by Hadley Quinn
Maybe to me it was a threat because I certainly remember swearing that it would never happen. After dealing with so much shit from my parents, I think it was engraved in my head that it would only turn out miserably for those kids. From then on, it was pretty much a fact that it wasn’t the life for me. I wanted my own business instead, and that was more important to me than a family.
“Tank, I’ve officially been pussified,” I announce out loud. He looks up at me and wags his tail. It looks like he’s smiling as he hikes his leg on a bush. “I see you are totally ignorant to that fact like I was a few months ago. It’s okay. I have patience for you. You’re gonna find yourself a female one of these days that will totally accept you for you—weaknesses and all. Then you won’t be so smug, you bastard.”
I head for my shop robotically. I know what I’m doing, though. It’s been weighing on me for the last month or so. When I get inside and flip the lights on, I slowly approach one of my tool shelves. Sitting on it is a red vintage toolbox that Melanie had picked up for me at a garage sale. It is awesome, 1950s, and I use it to store some other small vintage tools in it.
I set it on the work counter and open it up. After shifting a few things inside, my fingers pick up a small black box. I crack it open and take a deep breath as my eyes greet the shiny half-carat diamond engagement ring. I’ve had this for almost five weeks and I‘m still not able to go through with it? I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me. You’d think I was giving up a testicle or something—well, okay, it’s kind of like that, but seriously…
I love her. That’s the bottom line and nothing is going to change that. I love Cade with all my heart too, and that’s not going to change, either. The day Melanie stopped by Beckett’s Restoration to show me the toolbox was the day I bought the ring. She also had lunch packed into the toolbox for me. There was just something about that moment—my girl carrying a baby in one arm and an old fucking toolbox in the other. It just totally whacked me upside the head and bitch slapped my heart.
I listened to my heart that day and left work early to go ring shopping. I brought the box home with me too because it belonged in my personal shop instead of the business shop, and I hid the ring inside of it. It’s been haunting me ever since, but in a good way.
On the counter next to me is one of Melanie’s songbooks. Once in a while she sits out here with me while I work, either with a baby monitor in her hand while Cade is sleeping, or with him in her arms. Sometimes he’ll be asleep in one arm and she’s scribbling away with the other. I have several pictures on my phone of this and I love ‘em. One is even my screen saver.
I flip open the notebook and the first thing that grabs my attention is Tame This. Smiling, I read over the lyrics again. She told me this was about me and that she’d written it months ago, when I still lived at Teague’s house.
Sometimes I can’t breathe, I’m trying to believe,
That your distant heart will bend,
Before mine breaks and finds the end.
I don’t know how to tame this,
But I need you to own and claim this.
I’m here to love you how you need,
I can’t tame this heart and how it bleeds.
She actually sang it to me recently—how she felt it should sound with music—and I was blown away. It’s a powerful song, about how crazy and wild her heart is for me, and that it can never be tamed because of how fierce her love is. Pretty amazing stuff, and yeah, I’m pretty damn stoked it’s how she feels about me because I feel the same way. She has a talent and I hope she decides to take it somewhere. I love her unconditionally and I’m so proud of her.
I pick up the ring and stare at it again.
I just don’t know how I’m going to do this…
~The End~
If you enjoyed this book, don’t miss more of Tyse’s story, coming spring 2014!
Other books by Hadley Quinn
“Kiss This”
“The Fighter’s Block”
To Connect With the Author:
www.facebook.com/AuthorHadleyQuinn
www.twitter.com/theHadleyQuinn
www.hadleyquinnauthor.blogspot.com
From the Author:
First off I would like to thank all who took the time to read this novel. I especially want to thank those of you that loved Jay in “Kiss This” and have been looking forward to his story. I appreciate all the messages of encouragement; it really makes this worthwhile! Also a huge thank you to the bloggers that have pimped me out to all of these amazing readers. I love and appreciate all that you do to help.
A special thanks to Bethany and Stacey for every second of the day that you two are there to help. That is, if my stubborn ass is willing to ask. And to Lydia, Lisa, and Abby for the efforts you put in to make this journey successful. Big hugs to the authors that have taken me under their wing and loved me fiercely! I can’t express without words how much this has meant to me. All of you make me laugh so hard, and I love our crazy jokes and all the random nonsense that goes on. Love you guys hardcore!
Thank you to Jim and Corbin for an amazing cover. I fell in love with it the second I saw it. It is an amazing thing to see an idea become real after it had been in my head for so many months. Much love.
On a serious note, proceeds from every sale of Tame This will be going toward the ASPCA. My heart breaks for the animals that are innocent victims to the careless and sometimes heartless humans that abuse them. The pets that I have owned have all been rescued animals. They need veterinarian care, rehabilitation, and just want to be loved by someone. I can’t save them all, but I know that there are ways to help. Thank you for the purchase of this book. You’ve made a donation unknowingly on my behalf. If you’d like to help further, please visit www.aspca.org for more information.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
~Hadley
BONUS Feature
(For the music lovers out there…)
TAME THIS Soundtrack:
“True Love”- P!nk, Lily Allen
“Headstrong”- Trapt
“Run”- Matt Nathanson/Sugarland
“I’m on Fire”- Bruce Springfield
“Spin”- Lifehouse
“Better Than Me”- Hinder
“Sorry”- Buckcherry
“Anywhere But Here”- SafetySuit
Table of Contents
Cover Credits
COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Hadley Quinn
PROLOGUE
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter FourteenYou’re
Chapter FifteenJay:
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter TwentyMelanie
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three“So
EPILOGUE
If you enjoyed this book, don’t miss more of Tyse’s
From the Author:
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