“What else did she say to you?”
“She told me that everything would be as it should, and for me not to be discouraged. Holy shit.” Joe leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. We both sat there confused and a little stunned. Joe looked at the picture several more times and I asked him multiple times if he was certain this was the woman he had seen. Every time he nodded and looked at me with eyes that were wide and sure. We sat there for a while like that, mulling it over and wondering what to make of it.
I tried to remember my mom’s letter to me, to recall the words she had said.
I will always watch over you and I will make sure someone very special comes along to love and care for you.
“I guess my mom kept her promise.”
“What promise?”
“Remember when I told you a few weeks ago how my mom wrote all of us a letter? Well, in my letter she promised she would watch over me and that she would make sure someone very special came along to love me.” I grinned. “Her watching over me, meant she needed to watch over you too since you’re my someone special.”
Joe pulled me gently into his arms. We held each other, and soon our hearts were beating together in sync as if there were only one heart beating instead of two.
Joe laid me down on the bed, his body pressed against mine.
“Are you going to kiss me, Joe?”
“You want me to?”
“Yes, I kind of expect it now.”
“Is that so? Well now I feel pressured.”
“You know you want to. Admit it.”
“I do, but you’re awfully demanding.”
“Lay your lips on mine damn it.”
“No, you’re too bossy.”
“Kiss me now, Joe. I need you to k –”
Joe pressed his lips to mine and it felt like the first time all over again. Had he not been pressing his body against mine, I was sure I would have floated away. I was intoxicated with love, dizzy and overwhelmed by it. It was everything a kiss should be, and when his tongue caressed mine I felt it in every part of my body. He removed my clothes one piece at a time, never rushing, never hurrying, undressing me like an unveiling of a modern day masterpiece. When he had us both undressed he whispered against my lips, “You with me, baby?”
“I’m with you,” I whispered back.
“You’re my girl, Maggie. The love of my life.”
“I’m your girl.”
“I’m your man. I will love you forever.”
“You’re my man.”
In that moment, I knew that I would walk through fire for him. We made love until the sun came up, each time better than the last. We fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms and when we woke up, we made love again. After some much needed food to refuel our bodies we laid together in happy silence, my head on his chest while he made lazy circles on my back with his fingertips.
As I was dozing off to sleep I heard Joe say, “I still can’t believe I was haunted by your mother.”
I laughed, and it felt like my entire body was smiling. I will love this man for the rest of my life. Of this, I was certain. He was the only man who’d managed to shatter my world twice, in entirely different ways. I’ll take shattered and loved any day of the week, over never knowing love at all.
Hayden
I stood on the edge of the dance floor, and like everyone else, I watched Joe and Maggie dance their first dance together as husband and wife. Maggie was beautiful, as always. And Joe was…Joe. Before their first dance, Joe grabbed the microphone, and it made a wicked screeching sound. Everyone had to put their fingers in their ears momentarily before it stopped.
“Sorry,” Joe said, and then that smirk of his appeared as he searched the crowd before making eye contact with Maggie. “I hope you don’t mind, love, but I have a song I want to sing for you.”
Maggie looked down at the floor for a brief moment and then her eyes were back on Joe, and she said, “I’m all ears.”
It was an older song, and I knew it must have held a deep meaning to them because I studied Maggie closely when he started to sing to her. The emotion written on her face, well it wasn’t something I could ever describe, only to say that her eyes welled up with tears and she never even bothered to wipe them away. She let them fall freely. The song, If You Needed Me by Emmylou Harris.
No one moved a muscle. We all froze in place, watching the bride and groom. When the song was over, Joe put the mic back on its stand and walked over to Maggie. Immediately, Storm by Lifehouse played through the speakers and that was the song they danced to as husband and wife. The floor was theirs, and it was as though the rest of us weren’t even in the room. No one else existed for them. I watched my friend. I mean really watched him. He held Maggie close, both of his arms wrapped around her, his head tilted back slightly, looking down at her while he mouthed the words to the song.
I admit it choked me up. I couldn’t be happier for them. After everything they had been through together, it was a beautiful thing to witness.
I held Joe’s walking cane in one hand and my champagne glass in the other. Joe hadn’t really needed the cane, though he’d brought it just in case. He was still a little unsteady on his feet, especially after standing or walking for several hours. I was happy to see him healing and being more like the lovable, annoying ass I’d always known. He’d made it through the ceremony without the cane and then needed it for a little support after the wedding. Once we arrived at the reception area, he handed it over to me. He was going to dance with Maggie and he wanted both arms around his girl.
I stared down into my glass of champagne, like I was reading tea leaves or some shit. It was either that or do what I really wanted, which was go to Beth and make her talk to me. She wouldn’t though, and I knew it. I had chosen this spot to stand because I had a good view of her. Her long blonde hair fell down her back and her bridesmaid dress wasn’t hideous. In fact, it looked really good on her. Too good maybe. I saw how other guys were looking at her and I didn’t like it.
