Takes You

by Nicola C. Priest

  Takes you

  Nicola C. Priest

  Contents

  Title page

  Other Books by Nicola C. Priest

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Epilogue

  Takes You

  An Eternal Love Novel

  by

  Nicola C. Priest

  Other Books by Nicola C. Priest

  The Heartland Series

  Heart & Soul

  Mind & Soul

  Jason Harper Series

  Perception

  Standalone Books

  Somewhere Love Remains

  Chase the Knight

  Takes You

  Copyright © Nicola C. Priest 2018

  Cover Illustration by Francessca Wingfield

  Editor: Stephanie Farrant at Bookworm Editing Services

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This book is dedicated to everyone who has ever lost someone they love.

  Stay strong. They will always be with you.

  MYALYF

  Acknowledgments

  I never know who to thank when I write a book so I’m going to keep this short and sweet.

  To my wonderful PA’s Jade and Tracy, thank you ladies for all of your help over the last few months. You’ve been a godsend and I can’t wait to continue working with you into the new year and beyond.

  Earlier this year, I went to a music event. It was during this event that I heard the song that inspired this book. As soon as I heard it, I knew the story behind the song would make a wonderful book, so I approached the singer/songwriter to ask for consent to use the title and base my book on the lyrics of the song.

  To my delight, he said yes.

  Mr Dean Roberts, I can’t tell you how much your agreement means to me and I can only hope that I have done your wonderful song justice in this book. Thank you for saying yes to my request. As promised, the first paperback is yours.

  Prologue

  No, it can’t be me.

  I can’t quite believe the person looking back at me in the mirror is really me. The pretty hair adorned with crystals and pearls, and the made-up face with pink, glossy lips and dark, smoky eyes have become a thing of the past in recent months. They’re unfamiliar to me now, so seeing them again feels… I don’t know.

  Weird.

  Like the hair and the face, the dress hugging my body is one I didn’t ever think I would have the chance to wear. The mix of pearls, crystals and chiffon is way prettier than I feel most of the time, so looking like this is a novelty to me; one I know will wear off before the end of the day.

  My friends and family are all waiting for me to make my big appearance, and my dad is standing right outside that door. I bet he looks really smart in his charcoal grey, three-piece suit, with ice blue tie and matching handkerchief in the pocket. Any minute, I’ll call out to him that I’m ready to go. But am I really ready?

  They say your wedding day is meant to be the happiest day of your life. It’s the day you pledge your love to the one you will spend the rest of your life with. That’s what I intend to do today, in front of all those people closest to me. While I have no doubt this is going to be a wonderful day, it is also going to be one of the saddest.

  I bet you’re all wondering why, aren’t you? I guess I should explain why I feel this way. It kills me to admit it, or even think it, but the reality is that today could very well be the last day I get to see my new husband before I leave him for a better place.

  I love him with all my heart—have done since I was sixteen and he eighteen—but fate has intervened over and over again, trying to force us apart, and this time, it might have succeeded. No matter how much I love him, I can’t put him through this pain any longer. It’s breaking my heart to see him hurting, but it’s something I have no control over.

  Not anymore.

  My name is Crissie Walker, and I hope you’re sitting comfortably, because this is my story.

  Chapter 1

  Crissie

  May 2006

  Chester, England

  “Oh my god, he’s walking over.”

  “Shut up. No, he isn’t.”

  “You wanna bet?”

  “He’s definitely coming over. God, he’s so hot I could jump him right here.”

  Is it really my friends who are talking right now? You’d think we were a bunch of pre-teens with the amount of giggling going on, not a bunch of supposedly mature-ish sixteen-year-old young women.

  So what if Caleb Roberts is heading our way? It is a free country, after all; he can go wherever he wants. Head in whatever direction takes his fancy. I am not bothered he’s walking over here. Nope. I’m not bothered at all. Oh shit, he really is walking over here.

  Oh, who am I trying to kid?

  The guy is sex on legs, and he is coming over right now. He’s the guy all other guys strive to be like, and the one all the girls would love to be with. His crystal blue eyes are sparkling with a hint of mischief, and his soft lips are tilted up in a sexy smirk. His almost black hair is ruffled in a way that makes me think he’s not long climbed out of bed, and his square jaw is covered in a light smattering of stubble.

