All That Remains (28 page)

“But why then didn’t you ever tell me the truth. You acted like you had no idea where he was or why,” she points out, and West’s hand goes around her back.

“I was trying to protect you from getting hurt. I thought you’d get over it. As time went by and you slipped deeper and deeper into a depression, I realized I might have done the wrong thing, but I couldn’t change it at that point.”

Jules swipes at her cheeks as her father stands there waiting for her to say something.

“He called me earlier this week, Jules. We talked for a while and I forgave him.” West turns her cheek to look into her eyes. “What really matters is that we are together now.”

“No thanks to him.”

“You’re wrong. He may have handled it wrong, but in the end what he and my dad did… it helped me. If I hadn’t worked through my grief about my mom, and then about you and the guilt I felt, I’d still be that scared guy waiting to screw up again.” He looks at her, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Forgive him. He loves you.”

She nods, looking at her father. “I’m still angry with you. What you did to us hurt, but you’ve been my biggest supporter my entire life and I know you love me.”

Rushing forward, she allows her father to haul her into his chest for a tight hug.

“You have to accept that we are together, daddy. I’m going to marry him some day.” The second she says it, she curses herself mentally.

Her father pulls her back and looks a bit shell shocked at her, “Marriage?”

“Well, I mean -”

“Yes, sir.” West steps in as she stumbles to find an excuse for her words. “I plan on marrying your daughter someday, but don’t worry. I’ll ask for permission first. If she lets me,” he teases.

Thirty-Three

West

New Year’s Eve.

It was always West’s mothers favorite holiday and, as West dances under the stars with Jules, he can’t help but think of how much she’d love this night. Tonight was a night for lovers as they watched Carson and Mindy tie the knot in a small, romantic ceremony on a beach in St. Lucia. It was intimate and perfect and something his mother would have planned. When they’d decided on New Year’s for their wedding date, they knew it would be best to go small, so they chose a destination wedding with only Mindy’s parents, her best friend growing up, Jules, Austin, West, and their Dad. They decided to have a huge reception party in mid-January for all of their friends and the extended family.

Jules, standing there across from him in her strapless cream dress and her red hair tied up, exposing her long neck to his gaze, had made him crazy all night. He couldn’t stop thinking about the moment when he would pledge his life with hers someday.

Last year for New Years, he sat in his room at Crestdale and looked at the ceiling in misery that he would never get her back. This year, he’s the MVP of the National Junior College Football Championship game, he’s waiting for the official word that he will be starting for A&M in the fall, and if that’s not enough, he’s dancing in the Caribbean with the love of his life and contemplating taking her gown off as soon as the new year rings in.

“What are you thinking?” she asks.

They’ve been swaying to the music of the waves for the last thirty minutes, the sound of revelry from the resort in the distance. He looks down at her and smiles at the way she is watching him.

“I was thinking how much I’d love to undress you right now,” he admits boldly.

She smiles and drops her hand to his pant pocket, removing his phone and checking the time.

“Only five minutes, and then you can have your way with me.”

“Promise?”

“Absolutely. I’d be offended if you didn’t,” she smiles and laughs, kissing him deeply as they resume their dancing.

“What are
you
thinking about?” West asks a moment later.

She smiles up at him, the moonlight shining in her blue eyes. The warm water laps at their feet as they stand in the sand.

“I was thinking about how far we’ve come.”

He kisses the tip of her nose, “How so?”

“I cheered for your team when you played Pop Warner in fifth grade. You probably don’t remember-”

West chuckles softly. “Are you kidding me? Of course I remember. Where do you think that crush I had on you came from?”

She stops swaying and shakes her head with a rueful smile. “Our paths were always on course with each other’s, West Rutledge. From fifth grade to kisses in a closet, to finding each other in the wreckage and creating this beautiful love out of the ruins of our lives after the tornado. We were meant to be, weren’t we?”

“Baby, we’ve been through more storms than two people our age should have to go through, but you know what? We’re still here, together.”

