Double Threats Forever
Published by Julie Prestsater
Copyright 2012 Julie Prestsater
Ebook Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to author and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Dear Readers
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Epilogue
Credits
Dedication
For my sister, Monica, who I called Caca when I was little, and is still my biggest fan, pimping out my books to anyone who will listen (and some who tried to run away but she wouldn’t let them). Thank you so very much for your outrageous support. Words cannot describe how much I appreciate everything you do. I love you, Soul Sista!
Acknowledgments
There are a ton of people I’d like to thank for seeing me through my very first young adult series. I can’t believe it’s over.
First, I’d like to thank my family for giving me the gift of time so I could write these books.
To my mom, thank you! Like my sister, you have been one of the best publicists I could ever ask for. You get the MVP award for doing it all. I couldn’t have done it without you.
To Andi and Heather, I swear I was hit with the awesome readers stick when you both read my books. Who would’ve known a friendship would emerge and a working relationship as well. Andi, you are the Queen of Blurbs, and Heather, you are the ultimate editing machine. I’m indebted to you both forever. I will be sure to repay you in books by yours truly. Just what you’ve always wanted, right? ;-)
To my amazing photographer, Matt Ford of The Westgate Studios, I can’t thank you enough for making my characters come to life on my covers. I wish you the best of success with doing what you love.
To Jurnee Mroczek and Gabriel Quesada, I’m sad I won’t be seeing your faces on any more Double Threat books. The day we spent together snapping shots of Meg and Alex will forever be engrained in my memories. Thank you!
To Corporal Quinn Hanley and, my lifetime bestie, Lyndsi Hanley, it was a natural instinct to have one of my characters join the Marines after I lived it with you both. Being there for Quinn’s boot camp graduation and seeing him off at Camp Pendleton will stay with me forever. I’m so proud and honored to have shared these moments with you. Thank you fact checking my shit so I don’t have a bunch of angry Marines wanting to squash me. I love you guys!
To Sergeant David Newland, thank you so very much for answering all my Marine questions. I’m so glad that my character was able to follow in your footsteps. I can remember thinking you were such a bad ass for getting that job. I was like, “Wow, my friend is protecting the President. How freaking cool is that?” You were a stud. Still are. I can only hope I do you proud with my interpretation of everything you shared with me. Thanks, David.
To my dad, it’s been five years since you passed away but I’d like to think you’re kicking back, drinking a beer, and smiling down at me, proud that I have managed to include a piece of you in each of my, books from the last two lines in You Act So White to the Marine Corps graduation in Double Threats Forever. I miss you and love you so much. Your memory will live on forever.
Dear Readers,
First, let me get this out of the way so you can curse at me. Here it goes. If you’ve read Against The Wall, you may not want to read Double Threats Forever. Not just yet. You know there is a sequel to that one called Between The Sheets. Well, it’s not quite ready. I’m pushing for December at the latest. The reason I bring this up is because there are spoilers in Double Threats Forever that will give away the ending to Between the Sheets. I’m sorry. Yell at me. I know. I screwed up. I could’ve waited to release the finale to the series, but I don’t want to keep my Double Threat readers waiting, especially when many of the readers of my adult books don’t read my YA books. Anyway, just a little tidbit of info there. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Moving on …
Thank you! A million times! For coming this far with me. You have stayed with me through the series and I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate it. I’ve loved every email, comment, review, FB message, tweet, etc. you have sent me. Each and every one motivated me to keep writing. Please continue to spread the word about the Double Threat books. Post a status on FB, tweet links to the books, leave a review on your favorite retailer’s site and on Goodreads, “Like” the books on the retailer sites, give them a rating, blog about them, the possibilities are endless.
I hope you all love the ending. I love it! I hope you laugh. I hope you cry. I hope you squeal in excitement. I can’t wait to hear what you think of Meg, and the crew, and the choices they have made. We’ve come a long way together. The end is near. You’re 33 chapters and an epilogue away from the end of the Double Threat Books. Shall we have a moment of silence? LOL!
Stay in touch with me at [email protected], Facebook, Twitter, or at juliepbooks.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Okay now. It’s time. Happy reading!
Thank you again and again,
Julie
Chapter 1
“Hey, you,” I say, with an audible exhale of air after running to grab my phone.
“Hey.” The deep tone of Alex’s voice is like a sexy love song being sung just for me. “Just wanted to let you know I finally made it.”
“Great.”
