by J. L. Wyer
It's six in the morning and I hear Ryder’s Challenger outside. I'm already dressed for school so I step out onto the front porch. He parks in Liz's driveway, but I don't see her and Hailey's car. What’s he doing here?
“Hey, man. What are you doing here so early?” I yell out to him from the front porch. Ryder stops mid-step up the pathway to Liz's house and turns toward me. I jog down to meet him.
“How’s Julien?” he asks me.
“He’s good. Did Liz tell you?” I wait for his answer before I blow a gasket because if she told him when she wouldn’t tell me, I will absolutely lose it.
“Nah, man. I already knew. She didn’t have to tell me anything.”
“You knew? Did Julien tell you?”
“No, Jay. I figured it out a long time ago. It wasn’t that hard to see what was going on.” His pointed jab scores a direct hit. I am Julien’s twin brother. I should have known. I should have been there for him and I wasn’t. Another thing to feel guilty about.
“So you saw her last night then?”
“Yeah. She came by and we talked.”
“Then what are you doing here now?”
“Jay, what’s with the third degree. I can see Elizabeth whenever the hell I want to. I don’t need your permission.”
I eye him suspiciously because I feel like something’s up. “Is Liz okay?”
“No, she’s not.” Ryder glares at me for asking such a stupid question. Of course she’s not alright. I treated her like a grade-A asshole last night.
“Look. I would love to stand out here and talk, but I promised Elizabeth I would pick her up this morning for school. So...” he finishes and turns back around to walk to her house.
“Ry, wait. Let me come with you. I need to apologize to her.”
He keeps walking. “Do you think that’s a wise idea? Maybe you should give her some space.”
“No. I’m not going to give her some space. She’s my girlfriend. We had a fight. I want to apologize.”
Ryder pivits and pushes against my shoulder to stop me from following him. “Whatever, Jay. But if she wants you to leave, you leave. Understand. Otherwise, I’m not letting you take one step inside.”
I grit my teeth in annoyance but acquiesce. “Yeah. Fine. Got it. I just need to see her.”
We walk up onto her front porch together but the door opens before Ryder gets a chance to knock. A tall man who resembles Liz's dad, John, stands in the doorway. "Can I help you?"
"I'm here to pick up Elizabeth for school," Ryder informs him.
"Who are you?" I ask, because I have never seen this man in my life, and I have lived next to Liz for over a decade.
"You're friends of Lizzie's?" he asks us.
"Yes," Ryder and I both reply.
"I'm Daniel, John's brother, Lizzie's uncle. Please come inside."
We step across the threshold. The house is eerily quiet. Usually everyone is up by now.
"Where's Liz?" I ask, looking around.
Daniel rubs the back of his neck like he's unsure of what to say. "There's been an accident," he begins and his next words have me falling to my knees in despair.
Epilogue
Elizabeth
They say when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. You see a bright light and a warmth wraps around you. You feel at peace.
I wouldn't know any of that.
Because I can’t remember.
Their story continues in Fallen Brook High School: Ryder (Book 2).
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Check out my website at www.jennilynnwyer.com for author giveaways, updates, and information about upcoming releases.
About the Author
J.L. Wyer is the pen name for romance author, Jennilynn Wyer. She lives with her family in along the Gulf Coast and has been an avid reader of romance novels ever since she discovered Nora Roberts as a teenager. After the birth of her child, she retired from her academic career to become a full-time mom and has never looked back.
For the past decade, she has taught gifted students, contract writes for educational textbook companies, mentors young people in various fields of science, is a guest presenter and speaker, and heads the educational and research program for a local non-profit that works hard to support the environment and native ecosystems.
If she’s not teaching, presenting, or out in the field doing research, you can usually find her in her favorite reading spot, e-reader in hand, with the latest romance novel.
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LETTER TO READERS
(unedited)
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading Fallen Brook High School: Jayson! Each book of the series will focus on Elizabeth's relationship with the boy the book is named after. Book 1 focused on Elizabeth's budding romance with Jayson. Buckle up and stayed tuned as there are many more twists and turns to come for Elizabeth and her guys.
I would love to hear what you guys think. Send me an email to [email protected] or post to my Facebook page.
Until Book 2 - take care and stay safe!
Also by the Author
Under Jennilynn Wyer (New Adult & College, Comtemporary romance)
The Fallen Brook Series
#1 All Our Next Times
#2 Paper Stars Rewritten
#3 Broken Butterfly (Coming June 2021)
Standalone Novels
That Girl (Coming November 2021)
◆◆◆
Under J.L. Wyer (High School & Young Adult)
The Fallen Brook High School Young Adult Series
#1 Jayson
#2 Ryder (Coming April 2021)
#3 Fallon (Coming September 2021)