Watch Me Follow

by Harloe Rae

  I silently watch Lennon work, pouring so much soul into each fluid movement. I asked her once if she was happy and held my breath waiting for her response. Now, I always see the joy clearly in the blue of her aqua eyes and feel the bliss with each cherished touch.

  This is what love is.

  Separately we were two broken halves, misunderstood and hopelessly waiting for someone to look beyond the jagged edges. Together we’ve defined a new normal—a beautiful life that’s vibrant and different and ours.

  “Whatcha looking at, Ry?” Lennon questions with a knowing smile lifting her perfect lips.

  “You. Always you, Sunshine.”

  THE END

  But I have a special surprise . . .

  Want more Ryker and Lennon? Click here for a bonus epilogue!

  WOW. I’M STILL a tad shocked Watch Me Follow is done and published. This story was a tough one for me, in so many ways, and I honestly couldn’t have survived without my amazing crew of support. I’m extremely blessed and honored to have so many fantastic people in my corner rooting me on.

  My husband deserves some kind of fancy award for taking on double the work while I completed this book. He’s honestly the greatest life partner I could ask for and am beyond lucky to have him by my side. Without him, being an author would remain a pipe dream, so I owe my guy everything.

  A huge thanks to my family for their endless outpouring of love and encouragement.

  What can I say about Ace Gray? She’s taught me countless lesson that at times were very tough but extremely meaningful. My writing is better and my stories are stronger because of her. She’s brilliant and talented and I’m thankful she’s my friend.

  I owe Talia, from Talia’s Book Covers, a ton for her hard work and dedication to my books. She’s always there when I need her, without a second of hesitation. I’ve found the meaning of true teamwork with this lovely lady. Her designs are gorgeous and her talent is limitless.

  I’m so very glad to Melissa in my life. Her bright personality and constant help keep me going. When I first started writing Watch Me Follow, she was there to truly see what the story meant to me.

  Cindy is fantastic and wonderful and an amazing friend. She’s always there with warm advice and kind comfort. Thank you for everything!

  Thank you SO much Ella, Annie, Devney, Kate, Victoria, Leigh, Penelope, Suzie, Sunniva, Tia, Monica, Lauren, Kahlen, Brittany, and many more for being so helpful with everything and anything. You’re a spectacular group of ladies that I’m very lucky to consider friends. The author community is extremely supportive and I owe you all so much for continuing to encourage me.

  To my reader group—Harloe’s Hotties is my happy place and I enjoy our little slice on social media so much. Thank you all for the love and happiness you bring!

  THANK YOU to my brand new Harloe’s Review Crew. I’m eternally grateful for everything you guys do for me on a daily basis. All the shares, likes, comments, tags, messages, and support mean SO very much. An extra-large thanks to Julie, Megan, Jacqueline, Nancy, and Shauna for everything, all the time.

  I’m very fortunate to be part of the #squadpod. Nicole, Jane, Jessica, JL, Kim, Liv, Paige, Brooke, Meg, Ava, and CL—you guys are awesome and I’m so glad we’re a tribe!

  A big shout out to the Do Not Disturb Club/DND Authors. All of your guidance, support, ideas, encouragement, and teamwork means a lot to me.

  A special note to my fellow besties—Margie, Bobbie, and Jen—we’ve been together a lot of years and are still going strong!

  Crystal and Maggie were the first bloggers to review Redefining Us. They’ve been with me from the start and have been promoting me ever since.

  A huge thank you to my beta and proofreaders—Cindy, Melissa, Angela, Bobbie, Shauna, Cyndy, and Nancy.

  My formatting was done by Christine with Type A Formatting and she is fantastic to work with. She’s the reason the interiors of my books look so pretty!

  I’m extremely grateful to the bloggers that have helped promote my releases and spread the word to their followers. It’s impossible to reach new readers without their endless dedication to this fantastic book community. They keep a big smile on my face. I deeply appreciate each and every single post, mention, and share. THANK YOU!

