I gripped the bar and nodded. “Yeah, man. She was...like no one else.” I finished in a whisper.
David paused, finally looking me in the eye. His gaze was reluctant and unsure.
The thick silence was killing me, and I was about to fill it with some sentiment about how it didn’t even matter anymore, but he spoke before I could.
“She called me, you know.”
My heart stopped. “When?”
“About a month ago.”
“Is she okay? Where is she?”
David took a sip of his beer, making me want to throttle him. Answer the damn question!
Unless he didn't know.
I closed my eyes, dropping my head forward. “Let me guess, she wouldn't tell you.”
“You're still in love with her, aren't you?” David set his beer down.
“Man, I think I always will be. I wish I could forget her sometimes, but she's just always there.” I pointed to my head then slapped my hand against my heart, emotion clogging my throat like it always did.
David nodded, tapping the bar as he stood. He wiped his nose with his finger and sniffed. “I'm sorry I pummeled you that night. Even though I wanted to at the time, I don't think I could've actually killed you. Not because you'd kick my ass before I could, but, well, you were my best friend.”
His words sliced through me, making me feel wounded and sore.
“I never meant to...”
“I know.” He raised his hand. “We'll never be friends again. I can't do it. But we're cool, okay. It's done.” He nodded and walked to the door.
I wanted to call out a thank you, but it felt lame somehow.
He paused at the door, grabbing the handle, but stopped before opening it. “She's at Bellevue College in Washington. That’s all I know.”
I stopped breathing, unable to speak as he swung the door open and left. My brain froze for a minute, too blown away by what it just heard to even function. Running a shaky hand through my hair, I tried to focus on slowing my heart before it exploded inside my chest.
What did I do now? Go after her?
Did she even want me to?
She left me.
As much as she didn't want to, she actually did, and she hadn't come back either. In fact, she'd done everything in her power to stop me from finding her. Morgan's stubborn lips had remained sealed no matter how hard I'd tried. I'd even tracked down Jody through Facebook and tried to appeal to her, but Ella's friends were loyal.
What would it mean if I did go?
Would I move to Washington, set up a new life with her there? Would we do the long-distance thing?
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Stop getting ahead of yourself, you moron,” I muttered.
It really came down to one simple question. Did I want to turn up on Ella's doorstep and risk her rejection on the chance she'd give us one more shot?
Yes.
A smile burst across my face.
I wanted Ella, and all that was left to do now was go and tell her.
The phone in my back pocket buzzed, distracting my planning.
I glanced at the caller ID and nearly didn't answer, but Chaos was playing at Quigg's tomorrow night, and it was probably a last-minute detail thing. “Hey, Jimmy.”
“Hey, man, just wondering if we could set up at lunchtime tomorrow and have a little practice at the pub.”
“Won't you be at school?”
“Teacher-only day, dude.” I could hear the smile in his voice. I grinned along with him then got hit with an insane idea. It was so good, I couldn't ignore it.
My eyes grew wide, and I gripped the phone in my hand.
“So, you're free all day tomorrow?”
“Yep.”
A low chuckle resonated in my chest. “I've got a gig for you then.”
“Okay, cool. Give me some details. Where is it? What time? How many songs do you want in the set?”
My lips tipped up with a slow smile. “Just one.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
ELLA
It had been a month since I'd called David with my apology. I was really hoping it'd make me feel better, but I was more unsettled than ever. I hadn't meant to make him feel like I needed his blessing, but it must have been playing on my subconscious. It bugged me that it was. Why did I need it? It wasn't my fault I'd fallen in love with Cole and the timing had been super crappy! Why should I have to have David's say-so to pursue it?
I hated that I'd let my need for his approval rule me for so long. It was like a bad habit I couldn't break. I needed to stand up for myself and stop doing that kind of thing.
As I sat through Professor Croft's lecture on the impact of music and movies on tween culture, my mind became more resolute. I wanted Cole, and if I wanted him, then I had to go and get him. Even if he told me I was too late, I had to know.
Professor Croft clapped her hands together. “Okay, so that's it from me today. Make sure you compile a list of all the movies and music you were obsessed with at the age of twelve before you return next week. I'm looking forward to some good discussions.”
Books slapped shut and bags were zipped closed. People rose from their places, filing out the door. I slowly gathered my stuff together. I couldn't seem to do anything quickly these days. I was depressed; that was the simple truth. It didn't matter that I was pursuing some of the things I loved. I didn't have the main thing I wanted, so the rest seemed pointless.
I'd run away to figure out what I wanted and now I knew. The only problem was, I was too chicken to go and get it.
