Hi! It’s me. Missing you. XXXOO :)

  I didn’t have to wait long for Nate’s response. I was hoping for a “Miss you too,” or “Can’t wait to see you,” or even “Let’s talk soon.” My heart sunk when I read his cold reply.

  Nate: You went back without me.

  Casey: I can’t control these things. Please can we talk?

  Nate: I’m home now.

  Casey: I’m on my way.

  My heart knocked around in my chest as the bus drew to a stop down the street from Nate’s house. I took a long breath, smoothed my shirt and ran MY fingers through my curls. I removed the watch from my pocket, opened the tissue and took another look at the engraving.

  * * *

  Nate & Casey

  Love that transcends Time

  * * *

  I wrapped the watch back up, holding it in one hand as I prepared to knock. My knuckles never reached the door. It suddenly opened, and Nate filled the frame. He was freshly showered and clean-shaven. The sporty scent of his aftershave wafted to me and made my heart sputter.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Hi.” Nate closed the door behind him and joined me outside. “My mom’s home,” he said, as an explanation as to why he hadn’t invited me in.

  “How is she?”

  “She’s good. Trim figure. Hair clean and salon-styled. That was how I knew you’d gone back. One moment she was frumpy house wife, and the next, top-selling realtor.”

  “I didn’t mean to go back without you,” I said.

  “I know, Casey. I know there are things you can’t control.”

  “The main thing is the timeline is fixed,” I said quickly. “Marlene didn’t sell her stocks before the crash. You’re here, and I’m here, and we’re here together.”

  I reached for his hand and held it tight. “I love you, Nate. I’m so sorry for what happened in Hollywood, and I promise you, nothing like that will ever, ever happen again.” I leaned in close and stared up into his pale green eyes. “Please, will you forgive me?”

  Nate’s chin dropped, and his gaze broke from mine. My nerves shot off like party sparklers, waiting for him to speak. I gripped the pocket watch tightly.

  Nate lifted his head and met my gaze. “I forgive you, Casey, but I can’t go on with you.”

  What? WHAT? My eyes fluttered like a butterfly with a damaged wing. My mouth grew dry. “Wh-what do you mean?”

  “I mean, I think it’s time we moved on from each other.”

  No. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. We were supposed to kiss and make up!

  I shook my head sharply. “I don’t want to move on. Nate, please, it was just one stupid kiss.”

  “I’ve done stupid things, too, Casey, but I’ve always been loyal to you.” He sighed. “You’re young. You need to experience things. You should know what it’s like to kiss guys other than me. You should know what it’s like to play the field. Be single and carefree. Somewhere along the line, we turned into an old married couple. We moved too fast.”

  The earth beneath me shifted. I couldn’t breathe. I was feeling full-blown panic. “No! I don’t agree. I don’t want to kiss any other guys. I don’t want to play the field. I need you.”

  “But that’s the thing,” he said softly. “You don’t need me. You’re strong, resilient and resourceful. You’ve proven that time and time again.”

  A whimper escaped my lips. “Nate?” I held out his gift, but my sweaty palms had soaked the tissue, and it just looked like a big wad of used Kleenex.

  “Our time is up, Casey.” He brushed his lips against my cheek and whispered, “Good-bye.”

  As he disappeared into his house, I was slammed with a bolt of dizziness and swallowed by a tunnel of bright light.

  * * *

  To be continued….

  * * *

  Clockwork Crazy coming soon!

  * * *

  I hope you enjoyed reading COUNTER CLOCKWISE. If you’d like to leave a review, I’d love to hear what you thought! Reviews are very helpful to authors and help readers find the books they love.

  * * *

  You can get CLOCKED, the bonus novella, Free!

  * * *

  Check out the rest of The Clockwise Collection!

  * * *

  Clockwork Crazy is available for preorder now!

  Read on for an excerpt from Book 6 – CLOCKWORK CRAZY

  * * *

  Find out more at ellestraussbooks.com

  YA books by Elle Strauss

  * * *

  Clockwise
/>
  ClockwiseR

  Like Clockwork

  Clocked

  Counter Clockwise

  Clockwork Crazy

  Seaweed

  Love, Tink (the complete series)

  * * *

  Read on for an excerpt from Book 6 – CLOCKWORK CRAZY

  Acknowledgments

  Many thanks to all the people who pull together to bring a new book baby into the world. My beta readers Angelika Offenwanger and Wendy Squire, my cover designer Steven Novak, my editor Marie Jaskulka and all my online writer friends (seriously couldn’t do this without my writing community). A big squeeze to my moral support system of my husband Norm Strauss, my kids, my parents, and friends, especially Lori, Donna, Shawn, Norine and Marie.

