Catching Kate: The Acceptance Series

by D. Kelly

  “Fuck you, Mike, this is bigger than that! And yes, I’ll protect Kate, Daniel, and Jess, but at the end of the day I want to protect you, too! Don’t mistake my anger for more than what it is. You could’ve avoided this whole thing by telling us your story a long time ago. You run from everything! They met on Kate’s birthday. Let me guess…that is the exact reason you ran to Vegas…because it was her birthday and it would have been too tempting to drink your problems away here. I get you, Mike, even if you think I don’t.”

  “Did she talk about me, Connor? After you met, did she ever mention our relationship?”

  “It’s not my place to get into this with you. Look, Kate, talked about you vaguely but it wasn’t until the past few weeks I really heard the whole story about you throwing the ring at her and the nasty things you said. I shouldn’t even tell you this much but I think I need to. Tomorrow, Kate is going to talk to you, and you’re going to learn things that exceed anything you could have imagined. Whatever you guys decide to do, however you decide to pick up and move on, I’ll support her decisions.”

  “Fair enough. Thanks, man.”

  Connor yawns, and in turn so do I. “Oh, by the way, Kate wants you to bring bagels and o.j. in the morning. Goodnight, Mike.”

  “Night, Connor.”

  A new day

  I’VE BEEN UP all night and I’m not even tired. My brain has been working overtime remembering everything that Kate and I have been through in our lives. Not just her but all of us. I thought going back to those places in my mind that I haven’t visited in a while would give me some form of clarity so that I could make Daniel realize that Kate and I are meant to be.

  Instead, what I’ve learned is that what I thought was so black and white is actually filled with shades of grey. The past four years have been filled with love and heartache, but they have also been filled with amazing friendships and family. I was saved by my new family and I’ve become the man that I am because of them and their strength and love.

  I still want Kate, and I will have her back in my arms soon, hopefully with Daniel’s blessing. This time, instead of rushing out and making life altering decisions, I’m taking stock of all that I’ve gained and all I have to lose. My life is graced with amazing people and I don’t want to lose them. I realize I need to take this slowly. I’ll still explain my story to Daniel, but first I’m going to talk to Jake. If there’s anyone that can help me work through this, with any chance of still hanging on to my friends and family, it’s him.

  I’ve got nothing but time right now, and I don’t need to push Kate or try and force her into anything more than friendship. I need to earn back her love and respect and remind her every day in subtle ways why it was that she fell in love with me to begin with. I broke her heart and it’s only fair that I try and put it back together with love, one piece at a time.

  Kate’s journey continues in

  Book Two of The Acceptance Series

  *dpgroup.org*

  coming Winter 2014

  Keep reading for an excerpt…

  Endless gratitude pages

  USUALLY THIS IS called the thank you page, but sometimes thank you just doesn’t seem like enough. Endless gratitude seems more appropriate because you all have mine.

  D’s Divine Divas – You know who you are and I love each and every one of you. You aren’t just my street team, you are my friends. You are my sombrero wearing, pickle pimping, Friday night storytelling, Vegas troublemaking, margarita drinking, author pimping, rock stars! You give me so much more than you will ever know and that’s where the endless gratitude comes in. I could never thank you enough for your inspiration, friendship, love, and support. I can’t wait until we take Vegas by storm!

  My family – you’ve got my gratitude now and always. Thank you for your unwavering faith in me. I know I’m difficult and can be bitchy at times and you still love me in spite of my issues. Your love is priceless. I’m so blessed that you belong to me.

  My beta readers – Heidi, Ashley, Nadine, Mandy, and Caterina ~ You guys…there just are no words. GRATITUDE and so much of it to you all. Your suggestions and lack of sugar coating things are why we have a book. You know I like it straight up and you never fail to tell me “Hey, bitch, that sucks ass.” Maybe in nicer words, but that’s usually the bottom line and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Tiffany Tillman – My amazing editor that understands all too well how much life gets in the way of deadlines. Much Gratitude to you, girl! We always make it work even when the odds are against us; I think that says something for our spirit and determination.

