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The House on the Ocean
Avelina
The taillights of the cab blurred as they got farther and farther away. I stood motionless, watching them fade into the distance. I could hear the waves crashing below but it was too dark to see the ocean. It was just a vast black nothingness, made even blacker by the illuminated house perched on the cliff. I knew Nate would be waiting for me. The delayed flight and broken GPS in the cab made it seem like the universe was making it hard on me to get back to him, but I was there, frozen in the street. The wind pushed against my back, encouraging me to go forward. I slowly made my way to the door with one tiny suitcase in hand. For a year I wondered about that moment. What would I say? What would I wear? Would Nate still want to be with me? I knew from the letters that he would be waiting. The doorknob turned with ease, so I made my way inside quietly. From the entryway I could see him, sitting at a desk, writing. He was turned away from the door so that he didn’t notice my presence. I had the urge to watch him for a few seconds before getting his attention. His arm was propped on the desk and his hand was lost in his hair as he leaned over the desk, his right hand flying across the page. His hair was a bit longer and he looked tan, which made me smile. He was wearing black jeans, no shoes, and a plain gray T-shirt. He looked casual and comfortable but his posture gave him a slightly dejected look. I wondered if it was because I was so late. “Nate,” I finally spoke. He turned in his chair and looked at me. He blinked a few times, showing little recognition. “Ava.” The word barely made a sound on his lips. He was testing it. He stood but stayed where he was. We watched each other for a moment. I saw his eyes dart everywhere. He looked at my suitcase then up and down my body. He swayed again. I dropped my suitcase and went to him. His hands gripped my face hard. Like the sun to the ocean, I sank into Nate before everything went quiet. We were together. “You’re here.” “Yes,” I said. “Why did you make me wait?” He pulled away and opened his eyes wide, accusatorily. “We agreed on a year.” “No, I mean today.” I looked away. “Oh, my flight . . .” “Never mind,” he said, then he smashed his mouth to mine. I melted into him. He pulled away suddenly and looked down at me, his eyes still wide. “So you planned to come back to me . . . all along, like you said you would?” “I was counting down the minutes from the moment I left you on my mother’s doorstep. I had to do it; I had to prove . . .” “Shh,” he said, stepping forward again and crushing his lips to mine. A second later, he pulled away abruptly again. I actually laughed this time. He smiled finally, sending both of us into a fit of laughter until we were almost crying. “We’re crazy. I can’t believe we did it.” I looked earnestly into his eyes. “Thank you for the letters. It was the only way I got through it. You motivated me, so thank you. You proved to me how strong you are and how much you want us to be together. I’ll never ask for proof again. Now I can trust you and I hope you can trust me, too.” “Barely.” He smiled. “You made it by the skin of your teeth, you know that?” “Ha! Nate Meyers, did you develop a sense of humor while I was gone?” He smirked. “I had to . . . to get through it.” We fell into each other’s arms. “I’m here now.” His expression turned serious. “If I blink, will you disappear?” “I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me forever. That’s just how I operate. I’m a hundred percent or nothing.” I was wearing a dress and a leather jacket when I walked into the house. Minutes later, I was wearing nothing at all. “So you won’t ever leave?” He carried me quickly down the hall to the bedroom. Our bedroom. “Never. My heart stays here.” He kissed me and smiled against my mouth. “Where have you been?” he whispered. “Growing up.” “Me too,” he replied quickly. We were a blur of bodies, trying to catch up on everything, interrupting each other with passionate kisses. Soon, we were in bed. He hovered over me, between my legs. The room was dark but the moonlight reflecting off of the ocean lit Nate’s face enough for me to see the wonder in his eyes. I brought my hands up and caressed his jaw. “What is it?” I asked. “I’m just looking at my future, and it’s beautiful,” he said. I smiled. “Forever is only now.”
