As she smiled in his direction, he knew that there was more to life than the badge he wore.
You can read about Landon and Kerry in Behind the Bar.
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Welcome to Carson Series
Coming Alive
Coming Together
Coming Consumed
Coming Altered
Coming Innocent
Coming Unraveled
Coming Unplugged
Coming Home
Home in Carson Series
Behind the Lens
Behind the Badge
Behind the Bar
The Stolen Series
Stolen Nights
Stolen Kisses
Stolen Hearts
The Stone Trilogy
Make Me Yours
Make You Mine
Make Us More
Standalones
Screw You
Between the Lines
The Scene Stealer
A Snowflake Wish
Coming Alive
Renee Harless
Avery never expected to take another chance at love. Until she's thrown a curveball she isn't anticipating – a man that causes her pulse to race and also happens to be one of her bosses. Finding herself drawn to him, Avery does her best to push him away, but she in no way predicts her heart pulling him in.
Logan doesn't trust women. Period. But a one-night stand cut short exposes him to a mysterious woman that flips his world upside down. He didn’t predict meeting her - the one that would make him question everything. Undeterred by her need to keep him at arm's length, he goes against everything he believes in the quest to prove that they're worth fighting for.
Read Now: Coming Alive
Prologue
AVERY IS LATE. SHE is so late that she is tempted to take an unscheduled absence and just clock in for tomorrow. Luck is on her side though: her boss’ car isn’t yet parked in the employee lot.
Wasting no time, Avery rushes through the sliding glass doors at the physician’s office and shoves her items into her locker. Melanie, her friend and coworker, appears behind her in the breakroom and props herself against the locker adjacent to her own.
"So, I have a thought, but I want you to hear me out."
Turning to face her, Avery can see that Melanie is doing little to mask the anxiety on her face – crinkles are knitted between her brows and bite marks of worry are on her lips. She does this when she's concerned about her. Melanie knows that a year later, Avery is still struggling to get over her fiancé’s death, as well as trying to make peace with the horrible life she attempts to keep buried in the past.
Forcing a smile, Avery asks her to continue.
"I think you need to move away."
A gasp explodes out of Avery’s mouth at the suggestion.
A year after Declan’s passing, Avery continues to find she is just wandering through life, masking the pain she still feels inside at the loss of her almost-husband. Though there have been a few moments of happiness - a new neighbor that loves to have Avery over for dinner with her two sons – and of course the event that she never saw coming: Max and Melanie's wedding. That one definitely took everyone by surprise. She supposes that in a way, Declan's death illuminated the true meaning of living your life to the fullest, especially for their two friends.
"Hold on, Avery. Don’t get upset. I think it would be good for you. Everything here reminds you of all that you've lost. You need a fresh start."
Taking Avery’s hand in-between her equally small ones, Melanie garners more of her attention.
"Look. My cousin, Nikki, lives in this adorable town in North Carolina. She needs a new roommate since hers just up and left, and I think you two would get along great. She works as a receptionist at a private practice in her town. When I mentioned what you do, she said they were actually hiring a medical assistant for each of the physicians at her practice." Pulling Avery closer, she wraps her in a tight hug. "This is your chance, Avery. You can be someone new where no one knows what you've been through."
Avery takes a moment to consider Melanie’s proposal. The idea isn’t a bad one really; it’s actually something she had been tossing back and forth in her own mind for quite some time.
"You really think I should do it?"
"Max and I don't think you have anything to lose. And I really think you could be happy there. We all want you to be happy, Avery."
Absorbing her words, Avery asks if she can let her know by the end of the day. She wants to make sure she has taken adequate time to decide if this is what she really wants – no, needs to do.
This new idea is so distracting that during her daily workload of patients, Avery is admittedly surprised when she reaches the end of the day without severely harming anyone.
When at last Avery finds Max and Melanie standing by the water dispenser at the end of the shift, she tugs Melanie into her arms before saying, "How soon can I move?"
Continue Reading Coming Alive
Acknowledgements
I can’t even begin these acknowledgements without mentioning Patricia, Lisa, Paula, and Kelli. You all waited patiently for me to deliver this story to you and were detrimental in developing this story.
My family: I owe you all everything. For the late nights and missed dinners, you all are the reason I am able to do what I love.
To my readers: I hope that after reading Preston’s story that he has now been redeemed in your eyes and worthy of the love he found with Shelly.
Behind the Badge Page 11
