Starting Over (New Beginnings #1)
Page 28
"Oh come on, you can afford another bottle now, a thousand bucks is like pocket change for you these days."
"No it isn't Hayden; it's still like a thousand bucks."
"Yeah, yeah. Why can't we drink it?"
"I told you, I'm saving it."
"For?"
"For when Ash agrees to marry me."
"Really? You're going to ask her?"
"Not yet, obviously. But yeah one day in the not too distant future, I'm going to ask her. And when she says yes we can all get shitfaced on ridiculously expensive bourbon."
"And if she says no?"
"Then I'm seriously going to get shitfaced on ridiculously expensive bourbon." Connor chuckled in reply.
"No, seriously Dude. Have you spoke to her about this? I don't think she ever plans to marry again. Like, ever."
Connor patted Hayden on the back. "Yeah Cuz, I've spoke to her, she knows I plan to ask her one day, and although she indicated that she wasn't ready for that sort of commitment at this stage, she did indicate that she was not totally averse to the whole idea either. I can wait, don't you worry. It might be a year or two away yet, but I'm not letting her go anywhere, so one day, she'll become Mrs Ash Maise."
Connor sighed. "It certainly has a nice ring to it don't you think?"
Hayden laughed. "I thought it was the girl who was supposed to fantasize about taking on her boyfriend's name? You have it bad Cuz, you have it so bad."
"Yeah I do." Connor admitted with a sigh. "I really do."
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Ash curled up on the couch, wrapped in Connor’s arms. Everyone had left and the girls were both asleep in their new beds. The girls had crashed almost as soon as they had gone to bed. Ash wasn't sure if it was the pre-dinner swim, the afternoons shopping adventure, or the general excitement of the last few days, but it had knocked the girls out totally. She was thankful as she enjoyed the peace of being alone with Connor, music played softly in the background as he ran his hand gently up and down her arm.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" he asked softly.
"I'm not sure I could keep my eyes open for an entire movie." Ash replied.
"Well, we could watch it till you fall asleep if you like, then I could carry you to bed."
"Or we could finish our drinks, and you could carry me to bed while I'm still awake and then strip me naked and make sweet love to me."
"Or we could do that." Connor agreed, gulping down the last of his beer. "Come on, drink up." He urged excitedly.
"Connor, do you think the girls will be okay? I mean, this is so much for them to deal with."
"Are you talking about us, or Mark?"
Ash pulled her brows together in concentration. "Both I guess. I don't want to upset them at all."
"We'll take it slow Babe, okay? If they seem at all upset or put out at staying here, then we'll stay at your place instead. But we'll take it slow. Let's start with the trip to Queensland during the school holidays that the girls were promised."
Ash went to interrupt but Connor put his finger over her lips shushing her before she could say anything.
"Please don't argue with me okay? It's my treat Ash, I want to do this. You need a holiday, I need a holiday and the girls deserve a holiday. It's not fair that they miss out on something they were promised because their father is an absolute A-grade arsehole. Then when we get back we can work up to actually living together. We'll stay at your place during the week; and here on the weekends, for a few weeks at least anyway. I'd like you and the girls to move in here with me. I have more room, and a pool. But if it takes us twelve months to get to that stage, then it takes us twelve months. I don't care how long it takes Ash, I love you; so as long as I can be with you, I'm happy."
Ash nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist, tilting her face up to his. Connor brought his lips down and brushed them gently over hers.
"I love you too Connor. More than you can possibly imagine."
"Oh trust me; I can imagine a damned huge amount of love." He replied kissing her again before pulling back quickly to finish the conversation they had begun.
"So are you going to organise counselling for them? Or play it by ear?"
"I've got the number Officer Callum gave me yesterday. I'll call on Monday and make an appointment for the three of us to go together. I'd like to go with them to make sure they know it is okay to open up to someone about whatever they might be feeling."
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again Ash, you are the strongest most amazing person I know." He leant down and brushed her lips with his again, not pulling back quickly this time at all. "Now have you finished that drink?"
Ash sat up and picked up her glass, she tipped her head back and downed the last of the wine before sitting the empty glass on the side table. Connor stood up and was facing her so she held her arms up to him and looked up at him in anticipation. He reached down and putting one arm under her legs and the other behind her back he picked her up and carried her off to the bedroom.
Ash giggled happily, knowing that things were only going to get better for her and the girls now, and it was all because of one damned sexy rock star that she had fallen madly in love with.
