The Avoiding Series Boxset

by K. A. Linde

  “You know, she was the first person to ever cheat on me,” Jack said offhand.

  “I know.”

  “Well, personally, I think that crazy bitch got what was coming to her,” Chyna said. “She was pretty dreadful to everyone.”

  Lexi reached over and grabbed Jack’s hand.

  He smiled at Lexi and agreed, “She was, wasn’t she?”

  “Yes. I think this calls for a toast in fact,” Chyna said, raising her glass into the air.

  Lexi loved the way her best friend diffused tension…with alcohol.

  “What are we toasting to?” Adam asked, jumping in with his wife.

  “To being free,” Chyna said.

  Lexi laughed, remembering the time when she had boarded Chyna’s jet to escape the world with those same words ringing true. “No,” Lexi said. “To closure.”

  Chyna winked at her as Jack and Adam raised their glasses as well.

  Just before they clinked their glasses together, Jack added, “To new beginnings.”

  They finished off their wine, and a heavy buzz began setting in on the conversation. As her treat, Chyna insisted on paying the entire tab even though everyone tried to argue with her, but really, there wasn’t a way to argue with Chyna.

  Lexi half-stumbled down the stairs and back out of the building. Jack had his arm around her waist and helped support her unsteady legs as they exited into the chilly evening.

  “I think we’re going to head back,” Jack told Chyna with a smile.

  “Now?” Lexi asked. “But the night has just started.”

  “It’ll be worth it,” he whispered into her ear. “I’m still dying to get my hands on you again.”

  Lexi giggled and nodded. “Yeah, okay. Let’s go.”

  “Cool,” Chyna said, waving the comments away. “You should take the town car. We’ll take the next cab.”

  Her eyes wide, Lexi stared at Chyna. Never once had Chyna ever offered up her town car when they were separating. Chyna would rather drive Lexi halfway around the city before getting back to her own place than give it up.

  So, this could only mean that Chyna knew what Jack had up his sleeve.

  Adam pulled open the door for Lexi and Jack to step into the car. Jack went in first, so Lexi wouldn’t have to scoot over in her dress.

  Lexi grabbed Chyna’s hand. “What is going on?” she whispered, hoping Chyna would dish.

  “You’ll thank me later, chica. Have a nice night,” she said, fluttering her fingers at Lexi.

  Lexi leaned into Jack in the back of Chyna’s town car. She didn’t even bother asking where they were going because she knew that if Chyna hadn’t spilled the beans, then Jack certainly wasn’t. Lexi occupied herself on the drive with the weight of his hand against hers, the roughness of his palms against her smooth skin, and the way his seemed to dwarf her tiny hands. Yet, they still fit perfectly together. It made her smile.

  They pulled up into a valet station, and Jack eased out of the car. He held his hand out for her, and she placed hers lightly in his. Her eyes drifted up to his eyes and then over his head to the sign hanging on the doorframe. Her eyebrows rose sharply.

  “A hotel?” she asked with a quirky smile. “All of this for a hotel room? Couldn’t you have told me that you wanted me all alone?”

  Her stomach fluttered anyway. Staying in Chyna’s penthouse was divine, and the location was unreal, but Lexi had missed being alone with Jack. She never would have suggested a hotel though. It didn’t make sense, considering Chyna lived here.

  “I want you all alone, Lex,” he whispered, brushing his lips against her.

  “Still lost in our park escapade?” At the mention of their early behavior, her mouth quirked up.

  “Lost in you,” he answered simply.

  Lexi took Jack’s hand and let him escort her through the fancy hotel lobby. It was tiled in a pristine waxed marble with antique-like furniture draped in gorgeous blood-red oriental rugs. An enormous crystal chandelier hung high above their heads on their way to the elevator.

  Jack placed a plastic key card into a slot and clicked the button for the top floor.

  “Penthouse?” Lexi asked, narrowing her eyes.

