by SJ Cavaletti
“With your Dad’s business card?”
It was hard to explain to Drake what went on in my convoluted mind. The card. It let Drake know not only that I wanted to see him again. But that I believed in him, too.
I took the card from him and looked at the writing on it.
“Drake… The card phone number links to my Dad’s old PA, who still works at his company.”
I looked up again, “Reckless Integrity.”
Eyes opened to the point of me seeing his whites. What that card meant dawned on him. He shook his head, either trying to put the jumble of thoughts back in order, or searching for some sense… I didn’t know.
I spelled it out for him. “Drake, that card means two things to me. One, my Dad brought it here with an intention of giving it to someone if he thought they needed his help. I’m sure he didn’t just mean to give out a record deal, my Dad had a lot more to offer than that…”
“A record deal?”
The shock factor of what was happening seemed to have stunted Drake’s logic.
“Yes. A record deal.”
“Your Dad… was THE Mitch Lewis?”
I shook my head. Yes, he was.
A pesky tear escaped out of a nearby duct. Drake put his hand on my cheek and wiped it away with his thumb.
“I don’t think I understand still, Maeve.”
“Maybe I don’t either. Drake, I… want to see you again. And that’s really hard for me to say because, like I said, I don’t make the first move. But I was really proud of myself because I was going to say it to you, even if you hadn’t told me you wanted me in Seattle. And that’s a big move. So it tells me you are special. Special enough for me to let down my walls.”
“You could have just given me your number.”
“I could have. But… whatever happens between us, which might be…”
“Don’t say it.”
“I’m just saying, who knows, right? Things will be different when we wash off the dust and go back to our real lives. But I wanted you to know that regardless of me, and what happens with us, I believe in you. You’re talented, Drake. And I don’t want you to give up. And my Dad? He would have given you this. I know it a thousand percent. After hearing your song. Your lyrics. Your voice is a gift.”
I looked down at my hands.
“And it just so happens that I work there, too. So I thought… if you wanted to get a hold of me…”
Suddenly Drake’s arms smothered me and my face enjoyed his rock hard torso, his smell, his beautiful body once more.
“Are you always going to make simple things complicated?” His voice rumbled through his ribcage.
“I hope not. But maybe.”
We peeled apart, and our faces aligned. He breathed me in before kissing my lips. It was less of a kiss and more like his pout hoped to fall asleep there forever and never wake up. Little movement. Lots of love.
He had his eyes closed and when he finally spoke, I opened mine, even though he didn’t.
“Thanks for believing in me, Maeve. I won’t let you down.”
When he looked at me again, his eyes, shiny like polished onyx, hypnotized me. Under the spell of those eyes, I changed my life. There was no doubt about it, Drake would always be, no matter what transpired, a pivotal turning point in my life. Making me better. Making me grow. He watered me and gave me the sun.
“Drake, I have love for you.”
“Oh, you love me?”
His damn dimple bragged, and he bit his bottom lip.
“No, what I said was I HAVE love for you. And yeah, I’d like you in my life, but also a love that I want you to have everything regardless of me. That’s why I gave you that card. You don’t owe me anything, just so you know.”
“I know I don’t owe you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I pre-paid.”
He took my hands in his and squeezed them.
“Because I loved you first.”
Hi Reader Who I Appreciate So Very Much! Three important things!
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1. If you enjoyed this novel it would mean a lot to me to see your review! It lets other readers know this book is worth buying. This means I can keep writing! I’d so appreciate it; writing means the world to me. Just click here to give me your opinion.
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2. FREEBIE! Want to hear Drake’s song? I collaborated with an incredible lyricist, singer-songwriter Dylan Dean. Sign up to my newsletter and you can hear his exclusive recording of “The High Ledge” recorded just for Burn With Me readers! https://www.subscribepage.com/s8k7q9
* * *
3. Wonder why El is so taken with not missing a chance at love? Because he lost his. Only she’s back. Will El get a second chance? Read about El and Liz in The Way We Were. The second standalone romance in the Take Me Home series.