  Special thanks to Monica Pullman who won my “name a character in my book contest” and gave me the wonderful name of Artimisha.

  All my blogger and social media fans, and especially YOU, for reading one of my books and making it to the acknowledgment page – Thank you!

  As always, love and thanks to Jesus, the giver of peace.

  EXERPT FROM BOOK SIX

  * * *

  Clockwork Crazy

  (The Clockwise Collection #6)

  By Elle Strauss

  * * *

  Chapter One

  * * *

  It’s better to have love and lost then to never have loved at all.

  What a bunch of crock!

  And the old adage was certainly no comfort to me as I curled up in the middle of some random farmers’ field, bawling my eyes out. I snotted up my sleeve as groans sounding eerily similar to that of an injured beast erupted from my esophagus.

  I wanted to curse every silly love song and romantic soliloquy I’d ever heard. The people who penned those words were liars. Heart break was explosive, wrenching, and annihilating. It battered, and whipped and taunted the one afflicted by it. It crushed me like an avalanche of ragged stones without the decency to actually kill me. The pain was so deep and thorough I felt like someone was peeling off my skin.

  I hated, hated, hated that I had known love. It was so much better for me when love was an unattainable dream, a fairytale, a pleasant stroking of my imagination. I wished with all my bruised and bleeding heart that I’d never stopped hating Nate.

  This present agony was all his fault! If he hadn’t accepted a dare to dance with me at that stupid Fall Dance (I take back the forgiveness I’d extended to Lucinda for tricking me into going), and hadn’t tripped with me back to the 19th Century, and hadn’t let my infatuation turn into love and worse, if he hadn’t loved me back—I’d be happily unaware of this torment and probably half-heartedly dating Aiden King. I’d be graduating in a few weeks with my body, soul and spirt in one piece and in wonderful ignorance.

  Ignorance was totally underrated.

  What you don’t know won’t hurt you—how true! I wanted to start a campaign to warn other high school girls: study, get good grades and for God’s sake, leave the boys alone!

  “Casey?”

  I’d been so tangled up in my ball of woe, I hadn’t heard anyone approach. I quickly wiped my face with the bottom of my shirt, dabbed at my eyes and drew my fingers through my ran-away curls. I turned to the female voice and gawked at Marlene Charter’s friend Lolly.

  “Casey, is that you? Are you all right?”

  I jumped to my feet and brushed the dirt off my jeans. I kept my eyes averted. “Yeah. I’m okay.” A hiccup betrayed me.

  She shook her messy brunette bob. “Those are the strangest work clothes I’ve ever seen.”

  I could barely think in my emotional state. Right, I was in 1929 wearing a striped red and navy blue T-shirt, skinny jeans, and canvas running shoes. My school pack lay at my feet. Unfortunately, it only contained my homework and not any costumes for this period.

  Lolly wore oversized field trousers held up with suspenders and a blue button-down blouse. Two furry mid-sized mutts sniffed the ground around us. A tractor was parked in the distance.

  My hands were empty and I inhaled sharply. Nate’s pocket watch was missing. I must’ve dropped it. I fell back to my knees and examine the ground around me, turning over stones and pushing aside some variety of plantation.

  “Are you looking for something?” Lolly asked.

  I thorough search of my immediate surroundings proved that it hadn’t traveled with me. I must’ve dropped it on Nate’s front step.

  “I thought I’d dropped something, but…” I brushed soil off my knees as I stood up. “Is this your farm?” I asked. I was used to serendipity and chance in my way of life, so the fact that Lolly stood in front of me just now almost didn’t surprise me.

  “Yeah. How’d you find it? Were you looking for me?”

  I sniffed and turned away to take in the open pastures and farmland that would one day be the neighborhood Nate Mackenzie moved in to.

  “I’m kind of lost.”