Beth, though, was completely oblivious to the attention. Sometimes I want to shake her and make her see herself through my eyes. Then she would understand. However, in order to do that, I would have to actually have a conversation with her and between my regular job and helping Joe with the bar I hadn’t had a lot of free time lately. I was sure Beth assumed I was keeping my distance for other reasons, but if I had it my way, she would get sick of looking at me because I’d be around her all the time.
“Why don’t you take a picture, dear? What is it they say?”
“It’ll last longer,” I deadpanned.
“Yes, that’s it,” Ms. Sophie said. After a few moments of silence she said, “So, why don’t you?”
“Why don’t I what?”
“Take a picture. Or are you trying to conjure a spell or stare a hole through her?”
“I’m not staring.”
“I’m afraid we have different definitions of staring, dear. What’s your definition?”
I opened my mouth to respond, quickly closing it. I knew who I was dealing with here and anything I said would be used against me. If Ms. Sophie could add ‘in a court of law,’ I’m sure she would. She’d pretty much been the law ever since I was a kid. She may be Cooper’s grandmother, but I feel like she was mine too.
“That’s what I thought,” she said coyly.
“I know better than to argue with you. You didn’t raise a fool.”
I could say she had a hand in my raising because she did. I mean, I may not have been her legal obligation or anything like that, but I spent as much time with her as I did with my own parents. She would see Joe and me out riding our bikes in front of her house, and she would holler from the porch, “Boys, come get a cookie and some milk.” She did that whether Cooper was there visiting or not. What boy in their right mind was going to turn down one of Ms. Sophie’s cookies?
“You’re right about that. Which prompts me to ask another question, dear.”
“What’s that?”
“Why haven’t you made a move yet? What are you waiting for?”
“Ms. Sophie, Beth doesn’t want me to make a move. She’s made that perfectly clear.”
“Nonsense. That girl needs you. She just doesn’t know it yet.”
“You make it sound like we’re in a Leave it to Beaver episode. I can’t sit down with her and in five minutes have her convinced that the world isn’t a crappy place, that she’s amazing just being her, and that I would walk on glass for her. Even if I could do all that in five minutes, she wouldn’t give them to me.”
“Of course you can’t convince her that the world isn’t a crappy place. It is sometimes. The other two points, however, are doable.”
“Not if she doesn’t give me the time of day.”
“You can’t convince a girl like Beth with words. Actions are what speak to her, dear.”
“Like what?”
“Like you said, I didn’t raise a fool. You can figure this out.”
“You got a magic potion you can give me?”
Ms. Sophie laughed. “You already possess the magic potion, dear.”
“Is that right? Well please enlighten me.”
“It’s you.”
I scoffed at that. “So that’s why I’m over here, and she’s over there? Because I’m magical?” I was being a sarcastic ass. I knew that, but I was near my breaking point.
“I see a lot of magic in you. Isn’t it ironic how you are so twisted up in knots because Beth can’t or won’t see what you see? And yet you yourself can’t see what I see in you? Open your eyes, Hayden dear, and look in a mirror. The reflection staring back at you is your answer.”
“Great. A riddle.”
“Out of all my boys, you were always the most difficult.” Ms. Sophie looked across the room and smiled. And not the good kind of smile either, but the kind of smile that means you’re about to be played. She clucked her tongue. “Heads up. I saved the best for last.”
Then she walked away.
“Well shit.”
Read other books by Pamela Sparkman
I don’t want to forget anyone. I want to call each of you by name and if I could I would write your names in the stars, because to me…to us…you each deserve that much.
Author Melyssa Winchester. You are such a special person, and I am honored to call you my friend. You are simply beautiful both inside and out. Thank you for always having my back. I hope you know I have yours too. You and I are kindred spirits. You came into my life at just the right moment and I thank God for you every day. What did I ever do without you? Seriously, I can’t even remember, because it feels like I’ve known you forever. I love your face lady!
Joey Reagan. Thank you for your kind words and for all the support you’ve given me. You are awesome and I am happy to know you. You make me smile. Don’t change a thing.
Maayan Nahmani. You my dear, I adore. You are a ray of sunshine and your warmth and kindness is like a giant hug to me. I am so lucky to know you. It’s a privilege really, and I will be forever grateful to call you my friend. I feel like I’ve known you for a lifetime even though we only met this year. You are a treasure, my dear, and I love you.
Anne Stookey Woodall. Taking this journey with you has meant so much to me. We may have started out as writer and beta reader, but we became friends along the way, and I want you to know how much that has meant to me. I am forever grateful to you for all the time you given of yourself in order to read and offer feedback. Time is a valuable commodity. Friendship is an even greater one. I am honored and blessed to call you my friend. Thank you so much. I love you.