A few minutes later, the music cuts off and they hear the party guests start to count down from twenty-five.

“Hey, cheerleader?”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to love you for the rest of your life. You’re okay with that, right?”

“Promise?”

“Absolutely.”

“You know, you’re not really such a bad boy, Rutledge.”

He leans down and presses a kiss to the ticklish skin below her ear and whispers, “I would be happy to show you just how bad I can be, Buffy.”

“I have no doubt you would enjoy that.” She smiles and pushes him back. “However, I’ve decided you are now my Angel.”

“Seriously? I’m Angel now, huh? The one you want to be with, even though you shouldn’t be?” he challenges, raising his brows. Jules shakes her head.

“No. You’re the guy I want and always belonged with, but things happened and life got in the way. Buffy and Angel — everyone knew they were meant to be together from the first time he walked into her life.”

“That’s some damn fine logic,” he whispers into her ear as the revelers behind them celebrate and shouts of ‘happy new year’ fill the air and fireworks light up the sky.

“You know what?” he whispers, pulling her gaze from the colorful display over the ocean and leaning down to kiss her. “I want you to know that when all is said and done, no matter where we are or what we have, we will be okay even if our love is all that remains, because I don’t need anything as long as I have you. I know it’s not going to be easy with football and school, and I know we’re young-” He stops pointing out their obstacles when Jules frowns at him.

“My point is this is a new year and it’s the first year of the rest of our lives. Happy new year, love.”

“Happy new year. Now kiss me and take me to bed.”

“Yes ma’am,” West laughs and scoops Jules into his arms, kissing her deeply as a rainbow of colorful fireworks light up the sky.

My dearest reader,

From the moment I began writing From The Wreckage, my intention was to write a book as real as life itself. I didn’t wrap every storyline up with a pretty bow, and I didn’t touch much on some plot points after the initial mention because you don’t always get all the answers in life.

I will let you in on a secret though. My goal is to write more about these characters in the future. Right now I have two other stories I MUST finish, but I am hoping to come out with a series of standalone stories based on the From The Wreckage characters in 2015. The series will be called ‘Wrecked” and the best part is you will get to follow-up on Jules and West. So if you were hoping for that ‘happily ever after’ ending you might try checking these books out.

I hope this prospect excites you. I’d love to hear from you and know who you’d like to get their own book.

Thank you for sharing this series with me. I sincerely hope you loved reading it as much as I loved writing it. I put my heart into Jules and West and will always love them.

As always, I’d love for you to take a moment and write a quick review on the site where you purchased the book or on other online book sites. It's super easy and it helps me out a bunch since I'm an Indie author, and we need all the help we can get. I appreciate any time you take to leave a review and always try my best to read all of them. Also, share! Word of mouth is our best marketing tool, so please tell your friends to check out the From The Wreckage series, I would appreciate it beyond belief.

I love hearing from readers, please feel free to chat me up on Twitter or my Facebook page. Check out my Pinterest page too for cool pics, quotes and other things that show you more of my creative side and inspirations when writing my stories.

Most of all, keep reading! I hope that you will try out my other titles, but also those of other Indie authors. There are a ton of amazing stories out there waiting to be discovered by you!

Other Titles by Author

The Prophecy of Tyalbrook Trilogy - YA Fantasy Romance

Never Let You Fall

Never Let You Go

Never Without You - Avail Late 2014

The Last Call Series - NA Contemporary Romance

Last Call (Suspense)

From The Wreckage Series - Coming of Age Drama

From The Wreckage

Out of Ruins

All That Remains

Acknowledgments

To all of the people who buy, read and review my books, thank you. Plain and simple. I am especially touched by those who take the time to send me notes on Facebook. I can’t tell you how I feel when I see a new note telling me what you think of a character or a new review talking about the storyline. A million thanks to each of you.

