Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.
What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.
Excerpt
“What time do you get off work?” he asked.
I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. “I close at six. Then I have to balance the register, so around six thirty.”
Ethan looked down at his hands for a second, then glanced up at me through his thick lashes. “You want to get something to eat when you’re done?”
I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. “I close at six. Then I have to balance the register, so around six thirty.”
Ethan looked down at his hands for a second, then glanced up at me through his thick lashes. “You want to get something to eat when you’re done?”
I licked my lips, his dark brown eyes pulling me in. I tore my gaze away and tried to focus on the computer screen. He didn’t say anything for a few moments, and I fidgeted, knowing he was watching me. When I turned toward him, his expression was so intense that my stomach somersaulted.
“Just one time,” he said quietly.
“What?”
“Say yes, just one time.” Ethan slowly moved behind the counter, his eyes never leaving mine.
“If you don’t have a good time, fine. But, I’ve been trying to get you to give me a chance for years. Don’t act like you didn’t know.”
I shook my head slightly as he approached, wanting him closer but afraid of what it would mean.
“Just one time,” he said quietly.
“What?”
“Say yes, just one time.” Ethan slowly moved behind the counter, his eyes never leaving mine.
“If you don’t have a good time, fine. But, I’ve been trying to get you to give me a chance for years. Don’t act like you didn’t know.”
I shook my head slightly as he approached, wanting him closer but afraid of what it would mean.
He stopped, his brow creasing. “I won’t hurt you,” he whispered.
His expression was so earnest my mind went blank for a moment.
“Ethan,” I began, my thoughts scrambled. “You know I’d like to—”
“So say yes.”
His expression was so earnest my mind went blank for a moment.
“Ethan,” I began, my thoughts scrambled. “You know I’d like to—”
“So say yes.”
I looked up at the ceiling. I was tired of always pushing him away. If I went out with him once, maybe then I could convince him too that this was a bad idea. I covered my face with my hands. “All right,” I mumbled through my fingers.
“What was that?” I felt the warmth of Ethan’s hands as he pulled my own away from my face.
“I said all right,” I repeated, my insides fluttering.
He gathered my hands and pulled them close to his chest. His scent, clean and fresh like sun-warmed denim, made my knees go weak.
With his head tilted back, he exclaimed in a mock reverent tone, “Yes! Thank you! Six-thirty on the dot. Be ready. I’m picking you up!”
About the author
Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.
Connect with Laura:
No comments:
Post a Comment