Finding Me (Love's Not Easy Series Book 1) (19 page)

Letter fro
m the Author

I want to thank you for reading my first ever book. God instilled a desire for me to write Christian Books for some time. I have gave reason after reason why I could not do this but I recently developed some major unexplained dizzy spells. I cannot stand up for very long so I have been sitting a lot. God put it on my heart to write my Love’s not easy Series now. I discovered how to become an Indie Writer while I was reading a book from one of my favorite authors.  I knew God was speaking to me and I needed to do what he was telling me to do.  I hope that you listen to what God is telling you through my books.  I know for me the weeks I spent writing has lead me to finding me as well.  I pray when I write my books that God gives me the words he wants to be in the book and for those words to touch the hearts of the people who read the books as well.

God Bless You

Love Nicole Rickman

Discussio
n Questions

Aimee compared the restoration of Wise Chapel to how God restores us from being ugly sinners to redeemed Christians.  Think of how God redeemed you from sin and restored you.  How has your life changed since you have been redeemed?

LJ admitted to Aimee that he did not understand Christianity.  How would you respond to someone who told you they did not understand Christianity?

During the ski trip Aimee allowed Lexi and Piper to talk her into acting like someone she was not to impress LJ.  Have you pretended to be something you are not to impress a guy?  If so discuss how that has made you feel or if not why you felt it was important to stay true to you?

When Aiden got drunk and hangover he did not keep his commitment to Aimee.  She became very upset with him and confronted. Later she felt like she did not act like a Christian to Aiden.  How would you handle that situation?

When Aimee let LJ kiss her it was a huge thing for her because she did believe kissing was something special.  Why do you think she felt that way?

How would you handle LJ not calling or texting for two and a half months?  Especially after he said he would.

Aimee was upset at Aiden when he referred to himself as the spare. Have you ever felt like you were the spare?  Why?

Josiah realized his was an alcoholic after he and Colin had their fight and he moved out.  When he came back to let them know the changes in his life he told Colin that God used that fight to show him he needed to change. How has God used a bad situation and turned it to a positive for you?

How should Aimee handle her mix feelings between Aiden and LJ?

When you read the book.

About
the Author

Nicole Rickman is a new author who feels she has been called to write Christian Fiction.  Her dream is to write books that will inspire the young and the young at heart.  She wants the readers of today to see we can have good books to read that is not full of profanity and negativity.  She wants to touch them with stories of situations they can relate to and prays her readers can they find a piece of them in the book.

Nicole lives in Eastern KY with her husband Bill and their son Luke.  Luke is their nine year old miracle that God gave to them after the doctors said she couldn’t have children.  Every time she looks in his blues eyes and sees his face that is a combination of her and her husband she remembers how God is control.

You can visit Nicole on her Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com

Did you find anything about yourself? If so how?

Breakthrough

Love’s Not Easy Book Two

Chapter One

Aimee sat on her bed looking out her window.  She had been back in the States four weeks now; and, the entire experience has been horrible for her. It began with her dad having her intern with his campaign team; instead of, working at his office, like they had planned.  To make matters worse, all she did was stuff envelopes.  She learned absolutely nothing about business or marketing.

Deandre decided that Aimee should be in more episodes of the Clint and Deandre Show. The producers were subtitling the show as The Reality of Becoming a Politician.   Camera crews were everywhere Aimee turned.  They were trying to get more footage of her for season three.  Hiding was becoming nearly impossible; so, Aimee was doing the most boring things she could find, in an attempt to be edited out of the show.

Her job at Clint Pittman Campaign Headquarters’ was officially over; and, she could not be any happier, with the exception that being home more would mean more cameras.  She would just have to get creative and find ways to avoid them.

No one else was planning on being home today, and the crew was following her dad.  So, she planned to go up to the attic and search for more of her mom’s stuff.

First, she noticed her cell was blinking to alert her of text messages.  Piper, her best friend she meet when they shared a room together in a European boarding school, had text her for the first time this summer.

Hi, Aimee.  How has your Summer Holiday been so far?  Mine is going so great. I am so excited because my parents got saved last night.  James and I are spending so much time together.  I love him more every day.  We received the stuff you sent for Vacation Bible School and the kids are so excited.  I wish you could be here to help us with it.  Is LJ calling or texting you?  I will call you soon.  Love you Bestie.

