by R. Linda
“Kenzie spun the damn bottle.” I swear he nearly had laser beams shooting out of his eyes at the study door. I tried not to laugh.
“And?”
“And she’s in there for seven minutes with Nate.” Ryder growled.
“Nate?” My eyes widened. Ryder’s sister and Indie’s brother. Huh. I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Ryder was so protective of her, and although it was sweet, she was a big girl. With a kid.
“If he touches her, I swear to God—”
“Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
“No.”
“She’s old enough to kiss a boy, Ryder. I mean, you do know she’s a mother and all, right? I don’t really think you can say much about it.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed his cheek.
He closed his eyes and sighed. “You’re right. I know that. But it doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“Wanna go home?” I asked, knowing we needed to be up early in the morning to leave for our trip.
“Yeah.” He nodded and lunged for the study door. He banged loudly and shouted, “Time!”
***
I never knew I hated goodbyes because I’d never had to say goodbye to anyone before now. Saying goodbye to the people you loved the most sucked. It sucked a lot. We were leaving everyone behind to go to uni. I’d said goodbye to my mum earlier that morning, and it had nearly killed me. It had been me and her for eighteen years, and now I was leaving. I couldn’t imagine being so far away from her for so long. Four years felt like a lifetime.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll be home before you know it. You can come home for weekends and for holidays and breaks. You won’t even miss me.” My mum sniffed back her tears as she hugged me goodbye before turning and hugging Ryder too. “Look after my baby.” She gave him the obligatory “she’s your responsibility now and I will hunt you down if anything happens to her” speech.
“I will, Mrs M,” Ryder reassured her as we got into his car to go say goodbye to Kenzie and Cole.
They were waiting out the front of Kenzie’s cottage when we arrived. When we pulled into the drive, Cole was standing there with balloons in his hand, and Kenzie was waving a farewell sign above her head.
I burst into tears as Kenzie dropped the sign and pulled me into her arms, making me cling to her. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t want to leave either of them.
“Bye, Uncle Wyda.” Cole cheered and handed Ryder the balloons.
“Bye, buddy. I’ll see you soon.” Ryder ruffled Cole’s hair and turned to pull me from Kenzie so he could say goodbye to her as well, but I wouldn’t let her go. I knew I was overreacting, but saying goodbye to so many people in one day had finally got too much.
Ryder let his sister go and gave Cole one last fist bump before making his way back over to the car.
“Come on. Let’s go. We have to get Indie now if we want to beat the traffic.” I nodded and wiped my tears.
“Bye.” I hugged Kenzie tighter. “Call me every day.”
“I will.”
“And email.”
“Okay.” Kenzie nodded and patted my back.
“And send me photos of Cole,” I added. “Daily.”
Kenzie laughed and nodded her head, promising me she would send daily updates.
“Bailey, I swear to…Let them go and get in the car,” Ryder yelled at me, but when I looked over, he was smiling softly.
“I don’t want to.” I looked up to the sky and blinked rapidly, trying to hide my tears before I crouched down and pulled my favourite little blond-haired, green-eyed cutie into my arms. “I’m going to miss you most of all.”
“Bye, Bayey. Wuv you.” Cole placed his tiny hands on my cheeks and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
“Bye, buddy. I love you too.” I kissed his head and stood up before running over to the car, completely ignoring Ryder. I threw myself into the front seat and looked out the other window so I didn’t have to watch as we drove away.
“It’s okay, love. You’ll still see them all the time. We’ll come visit, and they can come to us.” He placed a hand on my thigh as he backed the car out of the driveway. “Now, let’s finally leave this small-minded town behind and go on to something better. Indie is waiting for us.”
“Okay.” I sniffed and nodded my head in agreement. I knew he was right. Kenzie and Cole would come and visit in a couple of weeks once they got settled into their new place, but it still didn’t make saying goodbye any easier.