  Regina Wamba – My beautifully creative cover designer. I could never show you the amount of GRATITUDE I have for you. Before anyone reads the pages, the book sings to them through the cover that you create! WE are all so blessed that your creative heart makes our books into art. To top it all off, you are a beautiful soul inside and out and that just flows into everything you do. You’re amazing!

  There are a few people that just go above and beyond for me and I have to give my endless gratitude to them. Ashley Griffieth, Heidi Ryan, Kristi Widner Collins, Suzi White, Ashley Hampton, Stracey Charran, Carol Ray, Loca Crzn, Cindy Baker, and Caterina Ayala. Love you girls so HARD!

  My amazing friends that push me even when I have no motivation to get there, you know who you are. MAK, CAT, and KJD, more than gratitude you have my love. Xoxo

  My readers. OMG I still can’t believe I get to type that! You guys are amazing. I love the emails and posts in the discussion group. I still can’t get over how invested you all are in my characters, especially those of you that have picked your teams and are in it for the long haul. I know how hard it is to give an author your faith, especially a new one who writes a series that you have to read to the end. I hope I continue to do you all proud. Please know how much your emails and reviews mean to me. The fact that you take the time to reach out and voice your opinion is priceless. Those of you in my discussion group and street team, know that I love interacting with and getting to know you all. Please consider leaving a review if you haven’t already, even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea. Constructive, negative, and positive reviews help authors grow. You guys have my endless gratitude, you invest your time into my books, and to me that is one of the greatest blessings. #TeamKate #TeamDaniel #TeamMike #TeamConnor #TeamApril #TeamJake or even #TeamMarc, thanks for choosing a side. #TeamUndecided, thanks for keeping an open mind.

  There are so many authors and bloggers that have supported me, allowed me to take over their pages, and given me amazing advice. I couldn’t possibly mention you all and I don’t want to leave any of you out. Just know that if you’ve helped me, guided me, promoted my books, let me take over your blog, shared in my highs and lows, or just chatted with me, I love you all and am eternally grateful to have you in my life. Our jobs aren’t always easy—there’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go into being a blogger or an author. Keeping your head up, staying away from drama, and being positive isn’t always easy to do, and yet most of you do it with grace and style. ETERNAL GRATITUDE to you all for being great examples to follow.

  To my two favorite receptionists at my favorite NS office, you girls make my day whenever I come for a visit. That’s not always an easy feat when I typically have a raging migraine. Gratitude to you both.

  If I forgot anyone that knows they should have been here, I’m sorry; I have the most forgetful mind. It wasn’t intentional, I promise. I love you just as much as I always have.

  Thank you all for taking this journey with me. I’m so very blessed to be taking it with all of you. My life has been enriched in ways I never thought possible. Thank you for reading my books and being in my life.

  XOXO~

  Dee

  FOR THOSE OF you who have read my books I know many of you feel strongly about #TeamDaniel and #TeamMike. Your feedback, ratings, and reviews are very important to independent authors. Please leave a rating and consider leaving a review, I’d love to
hear your thoughts.

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  Excerpt from Releasing Kate

  Book two of The Acceptance Series

  Please note all rights are reserved and Copyrighted © 2014 by D. Kelly

  Connor

  Six weeks later

  “DON’T, CONNOR, JUST DON’T! Kate is my best friend, my fucking sister, but she is out of her ever loving, god damn mind! What the hell was she thinking tonight? She just crossed the most uncrossable line, and of course there was no reasoning with her because she was so damn drunk.”