* * *
Here’s the blurb!
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It wasn’t my fault but she couldn’t forgive me.
The accident that ripped us apart was just that. An accident. But it changed Liz’s life forever, and then, it changed mine.
Liz Jones was the love of my life. Beautiful. Creative. Intelligent. She wanted to save the world. We were supposed to do it together. Too bad we couldn’t save ourselves.
Now, five years after giving me back my engagement ring, Liz has asked to meet. At Festival Uyu of all places.
Is she here to find closure? Or can I make her open the door again?
* * *
Pre-order link here: https://books2read.com/u/47NNaA
26
BONUS: The Way We Were Sneak Peek
LIZ
Present Day
Miami
“Dear El…”
No. Too formal.
“Hey El!”
Crap. Give me a break. Way too as if we’ve actually seen each other lately.
“Hi El…”
In front of my computer, in the dark of my home office at 12:43am, my eyes stung from the blue light. I’d been staring at the screen for at least an hour after having already pulled a twelve hour shift earlier. I had sat down before midnight to get this email going but put it off, toggling to and from Google and tasks on my Trello board. Answering emails from my agent and teams.
But I was getting tired. And I couldn’t wait any longer to write. I had already put this email off for months.
Since I bought a ticket to Uyu.
Which was actually almost a year ago. And now, tomorrow, I’d be getting on a plane to head to this crazy festival. I had to tell El I’d be there and I had to tell him now. I’d be leaving in the morning, and likely he would be, too. It was already awkward that I’d waited so long.
Elias was smart enough to know I didn’t buy my ticket yesterday.
A year ago, my PR manager, Simone, mentioned it might be an interesting story for publicity. If I went to Uyu, made a commentary on it for some of the outlets we work with a lot. She thought the community we reach might find it an interesting story. The festival come social experiment had gained mainstream popularity and people would wonder about inclusivity.
Maybe she spun this story just because she wanted to go herself. I had my doubts about accessibility, time, so many things. Surviving dust storms in and of itself sounded like a good reason to stay home.
But deeper than logistics, there was something else.
Simone didn’t know. She had no clue that I had been invited to Uyu many times before her offer arrived in my inbox.
El.
The first time I was supposed to go to Uyu, it was supposed to be with El. Her email, rather than flood me with thoughts of opportunity, drowned me with memories. And when I finally clawed my way to the top for some air, the answer was clear.
Yes. Not only did I want to go; I wanted to see him again. Hard as it was, closure was long overdue.
It had been five years.
Five years of once or twice a year, cordial emails, as if he was a potential client that I needed to
keep in my network. Five years of hearts and likes on the occasional social media post.
Trying to show that I meant it when I said we should still be friends.
I brought a mound of air into my chest, let it out and told my fingers to get typing.
“Hi El- I hope this note finds you well. You won’t believe this but after years of your nagging invitations, I’m finally going to this Uyu place! I have some high expectations of debauchery and deep moments. And maybe I’ll see you? We’re camping at D and January with a camp called Vertical Soul. Stop by if you have time! Love, “
No. Not love.
“Sincerely…”
Geez.
“Xoxo?”
Ugh.
“Hope to see you there, Liz.”
Acknowledgments
Cover Design By Vikncharlie
About the Author
SJ Cavaletti is an American contemporary romance author. She lives on a small farm in England with her husband, three kids, ponies, cat, dogs, chickens and likely many more animals by the time you read this.
When she’s not writing, she can be found hiking and swimming in the sea. Like every respectable woman she also loves drinking champagne and eating half of every chocolate in a truffles box.
Also by SJ Cavaletti
Also In the Take Me Home Series
The Way We Were
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The Path Less Taken Trilogy
One More Year
Down the Rabbit Hole
Angel In Between