by Len Webster
She wanted to scream at him that this wasn’t fair.
She wanted to tell him what she had just walked out of.
She wanted to yell that a doctor broke her heart and Max killed her off.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
She didn’t believe him.
He was selfish.
So selfish.
He had no idea what sorry was.
“I have to go with her.”
He was choosing Andrea.
She hated him.
So much.
With all her charcoaled heart, she hated him.
Josie wanted to push him away, but her knees gave way, and he held her.
“I love you.”
You’re a liar!
But she remained silent.
“Please believe me. I love you.”
He wounded her with more pain.
“You promised you’d wait for me.”
But she wouldn’t.
She wouldn’t wait for a liar.
“You’re my La Vie En Rose,” he promised, and that got a reaction from her.
Josie pushed off his chest and slapped him hard across the face.
He had insulted her.
He had insulted her mother.
But most importantly …
He had insulted her love for him.
He had no idea what being someone’s La Vie En Rose meant.
She watched his mouth tell her lies.
She saw them, but she didn’t hear them.
Then he whispered, “Goodbye, Josephine.”
It wasn’t the first goodbye she’d heard today, but it was the first she had heard from his lying lips.
And with the first goodbye he had ever given her, she realised her love for Maxwell Sheridan was by far the worst disappointment she had ever experienced.
Then he left her.
Just like her father.
And just like her mother.
Max had done it.
He disappointed the only person who mattered the most in his life.
Devastated the only woman who had ever loved him the way he wanted.
The way he craved.
And needed.
I should turn back.
I should beg Josephine to take me back.
But Andrea’s words wouldn’t stop repeating: Help me fix this.
I have to do this.
I have to go with her.
Not for him.
And not for her.
For Noel.
To earn his forgiveness.
To be the man Josephine had so much faith in.
Too bad that very man broke her heart and walked away.
All because Max needed redemption.
All because he made the stupid, selfish mistake all those months ago to try to take what was never his.
And in turn, he lost it all.
Max lost the one love he found on his own.
I lost Josephine.
And he could only hope that when he returned, she’d forgive him.
Please, God, let her forgive me.
THE END OF
With the First Goodbye.
Continue the story in the final book of the Thirty-Eight series,
With the Last Goodbye.
Read on for an excerpt of Max and Josie’s upcoming concluding novel.
It’s time to say goodbye.
To Max …
And to Josie.
Find out how it all ends in With the Last Goodbye.
COMING SOON
JANUARY 24th, 2018
The day Maxwell Sheridan broke Josephine Faulkner’s heart was a sunny Sunday morning.
It was early.
Skies as blue as her eyes.
The wind was cool and refreshing.
But as Max sat outside on her apartment building’s step, the beautiful day was a façade to what he knew was impending.
He felt the pain of his decision weigh heavily on him.
It made it hard for him to breathe.
His heart begged him for a change.
It pleaded with him that redemption wasn’t worth the destruction he’d ensure.
Max had spent all night replaying his verbal promise to Andrea Wallace.
He was going to Boston, Massachusetts.
Not for her.
Not for her love or affections.
He was going to put away the demons.
His demons.
Put them finally to rest.
Seek redemption and forgiveness for the things he had done in the past.
Reveal the truth to his two best friends and hope to God they would someday forgive him for the awful things he had done to them.
Although he wasn’t going to claim Andrea’s love, he was going to seek her forgiveness, too.
He had pursued her when her heart wasn’t his to chase.
To want.
To desire.
To believe he could have.
Andrea Wallace was never meant to be his.
It had taken over a year to understand it.
Because her name wasn’t the name his heart whispered to have.
To want forever.
Max stared at his hands as he waited.
He felt the end creep toward him.
He knew it was close.
The wait broke his heart even more.
He wished she was home.
He had knocked on her apartment door and waited. When he got no answer, he returned downstairs and sat on the step, waiting for her.
Then he heard it.
Faint, slow footsteps that eventually came to a stop.
Max lifted his chin to find her standing before him.
Her eyes had glazed over with tears.
She knew.
She knew what he had decided.
She had put him first, and Max had deemed her last.
His lip trembled at the wounded expression on her face.
It was horrible to see the one person he loved the most look at him with such pain.
He inhaled a sharp breath and whispered, “Josephine,” as he slowly got to his feet.
Max watched as she winced.
A painful wince he even felt.
Because he had heard it in his voice.
The pleading for her forgiveness and understanding.
The pleading for her.
Just her.
Josie covered her face with her palms and sobbed.
