by Abbi Glines
My three precious kiddos who ate a lot of corn dogs, pizza, and Frosted Flakes because I was locked away writing. I promise, I cooked them many good hot meals once I finished.
Tammara Webber, Elizabeth Reyes and Liz Reinhardt, my critique partners. Somehow, I convinced these ladies to become my critique partners. Now, I get to read their books before anyone else! I’d throw in an “I’m just kidding” but, well... I’m not. I love their work. It’s a major perk. They all helped me so much with While It Lasts. Their ideas, suggestions, and encouragement made the writing process so much easier. They’re amazing and I don’t know how I ever finished a book without them.
My FP girls. I’m choosing not to share what FP stands for because my mother may read this and it will give her heart failure. Kidding... maybe. You girls make me laugh, listen to me vent, and always manage to give me some eye candy to make my day brighter. You are truly my posse. What happens in New York City, stays in New York City... eh girls?
Stephanie Mooney who is the best cover artist ever. She is brilliant and I shout it to the roof tops on a regular basis.
Stephanie T. Lott who is the best editor a writer could ask for. Thanks to me her time was limited and she made it work. She seriously rocks.
About the Author
Abbi Glines can be found hanging out with rock stars, taking out her yacht on weekends for a party cruise, sky diving, or surfing in Maui. Okay maybe she needs to keep her imagination focused on her writing only. In the real world, Abbi can be found hauling kids (several who seem to show up that don’t belong to her) to all their social events, hiding under the covers with her MacBook in hopes her husband won’t catch her watching Buffy on Netflix again, and sneaking off to Barnes and Noble to spend hours lost in the yummy goodness of books. If you want to find her then check Twitter first, because she has a severe addiction to tweeting @abbiglines. She also blogs regularly but rarely about anything life changing. She also really enjoys talking about herself in third person. www.abbiglines.com
Representation:
All questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of my books, inquiries regarding foreign translation and film rights should be directed to Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich.
Also by Abbi Glines
The Vincent Brothers
Chapter One
Sawyer
I’d known better than to come here but I couldn’t keep avoiding the field parties. It was time I started acting as if Beau and Ash being together didn’t bother me.
“Here, man,” Ethan shoved a red plastic cup full of beer into my hand. Frowning, I started to hand it back to him. “Drink it. You need it. Hell, I need it just watching the three of you.”
I was thankful he’d spoken low enough that no one else could hear him. I could feel everyone sneaking glances at me. They were all waiting to see how I would react. It’d been six months since I’d lost Ash to my brother. It was easier to see them together now but, normally, I kept my distance. This was the first time I’d had to witness Ashton snuggled up between Beau’s legs while my horny ass brother kissed her neck, hand, head and anything else he could get near his lips while he carried on a conversation with everyone else.
Ethan was right; I needed a drink. Touching the cup to my lips, I tilted my head back and took a very long gulp. Anything to distract me from the make-out session in front of me would be nice.
“I still can’t believe you two aren’t going to the same college. I always expected y’all to get signed on as a package deal.” Toby Horn almost sounded let down that I’d chosen to sign with the University of Florida instead of Alabama, like everyone expected me to. Beau and I had been planning to play for the Crimson Tide since we were five years old. But when Florida had offered me a full ride, I’d taken it. I needed the distance. Ashton was headed to Alabama with Beau and I just couldn’t do it.
“Florida offered him a sweet deal. Can’t blame him for taking it,” Beau explained. He got it. He never mentioned it but he knew why I’d gone with Florida. Beau had been careful for a long time not to shove my face in his relationship with Ashton but since graduation he’d put that behind him. Every time I saw them lately she was wrapped up in his arms and he was staring at her with that ridiculous worshipful expression he’d always reserved just for her.
“Alabama can’t handle two Vincent boys. I needed to share the love,” I replied, focusing my gaze on Toby before taking another swig of my beer.