“Me and the guys are gonna order some take out and then slowly unpack for the rest of the night.”
I flop back on my bed, my hair wrapped in a towel with another circling my damp body. “Finally. Glad you made it safely. But take your time and relax after your long ass drive. You have the whole year to get settled.” The poor guy is probably beat. He left yesterday, but had to make two pit stops to pick up his roommates—Jesse from Fresno, who he’s lived with for the last two years, and Esteban from Salinas. Esteban’s mom stuffed them with a buffet of homemade Mexican food when he and Jesse arrived, so they decided to stay the night there and got a late start this morning. When he called last night, they were all sitting around a fire listening to his roomie’s family sing Spanish tunes. It sounded like a big party and I was happy he was having a good time. I’m grateful he has cool roommates. I know he’s still hurting from saying goodbye to Ben. We all are.
“Maybe next year, you’ll be up here getting settled with me.” My heart speeds up at the thought, and my brain overflows with images of Alex and me living in
the same city again. In the same apartment. Could we? “Hey, Megan. Stop over thinking and beating the idea to death in that crazy head of yours.”
“I was not beating it to death.”
“If I heard you think any louder, it would be like I was sitting right next to you.”
My eyes roll back, and I let out a sigh. “Whatever. Didn’t you say you have to unpack?”
A breathy chuckle comes through the phone, making me smile. As always. “Yeah, and you have a party to get ready for.” I look down at my towel. Can’t go in this. I have less than an hour now to pull something together before the crew stops by to get me. “I can’t believe you’re a senior this year. You’re finally gonna graduate. I wish I was a senior again with you.”
“Me too.”
“All right. I’m gonna get going. Have fun tonight. Be safe.”
“Sure thing, Dad.” I love it when Alex gets that concerned tone in his voice.
“Don’t be a smart ass. I’m serious.”
“I know you are,” I say through a little laugh. “Hey, I gotta go. Either that or I’m going to the party with wet hair dressed in my birthday suit.”
“Don’t joke like that, Meggie, or you’re going to have to stay on the phone and talk dirty to me.”
“Easy, boy. We’ll have to save that for when we have more time.”
“You overestimate me. I could be done in two minutes just thinking about you being ‘wet’.”
“Bye, Alex.”
“Bye, Meg. Miss you already.”
“Miss you too.”
I decide on wearing a pair of dark jean shorts, a hot pink tank, and black strappy sandals. Since I’m running low on time, I pump a handful of mousse in my hair, squirt it with some stiffening hair spray, and hit it with the blow dryer for about five minutes. The result is a curly, hard mess. But, who cares? We’re going to Josh’s house. It’s not like I need to get all dolled up for him, or any other guy for that matter. I’m not looking.
I may not be on the prowl this year, but I’m also not going to run if someone finds me. Alex and I had another talk and nothing has changed. We’re still not in a real relationship, technically. I’m free. He’s free. We’ll do as we please. But, most importantly, we’re not going to share the gory details about our love lives with other people, with each other.
I’d like to think this is the mature thing to do. Because a long distance relationship between a hot college guy and a cute high school girl just doesn’t seem to make any sense. No matter how much we love each other. And we do. A lot.
Dominic and Steph swing by to get me before we scoop up Keesha. I don’t know why we bothered getting our driver’s licenses over the summer. I don’t have anything to drive. Keesha doesn’t either. Steph has a car, but does she use it? No. She’d rather let Dom taxi us around. Not that I’m complaining. It is pretty convenient and he doesn’t mind.
“You coming?” Steph says, leaning over the side of Dom’s new used Jeep Wrangler, when we get to Josh’s. It totally suits him. Big truck for a big guy.
I swipe my hair from my eyes, and scrub my hands over my face. I’m glad I didn’t style my hair after all. It would’ve been trashed by the time we got here. Instead, it probably looks the same as when we left. I don’t know if that should make me feel any better. It feels like a big mop flopping on my head.
We’re not the first to arrive. The place is packed and it’s only eight o’clock. I guess everyone got off to a head start. I recognize everyone from our ASB class—the typical party crowd. If we can plan events for school, we sure as hell can plan a raging party as long as someone’s parents are out of town, which is often the case with Josh’s family.
“I can’t believe we’re going to a party. I’m so nervous,” I hear as a group of girls pass by. Aww. That was so me three years ago. I wonder if they’re already crushing on older guys. What am I thinking? Of course they are. I have to stop myself from tapping them on the shoulder and asking. Although, maybe I should. I could help them. Nah. Then some poor little girl will be in the same shoes I am her senior year. If they’re smart, they’ll stick to guys their own age.