Throwing my bag up onto my shoulder, I slipped out the back door and descended the stairs. I could hear a muffled thumping coming from the quad and frowned. I didn't know there was a free concert today.
A girl skipped down the stairs behind me, throwing me an odd glance. “What's that noise?”
“Sounds like a band in the quad.” I shrugged.
As we drew closer to the doors, the noise became clearer and I smiled, recognizing the song.
“I Would Walk 500 Miles” by the Proclaimers. It was a goodie.
By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was humming along, but the tune caught in my throat. The girl in front of me pulled the door open and I heard it. It was a rich, perfect sound that shot fire through my veins.
Not just anyone was singing that song.
It was Cole.
I lunged for the door, swinging it open and bursting into the sunlight. A group of students were standing at the top of the stairs, staring at the band. I recognized the good-looking guitarist behind Cole.
Chaos.
He'd brought Chaos all the way from Chicago?
Cole held the microphone, singing with gusto as his eyes scanned the crowd. He was looking for me.
My heart did a double-beat as I stood there watching him.
“Who is that guy?” The girl in front of me pointed.
“Beats me.” The student beside her shrugged. “When they were setting up, I heard him say he'd sing the song all day if he had to.”
“Why's he singing it?”
“Because he loves me.” They both looked at me like I was a total fruitcake.
I smiled and squeezed between them, walking down the steps, my eyes trained on Cole. He spotted me as I reached the pathway leading toward him, his face lighting up like a fireworks display. Jumping down from the stage, he held the microphone tight and walked toward me, singing, “When I'm lonely, oh I know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the man who's lonely without you…and when I'm dreamin', oh I know I'm gonna dream, I'm gonna dream about the time when I'm with you.”
My grin was so wide, I could feel my cheeks straining.
He kept singing as he closed the gap, and when he reached me, he placed a gentle hand on my face and sang, “And when I come home, yes I'm know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the man that comes back home with you. I'm gonna be the man that's coming ho-me to you.”
Lowering the microphone, he let the band take over the song as he rubb
ed his thumb gently over my cheekbone.
“I know you didn't invite me here.” He swallowed. “But when David told me where you were, I had to come.”
I blinked slowly, not quite believing that everything I wanted was falling into place.
“But I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more...” Jimmy sang.
I chuckled. “And you just had to sing this song, didn't you.”
Cole grinned, snatching me to him and lifting me high. My butt rested on his solid forearms as my legs came around his torso. He looked up at me, his eyes gleaming. “You're putty in my hands now, right?”
I brushed my fingers through his curls. “I've been putty in your hands since the first time I heard your luscious voice.”
He grinned, looking like a triumphant schoolboy. “I love you, birdy.”
“I love you.” I leaned toward him for a kiss, but he pulled back, his expression serious. “I have no idea what the future looks like for us, but I'm really keen to work it out...together.”
A slow smile spread across my lips. “That's exactly what I want.”
Our grins pressed together, the sweet softness of his lips stirring that familiar fire within me. The rest of the world faded around us and we became the only two people in that quad. It was just me, Cole, and the most romantic song I knew.
*********
Thank you so much for reading Fever. If you've enjoyed it and would like to show me some support, please consider leaving a review on the site you purchased this book from.
*****
You will see more of Ella and Cole as the Songbird Series continues.
Morgan's story is next - FIGHT FOR YOU is due for release in November 2014!
Keep an eye out for an exclusive Fever epilogue chapter, coming later this year in the build up to Morgan's story. If you'd like to be the first to read this FREE snippet, you can subscribe to Melissa Pearl's newsletter.
Follow this link to sign up.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It’s always such a pleasure to work on a novel and part of that pleasure comes from working with amazing people.
Thank you so much to:
My critique partners: Cassie & Anna. Your feedback was brilliant. Thank you for making this story stronger.
My editor: Laurie. You are so brilliant to work with. I love your advice and knowledge. Thank you for making my writing better.
My proofreaders: Kristin, Suzy, Karen, Marcia and Lindsey. What would I do without your last-minute catches? Thanks so much, ladies. Your help and enthusiasm means so much to me.
My cover designer: Regina. You are one talented woman and working with you has been such a thrill. Thank you for taking on this project.
My promo designer: Kate. Thank you for your unwavering support and your willingness to drop everything to help me. You are so talented and I love the stuff I always find in my inbox from you.
My publicity team: Mark My Words Publicity. Thank you!!!! You girls are so spectacular. I love working with you. Thank you for helping me launch this book into the world.
My fellow writers: Inklings and Indie Inked. Thank you for always being there to listen and help me. Thank you for sharing your ideas and your own experiences. It’s a total honor to be part of your writing journeys.