My street team - Chele’s Belles - these ladies help give me advice when I’m stuck, they BETA for me, they check out the teasers I create and help pimp me out. For that I am forever grateful.

Cheri Gracey, Samantha Eaton-Roberts, Kayla Hargaden, Danielle Young, Tanya Johnson, Megan Bagley, Jessica Smith, Chelcie Holguin, Mandy Anderson, Marla Wenger, Destiny Love, Megan Hornyak, Nancy Byers, Courtney Willging, Laura Helseth and Tess Watson.

To the bloggers and book pimpers: you ROCK! I can’t say it enough. Each person who has liked, shared, re-tweeted me. I am grateful.

To the hundreds of authors I am blessed to interact with, you inspire me to be better every day. Thank you for your guidance, laughter, wisdom and your sharing and pimping. They let me know I’m not alone in this imaginary world I create.

My #Fierce5 sisters, Christy Foster, Mindy Hayes, Starla Huchton and Sarah Ashley Jones - words are not necessary.

You girls complete me.

To Jonathan, Grayson, Gabe and Belle- thank you for allowing me the freedom to work so hard to achieve my goals. You sacrifice so much so that I can work. You are my true inspirations!

A Special thanks to the professionals who help me look good:

Rick Miles and Kris Pittman with
Red Coat Public Relations

Samantha Eaton-Roberts, Editor

Starla Huchton with
Designed by Starla
, Cover Designer

About The Author

Michele is the author of six books, ranging from Coming of Age Fantasy to Contemporary Romance to New Adult Romantic Suspense.

You can find links to purchase any of her titles
HERE

Having grown up in both the cold, quiet town of Topsham, Maine and the steamy, southern hospitality of Mobile, Alabama, Michele is something of an enigma. She is an avid Yankees fan, loves New England, being outdoors and misses snow. However she thinks southern boys are hotter, Alabama football is the only REAL football out there and sweet tea is the best thing this side of heaven and her children's laughter!

Her family, an amazing husband and three awesome kids, have planted their roots in the middle of Michele's two childhood homes in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Email:
[email protected]
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleGMiller
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/chelemybelles
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/chelemybelles/
Website:
http://michelegmillerbooks.com
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6975382.Michele_G_Miller

If you’ve loved the From The Wreckage series, you might check out

Killing Me Softly by Devyn Dawson

And

Me After You by Mindy Hayes

These two CLEAN New adult romances are fabulous tearjerkers.

Check out the excerpts…

ATR

Killing Me Softly

By Devyn Dawson

www.devyndawson.com

Preface

I glance down at my black pointy-toed high heels and realize they’re the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. Andy’s mom let me borrow a pair of Andy’s shoes since we wear the same size. It will take me a while to think of her in the past tense. Looking around the room all I see are strangers. None of these people knew her like I did. No one knew the way she loved soft furry blankets and in the summer she loved softy silky pajamas. They didn’t know that she spent more time praying for her friends and animals than she did for herself. No, they didn’t know those things, and they never will.

My best friend, Andy, died four days ago in a car accident with her boyfriend Doug. A car crossed over the center lane and hit them head on. The police say they died instantly. I talked to her exactly ten minutes before the crash, she told me she was going to stop by on her way home. We’ve always done that; stop by on our way home from shopping to show what we bought. Doug took her to Dallas to pick up a guitar and to go shopping. Andy’s parents have money. They spoiled her, but she never acted spoiled. She was kind and giving. For her birthday, her dad gave her a prepaid credit card. She had to keep her grades up, if she did, he’d load a thousand dollars on the card every month for a year. That’s more money than I make at my job. When I go shopping, I hit the thrift stores and yard sales. Just because I don’t spend tons of money on clothes, doesn’t mean I don’t look like I do. There’s a thrift shop not too far from here that I find the best deals. If the outfit doesn’t fit me, I do the alterations myself. My money is from my job at the vitamin store in the mall. Eight dollars an hour doesn’t go far when you’re the bread winner in your family.