“It’s going to be weird not having you around though.” Damn. Why’d she have to say anything? Couldn’t she sit over there quietly and let Beau paw all over her? Hearing Ashton’s voice made it impossible not to lift my eyes to meet her gaze.
The sad tilt to her full lips made that old familiar ache start up in my chest. Only Ashton could get to me this way. “You’ll survive. Besides, you two hardly come up for air to notice much of anything else.” I’d just sounded like an ass. Ashton’s flinch from my snide comment was just another strike against me.
“Careful, Sawyer.” The threat in Beau’s voice was unmistakable. Silence fell over the group. Everyone’s focus was on the two of us. The anger flashing in Beau’s glare just pissed me off. What did he have to be angry about? He had the girl.
“Why don’t you calm down? I was responding to her comment. Am I not allowed to speak to her now?”
Beau gripped Ashton’s waist and moved her away from him as he stood up. “You got a problem, Sawyer?”
Ashton scrambled to her feet, threw her arms around Beau’s neck and began begging him to ignore me. Telling him I didn’t mean anything by it, which we both knew I had. Beau’s eyes never left mine as he reached behind his neck to unlatch Ashton’s hold on him.
Setting my cup down on the bed of my truck, I took a step toward him. This was a fight I needed. Holding my aggression in was so damn hard at times. Ashton, however, wasn’t having it. She grabbed Beau’s shoulders and jumped up, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist. If seeing her wrapped around him didn’t piss me off so bad, I’d laugh at her determination to keep us from fighting. She’d been dealing with us since we were kids and she knew exactly how to keep us from coming to blows. Throwing herself in the line-of-fire was the only way.
Amusement lit Beau’s eyes as his angry snarl turned into a pleased grin and his eyes shifted from me to Ashton. “What ya doin’ baby?” he asked in a slow drawl I hated. He’d been using it on girls since we hit puberty.
“That’s the way to distract him, Ash,” Kayla Jenkins hooted from Toby’s lap.
More catcalls and whistles started. Beau was smiling at her now like she was the most fascinating person in the world. That was it for me. I had to get out of here.
“Let’s go get something to eat, I’m starved,” Ethan suggested and Jake North agreed.
“You drive,” Ethan called out and climbed into the passenger seat of my truck. Without looking back at Ash and Beau, I walked around my truck and climbed in. If he hauled her off to his truck, I’d lose it. Leaving was the best idea.
Lana
Jewel flirted outrageously with the bartender. I knew her game and was willing to bet he did too. The brilliant scheme to flash cleavage and bat eyelashes while giggling wasn’t the most original idea ever concocted. Why she couldn’t just be happy with her soda while we waited on a table was beyond me. The ten-hour road trip I’d been on with her from Alpharetta, Georgia to south Alabama was my quota on quality time spent with my childhood friend and next-door neighbor. Jewel and I had grown up and become two completely different people but that bond from our childhood had somehow kept us from growing apart. However, Jewel could only be endured in small doses.
“Come on Lana, flash him a view of those fabulous boobs you’ve finally decided to share with the world,” Jewel whispered as her gaze stayed on the young guy fixing drinks for another customer. Shaking my head at her ridiculous request, I picked up my soda and took a sip. I was happy with my soda. If she wanted to make a fool out of herself in hopes of getting a mixed dr
ink, then fine, but I wasn’t about to join in. The last thing I needed was to get caught with an alcoholic drink only thirty minutes away from my aunt and uncle’s house. My uncle was a Baptist preacher and if he found out I’d been drinking alcohol, there was no way he’d let me stay with him and his family for the summer.
“You’re such a party pooper, Lana,” Jewel whined and glared at my drink like it was offensive.
I didn’t really care if she was upset at this point. I just wanted to get some dinner and then get to my aunt and uncle’s. The sight of Jewel’s taillights driving away was going to be a welcome event.