  “Forgive me, but you do look it. Why don’t you come back to the house with me and you can tell me what’s wrong. And please don’t insult my intelligence by saying that there’s nothing wrong. You look a mess, darlin’.”

  She whistled for the dogs and started toward the tractor. I picked up my modern backpack and followed.

  “It’s a one seater,” she said, hoping on to the wide seat, “but it’s big enough for you to slip in behind me.”

  I placed my foot on a runner and heaved myself up behind Lolly. The tractor stuttered and popped as Lolly turned the engine over, stepped on the clutch and put it into gear. We puttered toward a farmhouse in the distance and I was glad the motor was too loud to talk over. I had approximately five minutes to get my story straight before Lolly began her interrogation. Though I’ve only known her for a short time, I knew her well enough to know she would be relentless in her quest for answers.

  We approached a small farmhouse painted canary yellow. Large trees in a sea of leafy green, surrounded it like a big protective hug. Several out-buildings—sheds, barn, outhouse, sat just beyond. Lacey pulled the tractor into a shady spot behind one of them and killed the engine.

  “We’ll have to sneak you upstairs and get you out of those rags,” she said. “Ma’s very conservative and won’t appreciate that you’re wearing dungarees that are much, much too small for you. Though,” she added with a sympathetic glance at my clothing choice, “you can’t be to blame if you’ve outgrown your work clothes and your family can’t afford to buy you new ones that fit properly. Did you say you were the eldest?”

  I didn’t remember what I’d told her and Marlene about my family. I’d learn it was best to stick with the truth whenever possible.

  “Yes.”

  “I know you’ve been crying and once we’re ready, you’re going to tell me all about it.”

  I didn’t have a chance to ask her, “Ready for what?”

  A line of laundry hung in the back yard with large white sheets floating in the breeze like sails. Lacey ducked low as we followed along and motioned for me to do the same. “In case Ma’s looking out the window,” Lolly explained.

  Lolly carefully opened a screen door, nodded with her head that I should enter first, and then she slowly let the door close without a sound. I had the feeling Lolly was skilled and experienced at sneaking in and out of her house.

  We paused at the base of a narrow flight of stairs.

  “Follow my steps exactly,” Lolly whispered. She strategically placed her foot one side of a step and then the other—sometimes in the middle, a pattern that got us to the second floor without a squeak.

  We stepped inside a small bedroom with ceilings that sloped sharply to the windows. There was only a short strip where I could stand up straight and not bump my head. Lolly chuckled. “It’s helps that I’m short. At least when it comes to getting dressed in this room.”

  Despite its diminutive size, the room was cozy, with floral wallpaper that ran from the wood floor to the cream-colored ceiling. White sheers floated lazily aro
und the opened windows. Lolly opened a dark wardrobe that rested agains the longest portion of an interior wall and removed a couple dresses. She held a flowing, tangerine and peach one out to me.

  “I hope it fits,” she said. “It drops to my ankles on me, so it should easily fall to your shins.”

  She unabashedly stripped out of her farm trousers revealing a conservative set of undergarments that would blush at the sight of my comparatively skimpy under things. There wasn’t much I could do about that and Lolly was already busy in font of her vanity mirror, fixing her hair, that I didn’t think she’d notice. I slipped out of my jeans and t-shirt, pushed them under Lolly’s bed with my toe and wiggled into Lolly’s dress. We were both of slender build and the loose style made way for any differences in body shape, and as Lacey predicted the dress landed at my shins.

  “Can I borrow brush and a few pins?” I asked. I ducked to get a glimpse of myself in the mirror and stared at my blotchy face and bloodshot eyes. No matter how badly I felt right now, I had to stop crying, at least until I was home again and in the privacy of my own room.

  Lolly pointed to all her hair accessories, “Sure thing.”

  I remembered how Adeline had made a faux bob out of my long hair, the first time we’d tripped back to 1929 in Hollywood. My version wasn’t nearly as neat, but it would do. My real problem wasn’t my hair, but my feet. There was no way my clodhoppers would fit into any of Lolly’s petite shoes.

  I pointed a toe. “I’m going to have to go barefoot.” Unless I wore my sneakers.

  Lolly’s eyes widened in shock at my pronouncement. I gathered a lady without stockings or footwear was even a little too much for this “modern” girl.