by Amber Nation
More Than A Memory
A Cottage Grove Novel
Copyright © 2014 Amber Nation
First Edition
All rights reserved as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. No part of these publications may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the Author. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the publisher.
This book is a works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Cover Design By Najla Qambar Designs
Model Photo By Casey Boyett Photography
Models: Courtney Boyett and Willis Totten
Edited By Jen Akers
To Second Chances…
Other Titles by Amber Nation
Brown County Series
Not Alone
Runaway Love
How To Save A Life
Unconditionally
Prologue
Eden
June 1999
“Today marks a whole new chapter in our lives,” Marcie Vernon, our valedictorian, announced as she was wrapping up her speech. I glanced around at the numerous people that I’d come to know quite well over the past twelve years and couldn’t believe this would be the last time that I would see many of them. With my hand poised on the golden yellow tassel, I leaned forward to look down the aisle at my best friend Baylor as he did the same. His lips curved up as he flashed me his heavenly smile, the one that always seemed to make my knees wobble, and then quickly refocused on Marcie just as she said the words that we were all waiting to hear.
“Please take your tassel and move it from the right side over to the left. Congratulations, fellow graduates of 1999. Make the next chapter in your lives count!”
Massive cheers erupted amongst the one hundred sixty-eight of my peers in my High School gym as we tossed our royal blue caps in the air.
A pair of arms encircled my waist from behind, “We’re free, Edie,” Baylor whispered in my ear as I released a deep sigh of contentment. He was the only person allowed to call me Edie, to everyone else it was Eden.
Did I mention that Baylor wasn’t only my best friend but also the guy who inhabited my thoughts ninety-nine point five percent of the time? He didn’t know the extent of my crush on him, he couldn’t know; it would ruin everything we had between the two of us.
Up until about a month before graduation he was in a relationship with an awful, vile creature, whose given name was Kristina. She was beautiful and popular, everything I wasn’t. The biggest difference was that she was one hundred percent certified bitch and tried everything in her power to keep Baylor away from me. What her logic was for trying to keep us apart I didn’t know. Like I said there was no comparison between the two of us so it wasn’t like she was jealous. I had drab brown hair to her luscious blonde locks; my eyes were again a dull brown compared to her crystal blue irises. Hell, she had boobs, for crying out loud; me on the other hand, not so much. I was basically one of the guys, which was why Baylor and I got along so well in the first place.
When he and Dean, our other best friend, needed another player for touch football, I was your girl. Growing up we climbed trees together, rode bikes until dark and the streetlights came on; I didn’t even mind to get dirty every now and again. I had the greatest childhood with my two best friends-- the three musketeers, my mother would call us.
I didn’t really know the reasoning behind the breakup between Baylor and Kristina, but the small shallow part of me wanted it to be because of me. Because he was finally fed up with her nagging and ultimatums regarding our friendship.
But I definitely wasn’t going to complain; over this past month we’d grown even closer, if that was possible. It was just going to be a sad day when we would each have to go our separate ways for college. He’d stay in Oregon and go to school in Eugene for Architecture while I went to University of Kentucky in Lexington for Radio Broadcasting. Might as well be across the world for as far apart as we would be, but it had always been my dream to go to UK and my nana lived in Lexington so my housing would be covered, which would help out my parents.
“Earth to Eden,” Dean Parker’s voice made me jump, as he waved a hand in front of my face, breaking into my thoughts. That boy’s voice always had the ability to startle me; his deep, authoritative tone did me in.
“I’m here!” I replied quickly, trying to shake off my melancholy mood. A depressed feeling always shadowed over me whenever I thought of what would happen at the end of summer. I needed to focus my attention on that moment, and the fact that I was officially a High School graduate! “Guys,” I flicked my eyes from Dean to Baylor and back again, “we GRADUATED!” A small group hug ensued between us musketeers and I would never forget the feeling of being surrounded by my two favorite guys.
After I tore off my robe and shoved it at my mom, the three of us headed for Baylor’s car. He drove a 1985 maroon Chevy Camaro, and even though it was almost fifteen years old, it purred like a kitten. I loved that car. Dean and I always argued about who would get to ride shotgun and of course I won every time. Dean said that he always “let” me win, but it was just in his nature to always let ladies go first. At least Dean saw me as a woman; Baylor on the other hand may forever have me engrained as one of the guys.
“Eden, I forgot to tell you how great you look tonight,” Dean complimented me while eyeing my teal knee-length dress. He opened the passenger door for me and bent down to whisper in my ear, “I think Baylor likes it too, he can’t keep his eyes off of you.” Dean was about the only person who knew my feelings for Baylor and even with him the information hadn’t come without heavy coercion.
I could feel my cheeks getting heated as I swatted at his arm. He folded his six foot three inch frame into the backseat with some difficulty, proving again what a gentleman he was for letting me sit up front. “Dean, would you hush, I’m sure you’re obviously mistaken,” I said, pushing the passenger seat back into place before I climbed in the front seat and closed the door.