  He looks much older than his eighteen years, and I’ve heard he’s used that to his advantage on more than one occasion. Not that I listen to rumours and gossip, you understand. What he does in his spare time is his business and doesn’t matter to me in the slightest.

  Yeah right. You just keep telling yourself that, Crissie.

  I glance over at him again and see that sexy smirk is still plastered on his face. It’s almost as if he can read my mind, and he’s amused at what I’m thinking. If it wasn’t for the fact I don’t want to look like a complete idiot, I’d lick that smirk right off his too good-looking face.

  If I lick him, that makes him mine, right?

  I c
an hear my friends whispering and giggling, and part of me wants to turn around and shush them, but it’s the part that’s watching Caleb close in on my position that’s winning out. He’s only a few feet away from me now, and that smirk turns into a full-blown grin when he comes to a stop in front of me.

  Say something, Crissie. He’s just a guy. He’s not going to bite.

  I can sense my friends are still behind me, and I know they’re all practically drooling over Caleb. Every girl I know would love to receive even the slightest bit of attention from this guy, and my friends are no exception. Come to think of it, neither am I. So why the hell am I just standing here gawping at him like a lovesick schoolgirl? Oh yeah, that’s right.

  I am a lovesick schoolgirl!

  “Hey.”

  He speaks, and he’s speaking to me!

  “Crissie, right?”

  All I can do is nod, knowing there is a stupid grin on my face as I realise Caleb Roberts is actually talking to me—and he knows my name! For six years, he hasn’t paid me the slightest bit of attention. I wonder what’s changed? Oh yeah, I lost weight, swapped my glasses for contacts, and, as if overnight, boobs appeared.

  “I’m Caleb,” he says with another smile, and I speak for the first time.

  “I know.”

  Good grief, he must think I’m completely dumb. What is it about this guy that makes me turn into a babbling idiot? Say something else. Anything else.

  “Do you want something?”

  That smirk is back on his face, and for some reason I feel my cheeks flame red. It was an innocent question, but one I now realise could mean any number of things, and it’s those other things Caleb is clearly thinking of, which he confirms with his next statement.

  “There are a number of things I want, actually, but none of them are fit for public display.”

  “Oh.” It’s all I can say as I resist the urge to fan my heated skin.

  Jesus. Why am I reacting like this? He’s just standing in front of me. He hasn’t even touched me, yet there are butterflies taking flight in my stomach, and I’m pretty sure my heart is about to beat out of my chest. Just the sound of his voice is doing funny things to my insides.

  That voice is delicious enough to make any girl want to do anything to be with him. Doesn’t matter if he’s their first or not. I can’t imagine being with Caleb to be anything other than amazing.

  I’m not naïve enough to believe Caleb is still a virgin. In fact, if what Ellie McIntosh says is true, he definitely isn’t. She’s told everyone who will listen about the escapade she and Caleb had in the sports shed a few months ago. According to her, Caleb is like an animal in the sack, and, to use her words, he was the best she’s ever had—which, by the way, is a lot.

  Anyway, I don’t want to think about Caleb and Ellie. He’s still standing here looking at me, clearly amused by my response and my sudden inability to put together a coherent sentence. What is it about him that intimidates me so much? His age, maybe? As he is two years older than me, we didn’t have much to do with each other when he’d been at school. In fact, if it weren’t for his sister being in my year, our paths would probably never have crossed.

  I have no idea what to say to him. Trying to make casual conversation—something I don’t usually have a problem with—is seemingly impossible right now, so I’m pleased when he doesn’t seem to have the same issue.

  “You’ve finished your exams now, right?” he asks curiously.

  “Yes, I had my last one this morning.” So far so good, I think to myself. Just keep going. “I’m all done with school now. Just got to come back for the results in a couple of months,” I tell him

  “How do you think you’ve done?”

  I look at him for a moment, seeing that he seems genuinely interested in how I’ve done on my GCSE’s. I know he failed all but one of his, but that didn’t stop him going out and getting a job. If there’s one thing I know about Caleb, it’s that he’s not afraid of hard work. The place he’s working at right now is putting him through his qualifications to become a mechanic whilst he has on the job training, something his little sister can’t shut up about.

