Finding Serenity (The Unexpected Love Series Book 2)

by Black, T. E.

  “Here, here!” She clinks her glass to mine.

  We both sip on our drink, staring over the rims at each other like were in high school. We’re studying each other’s expressions, trying to read minds.

  “What’s for dinner?” She breaks the ice.

  A gulp of my sparkling water slips down the wrong pipe, and I break into a coughing fit at the table.

  “Trent! Are you okay?”

  She doesn’t rush over to me, which I’m grateful for.

  The coughing subsides, and I hold my hand up to stop her from worrying.

  “I’m okay, babe. My water just went down the wrong shoot. I'm all right, though.”

  She sighs with relief, sinking down in her seat.

  “You scared me,” she admits, her stone walls down for the count.

  I take a deep breath, standing from my seat and kneeling in front of her picture-perfect body. Taking one of her hands in mine, she stares at me with wide eyes while my heart beats a million miles per hour.

  “Open your dinner, Shay.”

  Confusion traces every contour of her face while she looks back and forth from me to the covered dish.

  “But you’re kneel-”

  “Just open it, baby,” I soothe.

  Her free hand pulls the dish cover, revealing a tiny black velvet box sitting in place of dinner. Her breath hitches and her hands shake with apprehension while she opens the top. Her brows crease with confusion as she picks up the silver house key between her fingers.

  “What’s this?”

  She looks down at me on my knee, holding the key before me. I chuckle lightly, answering her question.

  “A key,” I joke.

  She laughs lightly, rolling her eyes at me.

  “Apparently, Captain Obvious. What does this key unlock?”

  “Our future,” I answer wholeheartedly before explaining. “Remember when I asked ya to move in with me? I was serious. That key unlocks the front door to this house. It's yours, Shay. It's ours. It's Abby’s. Welcome home, sweetheart.”

  Her hands fly to her mouth, a stray tear slipping down her cheek. Her eyes are wide as she stutters, “Oh-h my God.”

  “Do ya like it, babe?”

  “I love it, Trent! I can't believe it! I thought for a minute you were going to … never mind, it's stupid.” She blushes, looking away from me.

  “Hey,” I say, gripping her chin between my thumb and forefinger. I pull her back to face me, searching her face for a clue.

  “It's not stupid, babe. Tell me what ya were gonna say. What did ya think it was?”

  She meets my stare, and my heart breaks at the look of disappointment, but it also makes my stomach do backflips at her reaction.

  “I thought it was a ring …” she admits. “I'm sorry. I don't want you to think I expected one. I shouldn't have thought that. I know we're not in that place right now. We're still forgiving each other. I just saw the box and I lost it for a minute, but the house is beautiful, Trent. It's everything I could’ve ever wanted, and Abby is going to love it! She’s always wanted a backyard. She's going to freak out,” she continues rambling.

  “Shay.”

  “I mean look at this place! You outdid yourself. It's so beautiful, and I can't believe you decorated the yard like this. The rose petals when I got out of the car-”

  “Babe,” I attempt again.

  “I love it, Trent. I can't believe you put this much thought into it. It really shows me you're keeping your word to me. I know I made just as many mistakes as you did. I have to put this much effort into making you forgive me. I want you to forgive me, Trent. I kept so many things from you when I should've just told-”

  It's time. I can feel it. I wasn’t sure if I was going to do it tonight, but I brought it with me just in case. It’s been sitting in the hidden pocket of my jacket this whole time.

  “Babe, look at me.”

  The cold from my hand leaving snaps her back to the present. She looks at me, going silent for the first time in five minutes.

  My fingers wrap tightly around the box sitting in my jacket, and I pull it out for Shay to see. I watch her expression morph before me. A gleam of hope twinkles in her eyes while they release tear after tear. She shakes her head back and forth in shock, her hands covering her mouth again.

  “Please don't fuck with me, Trent. Please, I'm begging you not to fuck with me,” she sobs.