Baylor turned the key in the ignition to start his car and revved the engine before he glanced at me and asked, “Mistaken about what?”
“Oh about,” Dean started to reply before I turned around and shot daggers at him portraying the look of death. You know that look your momma could give you that if you didn’t shut your trap you would be in for one hell of a rude awakening? Evidently I had gotten that look down pat. “Nothing, it was just something silly.”
Baylor craned his neck to look back at Dean then back to me with a raised brow, “Right. So do we agree to stop by Marcie’s graduation party for a bit?”
“I’m in,” I quickly replied. Marcie was one of the few girl friends that I had. While I wouldn’t call us close, we had been known to go shopping a few times. Getting Baylor and Dean to go shopping was like trying to lure a deer into the lion’s den, it just didn’t happen.
We pulled up to the two story brown brick house on the Vernon’s property. If Dean getting into the backseat of the Camaro was comical, him trying to get out was just downright hilarious. “You know Dean, I really should be nice and let you sit up front. You’re so much taller than me, it’d be easier for me to get in and out of the backseat.”
He came up beside me and hooked his arm around my neck, “Now you know that I wouldn’t allow that, so don’t even suggest it. Besides, my momma would tan my hide if she knew I wasn’t treating a lady properly.”
“What lady?” Baylor asked, “Oh you mean Edie.” That earned Mr. Jenkins a punch to the stomach, which made
a bolt of electricity ricochet throughout my body. That had never happened before while touching him.
That was why I had never displayed my true feelings towards Baylor; I was just one of the guys to him. And to an extent I suppose that it was my fault and wrongdoing. Even though my boobs weren’t big enough to make him notice me, there were other things I could have done, like wearing makeup or making an effort to style my hair in the mornings instead of just throwing it up into a ponytail, but then I wouldn’t have been true to myself. I was still a tomboy at heart.
The party was taking place in a barn on the outer edge of Marcie’s property, so we had to trudge through freshly cut grass for what seemed like a mile before we came upon it. “I really should’ve worn different shoes,” I whined as I attempted to concentrate on making the last few steps without falling on my face. I was a definite fan of sneakers but my mom made me wear a sandal with a slight heel for graduation, which further warranted my cause for whining.
Dean slid the barn door open enough for us to go in. The party seemed to be in full swing as a small speaker was filling the air with “1999,” by Prince. How original. Yes, talks of the menacing Y2K had already begun to fill everyone’s head and it was only June. A table filled with various snack foods, chips, dip, and the like sat off to the side and as we walked deeper into the barn we learned that Marcie’s parents actually sprung for a keg. I was eighteen, after all, and not naïve to the fact that several high school kids drank, but for a parent to actually condone it? They must not have known Bette and Richard Richardt.
Stop right there, I know my dad is one of those people whose first name is almost identical to their last. William Williamson, Phillip Phillips, the list can go on and on. My dad doesn’t like it any more than the next person but his dad was Richard, and his dad, and so on. So it’s a family name that some wackado distant relation used when they clearly couldn’t use their imagination on selecting a name different from their last.
My parents were law abiding citizens through and through. If my mother had even the slightest inkling that there would be alcohol at this party, I would’ve have been allowed in the direct vicinity of Marcie’s house.
Baylor walked up to me holding a red solo cup filled with beer and I brought it up to my nose to take a whiff and a small drink to taste, “Gross, I think mine’s spoiled,” I stammered while I was trying to rid myself of the awful bitter flavor.
“Relax Eden, that’s how it’s supposed to taste,” Dean chuckled as he took a generous gulp from his identical cup.
Who in their right mind would want to purposely drink something that tasted so vile? Blech!
Marcie finally spotted us and stood from her seat against a stray bale of hay. Her father was a landscaper, and all his lawn mowers and lawn equipment had been pushed to the side of the barn to make room for the party.
“Since a lot of us are here, why don’t we play a game?”
My first reaction was to decline but Dean and Baylor were already finding a seat amongst the crowd, so it looked like I was in.
“Ok this game is called Never Have I Ever,” Marcie started explaining after she took another sip of beer, “we will all go around in a circle and state something that you have never done and anyone who has, has to take a drink. Dean beside me will start, then me, and we will continue around the circle.”
“Hm, let me think,” he said as he tapped his chin for effect, “Oh ok, I’ve got one. Never have I ever played this game before.”
Several people from around the circle took a drink including Baylor, this was news to me. Must’ve been when he went to parties with Kristina.
“Good one Dean, now it’s my turn. Ok I’ve got a good one. Never have I ever kissed a guy in High School.” Everyone knew that Marcie dated a college freshman for most of the school year and they didn’t get together until he had already graduated.
Every single girl within the circle took a drink except for Marcie and me. I didn’t know what to think being singled out like that. Marcie knew that I had never been kissed and this just basically put that fact on display for everyone to see.