He felt her slowly fall out of love with him.
Unable to stop himself, he closed the distance and wrapped his arms around her.
She shook.
Her pain he felt and knew.
Her pain was one he had caused.
Because he felt her heartbreak.
He felt her love for him and the devastation.
Because I chose Andrea and not her.
Josephine Faulkner was the name his heart whispered.
She was his solace.
His entire heart and being.
But he gave her up for his morality.
COMING SOON
JANUARY 24th, 2018.
Read other books by Len Webster
Ah, please don’t hate me!
I know, I know, A CLIFFHANGER! I’m the worst. I’m so sorry With the First Goodbye had to end this way. But don’t worry, With the Last Goodbye will be out before you know it. When I started writing the Thirty-Eight series I had no idea it would turn into a six book series. I thought Noel and Clara would be it. But my readers weren’t having it and wanted more. And when it came to Max, I had no idea how his story would pan out. It took a while before I was able to write him a story. That’s why it took so long for his book to be published. I wanted Max to find his true love, to have a story worthy of writing and reading.
And his story was complicated.
And it included someone new.
His story was always entwined with Josie’s.
Josie is Max’s clean slate.
And in With the Last Goodb
ye, you will find out how their story ends.
I promise it’ll be a story worth waiting for.
Right.
Now to the acknowledgements.
Thank you so much to my parents for being so supportive. Can I just say, my mother is a champion! Thank you, Mum. Your support is an absolute gift.
Thank you to Dennis, Leslie, and Emily. You three. Thank you for the laughs and for keeping me grounded and helping me sort out this book so it makes sense. I couldn’t ask for better siblings.
As always, Jaycee Ford. I couldn’t do this all without you, Jaycee. Thank you for not only being my author friend, but for being my best friend. And thank you for walking me down the streets of New Orleans when I had too much of a good time. I blame the Hurricanes. I miss you!
To Veronica Larsen. We clicked so quick and instantly and reached best friend status within a blink of an eye. Thank you so much for not only being my friend, but for being such a great supporter and always being there for me. Veronica, I think you are an amazing woman and talented author. You are going places, and I am so happy and honoured to be part of that journey. Stay amazing!
Thank you to Danielle Woodside for beta reading ALL OF MY BOOKS. My life is better with you in it. And thank you so much to Tarsh Smerdon for also beta reading Max’s book and helping me out with the ballet aspects of this book.
My editor, Jenny Sims, THANK YOU! Thank you for always putting all your hard work and time into my books. They are always better after they’ve been in your hands.
Thank you to Najla Qamber for With the First Goodbye’s cover. The last minute change you did with a snap of your fingers and it is so perfect. Thank you for everything, Naj.
A massive thank you to my publicist, Veronica Adams. Seriously, Veronica, thank you for all your hard work and getting Max and Josie’s book out there. Ever since we partnered up my life has been better. I owe you so much and I don’t think a simple thank you would ever be enough. But just know I appreciate you and everything you do so much. I won’t ever stop saying thank you.
My formatters at E.M. Tippetts Book Designs. Emily, you and your team are amazing. Thank you for always making the interior of my books so amazing and beautiful.
Thank you so much to all the bloggers who shared all the teasers, excerpts, cover reveal, and the release of With the First Goodbye, THANK YOU SO MUCH! You are all amazing.
To my readers. God, where would I be without you all. Thank you all so much for your support, your time, and your love. I am so blessed to have you all. I get teary thinking of all of you. So thank you so much for being by my side. I love you all so much.
My Lenatics, you are my family. Thank you for reading my random posts and all your love and support. You are all very special individuals who I love wholeheartedly.
And to you. Yes, you! Thank you for buying and reading With the First Goodbye. I hope you enjoyed and loved Max and Josie’s story. Don’t worry, you’ll see them both in With the Last Goodbye in January!
This isn’t a goodbye from me, but a see you until the next book!
Love,
Len
xo
Len Webster is a romance-loving Melburnian with dreams of finding her version of ‘The One.’ But until that moment happens, she writes. Having just graduated with her BBusCom from Monash University, Len is now busy writing her next romance about how a boy met a girl, and how they fell completely and hopelessly in love.
She is also not a certified explorer, but she’s working on it.
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With the First Goodbye
Copyright © 2017 Len Webster
Published by Len Webster
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This 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 licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re- sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Published: Len Webster 2017
Editing: Jenny Sims
Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs
Interior design and formatting by:
www.emtippettsbookdesigns.com