My readers: As always, thank you. I appreciate you guys so much. Thank you for giving my work a chance. You are turning my dreams into reality.
My friends: A special mention to Nadine and Sharyn…my singing buddies. Thank you for all the laughter, good times and of course…the glorious music.
My family: Thank you to my supportive group of cheerleaders who constantly encourage me to keep pushing, and keep striving to be the best author I can be.
My Prince Charming: Thank you for dancing me into the sunset. I love you.
My savior: Thank you for loving me in spite my faults and giving me the courage to step out of a bad relationship and then letting me meet the perfect man for me.
OTHER BOOKS BY MELISSA PEARL
The Songbird Series
Fight For You (Due for release: Nov 2014)
The Fugitive Series
I Know Lucy - Set Me Free
The Masks Series
True Colors
Two Faced (Releasing: 2014)
Snake Eyes (Releasing: 2014-2015)
Poker Face (Releasing: 2015)
The Time Spirit Trilogy
Golden Blood - Black Blood - Pure Blood
The Betwixt Series
Betwixt - Before - Beyond
The Elements Trilogy
Unknown - Unseen - Unleashed
The Mica & Lexy Series
Forbidden Territory
Find out more on Melissa Pearl's website:
http://www.melissapearlauthor.com
ABOUT MELISSA PEARL
Melissa Pearl is a kiwi at heart, but currently lives in Suzhou, China with her husband and two sons. She trained as an elementary school teacher, but has always had a passion for writing and finally completed her first manuscript in 2003. She has been writing ever since and the more she learns, the more she loves it.
She writes young adult and new adult fiction in a variety of romance genres - paranormal, fantasy, suspense, and contemporary. Her goal as a writer is to give readers the pleasure of escaping their everyday lives for a while and losing themselves in a journey…one that will make them laugh, cry and swoon.
CONNECT WITH MELISSA PEARL
You can contact Melissa Pearl online:
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THE BEAUMONT SERIES by Heidi McLaughlin
If you’ve enjoyed Fever, you will probably enjoy The Beaumont Series by Heidi McLaughlin. These books are also wrapped around music and follow the lives of three band members. I have thoroughly enjoyed each of the books, so I thought I’d include a sample of the first book, Forever My Girl.
Forever My Girl
The Beaumont Series #1
By Heidi McLaughlin
CHAPTER 1
LIAM
A light snore reminds me that I’m not alone. The heaviness of a body sprawled out, sets me off immediately. The stale smell of day old perfume lingers in the air and on my sheets.
The curtains are pulled back, the sun shining through the large window which affords me the best view and privacy.
Rolling over, there’s a face I don’t remember. A face that holds no name in my recollection or any vivid memory of how she ended up in my hotel room let alone my bed.
The bed part I can probably figure out.
The blonde hair tells me that I didn’t bother to get her name or ask her what her favorite drink was. Guaranteed our conversation was eyes, hands and lips only. There is one hair color that can make my heart beat and blonde isn’t it.
Neither is red.
Eyes too.
Never blue.
They have to be brown or green, never blue.
This isn’t a downward spiral or some drug induced moment. I don’t do drugs, never have, but I may drink excessively on occasions like last night. This is me coping with my mistakes and failures. I may be successful when I’m on stage, but at night I’m alone.
And so freaking scared of dying alone.
I reach for my phone to check the time. Instead I pull up the gallery that holds her image, my thumb hovering over her face. I’ll see her when I go home and I don’t know what I’ll say.
I know she hates me.
I hate
me.
I ruined her life. That is what her voice message said. The one I’ve saved for the past ten years. The one I’ve transferred from phone to phone just so I could hear her voice when I’m at my lowest. I can recite every hateful word she said to me when I was too busy to answer and never found the time to call her back.
Never found one second to call and explain to her what I had done to us. She was my best friend and I let her slip through my fingers just to save myself from the heartache of hearing she didn’t want me anymore.
I had dreams too.
And my dreams included her, but she would never have gone for it. I’m not living her American Dream. I'm living my own.
My decision destroyed everything.
My nameless bed cohabitant reaches out and strokes my arm. I move away quickly. Now that I’m sober, I have no desire to be anything to this person.
“Liam,” she says through her seductive tone that sounds like a baby. It makes my skin crawl when women talk like this. Don’t they see that it makes them sound ridiculous? No man worth his nuts likes this sort of thing. It’s not sexy.
Wrapping the sheet around my waist I sit up and swing my legs over the edge, away from her and her wandering hand. My back tenses when I feel the bed shift. Standing, I pull the sheet tighter to keep myself somewhat covered. I shouldn’t care, but I do. She’s seen me in the dark, but I’m not affording her or her camera another look.
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