by Allie Little
“You ready, baby?” I ask with a grin.
“Too bloody right,” he answers, brushing his lips across mine as if to draw courage.
The warm spring-time water is seductive, even for Jack, overpowering any fears he may harbour. Ben and Lil are already in, both going for it as a line of swell knolls up. I see him laugh and drop in on her so she falls off the back, giggling the whole time as she surfaces in the whitewashed foam.
Jack and I paddle out together. And this feels good. Feels like life is exactly as it should be. With Jack in the waves here beside me, grinning as we roll across the top of the sunlit peaks. He snags a wave before me, cutting back on the face before riding it almost to shore. And the whole way I hear him. Whooping and carrying on like this is the best feeling in the world. And when I hear this I know he’s happy, and has finally forgiven the sea. Forgiven but not forgotten. Never forgotten. The sea is now an unforeseen friend, even though it stole his brother from him. That fateful day, four years ago now.
And then I catch one too, and we catch it together. This wave of life. And no more devil’s tears do we cry, because for Jack and me, there will always be tomorrow.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you so much for reading Falling Away. Sam, Jack and Riley just wouldn’t give me a moment of peace until I’d got this thing down. And even then I was pestered and hassled and sleeve-tugged, which is why Riley gets his very own story. Coming soon …
Please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads or your point of sale. It takes but a moment, and means the world to a writer.
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Since I was a little girl, writing has been my passion. A totally consuming one. My first book was written at the age of seven (featuring a lost little sea-horse in the big bad sea), and I completed my first coastal romance by the age of twenty-two. Thankfully the latter never saw the bright light of day!
First of all, I have two beautiful little girls in my life who never fail to give me their unconditional love and support, and who allow me the space to become temporarily lost in imaginary worlds. Love you guys more than life itself – clichéd but true.
To Cameron, a lifetime of love and thanks for your unwavering belief in my endeavours, and for the nights where baked beans or spaghetti on toast became the tasteless norm. Not once have you questioned what at times seemed like pie in the sky.
Wholehearted thanks to Saskia, who has been there since the beginning. You are an awesome beta, proof-reader extraordinaire, and my number one source of encouragement. Miraculously, you never once complained about the number of times I begged you to read the many versions of this book. You are truly irreplaceable.
Huge thanks to my other betas, Bronwyn and Emily, who read and proofread, and critiqued so insightfully, right up until the very last minute. Your feedback and supportive commentary was amazing. I am so grateful for your time, your valuable input and words of encouragement.
Thanks also to Karen, Eva and Les, whose love and friendship mean the world, and who continue to support me through what sometimes seems like a crazy dream.
Thank you to the amazing Rebecca Berto of Berto Designs, for bringing the cover to life exactly as I had imagined it. It is truly beautiful! Her website is www.bertodesigns.com. and honestly, this woman cannot be faulted.
And to the aesthetically talented Max Henry of Max Effect Author Services, for bringing these pages alive and making them pretty!
To my friends and supporters on FB who have cheered me on - thanks for the backing. You guys sure know how to lift one’s spirit and determination.
And finally to Murray, who spurs me on from the other side.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allie Little is a Sydney-based writer who believes in the boundless possibilities of imagination and in telling stories that resonate with the heart. Allie is the author of Cloud Quest, a fantasy quest adventure story for middle-grade readers published in 2013, and young adult coastal romance Falling Away.
Born and raised in Sydney, Allie graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts. After working in publishing for a few years, Allie then returned to university to graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours). Juggling motherhood, part-time work, and mostly nocturnal writing habits, Allie now lives on the northern beaches of Sydney with her husband and two children. She has a penchant for drinking way too much spicy Chai tea, and loves to eat chocolate-covered almonds as if they’re the last food available on the planet.
… and when Allie’s not writing or wrangling children, she’s reading. Another stubborn addiction that simply refuses to go away!
Allie loves hearing from people, so please:
‘Follow’ her on Twitter: www.twitter.com/_AllieLittle
‘Like’ her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/allielittleauthor
‘Friend’ her on Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/Allie_Little
And visit her website at www.allielittle.com.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About The Author