by Clara Stone
Then, I give up.
2 years later….
THE FRESH SMELL OF rain fills my lungs as I look out toward the pond behind the hospital. It’s been one hell of a month—hell of two years. Things have been chaotic. My life hasn’t been the same since that day I watched Ace hauled away from me, bleeding and unable to breathe.
Nervously, I fiddle with the bouquet of pink Damask roses in my hands—Ace’s favorite flower. Every time I see it, it reminds me of her—her smile, her eyes. The girl I’ve loved since we were kids. The girl I nearly lost.
There was only one time I missed giving her one, back when we were friends—the day after we kissed for the first time. But I blame my lapse on her and the intensity of that first kiss. And I’ve never missed giving her one since.
I shift my weight from foot to foot.
Funny how sometimes we take life for granted. I don’t pretend to understand why we insist on putting unimportant things ahead of what we need, wasting our time thinking there’s always tomorrow. But the truth of the matter is, tomorrow, the sun might not always rise.
Ace and I knew we were in love with each other our entire lives. But we never acted on those feelings. We lacked the courage, living in fear of rejection. We wasted so much of our time that we almost missed our chance.
Almost.
A warm hand snakes down my arm and into my hand, lacing our fingers together. My heart does that flutter thing I’ve grown used to. I glance to my side. Ace’s beautiful smile reaches her eyes. I smile back and kiss the top of her head, lingering there for a moment. These are the times I cherish now. The simple ones, the ones that don’t need much thought.
“Hey,” she breathes.
“Hey, back.” I smile at her.
Everything in life happens for a reason; whether it’s God, or the universe’s doing, I don’t know. I don’t care. But I know losing my mother in the same hospital where I’d later met Ace was the higher power giving me back what it had taken away from me. Peace of mind, love, and a person that’s my equal, my soul mate.
“Everything good to go?” I ask her.
She leans her head on my shoulder and nods. “Yes.”
“For you,” I hand her the flowers. All two dozen and one of them . . . one for every month she’s beaten cancer’s ass since being diagnosed.
Untwining our fingers, she pulls the bouquet from my arms and takes a whiff. She can’t stop smiling as she says, “Don’t ever stop giving them to me, Heath.
I chuckle, because while most girls would have replied with, “you shouldn’t have,” or “they’re so beautiful” —something they say for the sake of it—Ace speaks her mind. This is something I should have gotten used to by now. But I can’t. Because her candidness is what has me crazy, head-over-heels in love with her.
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her into me, bringing my mouth to hers. A small whimper escapes her. Even after two years, we can’t seem to get enough of each other. One look, one touch, one whisper . . . that’s all it ever takes for me to lose myself in her. But the kisses . . . they leave me flying high, like I’m in outer space and the only thing holding me together is this—her.
“Break it up, sickos,” Harrington grunts behind us.
I pull back and find a hint of pink in Ace’s cheeks. She worries her lip, looking up at me through her lashes in a way that leaves my heart skipping a beat.
“Don’t let the old fart bother you,” I say with a grin, then turn us toward him, my arm tight around her waist. I’m not letting anyone dictate what I can or can’t do. “I can’t wait until you find a girl that has you whipped ten ways to Sunday.”
“I’ll get drunk to that,” Hudson says, walking toward us.
Blake waddles next to him, a hand on her very pregnant belly. Hudson pulls her to his side, kissing her temple. She leans into him, her head against his shoulder, her hand switching to his torso.
“Rrrrright.” Harrington smirks, shaking his head at me, then Hudson. “I’m not a sucker like you two. Besides, there’s no girl in this world that can handle all this amazingness on a daily basis.”
“Or your big head,” Hudson counters.
“Well, I don’t like to brag, but, if I should say so myself, I do have a pretty impressive—”
“Sooo.” Blake claps her hands in an attempt to divert the conversation. She waddles her way toward Ace, pulling her away from me and looping her arm through Ace’s. “What are your plans for the next year?”
I look at Ace. She gives me a knee-weakening smile that’s all kinds of shy.
“We’re not sure,” she says. “Just winging it.”
“Winging it?” Blake’s eyes bug out. “Heath, you can’t be serious. You guys need a plan, or two, or twenty.” Her voice hitches with each word, like she’s hyperventilating.
“Babe,” Hudson says, coming to her side. “Take it easy. It’s not healthy for the baby.”
Blake’s two months away from popping, but found out recently that she has gestational diabetes, making Hudson more edgy than usual.
“I’m fine.” She swats at him. “But these two . . .” She throws a glare at me, then Ace. “These two are going to—”
“Blake,” Ace says, stepping toward her. “We’ll be fine. I swear. We have some cash, GPS, and the entire US to explore. It’s been a dream of mine; one I never thought I’d come to see.”
