“Hey.” I smiled shakily, taking in her new dress. “You look pretty.”
Her smile widened, lighting up her eyes. “Thanks. So do you.”
I winced, unsure if that was really a compliment, but it was her night, so I let it slide. I stared at her for a beat before I remembered the plan. “Oh!” I fumbled, holding out a bouquet of roses and lilies and little white flowers that I couldn’t remember the name of at that moment. “These are for you. Happy birthday.”
The roses were red this time, by the way. No, I hadn’t said the words yet, but I was working my way up to it.
Ainsley gathered up the flowers, admiring and smelling them before she popped up to kiss me on the cheek. “Thank you, Oliver. They’re beautiful.”
I gulped, my throat dry like it always seemed to be when Ainsley was close. “You’re welcome,” I croaked.
She invited me in, and I did the whole obligatory dad-handshake-where-are-you-kids-going-and-when-will-you-be-home routine as she put the flowers in some water. As much as I’d been a nervous wreck the first time I met Ainsley’s dad, he was actually a nice guy. She’d come clean to him about college and the SATs, and although surprised, he’d been pretty supportive. He’d hired a nurse to come help care for Ainsley’s grandma so she wasn’t so overloaded and even took time off work to go on some college tours with her.
In the end, the night went as planned, a perfectly executed date, if I did say so myself. After dinner and dessert, I’d presented her with her birthday gifts, all of them, each encased in an oddly shaped box to keep her guessing. After much laughter—and many thank-you kisses—we walked slowly through the park in the center of town. It was chilly, but I held Ainsley’s mitten-clad hand with my own, toting the rest of her gifts in a bag in my other hand.
“You didn’t have to give them all to me, you know,” she said, squeezing my fingers. “You’re spoiling me.”
“I couldn’t decide which one was best.”
Ainsley leaned onto my arm, her head touching my shoulder lightly. “They were all the best. But it’s not about the presents, Oliver.” We came to a stop at the top of the bridge, overlooking the murky water below. “You know why I kissed you that day?” she asked.
“You felt sorry for your crazy stalker?” I grinned, although I half-wondered if it was true.
Ainsley laughed. “It was your list,” she said. “I mean, I knew you were pretty amazing. I’d pretty much fallen for you already. I just didn’t know it yet. But when I saw that list . . .” She looked off into the distance, a small smile on her face, before she turned back to me. “I couldn’t believe you spent all that time getting to know me like that. I couldn’t believe you cared, actually.”
“Of course I did,” I stammered, feeling my face heat. “I do.”
She stepped away from the edge of the bridge to move closer to me, and I turned around to lean back on the railing as she moved between my legs, linking her arms behind my neck. I dropped the bag to rest my hands on her hips.
“It just . . . it means a lot,” she said quietly, blue eyes wide and earnest. “Thank you.”
I reached up to touch her cheek, and she leaned into my hand, and I knew it was time to check off that last box on my list.
Tell her how you feel.
“I love you.” No hesitation. No cracking voice. No regrets.
Ainsley’s face lit up, her smile wide as she leaned up to kiss me. “I love you, too, Oliver,” she said against my lips, our mixed breath puffing out in warm clouds around our heads.
I tilted my head to kiss her properly—I’d gotten much better at it in the past few weeks, thanks to the Internet and a bit (a lot) of practice—and we stood wrapped in each other for I didn’t know how long, finally pulling apart when the cold and the lack of breath forced us to.
“I should probably get you home,” I said, lightly kissing her once more before we set off across the bridge and back through town to where I’d left my truck. We chatted quietly, in no big hurry, bumping shoulders and laughing at nothing.
Then I saw it. In the window of the stationery store on the corner. Flashing red letters keeping pace with the speeding beat of my heart.
Only 34 shopping days until Christmas. As I stood, frozen, the 34 changed to a 33.
No. How could I forget? How did I not realize?
“Oh no you don’t,” Ainsley said, yanking on my hand to drag me away from the window.
“But—”
“You’ve given me enough gifts for the next ten Christmases, Oliver!” she said through her laughter. “I mean it. Promise me you won’t get me anything.”
“I have to get you something.”
She stopped and pulled my arm back around her waist before kissing me soundly. “You’ve given me everything I want.”
I rolled my eyes. “Did you get that from a movie?”
“Maybe.” She looked at me sternly. “No gifts, Oliver. I’m serious.”
“Oh, well, if you’re serious.” I nodded, eyes wide and innocent.
Her sober façade broke, and she shook her head, smiling softly. “You are the worst.” But she didn’t ask me to promise again, so I didn’t.
I would get her something. Something thoughtful.
We reached my car, and I opened the door, kissing her once more before she got in. She shivered as a chilly breeze ruffled her hair, and I grinned.
Maybe a nice, warm scarf or a hat. I’d think of something.
I’d make a list.
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Publication date: Oct 4, 2012
ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-123-8
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-124-5
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The Guardians: Book 2 of the MORE Trilogy by T.M. Franklin
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ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-171-9
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-172-6
Summary: When Ava Michaels learned of her ties to an ancient race – bound to protect humans but not quite human themselves – she took it all in stride.
Mostly.
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If she can stay alive long enough to ask them, that is.
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Category: Romance / Short Story
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-333-1
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About the Author
T.M. Franklin started out her career writing nonfiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a BA in Communications specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. MORE was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Awards.
In addition to MORE and its sequel, The Guardians, Franklin penned the Amazon best-selling short stories A Piece of Cake and Window, which also won a Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Award for Short Story/Fantasy. Her new YA romance, How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You, is Franklin’s first love story without paranormal or fantasy elements, although she believes love is the best kind of magic.
TWELVE, the final installment in the MORE Trilogy, will be released in the fall of 2014.
Connect with T.M. Franklin
Website: www.TMFranklin.com
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TMFranklinAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TM_Franklin
Acknowledgments
Who to Thank for How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You
My lead editor Erin Morgan, who was an absolute pleasure to work with. Thank you for your encouragement and commitment—and for loving Oliver as much as I do.
My copy editor Deanna Noga and my proofreader Michele Milburn, who have eagle eyes and sharp virtual red pencils. Thank you for catching my mistakes and your endless patience as we worked to correct them.
The fabulous Iris Jurado, who read the first chapter of this book and encouraged me to keep writing it. You’re the best!
Catherine Edwards for all of her hard work promoting Ainsley, working with bloggers and always making time when I know her plate was overflowing.
Jennifer McGuire, for all her help with graphics and design, as well as working with me on bookstore appearances. Thank you!
Amanda Hayward, Lea Dimovski, Cindy Bidwell, and the rest of the TWCS team. Thank you for all of your support—both personally and professionally.
My family for their never-ending encouragement and support. I love you all!
How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love With You Page 17