A Way to Get By

by T. Torrest

  In the meantime, we’ve been scouting out properties to build a house here on the island. Maybe just for a vacation home; maybe we’ll live here full time. Who knows? It’s not like either of us has anything back in Jersey that requires our immediate attention.

  Provided the freeze-out continues anyway.

  Anthony won’t take my calls. I’ve been trying to get in touch with him since we got down here, but he won’t answer the damn phone. You believe that? The best man at my wedding—my best friend in the entire world—and I can’t even get ahold of him.

  Ginny, however, at least picks up when Bren calls. She normally keeps the conversation brief, but it’s a start.

  They can’t believe we actually went through with it. They can’t believe we’re here on this tropical island right now. But what did they expect us to do? Rot away in our slummy apartment for the rest of our lives? I would have thought our closest friends would have been proud of us for doing something to better our situation.

  When we told them what we’d done, Ginny didn’t know whether to laugh with relief or beat the hell out of us for our deception. Tony, on the other hand, simply left the room without a word.

  I haven’t spoken to him since.

  It hasn’t been from a lack of trying, however. As soon as we got down here, I sent him and Ginny a check to pay off the mortgages on the house and buy the restaurant outright. I threw in some extra to cover the cost of IVF in case they had problems getting pregnant with Number Two, and then a little pocket money, just for kicks. They haven’t cashed it yet. But I have to imagine they will eventually.

  They’re our best friends.

  They’ll come around.

  I guess they’re just having some trouble accepting our happily ever after when it came about in the most despicable way possible. But it’s not like we killed anybody. It’s not like any innocent bystanders were hurt. In fact, I like to think we got out long before we could hurt anyone. Maxine and I had our fun but I would have eventually made her miserable. And Beau is a spoiled, misogynistic, manipulative piece of shit. ‘Bout time he got a taste of his own medicine. He can just buy a new wife.

  So yeah. Maybe I’m an asshole.

  But Jesus, can I really be blamed for the things I’ve done in the name of love? Wouldn’t any man worth his salt do the same? Because I swear to Christ, my only motivation, my only goal, my only purpose in this insane, screwed-up life is to make sure Brenda is happy. And I’d have done—will do—anything to make that happen.

  Fact is, we’ve never been happier than we are right now.

  “Where we doing dinner tonight?”

  Bren’s voice jogs me out of my thoughts. “I’m not sure. I heard some people at the bar last night talking about Lo Sconosciuto. Want to try it out?”

  “Italian place in the market?”

  “I think so.”

  She gives a shrug and says, “Yeah, sure.”

  “It’ll be nice. We’ll get a table near the street, order a bottle of red—”

  “White.”

  “Red, white, rosé. Whatever you’re in the mood for, babe.”

  Without missing a beat, she slithers, “I’m in the mood for more than just a bottle of wine…”

  “Anything you want, Bren.”

  Raising her glasses, she turns on her chaise to face me, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “Anything?”

  The sight of her pleading brown eyes makes me want to drag her back to our room right now. But instead, I match her smile and deliver my new favorite line. “Yes, baby. You want it? You got it.”

  I’m loving the fact that I can finally spoil the hell out of this woman. She deserves it for putting up with me for so long. How did I get so lucky? This woman loves me unconditionally and she trusts me implicitly. Hell, she made out twice as well as I did with her divorce settlement. If she’d planned this whole thing just for the money, she could have easily ditched my ass and taken off with her millions. But she didn’t. The whole reason she even put this scheme into motion was so that we could have a better life. Not just her. She wanted to do this for us.

  She sent me out into the wild, never once doubting that I’d come back. That’s how much faith she has in us. Nobody has ever believed in me the way that Brenda has. It’s taken me all this time to understand that, but now that I do, I finally feel as though I can believe in myself. I know there’s nothing I can’t do as long as I’ve got her by my side.

  Brenda has always been an acquired taste. A lot of guys wouldn’t be able to handle her. But not me. I revel in everything about her. The good, the bad, and the ugly. She’s the complete package, and I wouldn’t change a single thing about her.

  Just look at that girl. She’s incredible, inside and out. Nobody smiles like Bren. Nobody laughs harder. Nobody looks finer. Nobody fucks better. Nobody loves me like she does. If I could create the perfect woman in a lab, it would be Brenda Rinetti.

  Brenda Rinetti Edwards.

  My Forever Girl.

  THE END

  IMPORTANT NOTE TO YOU, THE READER:

  If you’ve made it this far, I’d like to start by saying thank you. I am so grateful that you stuck with my story long enough to see it through to the bitter end.

  I hope you were surprised!

  Whether you were or not, I’m going to ask that you PLEASE DON’T GIVE ANYTHING AWAY. Even mentioning that there’s a “twist” could ruin the reading experience for others. I don’t know about you, but as soon as I hear there’s a “shocking twist” in a story, my subconscious goes into overdrive, sleuthing out what that twist could be. Nine times out of ten I figure it out, and then the story gets ruined for me forever (The Usual Suspects, anyone?).

  I don’t EVER tell anyone how a book should be read or reviewed, so please excuse my audacity here. But I am asking—begging—for your cooperation now. I have agonized over every word in this story in order to deliver the proper shock at the reveal, and I’d be heartbroken to see all that hard work go to waste.

  The point is, even if you didn’t enjoy this read, there may be others who will. And if you did enjoy it, please don’t take that “surprise” experience away from future readers. So, out of respect to your fellow booklovers, I will appreciate it if you could avoid any spoilers when you discuss it.

  Thanks so much!