“And I told her otherwise,” I interject, grinning.
Ace rolls her eyes.
Harrington scoffs. “Whipped. Un-fucking-believably whipped.”
A moment of miscellaneous bickering passes before I ask, “So, this is everyone?”
“Pretty much, except for Dad. I said my goodbyes to Emily and Rock yesterday. Separately.” Ace answers.
“They’re still fighting?” I sigh.
She nods.
Over the past two years, Emily and Rock have been in a relationship of sorts. They fight, they make up, then for two or so weeks, they disappear. Currently, they’re in the fight phase, I guess.
“What about your Dad?” she asks, rubbing my arm in a soothing gesture.
“He’s still pissed at me for taking a year off,” I respond, shrugging.
Our relationship had been rocky ever since I declined the life-plan he’d made for me, insisting that Ace was more important than whatever dog and pony show he’d wanted me to attend. He’d refused to talk to me for a month, then threatened to disown me if I didn’t do as I was told. Which, of course, he didn’t. And the truth is, I wouldn’t have cared if he had.
I’d learned the hard way that the important things in life need to be number one. Dad and I, we talk now . . . for the sake of talking, and that’s about it. For now.
“I’m here,” Mr. Casper calls, bringing my attention back. He jogs toward us.
Ace meets him halfway, and they hug. The last two years have been hard on all of us, but Mr. Casper had it the worst. Ace being his only family, he’d lived in constant hope and fear. For the first three months, Mr. Casper and I had rotated shifts, staying by her side as she went through chemotherapy. But then, she’d forced me to go to college. I ended up coming home on long weekends and holidays, and Skyping every single chance I had. It was hard. But Ace was adamant about me not ruining my future because of her.
A year into her treatment, when her specialist had seen her progress, he’d given her the green light to start school. She’d enrolled in a community college. And for the past year, she’s been completing all the basic courses she’ll need to go to a four-year school.
“You take care of my girl, you hear me?” Mr. Casper says, holding his daughter’s hand like his life depends on it.
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
“She’s the only thing I have left. If you—”
“She’s the only person I wake up every morning for, Mr. Casper.” Then I look at her. “She’s part of who I am. I promised her that I’ll always be by her side, that I’ll protect her, and I’m not one to break promises.”
>
She smiles. I turn my attention back to him.
“Good.” He looks at his daughter, almost pleading. “If she were underage, I’d have forbidden this. But since she’s twenty . . .” Mr. Casper turns his attention to Ace. “You take care of yourself. If you ever need anything, or need to talk—”
“I promise to call you,” she finishes for him.
He pulls her into a long hug and whispers, “I love you, baby girl.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
With that, we say our final goodbyes to everyone. Ace glances over her shoulder, and I do the same. Our family and friends stare at us, some happy, some filled with a mixture of emotions.
Once we’re safely in the Jeep, she says, “I love you, Iceman.”
I crinkle my nose, but lean forward to press my mouth to hers. “I do, too. But I might have to reconsider if you don’t stop calling me that.”
“Like you could, even if you tried.” She leans forward and kisses the corner of my mouth, lingering there a minute longer.
I growl. “Woman, you’re going to kill me one day.”
She smiles, pulling back from me. Her gaze drops to my lips, then back to my eyes. “I’ll make sure it’s a slow, sweet death.”
I lace our hands together and bring them to my lips. “I’m counting on it.”
There’s no end when it comes to Love. . .
Read other books by Clara Stone
It’s always hard for me to write this page. Not because I don’t know what to say, but because I have a tendency to ramble. So, I’m gonna try not to do that . . .
It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyways) that I wouldn’t have been able to write my stories without the support of my family—Rajesh, Jay, Koda, and even Siri who cooperated like a gem in my tummy! You guys are what inspire me day after day. Love you like crazy!
To my pre-alpha, alpha, pre-beta, beta, and everything thereafter special girl, Jessica Baker. Seriously, I love you so hard for your undying support and love for Heath and Ace. Let it be known that the character Jessica was named after you and will someday get a story of her own.
I can’t even fathom how eternally grateful I am to my sister from another mother Jenny Alderen! Without her and her sister Chrissy Ashworth’s insight and advise on the medical pieces, especially about adolescence cancer, this book would’ve been a shot in the dark! So thank you both!
To the Queen of Editing and someone I have the pleasure to call my friend, Kisa Whipkey. Seriously, have I told you how annoying it is when you’re right? Like always? Well, it is. But I love you for it because you taught me so much about writing, plotting, and character conflict. I don’t think Heath and Ace’s story would have turned out the way it had, if it weren’t for you.