I was glad to put this last year behind me. It was just one crazy rollercoaster of a year, and I couldn’t wait to start afresh at a new school with new friends and all new experiences.
“This is going to be a good year, Bailey,” Ryder told me as we pulled up into the parking lot after three hours on the road.
Indie had been quiet the entire trip. I knew she was still heartbroken over Linc.
“I know it’s a fresh start. No one knows us here.” I smiled and leant over to kiss him. Indie made a puking sound in the back seat before climbing out.
“Let’s go sign in and find our dorms,” Ryder said, grinning. He was really looking forward to uni. It was a chance for both of us to start anew as ourselves. No rumours. No gossip. No lies. No backstabbing.
“I’m going that way, so I’ll come find you later, yeah?” Indie said, pointing in the direction of a coffee shop.
“Okay, sure. Good luck.” I gave her a hug before she turned and walked away. I hoped we’d get a dorm together, but I didn’t like our chances.
I followed Ryder around aimlessly, letting him take care of everything because it was all just too overwhelming for me to comprehend. I was still amazed that he chose to come here with me instead of going to one of his preferences. The day he told me he was accepted and coming to university with me was the best day of my life.
“I’m not staying away from you, Bailey. I can study anywhere,” he’d told me when I tried to argue that he should go where he wanted.
“Just shut up and stop arguing with me. You’re it, Bailey. That’s all there is to it. Where you go, I go. End of story,” he’d said.
I crashed my lips to his, and that was it. The discussion was over, and he was coming to uni with me.
“Okay, this should be it,” Ryder said, stopping outside a door and dangling a key from his fingers. “You ready?”
“No,” I whispered and shook my head.
“Come on. Don’t be nervous. It’s uni. It’s meant to be the best years of your life.” He leaned down to press his lips to mine, knowing that his touch alone could calm me down and his kisses made me putty in his hands.
I felt my back press up against the door to my new dorm room as my arms wrapped around his neck. I completely forgot that we were in a hall full of new students rushing around in utter chaos as I lost myself in Ryder.
“I fucking love you,” he whispered.
“I fucking love you too,” I whispered back as the door suddenly opened from behind me.
“Oh, sorry. I thought I heard people out here,” my new roommate said.
“Oh, sorry about that,” I said as I turned around to meet her. At the same time, Ryder hissed in my ear.
“Shi—”
I looked up, and the smile dropped from my face instantly. You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.
“Christina?”
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Acknowledgements
There are
so many people I’d like to thank and for so many different reasons.
My partner Trent for believing in me and my dreams and for not thinking I’m crazy to even try, because let’s face it, every couple of years I have this new idea and life goal that I never follow through on. But I guess I did it this time, so your constant support has meant so much.
My children for thinking it’s so cool that Mummy is writing a story and for giving me the time to actually write when I needed it. Love you guys more than anything.
My family and friends for their unending support. They’re like my own little cheer squad.
Abbie Lee and her amazing team of beta readers who made this story possible. Without you, this book may never have seen the light of day.
Limitless Publishing for taking a chance on an unknown author and believing in both me and my story enough to want to publish it, something I thought would only ever be a dream.
My wonderful editor Laura Kammerer for making this book shine and sparkle the way it should.
As well as Deranged Doctor Designs for creating this epically gorgeous cover.
And, last but not least, my best bishes Fiona Keane and Jessyca Stewart, without whom this book wouldn’t have even been possible. Your continued support, feedback, and random late-night Instagram chats have kept me sane through this entire process. Though we are literally oceans apart, I couldn’t have done it without you.
Thank you all.
About the Author
R. Linda drinks wine and writes books.
A coffee-addicted, tattoo-enthusiastic fangirl with a slight obsession for a particular British boy band and solo artist, she is a writer of Contemporary YA/NA Romance and Suspense, sometimes dabbling in Paranormal as well.
Renee lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and two sons. When not writing, she can often be found reading books to her children and cuddling up with them on the couch to watch their favourite movies.
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