The Road Ahead
Page 19
“It’s a stupid idea. I’m pushing again, I’m sorry.” Rebecca stood up to return to her seat.
Arabella reached out and grabbed her hand. “Let’s do it.”
Rebecca turned and stared at her with a surprised grin. “Really? Like… really? You’ll come with me?”
“Yes, you set the agenda, and I’ll follow you. Be my guide of the Highlands. I promise I’ll even eat some haggis.”
Rebecca pulled Arabella to her feet and into a bear hug. Arabella breathed in the subtle scents of Rebecca’s shower gel and hairspray. She’d never realised how tantalising those smells could be. Alastair had always smelt of strong cologne that she’d never enjoyed.
Rebecca was jumping up and down with excitement. “That’s amazing! I promise you it will be great, you’ll love it.”
Arabella jumped a little with her, allowing Rebecca’s happiness to wash over her. Maybe she was still learning how to find her own happiness, but appreciating and sharing in Rebecca’s was becoming second nature.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Rebecca knew something was wrong the moment she walked into the airport. It was far too busy. After spending the last two weeks trying to convince Arabella that Gatwick would be better than Heathrow, they were now walking into unexpected crowds of people.
“Don’t say a word,” Rebecca said to her travelling companion.
“Would I?” Arabella said sweetly.
“Of course you would.”
The check-in queue for their airline was enormous and didn’t seem to be moving. A man at the front was arguing with the check-in assistant.
“Why do people do that? It’s not their fault, they can’t fix everything,” Rebecca mumbled.
“Instinct,” Arabella explained.
A man in a high-vis vest walked by them.
“Excuse me,” Rebecca got his attention.
He turned and smiled at her questioningly. “How can I help?”
“What’s going on?” she asked. “Is there a problem?”
“Yes, there’s an issue with the automatic baggage systems, it’s been like this for about an hour. Where are you flying?”
“Edinburgh.”
He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “I think that one will be cancelled, you can rebook for tomorrow. If you hurry, you can get a room at one of the onsite hotels.”
Arabella stepped forward, smiling at Rebecca as she did.
“Could you point us in the direction of the car hire desk?”
“Absolutely, just along that back wall.” He pointed in the direction and then went about his business.
Rebecca looked at Arabella in surprise. “Really?”
“Why not? A long car journey sounds like fun. I’ll even do some of the driving this time.” Arabella tilted her wheeled luggage and started to walk towards the car hire desk.
“As long as we can stop off overnight at a creepy castle filled with demonic porcelain dolls, I’m in!” Rebecca said.
She smiled and quickly followed after her, into their next adventure.
Book Two in the Around the World Series
The Big Uneasy
They say opposites attract, but can lightning strike twice?
Rebecca has convinced Arabella to accompany her on a trip to New Orleans. Both women are struggling to figure out their new relationship as Rebecca gives Arabella the space she requests, and Arabella comes to terms with her unexpected feelings for the younger woman.
Meeting Rebecca’s friend, Jenn, gives them the chance to learn more about each other. While Jenn starts to fall for her own older woman from out of town.
The second book in the Around the World Series, is available now.
Patreon
I adore publishing. There’s a wonderful thrill that comes from crafting a manuscript and then releasing it to the world. Especially when you are writing woman loving woman characters. I’m blessed to receive messages from readers all over the world who are thrilled to discover characters and scenarios that resemble their lives.
Books are entertaining escapism, but they are also reinforcement that we are not alone in our struggles. I’m passionate about writing books that people can identify with. Books that are accessible to all and show that love—and acceptance—can be found no matter who you are.
I’m at the beginning of my writing career and have already published over ten books, have attained best-seller status around the world, and am a Lambda award winner. I have plans to write many, many more novels. However, writing, editing, and marketing books take up a lot of time… and writing full-time is a treadmill-like existence, especially in a very small niche market like mine.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel very grateful and lucky to be able to live the life I do. But being a full-time author in a small market means never being able to stop and work on developing my writing style, it means rarely having the time or budget to properly market my books, it means immediately picking up the next project the moment the previous has finished.
This is why I have set up a Patreon account. With Patreon, you can donate a small amount each month to enable me to hop off of my treadmill for a while in order to reach my goals. Goals such as exploring better marketing options, developing my writing craft, and investigating writing articles and screenplays.
My Patreon page is a place for exclusive first looks at new works, insight into upcoming projects, monthly Q&A sessions, as well as special gifts and dedications. I’m also pleased to give all of my Patreon subscribers free ebooks and access to exclusive short stories which have been written just for patrons. There are tiers to suit all budgets.
My readers are some of the kindest and most supportive people I have met, and I appreciate every book borrow or purchase. With the added support of Patreon, I hope to be able to develop my writing career in order to become a better author as well as level up my marketing strategy to help my books to reach a wider audience.
https://www.patreon.com/aeradley
Reviews
I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading The Road Ahead.
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If you did, I would greatly appreciate a short review on your favourite book website.
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Reviews are crucial for any author, and even just a line or two can make a huge difference.
About the Author
Amanda Radley had no desire to be a writer but accidentally became an award-winning, bestselling author.
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She gave up a marketing career in order to make stuff up for a living instead. She claims the similarities are startling.
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She describes herself as a Wife. Traveller. Tea Drinker. Biscuit Eater. Animal Lover. Master Pragmatist. Procrastinator. Theme Park Fan.
Connect with Amanda
www.aeradley.com
Also by Amanda Radley
Bring Holly Home
She's lost everything. Can one woman bring her home?
Leading fashion magazine editor Victoria Hastings always thought that her trusted assistant quit her job and abandoned her in Paris.
A year later, she discovers that Holly Carter was injured in an accident. Brain trauma led to amnesia and Holly cannot remember anything about her life.
Guilt causes Victoria to bring Holly home and into her life to aid her in recovery. But when guilt turns into something else, what will she do?
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A ruthless executive. A destitute woman. Both on the way up.
Selina Hale is on her way to the top. She's been working towards a boardroom position on the thirteenth floor for her entire career. And no one is going to get in her way. Not her clueless boss, her soon to be ex-wife, and most certainly not the homeless person who has moved into the car park at work.
Kate Morgan fell through the cracks in a broken support system and found herself destitute. Determined and strong-willed, she's not about to accept help from a mean business woman who can't even remember the nam
es of her own nephews.
As their lives continue to intertwine, they have no choice but to work together and follow each other on their journey up.
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Spurred on by overwhelming and ever-increasing debts, Emily White takes a job working in the first-class cabin on the prestigious commuter route from her home of New York to London with Crown Airlines.
On board she meets Olivia Lewis, who is a literal high-flying business executive with a weekly commute, a meticulous schedule, and terrible social skills.
When a personal emergency brings them together, will Emily be able to swallow her pride and accept help from Olivia? And will Olivia be able to prevent herself from saying the wrong thing?
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Second Chances
Bad childhood memories start to resurface when Hannah Hall’s daughter Rosie begins school. To make matters more complicated, Hannah has been steadfastly ignoring the obvious truth that Rosie is intellectually gifted and wise beyond her years.
In the crumbling old school she meets Rosie’s new teacher Alice Spencer who has moved from the city to teach in the small coastal town of Fairlight.
Alice immediately sees Rosie’s potential and embarks on developing an educational curriculum to suit Rosie’s needs, to Hannah’s dismay.
Teacher and mother clash over what’s best for young Rosie.
Will they be able to compromise? Will Hannah finally open up to someone about her own damaged upbringing?
And will they be able to ignore the sparks that fly whenever they are in the same room?
Copyright © 2018 Amanda Radley
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form on by an electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.