Aimee hit reply
:  Hey, so glad you are having a great summer.  You and James are so great together.  I am so glad God chose him for you.  I just finished my horrible three week internship with dad.  It turned out to be with his campaign, not his office.  Today starts my summer vacation.  LJ is calling all the time.  I will tell you more when we talk.  Love you Bestie.

The other text was from a guy she went out with a few times named LJ. 
Hey, Aimee.  I am so sorry I did not call you last night.  I tried to call earlier this morning, but it went straight to your voice mail.  I will try to call you later.  I can’t wait until I hear your voice.

Aimee checked the time, it was ten am. So, it was four pm. in Neahovia.  She decided she would call him.  The phone rang four times before he picked it up.

“Hey, I thought I would change things up a bit and call you.”

“Hey babe.  I am glad you decided to call me.  I wanted to call you back, but I was not for sure if you had to work today.”

“No.  My internship is over.”

“I bet you are happy?”

“Yes, definitely.  How was your day?”

“It just got better when you called.  I got my dorm assignment today, and I will be staying in Chester Hall.”

“Wow.  That is great.  I hear it is the ultimate Senior Hall.”

“Yes, it is great.”

“I can’t wait until I come back to Neahovia.  I miss you guys so much.”

“That is why I was trying to call.  I have an opportunity to get tickets for the Theater in August.  Do you know what day you are returning, so I can get our tickets for that week?  We can celebrate your return to Neahovia.”

“I am not sure of the exact date just yet.  Let me check with my dad and I will let you know in a few days.”

A tap on the door took Aimee’s attention for a second.  “LJ, hang on someone is at my bedroom door.”  She yelled for them to come in.

“Aimee, guess what?  Your father just called, we are going to a Gala at the country club tonight.”  Her stepmom Deandre rushed through the door, followed by Aimee’s cousins, Mindy and Tara.

“Deandre, I was thinking of spending the evening alone at home.”

“Nonsense.”  Tara plopped down on Aimee’s bed.

“Yeah.  Your dad gave us his credit card.  New cocktail dresses all around.”  Mindy grinned.

“Fine, whatever.  Excuse me, I am on the phone.”

She turned her back to everyone.  “Sorry, LJ, I am back.”

“You still don’t like to be told what to do?”  He was chuckling.

She was smiling ear to ear.  “Not at all.  So, we were discussing our date.”

“Did I hear you right, did you just refer to a night at the theater with me as a date?”

“Yes, you did.  What days are the tickets available?”

“The dates available are August eleventh through the fourteenth.”

“I think I can arrange to be back to Neahovia by then.  I need to go, but I promise to call you as soon as I know the exact day.”

“Ok.  Have fun with your cousins today and tonight.  Don’t be kissing every guy you dance with.”

“Oh, you know me, dear, I am not one to kiss and tell.”

He was laughing so hard he snorted.  “Bye, love.”

Tara and Mindy sat up on the bed.  “Who is LJ?”

Aimee went to her closet to get an outfit.  “One of my friends from Neahovia.”

“A friend you have a date with when you go back to Neahovia?  You are talking about kissing him and he called you love.  Spill the beans, now Aimee.”  Tara winked at her.

“Ok, because of my dad tricking me with the internship, we have not had a chance to catch up.  LJ is a third year business student.  He is a friend of one of my roommates.  I met him when my roommate, Aiden, and I had to go to a dinner for first year business management students.  LJ went on the ski trip I told you about, when I was home for Christmas Break.  Anyway, we hung out a lot.  On Valentine’s Day, we went out on a date.  We kissed three times.  He said that he would call the next day, but didn’t call.”

Aimee paused.  “Two and half months later, I ran into him at a non- alcoholic club my roommates and I went to.  He came over and we talked.  He apologized for not calling and wanted a second chance.  I put him back into friend zone to see how serious he is.”

Mindy was biting her bottom lip.  “I am trying not to laugh; because, I know how serious you are about kissing guys being a big deal.  Plus, it was big of you to give him a second chance.”

Tara hit Mindy.  “I think it is sweet.  He must be passing your test, because you have a date with him.”