  I’m beyond honored to have so many wonderful readers enjoy my work. An author needs her book junkies and I’m very grateful for each one of you. Thank you for the motivational messages, tags on posts to spread the word, and all the interaction we have. Most importantly, thanks for loving romance!

  Last but definitely not least, thank you to those that have taken time to read and review my books. Words cannot properly express how much that means to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  HARLOE WAS BORN and raised in Minnesota. She is married to an amazing man and they have an adorable son. These boys are what make life worth living. Harloe has a day job that she loves and is also passionate about horses, blogging, country living, and having fun.

  Harloe has been in love with romance since she was a little girl reading fairytales. The dream is to find the perfect person that completes your life, right? Novels have a way of bringing fantasy to reality and she's always up for an unforgettable adventure.

  Stalk Harloe on her blog or send her a message at harloe.rae@gmail.com

  Redefining Us

  Forget You Not

  Turn the page to find sneak peeks if you haven’t read these titles yet.

  Redefing Us

  * * *

  Pain.

  Debilitating pain is all I feel as I attempt to keep my emotions in check. Saying goodbye to my best friend was never a thought I entertained. Now it’s my reality.

  “Wills.” His voice takes on a pleading tone as he stares into my tear filled eyes. “Please don’t make this harder for me than it already is.” He continues to look at me as the saltwater drips down my cheeks.

  “I’m sorry, X, but you have no idea how difficult life will be here without you.” I can’t catch my breath as the hysteria threatens to take over. I try to take deep inhales between puffs of pitiful exhales.

  He presses his forehead to mine and I don’t think he understands how much that involuntary, ingrained move means to me at that moment. Xander is one of the greats and I’m about to lose him.

  “Promise me,” I begin in a begging voice. “Swear to me that you’ll come back and everything will be the same.”

  “Willow Shae, I could never stay away from you longer than necessary, so you don’t even have to ask. But yes, I promise and swear I will be back as soon as possible to return to our regularly scheduled friendship.”

  With that remark, he has me cracking a smile. Even through the tears. Gosh, I will miss this man.

  “Will you write me? Does that sound cheesy? I see it in all the old time movies and I always wanted to say it.” Maybe it is the dreamy lilt to my voice that has his lips quirking into a smile.

  “Wills, I will write you every chance I get and I expect the same. Now, give me a hug that means everything you feel because I won’t see you for at least a year.” His eyebrows crease with that devastating blow, even though I’d heard that timeline before. I can tell he’s still very worried about how I’m feeling based on the telling nonverbal cues radiating off him.

  We embrace easily, like so many times before, yet this is different. His hands linger on my hips before settling on the middle of my back. His breath holds until he blows it slowly across my neck. His eyes find my gaze like he had more to say than his voice would allow. I indulge these rare affections and give a few curve balls of my own.

  “I’ll miss you every day, Xander. I will never go a single moment without a thought of you. Best friend or not, you mean more to me than any other person in this world. Please be careful. I will be waiting for you.” I pull away before he’s able to reply. I can’t stand to further delay this inevitable separation.

  Xander looks down at me once more before picking up his pack and hoisting it over his
shoulder. Then he tosses out the toughest blow ever dealt.

  “When I am having a bad day, or we get into brutal battle, or a friend gets hurt, or . . . just something awful happens, I will think of your smile because it always makes me happy.”

  Then he turns and walks toward the airline gate.

  This was it. I have to tell him. It is now or never. As he passes through the threshold, I gain my courage.

  “Xander!” I scream. He turns around immediately and looks startled by my outburst. It’s then I realize he had planned to keep walking until I called out. I can’t lay out my heart then just watch him leave.

  Instead of telling him exactly how I feel, I blow him a kiss. Maybe for good luck or maybe for all the kisses I wish we had actually shared. He catches it and smiles. Then continues on his way.

