Breathing For The First Time (21 page)

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Other Titles by Mary E Thompson

Love On Deck Series

In Front Of Me, Book One

Available Now

Paige Stack is ready to have some fun. Out for one last hurrah with her two best friends, Paige is looking for a fabulous fling to forget her ex. What she finds is Dante, a stunning guy who promises to be more than willing to push every other man from her mind, and heart. Their five days together leave both of them wanting more, but the distance between them in reality stop a future from beginning.

Until Paige shows up to her first day of work and finds Dante sitting at the desk next to her. Will the magic from their fling carry over into real life? Can Paige trust a man again? Will Dante be the man Paige thought he was, or is he just another jerk?

Breathing For The First Time, Book Two

Available Now

Learning To Love, Book Three

Available October 1, 2013

Tiffany Wright has always focused on her career and her friends. Always the friend, and never the focus, Tiffany wants to find love for herself. And then Craig Meyer walks in.

Craig and Tiffany are paired together for their best friends’ wedding cruise. As roommates. Tiffany finds herself inexplicably attracted to him, but knows it’s never going to amount to anything since they live 800 miles apart. Their last night together, they share a passion that makes Tiffany want love in her life.

When Tiffany loses her job, she starts working with Craig, and lets herself imagine the love she lost. But Tiffany isn’t the only one with her sights set on Craig. Is Tiffany strong enough to fight for the man she wants? Will she finally go after what she wants? Is she really ready to love?

Finding Home

Available October 29, 2013

After walking in on her cheating ex-fiance’ Adaline Jameson heads south to her dad’s beach house, taking her best friend, Rosienna Walker, with her. The women are looking for an escape, but fall in love with the beautiful beaches of the small island of Shelly Isle. The men are pretty nice, too.

Adaline and Rosienna make Shelly Isle home, meeting the locals, settling into their new home, and getting chased by two of the town’s most eligible bachelors. As the women rebuild their lives, and their hearts, they find the courage to love again, and finally find home.

Wait For It

Available November 26, 2013

Cat Thomas is the only virgin left in River Pointe, New York. Or at least she feels that way. A moment of self doubt as a teenager made her commit to waiting until marriage, but now she wonders if it was the worst decision she’s ever made. All these years later, being a virgin is a much bigger deal, and finding ‘The One’ is even harder.

Ryder Hawkins is ready to escape his former life and looking for a quiet place to raise his seven year old daughter. He moves to River Pointe hoping to give his daughter a life he always wanted, stability and a loving parent. He only hopes he is enough for her.

When Cat meets Ryder, she thinks he’s just like every other man out there and doesn’t give him the time of day. Ryder quickly realizes Cat is different, and maybe she’s the missing piece of his life that could make him feel whole again. But can he capture her attention? And will Cat give up her commitment, or will she make Ryder wait for it?

More Than Adopted

Available December 24, 2013

Autumn Alexander has always felt like being adopted has defined her. Constantly in the background, even in her own life, she has let love pass her by more times than she can count. But Autumn is ready to take life into her own hands.

Autumn’s search for her birth family leads her to a truth she’s not prepared to hear, one that leaves her reeling. And there to save the day is her best friend, and man of her dreams, Ben Rogers. But when she needs him most, Autumn finds herself wishing it was her boyfriend, Nick Franklin, by her side.

Confused and heartbroken, Autumn has to find out which man she wants supporting her through it all. And whose heart she has to break. Autumn also needs to find out who she is, start living her life, and learn she’s more than adopted.

Excerpt From

Learning To Love

Mary E Thompson

CHAPTER ONE

Tiffany

“I can’t do it, it’s just too much for me. I really thought I could handle all of it, but I’m done. This way is so much better, and it’s such a weight off my mind. Plus, it’s really like me and Dante, right? I mean, we met on a cruise ship, it only makes sense that we should get married on one.”

Paige Stack, one of my two best friends, rambles on. I love Paige, but she’s been stressing over her wedding, flipping out because of all the plans. She calls me constantly, since I’m the planner of the group, but being 800 miles away, I haven’t been much help.

I think a part of me feels like if I could have been there for her she wouldn’t have given up on having a traditional wedding. But, Paige and Dante are not really traditional people. Oh, what the hell, another cruise will be fun.

I mentally return to the conversation as I hear Paige saying, “So Brooke and Tyler will be in one suite, you and Dante’s best man, Craig, will be in another one. We want to pay for y’all since we’re springing this on you. But the cruise ship won’t let anyone be in a room alone so you and Craig have to share. Is that okay?”

The hopeful tone of her voice tells me how important this is to her, but I am not looking forward to five days in a room with a complete stranger. Oh, man, what choice do I have?

“Does it matter if it’s okay?” I ask Paige, knowing I’m at risk of pissing off a very anxious bride who’s already cancelled one wedding.

I’m on thin ice asking her anything. She and Dante got engaged about six months ago and were going to get married on New Year’s Eve in Charleston. Paige has obviously lost it, but the date never changed. I knew something was up when I hadn’t received an invitation at Thanksgiving.

Apparently Paige and Dante needed to talk to their families, and wanted to do it in person. At Thanksgiving dinner last week, they sprung the change on their families. Dante’s parents live in Tennessee, where they visited first. Paige said his mom and dad were thrilled about going on another cruise. They were cruising to celebrate Mikaela’s, Dante’s sister, high school graduation when Paige and Dante met. We had just graduated college and were celebrating on our own.

His parents were excited about the cruise wedding, and happy to be going to some new ports for this trip. Paige’s parents were a different story.

Paige’s mom and dad divorced when she was in middle school. She and her two sisters stayed with their mom, but their dad remarried and has two boys. Her dad was all for the trip, and so was his family. Paige’s mom is unsure about being on a boat for days.