“I don’t get you, Lana. You go and get all gorgeous and finally decide to flaunt what your Momma... Okay maybe not your Momma because God knows she ain’t real attractive... How about flaunt what luck must have given you and for what? Nothing! That’s what! You buy yourself a new, sexy, cute wardrobe and finally get a hairstyle to show off that head of hair of yours but you never flirt. It’s as if you did this for yourself and that’s just dumb. Guys notice you now Lana. They turn their heads but you just ignore them.”
This was a familiar tirade of hers. It drove her nuts that I didn’t throw myself at any boy that looked my way. I wasn’t about to tell her the reason why. That kind of information would make Jewel dangerous. She’d find a way to ruin everything. She wouldn’t mean to, of course, but she would. Her loud mouth always seemed to bring a world of trouble with it.
“I’ve told you that I’m just not interested in dating right now. We just graduated. I want a summer to prepare for college in the fall, enjoy being away from my insane mother and just—relax.”
Jewel sighed and bent her head down to nibble on her straw while her eyes zeroed in on the poor bartender who had to be ready for us to be seated at a table.
“You can still come with me, you know. Skip this living with the preacher stuff and come party all summer at the beach. Corey would love you to join us. Her step-father’s condo has three bedrooms and a killer view of the ocean.”
A summer hanging out with drunk Jewel and friends was not appealing, at all. I had my plans and so far everything I’d put into motion was running smoothly. However, I couldn’t help but be nervous about the next step. It was the most crucial.
Having my naturally red hair darkened to a deep copper and styled attractively instead of pulled back in a braid or ponytail had been step-one. The darker red color had made my pale skin seem almost delicate. Then the cleaning out of my closet had been the next move. I’d bagged up every single piece of clothing I owned and dropped them off at the local Goodwill. My mother had been horrified but after she’d seen the clothing style I intended to replace it with, she’d been very supportive. Unlike most mothers, my mother wanted to see me in shorts that showed off almost all of my legs and tight tops that emphasized my C cup boobs.
Jewel had wanted to teach me how to apply makeup but I’d kindly refused and went to the Clinique counter at Macy’s and had them teach me, and then I’d bought everything they’d used. Although I’d never been one for makeup I had to agree that it did startling things to my eyes. I’d closed my bedroom door and stared at myself in fascination for hours after they’d put makeup on me.
Convincing my mother to let me stay the summer with my aunt and uncle had been a little more difficult. My cousin, Ashton, had helped tremendously with this part. She’d talked to her mother who in return talked to mine. Our mothers are sisters and once my aunt convinced my mother that Ashton truly wanted me to come spend our last summer before college together, I’d been so excited I’d momentarily forgotten about the last step in the plan. The reason why I’d made myself moderately attractive and begged to come stay the summer with my cousin. The goal sounded so simple but when I allowed myself to dwell on it then it became so incredibly complicated. Getting a boy to fall head-over-heels in love with you isn’t easy. Especially when he’s been in love with your cousin for as long as you can remember.
Available now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Because of Low
Chapter One
Marcus
Moving back home sucked. Everything about this town reminded me of why the hell I’d wanted to get away. I had a life in Tuscaloosa and I needed that life to escape. Here, I was Marcus Hardy. No matter where I went people knew me. They knew my family. And now... they were talking about my family. Which is why I had come home. Leaving my sister and mother here alone to face this was impossible. The scandal hovering over our heads took away all my choices and my freedom. Right now, few people knew but it was only a matter of time. Soon the entire coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama would know what my dad was doing or should I say, who my dad was doing. King of the Mercedes car dealerships along the Gulf Coast had been a high enough title for some little gold digging whore only a few years older than me to jump in bed with my dear ‘ol dad. The one time I’d seen the home wrecker working behind the desk right outside Dad’s office I’d known something wasn’t right. She was young and smoking hot and apparently money hungry.
Dad couldn’t keep it in his pants and now my mom and sister would have to deal with the stigma it would cause. People would feel sorry for Mom. This was already devastating to her and she didn’t even know yet that the other woman was barely a woman. My younger sister Amanda had caught them going at it one evening late when Mom had sent her over to the office to take Dad some dinner. She’d called me that night crying hysterically. I’d withdrawn from school, packed my things and headed home. There was no other option. My family needed me.