  Xander is much braver than I am, he’s an amazing man, and he will make our country proud. But my most forefront thought is worry that I will never get to tell him how much I love him.

  * * *

  Days like this are the worst. They feel like they never end. I had been on my feet since nine o’clock this morning and haven’t quit. As the time nears six in the evening, I’m realizing my day needs to be done. I love my job but enough is enough.

  In the past few years, I’ve been working as a community counselor for at-risk youth and absolutely love it. The teenagers don’t always appreciate my outgoing personality but they can’t constantly hide their smiles. To be considered a positive influence on these kids is extremely humbling and it brings invaluable purpose to my life.

  Most of them don’t have adults at home to rely on so they come to the center for the support we can offer. To think I could actually have a lasting impact on their lives is still hard to believe. Most days I feel like they are helping me more than the other way around. Their wide range of life experiences keeps my professional life far more interesting than my personal one.

  Not like I can really complain about matters outside of my career. After leaving small town living for the bigger city potential, I’ve never looked back. I grew up in Walstrom, Minnesota and thought I would spend my life among the rolling plains where I spent my childhood. No matter how much I loved that little town, I couldn’t escape the pain of him leaving and never returning. I had to be the one to go.

  Even after all this time, thinking about him brings tears to my eyes. The broken promises, the love never reciprocated, the absolute abandonment. Xander Dixon was a huge part of my past and that is where he will always remain.

  Once upon a time I thought we would get married, have a bunch of babies, and live in a cabin surrounded by the woods. We could grow old together, with nothing but one another to depend on. Our reality was much harsher than that fairytale my imagination dreamed up. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.

  Enough about him. I need to stop this ridiculous obsession. Xander didn’t look back while boarding that plane and it’s time I walk away for good too.

  Willow Shae Connor is a new woman. I don’t need memories of what-might-have-been to keep me happy. Ask all my friends around Minneapolis. Just don’t ask about my nonexistent love life. I’m not ready to address that.

  On my way out, I swing by Lark’s office to say goodbye. Since we work closely together, we formed a breezy rapport that I greatly appreciate. Our jobs can be extremely draining and it’s vital to have trusted friends to process with.

  I knock on her door before entering. Even after a long day, Lark is still hard at work behind her basic wood desk. She glances up as I approach and gives a slight grin. Her beautiful brown eyes give away her obvious exhaustion. This woman never quits.

  “What are you still doing here? No hot date tonight?” I can’t help goading her a bit.

  She chuckles while rubbing her pinched forehead. “Very funny. I have piles of paperwork to get through before I even consider leaving. My head hurts just thinking about how late I’ll be here.”

  “Dude. No way. Let’s get a drink. I could really use one and clearly you need at least five. You work way too hard, Lark. If you keep pushing yourself like this, you’re bound to get burnt out.” I know how tough that is to hear but the truth hurts and all that.

  I am all about this place but it can’t be all we live for. Lark needs a serious intervention and I won’t take no for an answer. She looks set to argue so I beat her to the punch.

  “Seriously, let’s go. Right now. You’ve more than earned it and that stack of stuff can wait. I’ll buy the first round.” I tap my foot impatiently to get her moving.

  She groans loudly but pushes out of her chair. “Fine, you’ve talked me into it. I get to choose the place and I am ordering the most expensive drink on the menu.” Her tone is full of sass but she already appears more energetic.

  Score one for me. This night is definitely looking up.

  A high-pitched ring wakens me from a deep slumber. I roll over and grasp for my phone.

  “Hello?’ My voice is raspy from sleep.

  “Oh dear, did I wake you?” My mother sounds concerned on the other end of the line.

  “Hey mom. I’m up. No worries. What’s going on?” I have no idea why she felt the need to call me this early on a Saturday morning.

  “I just got off the phone with Meredith Dixon and she had an interesting update on Xander that I thought you would like to know.”