Dante talked Ronnie, Paige’s mom, into coming onboard, telling her it’s a lot of fun and that she’ll love it. I guess he channeled his inner planner and told her about all the activities onboard and the different shore excursions. She finally agreed, and their plans were set.

They obviously weren’t worried about me when they decided on this whole plan. Why in the world am I stuck with someone I’ve never met?

“Craig is a good guy, Tiff. I know this isn’t really a great situation for you, but We’ll keep you busy with wedding stuff and y’all will barely have to spend any time together. I promise. It’ll be fun.”

“Okay. I know how important this is to you. I’ll be a good sport about it.” I give in, but don’t bother to keep the irritation from my voice.

Paige doesn’t notice because she’s too busy squealing in my ear. I pull the phone away from my head, but not before my ear drum protests the intrusion. I smile in spite of the pain, knowing this is probably the biggest thing weighing on her at this point. It’ll be fine. I know it.

*******

What was I thinking? I must have been drunk when Paige convinced me to share a room with a complete stranger for five days. Too late now.

Paige and Dante were supposed to wait for me in the terminal, but they ended up with priority boarding because of the wedding. All their guests were given the same, so they all went on without me. My flight was late landing in Miami so I’m stuck boarding with all the other passengers, surrounded by happy travelers in pairs and groups. And then there’s me, alone and looking pretty sad.

I finally make it through the check-in process and board the ship. I want to go find my room, drop off my bag, and find my friends. A rest wouldn’t be so bad either, but I’m not sure I’ll get the chance today.

I climb the stairs to the Verandah deck to my room. I find my room easily, but the door is closed. That means Craig is either inside or has the keys and left the room. I am not prepared for an introduction right now.

I knock on the door anyway, part of me hoping he’s there so I can get in the room and part of me hoping he’s not. After a minute, I realize it doesn’t matter what I want, he’s not here. I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Paige. Hopefully Craig is with her and I can get into my room.

Paige doesn’t answer. Her voicemail clicks in saying she’s away getting married and that she’ll return calls when she gets home. Maybe Brooke will answer me.

Brooke Jeffries is the third part of our trio. We met in college at University of South Carolina - that’s USC to us, or just Carolina. We stayed close friends throughout our four years and have been there for each other since. Last summer Brooke had a meltdown when she found out her boyfriend got his ex-girlfriend pregnant (don’t get me started) and came to visit me. Brooke and I were there for Paige when she was flipping out over Dante the year before. And now we’re all here for the wedding.

I’m really excited to see my friends. After graduation, I moved back home to Buffalo, New York. I missed my family and wanted to experience four seasons again. I’ve been home for 18 months, and a part of me misses South Carolina. I also miss college life, but I know there’s no going back.

Brooke is still in college, getting her master’s in psychology. She and Tyler, her boyfriend (yeah, she stayed with him after the pregnancy thing, long story), are in school together. They graduate this spring and are planning to move to Charleston, near Paige and Dante.

Brooke is great, and despite the whole pregnancy thing, she and Tyler are perfect together. He is really good to her and she adores him. My first impression of Tyler was anything but good, but he’s shown that he’s really a great guy and that he deserves to be loved by a woman like Brooke.

In some ways, I’m jealous of my best friends. I’ve never felt that having a man in my life would bring it any sort of meaning, but I’ve also never been in love. I tried a few times, but it wasn’t ever right. And now my two best friends are basically settled, and there’s single me, stuck in a room for five days with a stranger.

Brooke’s phone rings and I wait for her to answer. A wash of relief comes over me when I hear, “Hi, Tiff! Where are you?”

I hear Tyler’s voice in the background, telling her to tell me to get over there. “I’m outside my room. I can’t get in because no one is here and the door is locked. Are you with Paige? I need to find Craig.”

Brooke fills Tyler in on what’s going on and tells me they’ll be right here.

I drop my bags to the floor and lean against the wall next to my door. I hear Brooke laughing before she rounds the corner. She runs to me, her long blonde hair bouncing with each step, and pulls me into a tight hug while Tyler crosses the distance to our sides. When Brooke lets go Tyler drops a kiss on my cheek and we say hello.

Brooke produces a key and hands it to me. I slide the card in the door and hear the click of the lock releasing. I look to Brooke and Tyler. Brooke says, “We came onboard with Craig and he gave me the extra key. He said you’ve never met and wouldn’t know who he was, but figured you’d call me. I guess he was right.”

I push into the room and Brooke and Tyler follow me in. I see a black backpack on the floor next to the closet, but no other sign that anyone has been here. Brooke drops to one of the beds while I look through the room.

This suite is similar to the one Brooke, Paige, and I shared on our last cruise. We went away for spring break last year, almost ten months ago. The suite is amazing. Each bed is covered in a fluffy white tufted comforter, crisp white sheets, and endless white pillows. The towels in the bathroom are the same crisp white and the matching bathrobes look as comfortable as the bed.

I cross the soft blue carpet to the balcony and open the door. I step out onto it and let the breeze of the ocean pass over me. We haven’t left the dock yet, but we’re on the outside of the port, away from the dock, and the ocean breeze is so refreshing.

I turn back and Brooke bounces on the bed. “You should take this one, it’s comfy.”

The corner of my mouth turns up and I consider my options. I’ve lived alone for 18 months, but I still don’t like to sleep next to the door. Taking the bed Brooke is bouncing on would mean I’m closer to the door. If I take the other bed, I’ll be closer to the balcony, which could be nice, especially if we ever leave the door open at night.

“I think I’ll take the one near the balcony, bounce on this one a few times and see if it passes the butt test.” I tell her. Brooke laughs at me, but tries the bed out.