My Lifeline
Page 11
A round of cheers boom around us, and we have to be careful not to crush little Liam in between all of the hugs.
Over the next couple of days, we hear back that our offer was accepted on a house we looked at a few weeks ago, and we close in another few weeks. Kylie, Bree, and Charlie have already started collecting stuff for the nursery.
My mom and Leigh Ann have given us several of mine and Bryce’s baby stuff to keep the family traditions alive.
Our first order of business is to introduce baby Liam to his uncle Bryce.
The weather is awesome as we carry the car seat carrier through the cemetery. Bryce would’ve made an amazing uncle, and I know Kylie is happy that we can bring Liam here.
Kylie picks up Liam from the seat and bounces him while talking to her brother’s headstone. “Hey there, big bro. Aaron and I have some news. We want you to meet your nephew, Liam Bryce Hanston.”
The breeze in the air has settled as she cradles him back into her chest. We stay a little longer to talk about how we’ve decorated Liam’s room and about our lives. We even tell him about the baseball field that was dedicated in his honor based on the money donated from our wedding.
As we walk out of the cemetery, we look back to where Bryce’s headstone lies. A lone glow shines over the stone against his name, and we know that no matter what happens in the future, we always have our guardian angel looking down on us.
I take my family home and get them settled in for a future where nothing can stand in our way.
PROLOGUE
LEO
Life passes me by these days. There’s call after call coming through to the station, and it keeps my mind off the woman back in South Carolina that I can’t seem to shake, nor do I want to. I miss her with breath.
There are so many parts of my life that I’ve chosen to shrug off or do things my own way.
I wanted to become a firefighter so I gave up my family’s fortune to be a civil servant. They shunned me because being a firefighter was considered dirty and unseemly for the Chapman dynasty.
Bree never saw me as a Chapman. She saw me as the ruggedly good-looking blond Adonis that I’ve been called a million times. Okay, her tone was sarcastic when she said it, but she saw me as the man who loves to help people. The one who mentors new firefighters’ fresh out of the academy. The man who does firefighter birthday parties even after coming off a twenty-four-hour shift. The man who runs into burning buildings to save an old lady’s parrot.
I understand her reasonings for not wanting a long-distance relationship, but it’s not stopping me from coming to visit her whenever I get enough days off from work. Seeing her at my best friend’s wedding had me start setting plans into motion that I never thought I’d make in a million years.
Whether or not Brianna Lynn Amherst knows it, she’ll never be able to get rid of me.
I’m hard to ignore.
PLAYLIST
In no particular order
Beautiful by Jim Brickman, sung by Wayne Brady
Rescue You by High Valley
She’s With Me by High Valley
My Girl by Dylan Scott
Ball Cap by Dylan Scott
Yours If You Want It by Rascal Flatts
Young Forever by High Valley
Let It Be Me by High Valley
Dear Life by High Valley
Make You Mine by High Valley
Heartbeat by Carrie Underwood
How Far I’ll Go by Voctave (from Moana soundtrack)
When Can I See You Again by Owl City
Fix by Chris Lane
Wings by Little Mix
Yeah Boy by Kelsea Ballerini
Flatliner by Cole Swindell and Dierks Bentley
Small Town Boy by Dustin Lynch
Road Less Traveled by Lauren Alaina
Body Like a Backroad by Sam Hunt
Seein’ Red by Dustin Lynch
Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding
Helium by Sia
Evermore from Beauty and the Beast (both versions)
Eye to Eye by Powerline
Craving You by Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris
The Fighter by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood
The Boy Next Door by Jodie Sweetin
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by Celtic Thunder
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to give a huge round of thanks and applause to the people of the book world. Without your wishes and support, I wouldn’t have half of the courage and inspiration I do to keep on writing and publishing. Whether or not you’re an author, blogger, reader, editor, or even a designer, your contributions matter. Don’t ever let anyone tell you any different.
To my bestest nerds in the world: I love you so so so so much. You are my superstar humans and no matter where we all end up in the future, you will always be my sisters of the heart. You’re my muses, my sanity, and my craziness all rolled into a group of my best friends. You’re stuck with me forever and ever.
The ever awesome Silla Webb: Thank you for being my chocolate and sweet tea sounding board. You never fail to give the advice I need for each of my current and future books. I’m so glad to call you my friend.
Shauna Kruse: Your beautiful eye to capture beauty in everything is one of the biggest things I admire about you. I hope you continue to find the gifts of travel, life, love, good health, and friendship to be in your favor.
Jordan Bates: You’ve become one of my closest friends and fellow High Valley stalker in this crazy world. I’m so proud of you for following your dreams and I can’t wait to see all that you accomplish. But High Valley is still mine.
Khmazz, Bri, Trish, April, Jenn, Sarah, Sully, and all of my other signing ruckus crew: Seeing you and talking talking to you guys is what makes my days happy (along with chocolate of course). I’m excited for all of our future adventures.
BT Urruela and Faith Godard: Thank you both for allowing me to share your work with the book community. I hope you both continue to find your adventures in life fulfilling and bring you happiness.
ABOUT BANDS FOR ARMS
From: Shopb4a.com
Founded January 8, 2010
Welcome to Bands for Arms, Handmade Bracelets made out of old, donated military uniforms. Bands For Arms first began by a Bracelet donated to Nick Mendoza III, made from 17 Marines uniforms, by an outcasted Marine Nick met in 2007.
Mission
Welcome to Bands for Arms, whose mission is primarily focused towards all United States Military Services Members. Bands For Arms will donate up to 50% of the sale price supporting military non-profit organizations, to help raise funds to continue a bridge of communication with their loved ones. Communication with Sailor, Airmen, Coast Guard, Marine or Soldier with their loved ones back home, is the primary goal and mission of Bands For Arms. Each personal Bands For Arms bracelet has a uniform piece from a service member, incorporated within the bracelet.
With each Bands For Arms bracelet, you will receive a small description of the service member who provided their piece towards the Bracelet.
Note from the author:
***Though briefly mentioned in the book, RP Fischer is a fan and supporter of this company and everything it stands for. Bands for Arms supports 20+ different organizations around the world with the sale of its bracelets and other creations. She has had the honor and pleasure of meeting the creator several times since 2011, along with purchasing bracelets to add to her collection. The smallest contribution can make the biggest difference.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
RP Fischer is Florida born and bred. When she's not being a bum at home, she's painting, traveling, watching her favorite sports teams lose, and getting rained on at the most random times.
Because it’s Florida.
She has a full-time job that brings happiness to many lives, but to find out what it is, you'd have to follow her Instagram.
She's been writing since she was a tomboy kid of five, having taken a dozen creative
writing classes in the years to follow. While riding through trains on the German countryside, she found herself checking out the Kindle store to pass the time until she reached her destinations. It led her back to her love of reading.
It wasn't until she found some of her old short stories from high school that she fell back in love with writing. After a year and a half of sporadic writing and fear of failure, her first series came to her.
OTHER BOOKS BY RP FISCHER
Timing is Everything Series:
The Eyes That Own Me: Fall 2016
My Lifeline: Summer 2017
Hard to Ignore: Winter 2017
Moments Like These: Spring 2018
Crazy Thing Called Life: Sports Romance, Spring 2017
This Could Be Trouble: Office Romance, Summer 2017
Moonlight and Roses: Contemporary Romance, Winter 2017
SOCIAL MEDIA FINDS
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rpfauthor
Instagram: @beccapearlfish
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/Rebfisch90
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/rpfischer
Blog that I never use: theworldofbeccapearl.blogspot.com
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/rebfisch90