We make our way into Josh’s house, stopping to hug everyone along the way. I wouldn’t consider any of these people my close friends, but we’re friendly enough at school and to party with. Otherwise, it would just be me, Keesh, Steph, Dom, Josh, Travis, and Andi for the year. As appealing as that sounds, chillin’ with the crowds is a must our senior year.
We need to experience it all.
Like drinking.
Lots of drinking.
“The Megster is here, come drink a beer,” Josh shouts, waving me over with a beer in one hand and a pen in the other. He throws his arms around me, lifting me off the floor in a tight squeeze. “It’s about time you got here. I’m already fucked up.”
“I can see that,” I tell him.
“You need to slow the hell down,” Keesh scolds him.
“All right, all right,” he says, nodding his head. “You guys take over for me.” He hands me his can of beer and tosses one to the girls and Dom. Then he pushes the pen in my hand. “You ready?”
“For what? Are we going to write in your diary?” I ask.
“No, dummy. We’re shotgunning beers.” He points to Eric who winks at me before plunging a pen into the bottom of a beer, and cracking the tab open as he chugs the drink from the punctured hole.
“That doesn’t look like fun.”
“Oh, stop being a wimp. I’ll do it.” Keesh snatches the pen from my hand, and before I can blink she’s sucking down her own can of brew. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand when she’s done before letting out a manly belch.
“What the hell, I’m in.” Steph glances at Dom, who seems amused by this whole thing. She’s not as quick as Keesha. She practices first, pretending to punch the whole and holding the can to her mouth before pulling the tab. “Okay, I think I got it.”
And whoosh, the beer flows partly into her mouth while the rest streams down her chin and neck. Nope. She would not win a beer chugging contest. Dom hands her a few paper towels and she sops up the mess all over her face. “That wasn’t so bad. You’re next, Meggie.”
She passes the pen back to me, and I roll it back and forth in my fingers, looking down at the beer in my other hand. I haven’t chugged a beer since my first high school party. It was a beer bong contest that time. And I wanted to win to show Alex I could keep up with the older crowd. Now, I am the older crowd and this seems silly, yet insanely fun. So why the hell not?
Let’s get this party started.
“Dude, you guys are wasted!” Andi yells over the music, when she and Travis find us dancing in Josh’s backyard. They’re way late for this shindig, but whatever.
“What makes you think that?” I tell her swaying my hips to the beat. “C’mon, get your freak on with us. Wiggle that little booty.” She shakes her head with a laugh. Her arms are like wet noodles when I lift them to get her moving. “Fine. Trav, dance with me. I know you can shake that ass of yours.” Boy, do I. He can dance. There were many times when I thought I was on fire dancing with my ass in his lap and his hands all over my body. That was a long time ago. He doesn’t turn up the heat for me anymore. That’s all Andi. I want her to feel that, since I can’t. My man is over four hundred miles away, and sneaking home right now to talk dirty to him is starting to sound really enticing.
Travis puts his hands up, shakes his hips a little, and scoots closer to Andi. Her face flushes all shades of pink as he takes her hands and moves her petite frame with the music. Watching them all cute and cuddly kills my buzz.
“Let’s go get another drink.” I grab Keesh’s hand and lead her back into the kitchen.
“Watching them all year is seriously gonna drive me mad,” Keesh says, filling a shot glass with some amber colored liquid.
“Yeah, between Andi and Travis and Dom and Steph, I’m gonna feel like an old maid. I want someone to dance freaky with,” I whine.
Josh tosses an arm around each of us. “Ask and you shall receive. I’ll take one for the team and freak you so hard Alex will feel it all the way in Berkeley.”
Keesh spits out her shot, spraying the people across the bar, and I can’t stop laughing. Who needs a drink when we have Josh for pure entertainment?
I’m still trying to catch my breath when I notice the younger girls from earlier. One of them keeps glancing over at Josh even though she is trying really hard not to. Every time he moves, she looks up to follow his steps. One of her friends looks annoyed while the other looks scared. But she’s a lovesick puppy dog with pouting lips, big eyes and lashes. She’s really cute. And Josh doesn’t have anything going.
I really shouldn’t do this. Look how things turned out for me and Alex.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell my friends. I can’t help myself.
Double Threats Forever (Double Threat Series) Page 1