Plot Twist

by Bethany Turner

  “Well, she just wasn’t very patient with me at baseball games. I think I irritated her. She liked to watch in silence.”

  I did a double take and then mentally chastised myself. “Say she wasn’t me.” Where had that even come from? I’d converted too much to the Heartlite Network school of thought already.

  “Well, you can’t have that.” I fiddled with the buttons on Caleb’s shirt and was overwhelmed with a desire to be wearing just about anything else right then. But I wouldn’t have been anywhere else for anything. “It’s an important part of the experience for you. To be able to talk through the plays and stuff, I mean.”

  He gesticulated between us with that beautifully ringless left hand. “Exactly. She just never seemed to understand that. And do you know what else? She’s not a big fan of sunsets.”

  I gasped in genuine horror. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, it’s not like she hates them or anything . . .”

  “How could anyone hate a sunset?”

  He smiled at me. “Unfathomable.”

  With one more step he was close enough to touch me. Close enough that I could touch him. And if he came any closer, I knew I might not be able to stop myself.

  “More than anything, she wasn’t—she isn’t—the person I see when I close my eyes and think about all of my favorite moments in my life. Not even the ones that haven’t happened yet. In the end, Samantha and I both wanted better than that for each other. And for ourselves.”

  I swear my heart was in my throat, and if I hadn’t had my tonsils out when I was eleven, I wouldn’t have had room left in there to breathe at all.

  “You’re my favorite person, too, Liam.”

  He smirked. “No, I’m not.”

  “No, you’re not. But I promise you you’re a very close second.”

  I jumped into his arms, which instinctively opened for me. I felt his hands on my back, and then around my waist as he held me just as tightly as I held him. I told myself not to cry—not because I didn’t want to appear weak or make my already puffy eyes puffier, but because I couldn’t stand the thought of releasing any of the emotion I felt. It was all too good.

  “I’m so in love with you,” I whispered, my lips brushing against his ear. “I’ve always been in love with you.”

  He pulled back to look at me and said, “Well, that would have been nice to know.”

  And his lips were on mine before I could think. Not that there was anything to think about apart from the way everything about his kiss felt new and exciting, and yet safe and familiar, all at the same time. And I guess I thought a little bit about how if it were a movie, we wouldn’t stop kissing until the credits rolled.

  His hand gently traced its way from my forehead, where hair was brushed out of the way, down my jawline and neck, finally resting on my collarbone for just a moment before wrapping his arms around my shoulders. As our lips separated, I leaned my head back and looked into his eyes.

  “You’ve gotten taller,” he said as he planted kisses along my jawline.

  “I’m wearing Fiona’s shoes.”

  His hands grasped the open collar at my neck and pulled me closer to him. “And whose shirt is this?”

  “Caleb’s.”

  He pulled his head back and examined me. “Who’s Caleb?”

  I slid my hands up his chest and then threaded my fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to talk about Caleb right now.”

  “Okay. What about Hamish? Do we need to talk about Hamish?”

  “Who?”

  “Good answer.”

  My breath caught in my throat again—a sensation I looked forward to never getting used to—as he lowered his lips toward mine but stopped just short of the target that had been ready and waiting for him.

  “I love you,” he whispered, and I felt myself melt. “At this point it’s looking like that’s never going to change. I tried. There’s just nothing I can do about it.”

  Happiness equaled warmth, but it was more than happiness causing the heat I was feeling.

  A thought suddenly occurred. “Do you live here now?”

  He looked around the coffeehouse and I followed suit—and I only noticed one uptight-looking old lady who clearly had no love in her heart staring at us like maybe we shouldn’t be making out in the middle of a busy coffeehouse midday on a Monday.

  Where’s your sense of romance, lady?

  “You mean here?”

  I laughed. “Still making jokes, I see. But I didn’t mean Mugs & Shots specifically. I’d probably settle for anywhere in Los Angeles.”

  “I don’t live here. But I will.”

  “You’d move back for me?”

  “I moved away for you. Why wouldn’t I move back?”

  With that, he planted a quick, passionate kiss on my lips before pulling away and throwing his arm over my shoulder. I grabbed my stuff, and we walked out the door together into the bright California sun.

  We’d walked for a couple of blocks before he asked, “So where’s your car?”

  I raised my hand to shield my eyes as I looked up Venice Boulevard one way and then turned and looked the other way.

  “Do you even know where you parked?” When I didn’t answer, he began to tease me. “West, east? Left, right? Just past the yellow pole? Anything?”

  Oh, how I’d missed him teasing me. “Of course I know. I’m in the Heartlite parking garage.”

  He leaned against a streetlight and crossed his arms and smiled at me. “And where might that be?”

  “I’m not even sure I want to tell you now.” I began walking decidedly in one direction, not having any clue if it was the right one. I crossed my arms, fully aware that my attempt at huffiness would lose all credibility if he were able to detect the smile that had overtaken my face. The smile that I figured might never go away.

  “Oh really?” I heard him say through his laughter, the sound of which was way too far away. “Is that how you’re going to play this game?” My heart raced as the laughter got closer, accompanied by footsteps picking up the pace. “Hey, wait up!”