  Lizzie Roberts idolises her big brother. He can do no wrong in her eyes, and part of me is jealous she has that kind of relationship with him. Being an only child, I never got to have that kind of sibling relationship. I have plenty of cousins I grew up with, but none of them are as close to me as a brother or sister would be.

  “Honestly, I’m not sure. I need to get at least three B’s to get into the college I want. Guess I’ll have to wait and see.” I give him a small smile, my heart jumping when he returns it with one of his own. Suddenly, I’m feeling bold and decide to ask him what I’m thinking. “You didn’t come over to talk about my exams, did you, Caleb?”

  Tilting my head slightly, I hear a nervous laugh slip past his mouth, and he lifts his arm, his hand going around to scratch his neck. Yeah, I’ve seen that move before. My question has thrown him off balance. He now looks a little unsure of himself, which I find both endearing and a little amusing.

  “Actually, no, I didn’t.” He glances behind me, and I know he sees my friends watching us; they wouldn’t be trying to hide it either. Subtle as sledgehammers, that’s what they are. They’ll all be standing there, blatantly staring, wondering what on earth has triggered this unexpected conversation between me and the guy all my friends have a massive crush on.

  I keep my eyes on him as he looks back at me, dropping his arm down to his side, the smile back on his face.

  “Are you planning on going to the end of school party on Friday?”

  I’m unable to keep the surprise off my face. Of all the things I expected him to say, that wasn’t one of them. For the last few years, when school finishes for the summer break, everyone gets together to throw a massive party for the graduating year, their friends, and family.

  Truth be told, I hadn’t actually decided whether I was going or not, despite having been looking forward to the party all year. Although, depending on what Caleb says next, my decision might have been made for me.

  “I hadn’t decided yet. Are you?”

  “That depends.”

  Really? I can’t help but voice the thought that’s swimming through my mind. “Depends on what?”

  “On whether you’ll go with me?”

  I roll my eyes when I hear one of my friends not so quietly whisper, “oh my god”, and then I remember to breathe. Has Caleb Roberts really just asked me out? I must be imagining this whole encounter. Any minute now, I’m going to wake up in my bed and this will all have been a dream, because there’s no way a guy like Caleb would ask me out, not to a place where he’d actually be seen with me.

  Looking up at him, I see he’s waiting for an answer from me. I want to shout a massive ‘yes’ right in his smiling face, but something is holding me back.

  It’s just one word, Crissie. Just three little letters. Y. E. S. Just open your mouth and say the word.

  “Excuse us for a minute, Caleb.” It’s my friend Pippa that I hear behind me, and before I know it, she’s grabbed my arm and spun me around, dragging me a few feet away from Caleb. Now, instead of Caleb’s handsome face, I’m looking at the three faces of my friends. They all look horrified that I’ve not given Caleb an immediate answer, and I can see the questions on the tips of their tongues.

  “What the hell, Crissie? The guy—and not just any guy, I might add—has asked you out, and you're just standing there gawping at him? Say yes, woman!”

  “She’s right,” my friend Tasha pipes up. “You can’t possibly be thinking of saying no?”

  “If it were me, I’d have said yes and would already be out shopping for a new outfit,” Missy says, the grin on her face making me smile as her eyes flick over my shoulder towards Caleb.

  As I stand there looking at them, I realise they’re all right. What am I thinking? Turning around, I see Caleb in the same position I left him. My brain wants to move, but the message isn
’t getting to my feet, not until I feel a gentle shove against my back that propels me forward.

  Within seconds, I’m stood in front of Caleb again, and I see the question in his eyes. Deciding I can’t just come out and tell him yes, I smile as a thought pops into my head.

  “I don’t think I can go with you, Caleb,” I say and see his smile fall before I continue. “Unless you go to lunch with me today.”

  Yeah, I’m surprised too. I’ve never been this bold around guys, especially not one of the most popular guys that ever went to our school. His expression is unreadable, and I begin to think I’ve pressed my luck. That is, until the smile returns to his face and he laughs.

  “You almost had me there,” he says as he reaches out and briefly touches my arm. Was that a spark I just saw? “Lunch it is. Where do you want to go?”