****
Acknowledgements:
Each time I write my thank-you list, it seems to grow longer and longer, but as this was written to be part of a boxed set I shall endeavour to keep it short and sweet. So firstly of course, a huge thank-you to my family, most significantly my husband Steve and my kids, Jazzy and Ambros. I love you guys to death, you are my everything.
Once again, I have to say a big thank-you again to Wanda for being, not only the best admin a girl could possibly hope for, but an amazing friend as well. The help, support, advice and encouragement this woman offers goes above and beyond. I don't think I could ever thank her enough, she is a powerful force in the indie publishing world.
I also want to thank all the inspiring indie and small press authors I interact with on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. I wish I could name you all individually, but that would not aide my endeavours to keep this short and I know I would end up leaving someone out and then I'd just feel bad. You guys know who you are though. You really are the best.
Finally I have to thank all the readers, reviewers and bloggers who make writing such an enjoyable experience. Without you guys, there would be nothing to write for and you really don't get enough credit for how awesome you all really are. You guys Rock!
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About the Author:
Gillian Joy currently resides on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia with her husband, two beautiful children, a few fish and a dog. She earns a living designing houses and spends most of her free time reading and writing, of which the latter has become more of an obsession. Starting Over is the first in a new series of Adult Romance books by Gillian Joy, The New Beginnings Series. She has also published the Guardian Trilogy, a paranormal romance series full of vampires, werewolves, fairies, mermaids, nephilim and the Guardian who oversees them all.
Gillian is currently working on Starting Again, the second book in the New Beginnings series which focuses on Hayden and Annabelle's story . She is also working on a couple of other separate manuscripts as well as No chance to say Goodbye a semi auto-biography based on her brother’s teenage suicide.
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More from Gillian Joy
Guardian
Headstrong and determined, Hannah always knew that she would become the Guardian. She was the keeper and the protector of all supernatural beings. What she didn't expect was that it would mean she would have to endure the agonising death of her mother first hand as their supernatural connection brings her to her knees, or that it would mean that she could never be with the man she loved.
Blond haired, blue eyed Gabriel was her handsome childhood friend, but would circumstances prevent her from ever being able to explore her true feelings for him?
Jesse, the dark alluring but incorrigible vampire would give
anything to be with her, but as the guardian Hannah is forbidden to fall in love with the supernatural.
With her life in turmoil over her conflicting emotions about Gabriel and Jesse and her frustration at being unable to exact revenge for her mother’s horrific death, Hannah flees her life in an attempt to start over. But can we ever really escape from ourselves?
There is no escaping destiny no matter how hard she might try and Hannah must learn to reconcile her commitment to her family with her responsibility as the Guardian and her duty to her heart.
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Forever
Hannah’s life has never been easy, despite her strong willed determination and her extra “gifts”, it's still always been hard work keeping an entire world full of the supernatural under control, but having achieved a small semblance of control over most of the custas, Hannah was hoping to be able to slip back into her life of normalcy. Wishful thinking when you're the guardian of all supernatural.
With all the issues she’d had to endure in her past, she'd never had to worry about the mermaids before, so why would they choose now to suddenly start haunting her dreams and her life. Then there are the fairies to contend with as well, just when she manages to get one aspect of the crudelitas under control, the others decide it’s time to start causing problems.
All Hannah wants is some quiet family time and a chance to reflect on her feelings for Gabriel but instead she's thrown back into the thick of the supernatural world, and this time it threatens to invade the quiet family life she has worked so hard to establish. There's no running away this time, she has to front the challenges head on, but forever can be a long time if you can't be with the one you love.
Revenge
Hannah finally has everything she wants out of life, devoted friends, a loving family, and the man of her dreams. Or does she? Life is never easy when you are the “Guardian” of all the supernatural beings, but surely this much heartache is more than one person was ever meant to have to contend with?
The Nephilim are on the hunt again but this time it’s not only the vampires they are hunting; and knowing that Hannah is still on the lookout for a new Custas, why would the witches be willing to work in conjunction with them? Then there’s Gabriel; after waiting for centuries to be with Hannah, what could possibly ever entice him to want to kill her. With all the supernatural issues she has to contend with how is it even possible a human could be any sort of a threat to the family life Hannah has built up.
For over three centuries, one thing has been Hannah’s main driving force, but is it even possible for her to ever track Phelip down and get the final Revenge, and the final peace she has been hunting for.
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