  Xoxo

  Tina

  If you haven’t already done so, please come “like” the TTorrest Author Page on FACEBOOK

  We have lots of fun discussing books, movies… and the eighties!

  You can also follow me on GOODREADS

  Or drop by my website to say hi: www.ttorrest.com

  and join my mailing list to receive updates on my writing!

  As a thank you, I’ll send you some bonus scenes from my other books, including The REMEMBER WHEN trilogy (Trip and Layla in present-day)!

  I love hearing from readers and am curious about your book club discussions.

  If you’d like to drop me a personal message, my email is: ttorrest@optonline.net

  I always do my best to write back!

  And lastly, as always, if you enjoyed reading this book, I ask you to tell your friends, loan it out, and please, please leave a review (without spoilers!).

  TALK ABOUT IT. On Facebook, on Goodreads… word of mouth is truly the only way we indie authors survive.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  As usual, I have many people in my life to be thankful for.

  I’m very lucky to have such an amazing support system. The people of my real-life inner circle are just simply the most incredible souls a girl could ever hope to know. Special thanks to Mom, Dad, and Uncle John for your sixties input! Google has nothing on you. To the rest of my family… my friends… Mike, Tanner, Mason… Thank you, as always, for your encouragement, assistance, and love.

  I’m also grateful to you, the readers, for patiently waiting an entire year for this release! It shouldn’t take nearly that long until the next one, but it’s great to know you’l
l all still be there for me if it does. Thank you.

  My Beta-readers: Amy Raines Patterson, Aunt Anna, Casey Moore Smith, Chanpreet Singh, Cybill Richey, Ellen Sisk Long, Erika Gutermuth, Faith Andrews, Gitte Doherty, Heather M. Orgeron, Jennifer Pikul Gass, Jennifer Mirabelli, Jenny Aspinall, Joanne Cowan, Kari Matthes, Kristine Barakat, Linda Della Volpe, Michelle Mankin, Patty Tennyson, Roxie Madar, Stevie Kisner, Trish Mint… I get so caught up in my own stories as I’m writing them, and after reading them for the hundredth time, they cease to make sense in my brain. Thanks so much for being my extra sets of eyes on this thing to let me know when it worked (and when it didn’t)! You girls are the best and I’m lucky to know you. Xoxo

  My bloggers! Have Book Will Read, Totally Booked, Kimberly Faye Reads, Real Housewives of Romance, Glass Paper Ink, Wrapped Up in Reading, Schmexy Girls, Vilma’s Book Blog, Witchy Richey’s Booktastic Reviews, Confessions of a YA and NA Book Addict… and the many, many other amazing ladies who have supported me over the years and/or read and reviewed this story… Words are not enough. Thank you so much for all you do every single day.

  My author friends! I am so glad I’ve gotten to know some of my fellow writers. I don’t want to name anyone because I’m afraid I’ll forget someone, and that would just suck. You know who you are. Thank you for your encouragement and for offering a place to vent about all the Book World craziness.

  Lastly, to The Couple in the Hotel Room Next to Mine While I was Away During a Writing Excursion: Thanks for having constant, loud, spanking sex at all hours of the day and night. Not only did it serve as a way to wake me out of a sound sleep so I could continue working, but it was supremely entertaining as well. The girls on my beta-reading page enjoyed my live-facebooking of your every coupling. You both skeeved me out something fierce, however. I hope you die in a zombie apocalypse.

  * * *

  While no extensive lines of lyrics have been excerpted, the inspiration behind this novel was Billy Joel’s entire catalog of music, specifically songs from The Stranger album. Because of that, the book’s release was delayed by months while attempts were made to obtain permissions from Mr. Joel’s publisher. I’d like to thank Jason Berger, Deborah Hughes, and Ed Arrow for their assistance in this matter.

  But above all, I’m especially grateful to Mr. Joel for the amazing music he has given to me throughout my lifetime.

  Thanks, Billy.

  EASTER EGGS:

  Maxine sold her Norman Hills mansion in 1990… to the Wilmington family. (REMEMBER WHEN)

  Eddie was the first owner of that ’69 Mustang. Layla Warren was the third. (RW)

  Brenda used to babysit Jack Tanner and his brothers. (DOWN THE SHORE)

  Virginia’s sister is Diana Cavanaugh, Layla’s literary agent. (RW2, 3)

  Eddie lived at The Norman Inn—a brand-new, luxury B&B—for a year and a half. By 2005, it had turned into a “dive.” (RW3)

  Brenda and Eddie got engaged on the beach of The Westlake Pub in 1974. Rudy McAllister wouldn’t buy the place for another four years. (BREAKING THE ICE)

  Maxine is a member of The Norman Society. (BTI)

  Brenda briefly dated Terrence Chester Wilmington II in high school, until he broke up with her to go out with Madeline TRUesdale, who gave birth to Trip’s sister Claudia in 1968. (RW1, 2, 3)

  Brenda held Aunt Judy’s wake at Malachi Bros., the same place Mr. Wilmington would be lain out thirty-two years later. (RW3)

  ALSO BY T. TORREST

  The REMEMBER WHEN Trilogy

  Head back to the 80s with this decades-long coming-of-age romantic comedy about a Hollywood actor and his high school sweetheart.

  (Book 1 is available for FREE everywhere!)

  DOWN THE SHORE

  A contractor-turned-rockstar breaks his own rules when he falls for an infuriating groupie down at the Jersey shore during the summer of ’95.

  BREAKING THE ICE

  A second chance romance between a former-NHL-star-turned-bar-owner and the cold-shouldered event planner who comes barging back into his life.