If Mom and Dad won’t protect her, then Isabelle’s social worker and I will.
With one last glance at the apartment, I’m hit with a sense of pride and a sense of sadness. I’m proud I survived these months on my own, and I’m sad to leave the place I learned to call home.
I force myself to lock the door behind me and leave. It’s time for another adventure.
As I walk toward the old, rusty truck, I notice a piece of paper under the wiper. I scowl. Exactly what I need, a ticket I seriously can’t afford. I just earned my license, and this is my reward? Even with the partial scholarship and financial aid, moving into dorms isn’t cheap and a ticket sucks.
I open the passenger side door, place Eloise in and grab the paper.
Dear Mr. Lachlin,
I rarely write a personal email like this, but this is one of the few cases where I felt it needed to be done. When you first reached out to me about the blight spreading in the strawberry fields in a small Southern California farm, I didn’t think much of it. But what did catch my attention was your persistence, how you showed how you were digging into research yourself in an attempt to find an answer and how you were hopeful that by working together we could help.
Once we were in contact and I learned of you and your story, I became emotionally invested in helping this small farm, but also in helping you. Not very often do I come across young men who are as mature as you or have had as much life experience.
You’re smart to take a business course this following fall. You’re right, farming is a business and you need to be educated on how to handle finances. Since you’ll be in Lexington one day a week due to the class, if you are amenable, I would like to mentor you as you work toward making your family farm functional again. We can meet before or after your business class. You are taking on a huge project, and I’d like to be an advisor to you during this challenge.
You were made for great things, Mr. Lachlin, and I believe you will be one of the best and brightest of the next generation of farmers. Someday, I hope you’ll study with the University of Kentucky’s School of Agriculture. In the meantime, I do believe between your learned knowledge of farming over the years, taking advantage of your local extension office and hopefully accepting my help, you should be off to a good start …
Shock sets in, and I read the last paragraph again. The University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky. The same University of Kentucky in Lexington where I’ll be going to school.
Jesse.
My head pops up, and as I spin to find him he’s there on the sidewalk. Red hair, a trimmed beard, a blue T-shirt taut against strong muscles and jeans riding lazily along his hips. He offers me a pirate smile and his green eyes twinkle with mischief.
“What do you think, Tink?” Jesse asks. “Are there trees worth climbing in Lexington?”
I don’t answer. Instead I take two steps, and I spring into Jesse’s arms. He holds me tight as I bury my head into the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply. It’s him. Same deep, rich scent—turned over earth after a gentle rain, wildflowers in bloom and the slight scent of a bonfire at midnight.
Jesse kisses the side of my head, lifts me and squeezes as if he never wants to let go. When he does set me on the ground, I draw back so I can take in his beautiful face. “You’re going to college?”
“One three-hour class, one day a week. I could take it online, but going into Lexington is one more day I get to spend with you.”
A tingling in my blood. “You’re keeping your land?”
“Yes. Not because I think this is what I have to do, but because deep down in my soul, this is what I’m meant to do. The real question is, are you ready for a new adventure?”
A smile stretches across my face as I’m filled with pure joy. “What type of adventure were you thinking?
“Second star to the right and straight on till morning.”
Then Jesse Lachlin, my best friend, the man I love, leans down and kisses my lips.
PLAYLIST
THEME
“Rain on the Scarecrow” by John Mellencamp
“Amarillo Sky” by Jason Aldean
“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” by Willie Nelson
“Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury
“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay
“Hard Love” by NEEDTOBREATHE (featuring Lauren Daigle)
“Parachute” by Chris Stapleton
JESSE
“Confession” by Florida Georgia Line
“Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas
“These Days” by Rascal Flatts
“Record Year” by Eric Church
“Killer/Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by George Michael
SCARLETT
“Million Reasons” by Lady Gaga
“Daughter” by Pearl Jam
“Better Man” by Pearl Jam
“Stay” by Rihanna (featuring Mikky Ekko)
SCARLETT AND JESSE’S FUTURE
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
“Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong UNITED
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To God: Matthew 6:25–34 and Luke 5:1–11.
—Thank you for your unconditional love, for taking my worry and anxiety and replacing it with hope and peace.
As always, for Dave.
—I love you.
For A, N, and P.
—For challenging me.
A huge thank-you to Suzie Townsend, Whitney Ross, Amy Stapp, and Tor Teen for loving Jesse and Scarlett as much as I do and for believing in my vision for Only a Breath Apart.
To my wonderful group of friends, family, critique partners, and beta readers who have helped and loved me along the way: Colette Ballard, Kelly Creagh, Bethany Griffin, Kurt Hampe, Bill Wolfe, Tiffany King, Wendy Higgins, Kristen Simmons, KP Simmons, and Angela Annalaro-Murphy.
Much love to my readers.
—I am forever grateful for your support and love.
ALSO BY KATIE MCGARRY
THE PUSHING THE LIMITS SERIES
Pushing the Limits
Crossing the Line
Dare You To
Take Me On
Breaking the Rules
Chasing Impossible
THE THUNDER ROAD SERIES
Nowhere But Here
Walk the Edge
Long Way Home
OTHERS
Say You’ll Remember Me
Red at Night
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KATIE MCGARRY is an award-winning and critically acclaimed young-adult novelist. She is currently living out her real-life love story in Kentucky with her husband and three children. Katie is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Visit her online at katielmcgarry.com, or sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraph
Jesse
Scarlett
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Scarlett
Jesse
Jesse
Scarlett
Scarlett
Scarlett
Playlist
Acknowledgments
Also by Katie McGarry
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
ONLY A BREATH APART
Copyright © 2019 by Katie McGarry
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Daniela Medina
Cover photograph © Getty Images
A Tor Teen Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.torteen.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: McGarry, Katie, author.
Title: Only a breath apart / Katie McGarry.
Description: First edition. | New York: Tor Teen, 2019. | “A Tom Doherty Associates Book.”
Identifiers: LCCN 2018044554 | ISBN 9781250193858 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781250193872 (ebook)
Subjects: | CYAC: Love—Fiction. | Family problems—Fiction. | Farms—Fiction. | Best friends—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.M167156 Onl 2019 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018044554
eISBN 9781250193872
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].
First Edition: January 2019
Only a Breath Apart Page 35