Sure I could’ve taken a drink with the rest of them but it was my hesitation that made me stick out like a sore thumb. Several audible gasps came from a few of the girls as well as guys within the circle, and I felt like running out the door. This wasn’t how I saw this night panning out.
The next girl thought it would be humorous to add insult to injury with her turn, “Never have I ever kissed a guy from within this circle.” Even then she took a drink along with every other girl once again.
I raised my brow at Marcie, who shrugged and stated, “I kissed Wes earlier tonight, and he’s no longer in high school.”
BITCH!
Being under everyone’s scrutiny made me feel about two feet tall instead of my five foot three inch stature. I sat my still-full solo cup on the floor and rose from where I was seated. I was done with this party and if I had to I would sit in Baylor’s car for the rest of the night until they were ready to leave.
Once I hit the grass the sky was completely dark and the clouds were looking quite ominous. Rain for Oregon was a common occasion, about as common as breathing, but this looked like it would be one doozy of a storm. The wind picked up as I was walking towards the car causing me to hustle my speed and wrap my arms around my body. My hair was flying every which way especially in my face and made it even harder to clearly see which path I was taking. With my vision impaired, I missed a hole in the yard and fell, landing on my hands and knees. Pain radiated through my ankle as hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me upright again. “Are you ok, Edie?” Baylor asked, searching my eyes for any sign of distress. I wanted to break down in front of him, but I would save it for when I got home and was in the privacy of my own bedroom.
But when he asked that question I allowed one single, solitary stray tear to escape before I willed the rest of them to stay put and keep from doing the same.
“Let’s get you home.” He fused my hand with his, interlocking our fingers and together we finished walking to his car.
“Wait for me!” Dean yelled as he ran from the middle of the field in our direction. Once he was finally upon us he bent over and braced his hands on his knees to quickly catch his breath before he finagled himself into the backseat for the second time in almost an hour.
Baylor pulled off towards the direction of my house and I felt horrible that they left because of me. “You guys didn’t have to leave the party yet, I would’ve been fine sitting in the car or calling my dad for a ride. I didn’t mean to spoil your night.”
“Eden, don’t be silly, you were clearly upset. We’re your friends, we aren’t going to let you suffer in silence,” Baylor said as he looked over to me. He called me Eden, he almost never called me that. He must’ve been mad that he had to leave the party early.
“Well, then you guys can always go back after you drop me off at home.”
“You don’t want to do something else? It is graduation night after all,” Dean spoke up from the backseat.
“No, I think I’ve had all of the fun I can stand for the night.”
“So what was that about anyways?” Dean spoke up again, clearly not thinking about what he was saying, “I thought you kissed Jeff that night you went to the movies with him, at least that’s what he’s told everyone.”
“What?!” I screamed, hitting my hand against the car door, not being able to contain my anger. “That sleaze ball actually had the balls to say that?! Why didn’t you guys ever tell me?”
“I didn’t ever know that there was something to tell,” Baylor muttered.
I punched a fist into my open hand, “We went to the movies and he tried to cop a feel so I dumped my popcorn in his lap and left. Man,” I bit out between clenched teeth, “now I wish I had poured piping hot butter down the front of his pants. That creep!”
The rest of the ride was spent in absolute silence, which allowed me to replay the party over and over again
in my mind. About halfway to my house the sky opened up and released the torrential downpour that I knew was bound to come at any time.
Baylor turned his car into my driveway and I could feel my tears coming closer to releasing so I quickly muttered, “Happy graduation, you guys,” and let myself out of his car.
The rain was coming down in buckets but I still walked as slowly as I could to my front porch. Maybe the rain would wash away any apparent sign of my emotional mess so my mom wouldn’t bombard me with a thousand inane questions.
No sooner had my heeled sandal hit my front porch than I heard Baylor yell, “Edie!”
Baylor
Eden just got out of my car and slammed the door shut. I didn’t like seeing her like that and I even more so didn’t like the fact that she wouldn’t talk to me about it. We talked about everything with each other, or almost everything. She was my best friend, even more so than Dean.
Speaking of, Dean leaned forward in between the two front seats and spoke up, “Baylor, are you just going to let her leave like that? I mean, I don’t like seeing Eden hurt any more than you but you’ve been hiding your feelings about her and I’m frankly tired of the stalling. You both leave at the end of the summer but why should that stop you from having fun right now?”
I hit my palm against my steering wheel, feeling the ridges dig into my flesh. Dean was right for once in his life. I squinted, looking back out to see Eden still slowly walking to her front porch and I made the decision that would change everything between the two of us. I hoped like hell it was the right one, but I was already out of my car and on my way to her, so it was too late to go back now.
“Eden!” I yelled, making her stop in her tracks. The closer I came upon her the more I could see her shoulders shaking. Either she was cold, which with the rain wasn’t entirely unheard of, or she was crying. My guess was leaning more towards her crying and it was confirmed when I grabbed ahold of her shoulders to spin her around to face me.