  Jack had never been one for big displays of wealth. She knew he had money from his accounting job, and of course, he was getting the settlement money from Bekah. But since neither of them had really grown up with opulence, it wasn’t ever a high priority.

  “Only the best for my girl.”

  “You spoil me,” she said, wringing her hands. “You totally did not have to do this.”

  “You don’t know what I’ve done yet,” he whispered.

  “Oh God,” she groaned, “with that tone, I just know you’ve outdone yourself.”

  Jack reached forward and pushed her hair behind her ear. “With that tone, I know you’re about two seconds away from losing your grip. Chill out. This is me treating you the way you deserve to be treated because you’re special, Lex.”

  She closed her eyes and let him kiss her anticipation away until the elevator doors opened. He kissed her one more time before walking down the hall. They located their room, and Jack slid the key into the slot.

  He opened the door and held his hand out wide. “After you.”

  Lexi bit her lip and glanced up into his mischievous blue eyes before walking into the hotel room. Her eyes lit up as she took in the room before her. Candles lit a trail leading through the room, and she followed them like the bread crumbs that they were. They wrapped around the room and brought her into the master suite with an oversized king bed. Candles were lit on either bedside table and in front of the mirror reflecting back at her from the bathroom. On a side table, a bottle of champagne chilled in a bucket with a plate of regular and chocolate-dipped strawberries. It was really quite simple, and perhaps, that made it even more romantic.

  Tears pricked her eyes if for no other reason than the fact that Jack had put so much thought into making her happy. Her heart squeezed painfully at the realization that Jack was giving her everything she had wanted and more.

  His hands landing lightly on her shoulders, Jack spun her around. “Do you like it?”

  “Like it?” she asked, wiping under her eye. “I love it.”

  “Why do you look sad? What did I do?” he asked, concerned.

  “Nothing. It’s really beautiful.”

  Jack raised his eyebrows. “If it’s so beautiful, why are you sad?”

  “It’s just…this is everything I want. You. I want you.”

  “I’m yours,” he said, holding his palms up in submission.

  “I know.” She tried to get her thoughts together. It was all so perfect, so beautiful, and exactly what she wanted. She just didn’t want something bad to happen. She didn’t want anyone to take this away.

  “The last time we were together in New York, you showed me your grandma’s ring and left,” Lexi whispered. She hated bringing it up, but she couldn’t pretend not to have fears. She wanted to confide her fears to him and allow them to fade away naturally.

  Jack nodded, understanding crossing his face. “I prefer to think about the month before when I held you in my arms every night.”

  “Sometimes, it’s easy to forget the highs with all the lows.”

  “There are always going to be lows,” Jack responded, sweeping her hair behind her ear for her. “But I don’t think any of us could really appreciate the highs without them. And I can’t promise you that there won’t be lows. There will be, but every high will be worth it.” His achingly tender lips found hers.

  “I know, Jack,” she murmured against his lips. “It’s just…memories.”

  “I don’t want to erase those memories. They keep us on the straight and narrow. They remind us where we went wrong and where to go from here. They kept us together,” he said. “You and I, Lex, we’ll always be unfinished business.”

  Lexi smiled up at him, letting the tension slide off her shoulders. Jack was right. Of course he was right.
There would always be problems to face, but as long as they had each other, trusted in each other, they could overcome them.

  “It took me ten years to get to you. I think that’s a fair trade as long as I have a lifetime to spend with you,” he whispered.

  Lexi smiled up at him, practically glowing at the statement. How long had she imagined a lifetime with Jack? And now…it was within reach.

  “Please don’t freak out,” he told her.

  She cocked her head to the side in confusion until she saw him pull out a small black box from his pocket.

  “What…is…that?” she stammered, already well past freaking out.

  “I told you not to freak out. It’s not what you think,” he said with a tight chuckle.

  “Um…” she said, her eyes wide.

  Jack opened the box and plucked the small piece of jewelry out before she could get a look at it. At this point, her stomach was sitting somewhere around her feet, and her mind was somewhere else, far, far away. Her mouth was dry, and she could hear ringing in her ears. What exactly was in this little black box that she wasn’t supposed to freak out about?