  I open the black, velvet box; this time revealing what I know is a ring. I picked it out myself. No one was there to help, not even Ryleigh. I had to do this on my own. I looked at every traditional diamond ring in the jeweler, knowing none of them fit Shay the way an engagement ring should. Just when I was about to give up hope, the salesman said he had something special he thought I’d be interested in. I would've taken offense to that, but he was right. He pulled out a white gold band and a black heart-shaped diamond ring, and my mouth hit the floor. It was Shay. Every aspect of it screamed Shay. I’ve had the ring in the jacket of my suit since then. I knew I was going to be dressed to the nines when I proposed, but I wasn’t sure when it was going to happen. So I was keeping it there until the moment was right. It’s funny because when Ryleigh grabbed my jacket off the hanger, I was praying it didn’t fall out. I didn’t want her to see it just yet. I needed to do some things on my own and asking Shay to marry me was one of them.

  “Shay, I know I haven't been the perfect man, but I'm going to make up for it. I want to make new memories to replace the old ones with you. I never want ya to feel unloved or alone again. I won't let that happen if ya give me a chance. I didn't come here tonight with the intentions of asking ya to marry me, but I knew I would soon. I knew ya needed to be ready, and I was waiting for a sign. When you opened the other box and got so upset, that was my sign. Ya knew at that moment ya wanted me to ask ya, so here I am, Shay. I'm down on one knee praying to fucking God that ya really want me. I'm praying that ya can love me again the way ya did before all the bad. Will ya spend the rest of ya life with me, Shay Kirby? We don't have to rush anything. We can take it slow and see how it goes day by day, but I don't want that to happen without you wearing this ring on ya finger that says you're mine. Marry me, Shay. Spend every day letting me put a smile on ya face. Let me prove to ya that I'm ready, Shay.”

  Her face is unreadable, and it scares the shit out of me. I just want something, any reaction at all. I need something to calm my erratic breathing and stop my ears from ringing.

  “Yes!”

  “Yes?” I ask in shock.

  “Yes, Trent! You knew my answer was always yes! I love you.”

  I slip the ring on her finger, confirming what I knew from the beginning. The ring fits her perfectly. It's beautiful but in its own way. It doesn't need to be flashy or sparkly for everyone to know its exquisite, like Shay Kirby. From day one, I gave myself a taste of her angelic kiss, convincing her to love with everything she had. And while I destroyed her once, I won't make the same mistake twice. We both had a secret that tried to destroy us, but guess what? We won. We conquered. Our love was stronger than the lies and deception. Our love was stronger than we were at times, and fuck, am I glad because, without her, I'm nothing. Cliché, I know, but it's the fucking truth.

  Shay looks down at the ring, her smile infectious now. Her arms wrap around my neck in a gentle motion before she brings her mouth to hover over mine.

  “I love you so much, Trent.”

  “I found everything I was ever looking for in ya, Shay Kirby. One time with you was never gonna be enough. I love ya more than I could ever say. I’m going to spend every day of the rest of our lives showing ya how ya make my heart beat, Shay. That’s a promise.”

  Our lips connect, and I forget everything else around us. There’s only us. In this fucked-up world with all of its problems, all that matters right now is us. It’s an insane feeling knowing one kiss from the woman I love could stop time, but it’s also the best feeling.

  We might have a long road ahead of us, but I k
now it’ll be a good one. We’ll mend the cracks of our hearts, but we’ll do it together. Whatever the universe throws our way, we’ll catch it and throw it right back with twice the force.

  Because together we are unbreakable.

  Together we are a match so fierce that we could throw off the field of gravity.

  Together we found serenity.

  Sneak Peek of Gunner’s Story

  Coming 2016

  Excerpt

  The Killers – “Mr. Brightside”

  I HAD TO get the fuck out of there before I really snapped. I know I was wrong for the way I handled things, but what the hell was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to stand there and listen to her belittle my feelings? I laid it all out for her, and she still loves him.