To my critique partner, Luna Lacour, who has provided the most in-depth and thoughtful feedback on the initial version of Forever Kinda Love! Seriously, your insight and honest feedback on not only what worked, but what didn’t might have had me flailing all over you!
To my critique partner, friend, and chat buddy from across the sea, Cecilia Robert. Thank you so much for keeping up with my ramblings, some of which are book related, but most of which are things that are not related to books. Your insight, feedback, and questioning of why my characters don’t have any conflicts is what made this book that much better.
To the Mistress of Design. Seriously, who hasn’t seen the work of the amazing Regina Wamba? Her work is extraordinary, and when I saw the cover, I knew this was the one. Her talent isn’t just in making covers, but in bringing them to life. And without her, Forever Kinda Love wouldn’t have happened. Thank you for your neverending patience, and for all the times I changed the cover on you and you made the changes with a smile.
A special thanks to my beta readers—Rachel Oestreich, Sareh Lovasen, and Emily Ann Imes, and Colleen Hampton—your insight and feedback helped make the foundation of this story that much stronger. So, thank you!
Thank you to the absolutely most amazing and wonderful authors—Nina Lane, Michelle Leighton, Shannon Dermott, Megan Vernon, Rachel Van Dyken, Katy Evans, and Faith Sullivan—that had inspired me to pick up book after book and when I asked them to read my work, they jumped in without a question. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea HOW thrilled I am to know that you know I exist and probably, possibly enjoying Heath’s and Ace’s story!
Ah, this group of techy girls—Tiffany Rose, Ashley Ruggirello, and Ali Crean—what would I do without you? Thank you for helping me build my website and the graphics and the teasers for Forever Kinda Love! Because of you all, I feel more accomplished and prepared to show off my latest story to the world with more ease. Heath and Ace thank you from the deep depths of their hearts!
Readers, Bloggers, and Writing community. Reaching from the depths of my soul, I thank you, each and everyone of you, for your support, and reading my stories, and for giving me the opportunity to live a dream!
And last, but not least, THANK YOU to the guy upstairs, for giving me the ability to write and a family (especially that loving husband of mine) who understands I need a nap at 10 a.m. because I was up until 5 a.m. writing. Without you, none of this is possible.
Dear readers,
Authors write stories to evoke feelings or to send a message across the universe. And, truth be told, when I initially started Heath and Ace’s story, I wanted to write a beautiful tale about two best friends that fell in love. I didn’t have a goal in mind. I just knew that I didn’t want their life to be complicated, or have them go through hurdles until they were together.
But as many of you know, even as a youngin, life isn’t easy. As a matter of fact, that’s what makes life beautiful and worth living—the uncertainties and the twists, and how we learn to grow from them.
As such, Heath’s and Ace’s journey is the same. I hope you enjoy their story and appreciate their struggles and willingness to fight for what they want. And I do want to send a message to the universe: that, even in this day and age, with everything we go through—bullying, peer pressure, negative influences, and lastly that unexpected life lessons—if you believe in yourself and stay strong, things will turn out okay in the end.
Believe me. I know this from personal experience. I didn’t go through the same level of hurdles Heath and Ace do—not even close—but when the time came, I fought, hard and long for what I wanted, for what I knew was right. With everything I had. And, because of it, I found my forever kinda love.
So, my dear readers—young and old—trust that as long as you keep fighting for what you believe in and stay true to yourself, there’s nothing in this world that can stop you from reaching the stars.
After all, if you don’t see light at the end of the tunnel, it’s not the end. So keep believing. Keep fighting. Keep Loving. And you’ll find your forever happiness.
Clara Stone lives in the beautiful city of Boise, ID. Unlike what most believe about Idaho, it’s more than a sack full of potatoes. When she’s not writing, you’ll catch Clara reading YA and NA books, mostly romance, and enjoying time with her family. She is a proud CW TV addict.
She also write YA paranormal romance under the name Priya Kanaparti. She is published through Reuts Publications.
Connect with Clara Stone on:
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright 2014 by Priya Kanaparti. All rights reserved including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used
in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Spiderman, Campbell’s Soup, Wrangler, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep, iPad, Hello Kitty, Shrek, Donkey, Star Wars, Princess Leia, R2-D2, Barbie, 49ers, Seventeen Magazine, Ford, ESPN, Toys-R-Us, Gatorade, Tylenol, Ford Mustang, Boy Scout, Vicodin, Pepsi, Journey, Rain Man
Edited by Kisa Whipkey
Cover Design by Regina Wamba
Formatting by E.M. Tippetts Book Designs
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition August 2014
Table of Contents
Title Page
Other Books by Clara Stone
Summary
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39