Afraid to Fall (Ancient Passages Book 1)

by Sutton Bishop

  Ari was totally overwhelmed. She was at a loss for words, soaking in what he had said. What if it didn’t work out? She placed her hand on Luca’s forearms and looked into his eyes, pleading. “I need some time to think, Luca. I need to go back home and see if I feel the same about you, about us. We’ve been in our own world this summer.”

  “Ari,” he said in anguish, running his hands through his hair. “I can go with you, then you will be sure how we fit into the everyday world.”

  “Please, Luca. I need time by myself. I really think this is the right thing for me to do.”

  Breathless, Ari wriggled free and stepped back. “I need to pack.” She choked through her tears and turned, running up the steps.

  He fell back onto the cement ledge, remembering the much better memory of their hot passion and driving Ari wild. Merda. What should he do now?

  The Guatemala City airport was busy; however, the check-in moved efficiently. Ari was bleary-eyed, having not slept well. She had cried herself to sleep and most of the way into Guatemala City. Hours early before she needed to check in, she plopped onto the linoleum floor, using her duffel as a back cushion against the wall. She set an alarm on her phone, then pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around her ribs, taking a deep breath, attempting to clear Luca from her thoughts and silence the mishmash of emotions jostling inside her like bumper cars. Her gritty eyes stung as she closed them.

  It was of no use. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. A lone tear trailed down her cheek; then another chased it. More threatened to follow. She scrubbed at her face with the heels of her hands, not wanting to call any more attention to herself than her hair already did—granted, her Cubs hat concealed most of it. She needed to get ahold of herself. She’d feel better when she got on the plane. But another voice niggled inside her. But what if she didn’t? What if she was making the biggest mistake of her life? She took a shuddering breath and put her earbuds in, nodding off, transported by soothing music, waking to her alarm two hours later, having dreamed of him, of them.

  Her steps were leaden, full of the sadness permeating her soul, as she stepped up to the counter. Nausea swirled in her stomach as she placed her duffel to be weighed. “I’d like to purchase a ticket, por favor,” she said, handing her passport to the ticket agent.

  A familiar voice spoke up behind her as the agent reached to take it from her. “What is your final destination?”

  Ari whipped around. She knew she looked a mess with her swollen eyes and blotchy face. He didn’t look a whole lot better. Purple smudges lay under tired eyes. Her heart rocketed to life. “Luca,” she said breathlessly. “I… I… don’t need to think us over. I know.”

  He smiled a sexy dimpled smile, and his eyes glowed. “I know too.” He pulled her into his arms. His heart raced like hers. “I began to fall in love with you in Cobán, at the bus stop. I was tantalized by your short fuse, that gorgeous hair of yours, and those bright pink panties. Merda. My love for you has only grown. I only want more, bella. More time. More conversation. More laughter and sharing. More going to bed and waking up to a new day with you. More loving you.”

  Tears coursed down Ari’s checks and dripped off her chin. A blazing smile lit her face and eyes. “I want that too, Luca.”

  “Then where to, bella?”

  “How about Italy with a long layover in the States?”

  Luca stepped up to the counter next to her and handed his passport to the agent. “We are traveling together. Two tickets, please.” His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her next to him, where she fit perfectly, kissing her deeply.

  Afraid to Fall is my first work of fiction, inspired by numerous trips to Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Creating the story, allowing my characters, observations, and passion for those cultures to steer the arcs and substories was unbelievably fun. I hope you enjoyed it.

  I want to thank my editors Anne Victory and Starr Waddell for their meticulous work. Your questions, comments, insights, patience, and humor were monumental.

  Cupcakes for my writing colleagues: Enid, Kassie, and Marjie. You’ve been with me every step of the way, and I love you all for it. Celebrating with me upon finishing the manuscript was delicious. Thanks for pushing me and encouraging me, especially when my brain stalled. Your support and ability to make me laugh so hard that I snorted was invaluable.

  You are my muse, Karen. Your insight, questions, and ideas challenged me. I so appreciate your patience and enthusiasm when helping me work out the kinks and problems, and your uncanny ability of seeing the forest through the trees when I could not.

  To my four kids and husband, I love you more than I can ever tell you. For the many times I called you by one of the characters’ names or started to, so deep was I into writing in those moments and transported into the story, I’m sorry. Thanks for giving me space to dream and create, for placing meals in front of me when I forgot to eat, and for being the best cheerleaders a blossoming fiction writer could ask for. Thanks too, for patiently waiting until the blank expression faded from my face and I returned to the real world to be present with you. Always you.

  For interested readers, I’ve included a glossary of Mayan words used in Afraid to Fall and their English translations. An asterisk denotes the Mayan words that were used fictitiously.

  Guatemala recognizes twenty-one Mayan languages. I opted to use Q'eqchi' due to its prevalence in the Petén Department of Guatemala, where the majority of Afraid to Fall occurs.

  Semuc Champey: “where the river hides beneath the earth” is located in the Alta Verapaz Department, near the Q'eqchi' Maya town of Lanquín. The karst formation consists of tiered, turquoise pools atop a three-hundred-meter bridge naturally created from limestone. The Cahabón River flows beneath it.

  *Kanul: “abundance of serpents” is the archaeological site housing the excavations of Kaq and Rax.

  *Kaq: “red” is an excavation area within the Kanul site. The Mayan color for the cardinal direction of East, where the Father Sun was born, who illuminates a person’s path and shows them the correct course of decision or action. Kaq is always at the top of Mayan maps.

  *Rax: “blue” or “green” is an excavation area within the Kanul site.

  *Ajal: “awakening” is the previous name of the Xquic site.

  Xibalba: “place of fear” is the Mayan underworld in Popol Vuh.

  Xquic: “Blood Maiden” is a mythological figure of Xibalba, from the Popol Vuh and the goddess of the waning moon. The Hero Twins’ mother. The new name of the Ajal site.

  Sutton Bishop enjoys having a foot in both worlds—real and make-believe. She has degrees in forensics and anthropology and a minor in world history. Her writing is inspired by her travels and life experiences. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, their four kids, and a passel of pets.

  Afraid to Fall is Sutton’s debut romance.

  Find Sutton online at authorsuttonbishop.com and Author Sutton Bishop on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.