  So forgive me for sending her call to voicemail when I walked out. I knew if I answered, I’d be done for. I’d turn my car around and walk right back into the mess I was in before I left. How much of my heart could I give her without falling apart? I’m a man, but I still feel, for fucks sake.

  I’ve always had a soft spot for Shay where I forgave easily and loved with all I could. Shay Kirby was always my weakness. All she had to do was bat her pretty little eyelashes, and I was tripping over my own damn feet to give her what she wanted. But that shit is done. I won’t trip over myself for anyone ever again, especially not her. I won’t be someone’s second choice ever again.

  I’d like to say I'm okay, but the truth of the matter is I’m anything but fine. Shay changed me. She changed the way I went about life in such a carefree manner. She changed the way I think when I look at a woman.

  She fucked me up.

  Shocker.

  I light a smoke as I’m driving down the highway at about twenty miles over the posted speed limit, but I don’t give a fuck. I just drive. There’s no plan here. I just needed to get the hell out of that blood-sucking city where everyone is out to deceive you. I need to settle down somewhere low key, where I can blend in the crowd. I’m looking for a place where I can just chill and tattoo someone fucking appreciative people for once in my life. I need to be fucking appreciated. Hell, I don’t even think Shay knew my last name, yet I wanted to buy a goddamn ring.

  My phone dings again, but I ignore it. I’m not answering any of their calls. Some might call my antics childish since Shay made it very clear she loved him, not me. But actions speak a hell of a lot louder than words. If she didn’t want to give me the wrong idea, she shouldn’t have let me hold her. She shouldn’t have let me kiss her beautiful lips. She shouldn’t have acted as if I was her hero when, obviously, I wasn’t.

  He was her hero. My best fucking friend was her guy. He’s the one sleeping in her bed right now, probably kissing all the parts of her I never got to taste. He’s the one who’s tracing the outline of the swallow birds on her hips that I tattooed there. He’s reaping all of the benefits when I was the one who put her back together after the accident. He’s the one getting the strip off her clothes and make love to her.

  It makes me fucking sick.

  The entire thing is fucking twisted.

  I know I’m bitter, but who wouldn’t be after the shit I went through? It’s not as if I wasn’t trying from the beginning. I tried to warn her time after time of what would happen if she got involved with him, but she didn’t fucking listen. What more could I have done? I’m only one fucking guy. I’m not a fucking superhero.

  I let her cry on me more often than not. I may have been hard on her at times, but I was telling the truth. I never once lied to her. I wouldn’t even dream of it, yet that’s all he did. Putting her and Abby in danger countless times, he’s still her fucking superhero.

  I can only imagine what happened after I left. I’m sure he was waiting outside her apartment, and the moment I left, he waltzed in as if he fucking cared about her.

  If that’s the case, then where was he when she almost got rap-? Fuck. I can’t even think that word, let alone say it out loud. I swear if that had actually happened, and he was the reason behind it, then I’d be sitting in jail right now. I would’ve killed that motherfucker. Best friend or not, he’s a fuck-up. I hate him for what he’s done to Shay and me. I blame him for the pain in my chest right now. He should’ve just stayed the fuck away from her; then none of this fucking shit would’ve happened. I would’ve still been able to walk into the shop every morning and see her shining smile in front of me. Instead, I was forced to leave that all behind and start over.

  After three hours of driving, exit signs for Vermont flash left and right like fucking billboards. The mountains roll into view with snow-covered peaks. It’s a change from the city lights, but I welcome it. It’s a change I need.

  I knew I was getting sick of the city before any of this even happened, but I stayed for two things – my dad and Shay. I could always sneak back into town to see my dad, but with Shay, I lost that privilege.

  Two miles.

  One mile.

  Next exit.

  I’ll be fucked if that doesn’t sound like the perfect place to lay low for a while. I tattooed this guy once who went to college in Burlington, and he ranted the entire time about how laid back it was there. I listened to him babble on for hours about the damn place, and I was as interested then as I am now.