  The mention of his name is like a punch to the gut. My heart rate instantly spikes and nerves skitter through me as I prepare for the news I'm not ready to hear yet desperate to know.

  “Okay. So, how is he?” I know my voice is filled with hesitation.

  “Well honey, it doesn’t sound good. Meredith is very concerned. Xander has been back in the States for months but she’s just now finding out. Apparently, he’s gone into some sort of hiding.”

  “Hiding? Like he doesn’t want to be found or is waiting for us to find him? I’m not sure how to take this news mom.” The thought of X in any sort of pain brings instant stabs to my heart. If he is hurting, I’m hurting.

  “It seems Xander went through some . . . unfortunate crud overseas and needs time for himself. No one can reach him. Xander won’t talk to anyone, no matter what. Meredith isn’t sure what to do.”

  I know my mother is stressed by the raise of her voice.

  “Where is he, mom? Can we see him? I haven’t talked to him in so long but I want to know he’s all right.”

  The hitch in my mother’s breath should have been my first warning. The long exhale, the next.

  “When I heard Xander was back, I immediately thought of you meeting with him, but it seems he isn’t interested in any reconciliation. He’s isolating himself someplace up north. Meredith tried to visit but he turned her away without even opening the door.” The extreme worry in her tone is evident.

  “I’m not sure why you’re telling me this. I haven’t spoken to Xander in almost three years.”

  “Willow, you were the only one who could influence him when he was younger. He loved you unconditionally. The way you played together was magical. I’m not hoping for anything monumental but you could always reach that boy on a level no one else could understand.” My mother’s exasperated sigh told how she really felt about this situation. She wanted Xander and me to be married long ago. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

  “Mom, I’m not sure sending me out there is the right move. I’ve done my best to move on and I don’t want to throw away the progress I’ve made for nothing. Yes, we were close once but not anymore. I seriously doubt he would want to see me if he wouldn’t even allow his mother into the house.” I wanted to scream into my pillow in exasperation with this conversation, even though it had only been a few minutes. Bringing up the past always caused a piercing pang I didn’t prefer to feel.

  “Would you try, Willow? For Meredith and me? If he sends you away, then at least we can say we tried. She sounds desperate for help.” My mom knows I can’t refuse her, especially when she is offering something I�
�m incredibly interested in.

  “Fine, I will try to see Xander. Just let me know where he’s living. I hope you know I’m agreeing to this more for you than me.” The chuckle I hear through the line has me quirking an eyebrow.

  “Honey, you love that boy more than a crisis patient and we both know how much you enjoy them. I appreciate you trying to contact him and I bet Meredith will be extremely grateful as well.”

  “Great. Thanks, mom. Text me the details and I’ll let you know how it goes. Love you.”

  We hung up after exchanging a few more pleasantries. My heart was pounding as apprehension floods my veins at the thought of potentially visiting the boy I still love.

  Want to read more? Redefining Us is available now & free with Kindle Unlimited.

  Forget You Not

  Lark

  Seven years earlier . . .

  Working at a restaurant sucks sometimes. Like right now.

  Why is it so slow?

  Usually Friday afternoons bring in a decent lunch crowd but that’s definitely not the case today. The other host got cut an hour ago after we finished rolling two full bins of silverware. I’ve been stuck at the front alone ever since, trying to keep myself preoccupied by doodling in my notepad while desperately hoping a customer strolls in. I’d even accept the overly chatty manager from the bank across the street at this rate.

  Just as I’m starting to draw another cartoon heart, the outer door swings open and a relieved sigh whooshes from me. I toss my pen aside and slide the decorated paper into my apron. When my focus returns to the person coming in, my breath stalls in my lungs.

  I’d usually have a polite smile plastered across my face as I rushed forward to greet the guests but my entire body is frozen solid due to the stunning sight before me. Tingles erupt along my skin as my heart takes off in a sprint, but I still can’t move.