by Tracy Tegan
“True, but not until you are better.”
“I really do feel better, maybe not 100%, but strong enough to start taking care of myself.”
“I don’t want you to go,” he said honestly.
She gazed at him wide-eyed, her mouth open, but no words came out. His complete honesty caught her off guard.
She cleared her throat.
“My father left before I was even born. I always just assumed it was because he didn’t love or want me. Had my mother told me the truth, the whole truth, then I wouldn’t have grown up my whole life thinking he left because of me. All she ever said was that he left because he wasn’t ready for a family, and while that may be true, there was so much more to the story. It wasn’t until my mother died that I found out why he really left and why he stayed away. I went through years of pain and anguish over something I wouldn’t have if my mother had just told me the whole story. He didn’t know I even existed. She never told him that she was pregnant. She was angry over their breakup and kept her pregnancy from him. So he didn’t leave me, because he never knew I was alive. Finding that out didn’t make not having a father my whole life any easier, but it did help take away some of the pain from thinking him leaving was because of me.”
“I never knew that story about your father, Zoey. I’m sorry.”
“When I found out the whole story about my father, I learned how important the truth was and vowed that if I was ever serious with someone, I would always be completely honest with them, no matter what. A relationship is built on trust and without that, you have nothing.”
Pain and remorse flashed in Evan’s eyes as he looked down at Zoey.
“You were right Zoey, not telling you was wrong,” he said gently.
There was something so tender and genuine about the look in his eyes when he said that, it made her stomach fill with butterflies.
“I told myself that I didn’t want to hurt you and that’s why I kept the truth from you, but I think I just didn’t want you to judge me for my indiscretions. I didn’t want you to think less of me or see me for how I’ve seen myself. You make me want to be a better person, and I so want to be that better person for you. But you are right, not telling you the truth was a stupid mistake and one I won’t make again.”
Even with the dim lighting in the room she could see the emotion spark from his beautiful eyes. “I love you Zoey. I want you today, tomorrow and for the rest of my life. There is no one else for me. It’s you and only you.”
Zoey looked into his familiar eyes and recalled all the wonderful memories she had had with Evan over the years, and tears began to trickle down her face.
“I’ve loved you my whole life, Evan, and if you think I would just give up on you after one fight, you are crazy. I’m not happy about what happened but I’m not willing to just walk away either. I love you, I’ve always loved you and I know we can make this work.”
Evan leaned into Zoey and touched her lips lightly with his. She slipped her hands around his body, pulling him in closer. Suddenly, all the hurt and anger she had been feeling was replaced by passion and love.
All she could do was think about the desire she was feeling for him and the joy she felt being back in the arms of the man she loved and who loved her.
Evan pulled back slightly, his lips hovering just over hers. He reached out and caressed her cheek. His breath came out ragged, as the chemistry between them sizzled.
“I love you,” he whispered.
A smile swept across her face.
He leaned in to kiss her again, and the only thing Zoey could do was melt into his embrace.
###
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for reading my story and letting me share my work with you. There are many people out there who consider writing their “job” but I can assure you, that’s far from the case with me. Writing is my passion and my escape from the real world and it’s great to be able to share that with you.
Since I was a little girl, I have been making up stories in my mind. I can remember doing it as young as eight years old, but never in all of that time did I think that anyone would ever care to read those stories.
I’m glad that my friends and family encouraged me to start writing them down because it’s been the greatest experience of my life to share my crazy little worlds with each and every one of you. Thank you for letting me do that and for going on the journey with me.
If you’ve enjoyed my work I hope that you will join my newsletter so that I can update you about future projects. You can join my newsletter at www.TracyTegan.com. I also offer a free bonus chapter of Absolutely Unforgivable to those on my newsletter and every once in a while offer other bonuses as well, like free audiobooks, autographed paperbacks and so on.
Again thank you for reading my story and I truly hope with all of my heart that you liked it and will consider going back to Amazon and rating the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
At heart Tracy Tegan is a storyteller and has been making up stories in her head or for her five wonderful nieces for as long as she can remember. With the encouragement from her family she finally decided to give life to some of the voices in her head and put paper to pen.
After spending the last seventeen years as a dot com strategy consultant, and professional blogger about relationships, dating and issues pertaining to gender equality, Tracy Tegan decided to put her knowledge of internet marketing to good use and self-publish her first novel, Absolutely Unforgivable.
The response has been better than expected with critical reviews like "A unique romance", "Absolutely thrilling and adorable", "Enjoyed it! A truly lovable love story", "Absolutely Unforgivable is an absolute must read", "Tracy Tegan's `Absolutely Unforgivable' is one of those romance stories that will sweep you off your feet within the first few pages and will not let you go until the very last page", "It's compelling, sexy, and in the end, deeply satisfying", "This book was amazing, and you truly fall in love with all of the characters in the book", "This book had everything, hot guys, rock bands, suspense, drama, everything! Love, Love, Loved it".
While she admits she never expected to reach the New York Times best sellers list with her first book, she was more than thrilled with what she had accomplished in terms of sales and positive response to her writing and with that has already begun work on several new projects including a sequel to Absolutely Unforgivable which promises to shock and surprise readers by taking the story on a very unexpected twist and turn that fans of Billy Snow and Stacy Keller will never see coming.
You can find out more about Tracy Tegan by visiting her on the web at TracyTegan.com, via email at [email protected], or by visiting her Facebook fan page at Facebook.com/TracyTegan, her Google+ page at google.com/+tracytegan or you can also follow her on twitter @TracyTegan.
FREE BONUS CHAPTER OF ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE
How do you follow your heart when it feels divided? Stacy Keller had always said no to good-looking guys, until Jeromy wormed his way past her resistances. She discovered that, beneath the handsome facade that had all the other girls chasing him, he was caring and generous. She'd never want to hurt such a kind man. When his job sends him back to Texas, she leaves her native Tulsa to move with him.
If only she hadn't met Billy Snow, Jeromy's childhood friend. Her attraction to him feels like water flowing to meet water, a destiny buried deep in her cells. But is it real and lasting? Should she stifle her desire for Billy to save her relationship with Jeromy, the man she thought was perfect for her? While she's deciding, what does fate have in store for her? She hadn't known love would hurt so much.
"Absolutely Unforgivable is a love story that makes you question what you know and what you yearn to learn more about,” says one Amazon reviewer. “Absolutely Unforgivable has everything you could want in a good novel - strong, likeable characters, an engaging plot and some crisp, skilful writing,” another reviewer notes.
You can learn more ab
out “Absolutely Unforgivable”, my first full length novel, as well as get a free bonus chapter, by signing up to my official newsletter at www.TracyTegan.com. Those on my newsletter are the first to know about future projects and get access to special giveaways, and other goodies.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Acknowledgements
About the Author