by B. E. Baker
Basically, anyone who's breathing.
“And what about you, Lacy? What kinds of guys like you?”
“Up until this year, the closest I got to having a guy's undivided attention was when I read Hemingway or Chaucer.”
“What changed this year?” He steeples his hands again.
It’s starting to annoy me. “I bet you’ve already read all about it.”
“I don’t know your side of things,” Dr. Brasher says. “That’s why you’re here.”
“If I walk you through what happened and you write your report, then we’ll be done, right?”
He nods.
“Where should I start?”
“Where do you think it all started to go wrong?”
He already knows what happened and he’s got Hope’s journal, so he’s probably figured out that it’s all my fault. Things went about as wrong as they could have gone. Fights. Missed school. Police. Drugs. Juvie. Possible expulsion. And the one bad thing no one ever seems to want to talk about.
I can barely breathe and I look away. Sniff and wipe my eyes.
She died.
The rest of the stuff doesn’t even matter compared to that.
But looking back on all that mess, in the cluster my life has become, no one's asked for my side of the story. Not the judge, not a single teacher, not my friends, no one. It’s like they’re all afraid of the answer.
And maybe they should be.
It all started the day I met Mason. Is it ironic that the first truly great day of my life was probably also the very thing that set in motion the events leading up to the worst? Or does life always work like that? Mom lost Dad right after Hope was born. Maybe bad always nips at good’s heels like a moronic, overeager puppy, shredding everything and peeing in the corner.
Dr. Brasher still stares at me expectantly and I realize I haven’t spoken a word. "I guess it all started with Mason."
Dr. Brasher rifles through a pile of papers on his desk and then he looks back up at me. "Mason Montcellier?"
I nod my head, impressed when he pronounces the difficult last name correctly. "Yep."
"Why don't you tell me about him."
I bite my lip. I don't want to talk about Mason. It hurts. Not crippling pain, like when I think about her, but thinking about Mason hurts in a different way. Plus, I honestly don't even know how I feel anymore. I cared for Mason more than I thought possible, and now I have no idea how to feel about him. Do I love him? Do I blame him? Do I feel anything at all?
I clear my throat. "It was your typical story, I guess. Outrageously attractive boy meets nerdy girl. It was the 'happily ever after part' where things started to break down."
***Already Gone is available right now on all store fronts, or you can get it for free if you sign up for my newsletter, at www.BridgetEBakerWrites.com.
Acknowledgments
My husband: you’re the absolute best
* * *
My kids: you’re my favorite, every single day (yes, all of you)
* * *
My readers: you inspire me and keep me going (and give me name ideas, too)
* * *
My editors: you make me look smarter than I really am—thank goodness
About the Author
Bridget loves her husband (every day) and all five of her kids (most days). She’s a lawyer, but does as little legal work as possible. She has three goofy horses, two scrappy cats, two adorable rabbits, one bouncy dog and backyard chickens. She hates Oxford commas, but she uses them to keep fans from complaining. She makes cookies waaaaay too often and believes they should be their own food group. In a possibly misguided attempt to keep from blowing up like a puffer fish, she kick boxes every day. So if you don’t like her books, her kids, her pets, or her cookies, maybe don’t tell her in person.
Also by B. E. Baker
The Finding Home Series:
Finding Faith (1)
Finding Cupid (2)
Finding Spring (3)
Finding Liberty (4)
Finding Holly (5)
Finding Home (6)
Finding Balance (7)
Finding Peace (8)
The Finding Home Series Boxset Books 1-3
The Finding Home Series Boxset Books 4-6
* * *
Books by Bridget E. Baker (same writer, but I use a different name for my fantasy and end of the world books!)
The Birthright Series:
Displaced (1)
unForgiven (2)
Disillusioned (3)
misUnderstood (4)
Disavowed (5)
unRepentant (6)
Destroyed (7)
The Birthright Series Collection, Books 1-3
The Sins of Our Ancestors Series:
Marked (1)
Suppressed (2)
Redeemed (3)
Renounced (4)
The Anchored Series:
Anchored (1)
Adrift (2)
Awoken (3—releasing July 15, 2021)
Capsized (4—releasing September 15, 2021)
A stand alone YA romantic suspense:
Already Gone
Children’s Picture Book
Yuck! What’s for Dinner?