A knock on the door snapped me out of my internal tirade and I went to see what chick was here looking for Cage this time. God knew the guy had an endless line of females parading through his life. My new roommate was a player. A major player. He put my best friend, Preston, to shame. I twisted the knob and swung the door open without peeking through the hole.
The surprise was on me. I’d been prepared to tell whatever tall willowy large but obviously fake chested female dressed in almost nothing waiting outside the door that Cage was busy with another one very similar to her. Except a very natural almost curvy red head stood before me. Red rimmed eyes and a tear streaked face gazed up at me. There was no mascara lines running down her face. Her hair wasn’t styled but pulled back in a pony tail. She wore jeans and what appeared to be an authentic Back in Black AC/DC concert t-shirt. No belly button flashing a flat tanned stomach and her clothes weren’t skin tight. Well maybe the jeans were a little snug but they hugged her hips nicely. My appreciation of her legs in the slim fit jeans stopped however when I noticed the small beat up suitcase clutched tightly in her hand.
“Is Cage here?” Her voice sounded broken and musical at the same time. I was having a hard time digesting that this girl was here for Cage. She wasn’t anything like he veered toward. Nothing was enhanced. Everything from her thick dark copper hair to the Chuck Taylors on her feet screamed, “not Cage’s type.” And the fact she was carrying a suitcase, well that couldn’t be good.
“Uh, um, no.”
Her shoulders slumped and another sob escaped her mouth. One small dainty hand flew up in an attempt to mute the sound of her obvious distress. Her nails were even classy. Not too long with a smooth rounded tip and soft pink nail polish.
“I left my cell phone,” she let out a sigh then continued, “at my sister’s. I need to call him. Can I come in?”
Cage was out with a swimsuit model that apparently had a thing for college baseball players. I knew from the way he talked he didn’t intend to come up for air much tonight. He’d never answer her call and I hated to see her get more upset than she already was. A horrible thought crossed my mind, surely he hadn’t gotten this girl pregnant. Couldn’t he see how freaking innocent she was.
“Uh, yeah but I don’t know if he’ll answer. He’s busy... tonight.”
She shot me a sour smile and nodded stepping around me.
“I know the kind of busy he is but he’ll talk to me.”
Sh
e sounded rather confident. I wasn’t feeling her confidence myself.
“Do you have a cell I can use?”
I reached into the pocket of my jeans and handed it to her unable to argue with her further. She had stopped crying and I wanted to keep it that way.
“Thanks, I’ll try calling first.”
I watched as she walked over to the sofa and dropped her suitcase to the floor with a thunk before sinking dejectedly down onto the worn cushions as if she’d been here a hundred times. Being as I’d only been moved in for two days, I wouldn’t know if she had been here before or not. Cage was a friend of a friend who had been looking for a roommate. I needed somewhere to live fast and his place was nice. Preston was on the same baseball team as Cage at the local community college. Once Preston heard I needed a place to live he called Cage and hooked me up.
“It’s me. I left my phone when I ran. You’re not here but your new roommate let me in. Call me,” she sniffed then hung up. I watched fascinated as she proceeded to text him. She really believed the male whore I lived with was going to call her right up as soon as he got her message. I was intrigued and growing more concerned by the minute.
She finished and handed the phone back to me. A smile touched her red splotchy face and two dimples appeared in her cheeks. Damn that was cute.
“Thanks, do you mind if I wait a little bit until he calls back?”
I shook my head, “No, not at all. You want a drink?” She nodded and stood up.
“Yes, but I’ll get it. My drinks are in the bottom drawer of the fridge behind the Bud Lights.”
I frowned and followed her into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and bent down to get her hidden drink. With her bent over digging for her so called drink the snug fit of the faded jeans over her ass was hard to miss. It was a perfect heart shape and although she wasn’t very tall her legs seemed to go on for miles.