  I turned around to face him just as he reached me, and he captured my lips with his once again. And there was absolutely nothing funny about it.

  Discussion Questions

  Olivia believes that in life there are leading characters and supporting characters. Even she eventually has to acknowledge that it’s not really as simple as that, but do you think there’s any truth to her worldview? Do you think some people are naturally better suited than others for a life in the spotlight?

  Along those lines, Olivia has an epiphany while she’s standing in the spotlight at the Lakeside Society auction. She observes that when the spotlight is on someone, they can’t see the people all around them in the darkness—literally and metaphorically. Do you think her theory helps explain any instances of celebrity behavior? In the story, does it help explain the personalities or actions of any of the characters?

  Which of Fiona’s many glamorous jobs sounds most appealing to you? Why?

  Do you believe in fate? Destiny? Is there an example from your own life of difficult-to-explain, seemingly coincidental circumstances?

  After their initial time as a couple, Olivia and Liam discover they have a deep foundation of friendship between them. Have you or someone you’re close to ever become good friends with an ex? As a rule, how likely is a successful friendship between two people who used to be romantically involved?

  Liam warns Olivia she shouldn’t ask questions unless she’s sure she wants to know the answers. Have you ever been eager for answers or explanations, only to eventually feel as if you were better off not knowing?

  Olivia allows herself to “get caught up in the romance rather than the checkboxes” in her relationship with Malcolm, and then feels as if that backfires on her. How might her journey have been different if she had adopted that philosophy in her initial romance with Liam instead? Conversely, how might things have turned out if she had followed the more
tried and true Olivia Ross relationship rules while dating Malcolm?

  Have you ever had a friendship as close as the one Olivia and Fiona share? They bonded as young children and then stayed together into adulthood. Who is your oldest friend? How did you meet?

  Once Caleb convinced Olivia to go to the coffeehouse in 2013, who or what did you think would be waiting there for her? Did you see the plot twist coming?

  We spent every February 4 with Olivia, from 2003 to 2013. What do you think her life looked like on February 4, 2014?

  Acknowledgments

  Just think of how cute it would be if I wrote all of my acknowledgments in the form of Heartlite-esque greeting cards! Goodness, that would be adorable. The truth is, I could never be a greeting card writer. I have too much to say, and when you give me an unedited space . . . yeah . . . I’m not going to keep it short and snappy. So, in some ways, these acknowledgments are probably lined out exactly like my greeting cards would be.

  Usually I spend a year or two with a story. Approximately six to nine months writing it, another few months editing it, several months preparing for it to launch into the world, and then my world completely focuses on it for weeks or months after others in the world have been introduced to it. This story . . . well, this story is different. I’ve spent nearly a decade with Olivia Ross, Fiona Mitchell, Liam Howard, and Hamish MacDougal. A decade. Just think about how much has changed in the last ten years. But as I write these acknowledgments, it seems fitting to focus my gratitude on those things in life that remain unchanged.

  I’m still married to the kindest, most supportive, funniest, most challenging (in the good way) man in the world, who believes in my ability to achieve my dreams so much more than I ever could.

  I’m still the mother of two remarkable human beings, who have somehow morphed from boys to men (Let’s all sing “Motownphilly” together, shall we?) right before my eyes, and who make me proud every single day.

  I’m still the daughter of loving, supportive parents who taught me to love Jesus and taught me to love pop culture . . . and the combination of those two loves probably explains who I am more than any other explanation ever could.

  I’m still the sister of the biggest cheerleader anyone could hope for, even if she inexplicably refuses to read any of my books. Some things will probably never change.

  I still have the best friends in the world—people like Jacob, LeeAnn, David, Anne, and Zaida—not to mention Jenny and Secily, who met these characters a long time ago and who helped keep this story alive in my heart and mind even when it looked like it might never see the light of day.

  And along the way I’ve gotten to meet new author friends who inspire me and encourage me, and whose successes feel like my successes, because they’re doing great things and being great people and I’m so proud of them. People like Nicole Deese, Janine Rosche, Carol Moncado, Mikal Dawn, Susie Finkbeiner, Jessica Kate, Rachel McMillan, Sarah Monzon, Tracy Steel, Melissa Ferguson, Toni Shiloh, Katie Reid, and so many others . . . but I have to stop now because I’m seriously already breaking into a sweat because I’m sure I’m forgetting so many people. And then there are my dear, beloved reader friends! They have welcomed me into their lives and laughed along with me (and, more than once, at me) and become such vital members of my community. Chief among those readers I treasure are those who make up my reader group, The Book Club Closest to My House. Without them, none of this would be nearly as much fun.

  I’m still part of a church family that I love so much—and I’m also blessed to get to spend my workdays on staff, serving that same church family alongside a team of cohorts (Amy, David, Jacob, Kaari, Kristen, Secily, Tonya, and Travis) I adore.