  “I just…I got you something,” he said, his blue eyes meeting hers.

  That look alone made her soften. This was Jack. He knew what made her freak out. He knew everything about her.

  “You’re such a big part of my life. And I know we’re not ready to make a big step, but I felt like I just needed to show you that I am ready to make a little step. It’s more important to me, I think, Lex, to show you that I’m committed to you more than anything. Because I am. I can tell you a million times that I’m all yours, but I know that time will be proof of that. So, for now, I just thought I’d start with this.”

  Jack held out a tiny silver ring with a looped knot on the top. It was simple and easy and so unbelievably perfect for them.

  “I want you to be tied to me, Lex, in every way possible,” Jack said, his voice hoarse. “I want you to wear this one until we’re ready for you to wear the other one.”

  Jack slid it onto Lexi’s finger. Her heart was in her throat the whole time. This wasn’t an engagement ring or anything, but it meant so much. Maybe, at this moment in time, it meant even more than that. It was a promise ring—a promise to commit to her, a promise to love her, a promise to treat her the way she deserved. And by wearing it on her finger, she was promising him the same in return.

  And so much more—so much that they would never be able to articulate to the other, except through glances and touches and experiences and time.

  And they had all the time in the world.

  The End

  Writing the conclusion to the Avoiding series has sent me through a wide range of emotions that I’m sure is reflected back to the readers. At times I was happy, sad, heartbroken, depressed, ecstatic, jumping up and down, wanting to throw my computer, clutching my chest, and so much more. These characters brought so much joy and anguish to my life, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of so many people.

  First of all, I would like to thank the readers! You are the ones who let me continue to write, who yell passionately about the characters, and encourage me to keep going. I always appreciate my girls in the Bekah Haters Club who know that every problem is all Bekah’s fault, and stuck by me for over a year to make this happen. Thank you Dawn, who assisted with research in New York City, and Richelle for “not having friends like that.” As always, I am eternally grateful to my FictionPress readers who have been with me from the beginning back when the books were free and no one had ever heard of me.

  Several people helped with brainstorming, reminded me that my vision for this series was the right route, read early copies of the manuscript. So thank you—Jessica Carnes, Bridget Peoples, Rebecca Kimmerling, Lori Francis, and Katie Miller. Thank you S.C. Stephens and Taryn Cellucci for listening to me cry and freak out about what I wanted to do, for getting on the phone with me in early stages and freaking out with me about my choices. Also for the use of the D-Bags, Kellan Kyle, and Sienna Sexton! They helped shape the final product. Also, thank you Amy Telep for the help, guidance, and support with the book and the book world that brought this to life.

  I worked with several authors who read and loved the series, and I can’t thank them enough for their kind words and understanding the power of redemption—A.L. Jackson, Madeline Sheehan, Claribel Contreras, K.A. Robinson, J. Sterling, Rebecca Donovan, Samantha Towle, and Gail McHugh.

  Special thank you to Toski Covey Photography for the incredible cover photo and Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations for bringing the cover to life. Thank you Jovana Shirley at Unforeseen Editing for polishing my manuscript before sending it out into the world. I love the running commentary throughout, and I’m glad that I found someone to work with who gets me.

  I’d like to thank my family for supporting me while writing and raising me to be the kind of person who loves reading and writing. And for all the crazy nights, brainstorming, hectic schedules, insane ideas, heartbreaking lines, book boyfriend obsessions, and much much more, thank you Joel for being there through it all. You make all the madness worthwhile. Also, Goose and Hippo for being my late night writing buddies.

  Thank you so much for going through this journey with me. This book is the culmination of more than four years of writing and publishing the Avoiding series. I know that this series has had many ups and downs and twists and turns. I’ve heard of people throwing their Kindles. I even had someone bring me a broken iPad to a signing. I get that this journey is emotional, and I appreciate every single day that you allowed me to show you my vision.