Aimee was ready to shower, just before entering the bathroom she turned to look at her cousins.  “We have a date.  But, it will be awhile before his lips caress against mine again.”

Tara drove her car to Cassie’s Dress Shop.  Aimee was looking through the summer cocktail dresses when her phone rang.  She had a hard time finding it in her; purse, then some lady shoved her in the side, trying to get to a dress she was looking at.

“Hello.”  Aimee moved away from the dresses.

“Hey, Aimee.  How are you?  I miss spending time with one of my besties.”

“Lexi, hi.  I am doing great.  I am missing you guys so much.  How are you?”

“Great.  Listen, when you are coming back to Neahovia?”

“You are the second person to ask me that today.”

“Well, my friend, you are being missed horribly.”

Aimee giggled.  “Whatever.  What’s up?”

“A trip to the spa with a small group from Wise Chapel.”

“That sounds great.”

“I will let you know as soon as I know the day I leave.  Where are you?”

“The palace.”

“Are you having fun there?”

Aiden grabbed the phone from Lexi.  “Hey, Aimee.  How is my favorite American?”

“Hey, Aiden.  I am great, and, because I am so happy to hear your voice, I am letting that slide.”

“You know I am just kidding.  Is today your first day off the job?”

“Yes, and you will never guess what I am doing.”

“Shopping.”  He laughed very loud.

“Oh, you are so psychic.”

“No, I just know you, Aimee.  Lexi is making me give her phone back.  I will call you later tonight.”

“Ok, I have a Gala to go to; so, I will be home around midnight here or five in the morning your time.”

“Talk to you then.”

Lexi grabbed her phone.  “Aimee, call me as soon as you make your reservations.  I will take care of the details for the spa.”

“Sounds great.  I hate to hang up, but I am shopping for a Gala tonight.”

The rest of the day, Aimee had to answer questions about her first year of college.  Tara and Mindy were so relentless with the questions.  Aimee left out most of the details about Aiden.  She did not tell them he was Princes Aiden, or that she nearly kissed him twice.

Today was the first day she had talked to Aiden since she returned home for the summer vacation.  They had been texting each other, but hearing his voice immediately reminded her of how much she missed Aiden, and the times they almost kissed.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Gala started at seven pm.  Aimee arrived with her dad and stepmom a little after seven.  Deandre loved to be fashionably late.  When she stepped out of the car, she immediately spotted Morgan, her high school prom date, standing by the entrance.

He came straight over to her and extended his arm for her to take.  “I was so excited to hear that I have the pleasure of escorting you tonight.”

“Excuse me, I never agreed to that.”

Clint took her arm.  “Aimee, dear, can you please humor me tonight?”

“You owe me big time, dad.”

Aimee returned to Morgan and followed him to the dance floor.  She danced a few slow songs with him before it was time for the dinner part of the Gala.

Aimee and Morgan sat at the table with her father, stepmother, and his campaign team.  She sat quietly as she ate her dinner.  When she saw Mrs. Pennington (the Richmond society gossip queen) coming to the table to chit chat, Aimee tried to leave the table, but Deandre stopped her.  “She is very important to your father’s campaign, Aimee.”

Mrs. Pennington showed up, talking in her annoying, fake, nasal high society voice.  “Deandre, dear.  You look so lovely, and much too young to be the mother of this lovely girl.  Aimee, you look darling.”

Deandre smiled and nodded.  “Thank you, Mrs. Pennington.  You look very lovely as well.”

Aimee just smiled and gritted her teeth as she spoke.  “Thank you, Mrs. Pennington.  Deandre is my stepmother.  My mother passed away when I was ten.”

“Oh yes, dear, forgive me, I forgot.  You are in college, correct?”

“Yes, mam.”

“If I am correct, you are studying at the University of Richmond?”

Deandre answered before Aimee had a chance.  “Actually, Mrs. Pennington, Aimee has been studying abroad.  She is expanding her horizon.”

“Oh, that is wonderful, dear.”

“Thank you, mam, if you excuse me, I see my friends waiting on Morgan and me.”

When Aimee and Morgan reach Mindy and Tara, they were conversing with a small group of people, whom she did not know.

Tara had her arm interlaced with a tall skinny guy.  “Aimee, this is Ashton Meeks.”