  I’m still pinching myself that the journey brought me into contact with people like Kelsey Bowen, who helped begin to shape me into the writer I want to be by believing in me when I’m not sure there was much reason to (and I’ll always be grateful that she became a dear friend in the process). And in the time that I worked with Jessica Kirkland, she was an unwavering advocate for this book and Olivia Ross . . . even as Sarah Hollenbeck, Cadie McCaffrey, and Hadley Beckett each took their respective turns at bat. And now I have the great privilege of working with a team that includes Jocelyn Bailey, who presented me with the most exquisite editorial letter that finally allowed me to see not only what this story was, but what it could be. After the amount of time I had spent with these characters, it was no easy feat to make them seem fresh and intriguing in my heart and mind, but she did it. Then Leslie Peterson helped make sense of my new enthusiasm—and she understood even my sloppiest of jokes. (Another difficult feat.) The entire team at Thomas Nelson/HCCP . . . we’re still on our first date, but I’m having a great time so far, and sure like where it’s heading. They’re all amazing, and I’m totally crushing on them now.

  I’m still one of the biggest pop culture nerds on the planet, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. For this particular book, I owe a big “Thanks for the inspiration!” to Alanis Morissette, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes (who I actually really liked in Maid in Manhattan), Tom & Meg & Nora Ephron (always), Vera Wang, Shonda Rhimes, Eva Longoria, Tom Hulce, and so many others. And I owe the biggest, humblest, most bowing-and-scraping apology to While You Were Sleeping. I love you and I didn’t mean those awful things I said about you.

  Most importantly, I am still a follower of a God who cares about the details. A Savior who loves—even when we forget that that’s what we’re supposed to do too. I’m so incredibly grateful to know that he loves us enough to never stop fighting for us. Now, forever, and always.

  The Bethany Turner Keeping It Real (But Not Short and Snappy) Collection®, Plot Twist Edition

  About the Author

  Photo by Emilie Haney of EAH Creative

  Bethany Turner has been writing since the second grade, when she won her first writing award for explaining why, if she could have lunch with any person throughout history, she would choose John Stamos. She stands by this decision. Bethany now writes pop culture–infused rom-coms for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight. She lives in Southwest Colorado with her husband, whom she met in the nineties in a chat room called Disco Inferno. As sketchy as it sounds, it worked out pretty well in this case, and they are now the proud parents of two teenagers. Connect with Bethany at seebethanywrite.com or across social media @seebethanywrite, where she clings to the eternal dream that John Stamos will someday send her a friend request. You can also text her at +1 (970) 387-7811.

  * * *

  seebethanywrite.com

  Instagram: @seebethanywrite

  Twitter: @seebethanywrite

  Facebook: @seebethanywrite

  Praise for Plot Twist

  “Plot Twist gave my rom-com loving heart everything it could hope for: pop-culture references, frequent laugh-out-loud lines, an enduring friendship, a determined heroine to root for, and (of course) a love story with plenty of twists and turns. Bethany Turner’s voice is fresh and fun, and it’s a joy to read about Olivia as she grows and changes over the course of ten years. A sweet, funny read about the many kinds of love in our lives, perfect for anyone who loves love or dreams about meeting George Clooney.”

  —Kerry Winfrey, author of Waiting for Tom Hanks

  “With a decade-long span of pop-culture fun, playful romantic possibilities, and the soul-deep friendships that push us to be real, Plot Twist is everything a reader has come to adore from Bethany Turner . . . plus so much more!”

  —Nicole Deese, award-winning author of Before I Called You Mine

  “Funny, clever, and sweet, Plot Twist reminds us that sometimes love doesn’t look just like the movies—and that it can be so, so much better than we ever dreamed. Bethany Turner has gifted us all with another winning story with her trademark wit, wisdom, and charm!”

  —Melissa Ferguson, bestselling author of The Cul-de-Sac War

  “Bethany Turner just keeps
getting better! Plot Twist is like experiencing the best parts of all my favorite rom-coms, tied together with Turner’s pitch-perfect comedic timing, an achingly sweet ‘will they or won’t they?’ romance, and the BFF relationship most girls dream of. Add in some Gen-X nostalgia, and you have a book you’ll want to wrap yourself up in and never leave.”

  —Carla Laureano, RITA Award–winning author of The Saturday Night Supper Club and Provenance

  “With a sassy Hallmark-on-speed hook and a winning leading lady, Turner loans her fresh, inimitable voice to her strongest offering yet: a treatise on how love (and the hope for love) paints across a canvas of fate and happenstance, and how life undercuts our expectations only to give us the biggest romantic adventures. Winsome and wise, Turner draws on beloved romantic tropes and zesty pop-culture references to provide a surprising comedy that is the sweet equivalent of Beth O' Leary and Emily Henry.”

  —Rachel McMillan, author of the Three-Quarter Time series and The London Restoration

  Also by Bethany Turner

  Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish

  Wooing Cadie McCaffrey

  The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck

  Copyright

  Plot Twist

  Copyright © 2021 Bethany Turner

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

  Published in association with the literary agency of Kirkland Media Management, LLC, P.O. Box 1539, Liberty, TX 77575.