  I know that this story isn’t exactly conventional, but I’ve never claimed to be a conventional storyteller. This last book took a lot for me to write, not because I didn’t have a story in my head, but the one that I tried to write wouldn’t let me. Once I figured out the real ending, the one that you just read, I wrote the entire first chapter without stopping. And then, I wrote the entire book with that ending in mind. It’s the story I had to write.

  I’ve never been a person who likes things tied up in pretty little bows. Life is messy. I like my fiction messy. I like my characters flawed. I like to keep them true to themselves while still growing, changing, and adapting to the situations at hand.

  We’ve all been in situations where we knew someone was perfect but not for us. I know how hard the decision is to not settle for anything less than you deserve and that not everyone will understand that decision, but it’s your decision as much as it was Lexi’s.

  The whole team mentality made the decision about how to end this book difficult, but once I figured out what I wanted—more importantly, what Lexi wanted—there was no turning back. So, I hope you appreciate the different challenges Lexi had to face along the way. And even if she didn’t pick your guy, I hope you still love her for standing up for herself—for what she believed in and for the man who she chose to love.

  ♥

  K.A. Linde

  JOIN K.A. LINDE ON HER NEXT HOT SERIES ABOUT A COLLEGE REPORTER WHO HAS AN AFFAIR WITH A SEXY POLITICIAN.

  Book 1: Off the Record OUT NOW! http://amzn.to/1jZktAc

  Turn the page for a sneak peek at Off the Record.

  Book 2: On the Record Releasing August 26th

  Preorder http://amzn.to/1kC160c

  Chapter 1

  Day One on the Job

  Liz Dougherty could barely hear herself think over the deafening buzz in the conference room. So much was going on. Reporters from all over North Carolina were piling into the Raleigh conference center waiting to hear State Senator Maxwell deliver a speech. Cameras were being set up, photography equipment lined the room, and voice recorders were poised and ready to capture every word the Senator uttered. Reporters milled around the room chatting with one another and directing their crews for the optimal angle. Liz hadn't expected her first press conference to be quite this . . . loud.

  Hayden Lane stood completely calm and collected next to her. S
he knew he had quite a bit of experience with press conferences, and was grateful he had included her, but damn, was it intimidating. How could he be so composed?

  Liz felt small enough standing next to the editor-in-chief of her college newspaper, but she felt like the tiniest minnow in the ocean compared to the legends in journalism surrounding her. She had joined the newspaper two years ago, and had put in her time, but she had always wanted to be a reporter. She had pushed and fought for it. She had watched for two years as other reporters took the prime spots, but as an upcoming junior she had the privilege of finally working her coveted position.

  She had interned at home for newspapers and had taken more journalism classes than she could count, so she knew she was prepared. She had done her homework, but it didn't make her first real political press conference any less terrifying.

  “You ready with the recorder?” Hayden asked, digging into his messenger bag and pulling out a notepad, pen, and digital camera. The equipment was nothing compared to what some of the top-notch reporters surrounding them had, but it would do the job.

  “Yeah, I think I'm all set,” she said, chewing on her bottom lip as she adjusted her navy blazer and teetered in her nude high heels.

  “I wish we were closer. I'd love to get a question in.” He peered around a camera to get a better look at the empty platform.

  “Do you think we'll get a chance?” Liz asked, wide-eyed. In case she was given the opportunity to ask anything of the sitting Senator, she had prepared questions, but she didn't think it was a real possibility. Hayden would probably laugh at her if he knew how much extra work she had put into the questions. But it was her job and she couldn't help it. She had been so anxious last night anticipating the event, and it tended to make her meticulous. She hadn't even been able to sleep.

  “Nah, probably not. If this guy is anything like his father, he'll make his announcement and get out of there. Easier to keep winning if you don't say too much. Know what I mean?”

  She stared into Hayden's gorgeous face, and the full force of his charm hit her. She gulped and turned back to the podium. “Yeah, makes sense.”