Trisha Rea of Devoured Words. You were the first blogger to reach out to me when I released Stolen Breaths, and you’ll never know how much that meant to me. I am so glad to have met you because we have developed a deep friendship and I would be lost without it now. You are such a joy and I love your attitude. You make me laugh and because of that my world is a little brighter with you in it. Don’t change a thing. You are beautiful in every way.
To my parents who support me and let me know how proud they are. It means everything to me. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To my children who put up with me while I tapped away at the keyboard and eating fast food more often than I care to admit. Thank you for your patience and understanding. I love each of you.
And to my husband who was my first and biggest fan. Without you I would be incomplete. Your love and support knows no bounds. And don’t be mad if you ever decide to read my books and you come across something that sounds familiar and you think to yourself…that sounds like something I would have said. You probably did. You are my inspiration, love. Turns out you make a great hero.
And a special thank you to my co-writer Deanna Gohn. With all my heart…thank you so much for agreeing to take this journey with me. I honestly thought you would politely turn me down, but you happily agreed. And what a valuable asset you have been to me and also to Joe and Maggie’s story. You’ll never know what that means to me. But more than that. You’re my rock. My saving grace. And I love you to pieces! Now, let’s kick Hayden and Beth’s story up a notch. Shall we? We’ve got more in us and Hayden and Beth deserve perfection. I’m ready. Let’s do this!
Thank you to Sarah Hanson with Okay Creations for the beautiful cover. You are simply amazing!
Thank you Felicia A. Sullivan, my editor, for making Joe and Maggie’s story shine. You are beautiful lady!
And thank you to T.M. Tippets Book Design for the beautiful formatting. You guys are awesome and working with you was a joy!
Finally, to our readers… Here’s a great big hug to each and every one of you, whether you like these stories or not. You took the time to purchase and read, and that is something we simply can’t overlook. Your time is precious and so is your money, so from the bottom of our hearts…THANK YOU! We hope you consider leaving a review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading SHATTERED.
We would love to hear from you. And we hope you consider leaving a review. And the fact that you took the time to read about Joe and Maggie means more to us than you’ll ever know.
The third book in the Stolen Breath’s Series is Hayden’s and Beth’s story. Expected release date 2015.
You can find the first book in the Stolen Breaths series here…Lily and Cooper’s Story
Please feel free to contact us by email [email protected] and [email protected]
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Your love and support is appreciated and means the world to us.
Thank you.
Excerpt
From: All My Heart
by Melyssa Winchester
Available Now
Prologue
Belle
I’m really doing this.
College.
When I graduated from Wexfield High in June, my boyfriend Kayden by my side, I thought I was leaving the horrors of the past behind me.
I was wrong.
If I thought high school was the worst of it, standing on this campus alone is my reality check. It’s like a strong wind in the middle of a storm, pushing me with so much force that at any moment I’ll be knocked off my feet. First stumbling, then falling and landing flat on my face.
Wexfield being such a small town, it never occurred to me that the university’s campus would be this big. I expected it to be spacious, it would have to be with the amount of courses that are offered, but nothing like this.
The only thing remotely calming is that just like high school, there seems to be trees here too. Ones I know I can escape under when the obvious pressure I’m feeling gets to be too much.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
When Kayden received his acceptance along with the scholarship to the University of Toronto, I pushed him to go. He didn’t want to.
He had seen the worst of my issues and didn’t feel right leaving me behind.
I’ve come such a long way from the time he saved me in the parking lot that it seemed only natural I push him to follow his dream. Staying here and following my dream of being a teacher was the right move for me. We would find a way to make the distance work. He had to see this through, especially with everything he endured living with Dean and the fall out that came afterward.
I never should have told him to go. I need him.
I can already feel my heart slamming into my chest and I haven’t even made it to the door. My breathing is caught on an invisible blockage and it feels like I’m back in high school all over again. It’s only a matter of time before one of the girls from my past slams me from behind and drags me into the washroom to burn and beat me again.
Breathe Belle.
I’ve been working toward this for the last eight months. This moment here and now. Taking necessary steps toward the future I can see so clearly in my mind. Going to school, earning my degree and becoming a teacher like Ms. Taylor; the woman that inspired me.
Standing still for so long, taking in the amount of students moving from point A to point B, none of them even focused on me should make it easy to move forward but it doesn’t.
I’m locked in place and with the way I feel right now, I don’t think I’ll ever move.
Hearing the ringtone before feeling the vibration, I slide my hand into my pocket and pull out my phone. It’s only when I see the familiar name across the brightly lit screen that the blockage seems to lift.
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