  I throw on my blinker when the exit comes into view and follow the winding highway road until a green sign signals me.

  “Welcome to Vermont” it reads.

  I flip off the radio, and for the first time in what feels like months, I smile. I actually smile from ear to ear while an enormous laugh bubbles out of me. My hand flies up to smack the inside of my car when I scream out in victory.

  I’m finally fucking free of her.

  I’m starting the fuck over.

  From this point on, I’ll keep pain an arm’s length away.

  No one will get too close unless I let them.

  The stone walls I used to have are back with a vengeance.

  Gunner Burke is here, Burlington. Get ready.

  In Finding Serenity, Trent and Shay both deal with sensitive issues. While these situations in the book are fiction, the effect on someone reading could still be very real. If you or someone you know finds themselves in a situation like Trent or Shay, please use the links below to get the information you need. Thank you!

  Suicide Prevention:

  http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

  Drug Abuse:

  http://www.drugabuse.gov/

  Rape:

  https://rainn.org/get-help

  Where do I begin to say thank you? The first thing I’ll say is once again, the fact I’m writing acknowledgements to my second novel is mind blowing. I couldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dreams. I’ve been given endless support through this crazy journey and that’s what has kept me going at times. When things got hard, the beautiful cheering on I’ve received kept me pushing through the roadblocks. When I published Finding A Way, the reader response was fifty fifty on whether you loved or hated Trent Wallace. I hope he won you over in this story.

  Trent Wallace was never supposed to be perfect. He was meant to be real. That’s what I strive to write in my stories. I want to write about real life where people make mistakes and have to earn their forgiveness rather than it just being handed over. While we all enjoy a fairytale romance, I hope you’ll understand why I write the way I do. I’m all about second chances, and Trent’s story was just that. He earned a second chance with Shay Kirby. And, while she never hated him at all, he didn’t know that. I feel like sometimes we throw every ounce of blame on ourselves we could, and while it’s a way of life, it doesn’t always have to be that way. I hope Trent and Shay showed you that with love comes sacrifice.

  Well, now that I got that out of the way, let’s get to my many thank yous!

  My husband, you are the person who keeps me going. Although you still crack jokes about my genre of choice, you also have supported me nonstop. Because of you I have learned how to multitask
to the extreme. I learned to not let myself get so lost in my work that I almost forget to love you daily. You have reminded me that without you, none of this would be possible.

  Mom, you’re probably reading this because I know you secretly read all of my books and probably gush to the ladies at work about it. Although my writing is NOT “T.E.’s Mom Approved”, if you ARE reading this, know I love you and you will always be my best friend no matter what. I love you, Mom.

  Kimberly, my best bitch and partner in crime. Although we procrastinate non-stop on FaceTime about random shit, those conversations helped me immensely through all of this! Because between all of our twisted banter and JD obsessing, we talked plots, editing, formatting, covers and a million other things book related! You helped keep my stress level down by listening to my rant, get emotional because of Trent and Shay, and even laugh. You’ve also become my best friend and I plan on keeping you for a little while long so long as you keep having three hours FaceTime’s with me where both of our husbands say “You’re still on the phone with her?”. Keep your whore face strong and keep being my best bitch! ;) Love you!

  Randa, my rock, my best friend and my biggest cheerleader! God, I wouldn’t know what to do without you in my life. We started in this together and together we’ve done it. We actually hit publish, together. Thanks for calming me down when I had a full blown panic attack the day Finding A Way went live. I owe you my life for that! LOL! ;) #DreamTeam #BGboys

  Jenn, I don’t even know where to start! All the time you’ve helped me and cheered me on – you have become one of my best friends. With me from the beginning, you have seen me at my best and my worst. Yet, you stayed by my side, giving me words of wisdom and the best damn advice I could ever ask for. Now, it’s my turn to support you! I hope you succeed in your editing business and you know I’ll help every step of the way. Everyone go show my amazing friend some love on her editing page https://www.facebook.com/editingproofingbeta/?fref=ts.