  I watch her anger slowly dissipate into sadness, just like it has for the past few weeks every time she gets worked up over Kate and her situation. “I know, Jess, trust me, but put yourself in her shoes for a minute, angel. How would you be acting if the two loves of your life were suddenly off limits to you? I’ll admit, alcohol isn’t the answer, but for the first time in weeks she looked like she was taking her mind off of things. She was having a good time; she almost looked like our Kate again. With all the chaos in her life right now, that is a good thing. Whatever the repercussions are for her actions, she’ll have to deal with them. Before we judge her, we need to assume she knows what she was doing and why. Our girl is heartbroken with a capital H, and all else aside, we just have to be there for her when she finally succumbs to the pain and falls. Unfortunately, I think that is going to be sooner rather than later but maybe that’s a good thing. Once she breaks and lets it all out, only then will she begin to heal.”

  Taking her hand into mine, I pull her into a tight embrace. We hold each other in desperation, as if our lives depend on it. Both of us are shrouded in sadness and longing. In the last few weeks, we haven’t had a whole lot of time for ourselves. Instead, we’ve been managing our friends, trying to keep them sane and from inflicting bodily harm on each other. I miss having alone time with my girl. Hell, I miss having sex-a-thons with my girl. I make a mental note to find a way to change that real soon.

  “Go upstairs and take a nice relaxing bath. I’ll wait up for Katie down here and talk her off the ledge when she gets home, if she gets home. Besides, you’re way too worked up to talk to her gently and I don’t think she can handle more than a gentle discussion, not after tonight.”

  Jess sighs into my chest, clutching onto my shirt extra tight as her tears start to fall. I brush them aside tenderly with my fingers and tilt her head up so I can kiss away her tears. It kills me when she cries, and she’s been crying a lot lately.

  “I just… I just… damn, Connor, I just love her so fucking much, you know? She was happy. For the first time in years she was my Kate again. There was light in her eyes, happiness in her laugh, and so much love in her heart. I’m losing her slowly this time and it’s worse than before. I can’t put my finger on it. From what I can see, she’s self-destructing. None of us are going to come out of this unscathed. I’m exhausted and my feet hurt so I’m going to take you up on your offer to stay up and deal with her. I know I won’t be any help tonight. Just don’t stay up too late, okay? I have a feeling her bed isn’t going to be slept in.” Jess gives me a whisper of a kiss, and instead of those fuck me heels she had on all night being wrapped around my neck, they’re now in her hands as she drags herself up the stairs.

  When did our happy group become the biggest episode of Dawson’s Creek ever written? Yes, I went there, don’t judge. April made us watch the whole damn series with her when she had her tonsils out. However, in our version of the creek I would be the straight version of Jack. I guess that makes Kate our resident Joey, Mike would be Dawson, and Daniel would be Pacey. On the show, where Pacey clearly violated every rule known to man by stealing his best friend’s girl, it’s the flipside over here. In our creek, Dawson, aka Mike, is clearly in the wrong. He gave up any and all rights to Kate when he stormed out of her life four years ago, never to return. Daniel is devastated but pushing through and Jake has taken Mike’s side in all of it which makes things difficult. I’m trying to stay neutral. I love them, but my priority is Kate. In their defense, they are trying to be amicable in front of Kate and trying not to let her see how turbulent things really are between them. Thank god for that because that is the last thing she needs to worry about. They need to work that shit out themselves and leave her out of it. This isn’t on Kate’s shoulders—it shouldn’t be—this whole mess is between them. While Kate is being the strong one, the moral one, the one standing up for family, and for friendship, they’re being pig-headed assholes in the midst of the biggest pissing match I have ever seen. They’re all hurting and will likely continue to do so until after the baby comes, and then who knows what will happen.

  I can see it in Kate’s eyes, though. She won’t admit it but she’s in love with them both. After hearing about her past with Mike and knowing how her fairytale with Daniel started, I can see why. I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes, it’s an impossible decision. I actually think she did the right thing by removing herself from the equation. I know who she belongs with, who her heart leans to. I can hear it when she speaks, see it in her expressions. But tonight she took the path unchosen. The one that might lead her to temporary bliss, but it’s going to leave a trail of destruction in its wake. She essentially opened Pandora’s Box. Let’s just pray when it’s all said and done that hope still remains in the bottom of the box