Epilogue
Edith
It’s not exactly a comforting thought to know our medical professionals are batshit insane, especially as I approach my geriatric years. It was an absolute delight and frankly a relief to finally see the girl. You see, my neighbor is a doctor. He’s a little off in the head, which is frightening when you consider his profession. He wears cowboy boots with his scrubs, yet he surfs every day. The boy is confused. He told me months ago about this girl and how beautiful she was and how she was going to come and live with him. I have to admit, I didn’t believe a damn word he said. He’s handsome enough to be Los Angeles’s most eligible bachelor, but he’s a little strange, like I said, hung up on a girl I was certain didn’t exist. And then she came. I was sitting on my veranda one morning when I saw the two of them on their balcony. I’m generally not a nosey neighbor, I don’t pry, and I never gossip. Except of course when Joanna Jacobs was sleeping with Kylie Whitmore’s husband, but that was just a public service announcement to let the neighborhood folks know, especially the married women. I wouldn’t call it gossip. I lost my Georgie years ago and never moved on. Some people find love again. Those are the lucky ones. Some find love even easier, which makes them unlucky. When I saw Nate and Ava on the balcony, I wanted to look away and give them their privacy but I couldn’t. I couldn’t stop watching because it reminded me of what it felt like to be consumed. They held each other and kissed and talked, and even though I couldn’t hear what they were saying, I could tell they were both interested and eager. There was never a moment when they weren’t touching. Later, they kissed for a long time and then Nathanial pulled her inside. I’ve been around long enough to know what happened next. I may be an old woman, but I’m no twit. Nate didn’t lie about a thing. Ava was beautiful and exotic, and when I finally met her, she was friendly and sweet, too. She told me she was very close to receiving her nursing degree and that she and Nate planned to marry the following summer. She told me about the horses and she mentioned her first husband. I knew the story. There are people in this world who have experienced great personal tragedy, some of whom just wither away from the pain or meander through life numb until their time comes to an end. Ava didn’t. She chose to go on and give it another chance, but I think it took a long time for her to heal and to start growing again. In all my years, I’ve learned that life delivers many storms for us to weather. Some will be slow, brooding, quiet beasts, and others will be loud, thunderous, and frightening. But if you’re willing to look close enough, no matter how devastating the storm may be, after the rain you’ll always find new life sprouting in the aftermath.
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed After the Rain and would consider sharing your thoughts by writing a review on the retailer website or Goodreads. For the latest news, book details, and other information, visit my official website at www.reneecarlino.com or follow me on Twitter @renayz or Facebook at Author Renee Carlino. Sincerely,
Renée Carlino
Acknowledgments
Boundless gratitude to my friends, family, readers, bloggers and fellow authors who have been so supportive of me and so kind in their willingness to read and spread the word. To my editor, Jhanteigh Kupihea, it’s such a joy working with you. I love everything you bring to each one of these stories and I’m so grateful to have someone with me on this journey whom I respect so very much. Your commitment and drive and work ethic are appreciated beyond words. Julie, Hadley, Rebecca, Amy, Toni, Carey, Jo, Kylie, Kim C, Katy, Kim J, Gretchen, Emmy, Kendall, Penny, thank you for the friendship, fun and support. To my agent, Christina Hogrebe, thank you for always being the voice of reason that I so desperately need at times. Shannon, for listening to my BS and then making me do squats and army-crawl push-ups while I talk your ear off, thank you. Rebecca, Katie, Carla, Angie, Heather, and Noelle, thank you for all of the extra efforts in helping me chase down this dream. Thank you to my mom and dad, Rich, Rachel, Donna and the rest of the gang. To Sam and Tony, the most interesting people I know; thank you for challenging and teaching me new things every day. And finally to Anthony who has never taken anything away from who I am. You’re always the inspiration.
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About the Author
Renée Carlino lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog, June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next book, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. To learn more, visit ReneeCarlino.com. MEET THE AUTHORS, WATCH VIDEOS AND MORE AT
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authors.simonandschuster.com/Renee-Carlino
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Renée Carlino
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First Atria Paperback edition November 2014
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.
ISBN 978-1-4767-6399-6
Contents
Dedication
Chapter 1: Healer
Chapter 2: Regimented Exercise
Chapter 3: What Breaks Us
Chapter 4: Binds Us
Chapter 5: A Light
Chapter 6: Hearts in Nature
Chapter 7: These Boots
Chapter 8: Here or There
Chapter 9: Comes and Goes
Chapter 10: From Where I Stand
Chapter 11: Whiskey Says Go
Chapter 12: The Long Way
Chapter 13: Forever Is Only Now
Chapter 14: Drops Between Us
Chapter 15: Hearts and Stripes
Chapter 16: Love Is Fear
Chapter 17: There Are Places
Chapter 18: Murmur
Chapter 19: Blank Slate
Chapter 20: Change of Heart
Chapter 21: Immaterial Purpose
Chapter 22: Heart Lost
Chapter 23: Not My Home
Chapter 24: Renewed
Chapter 25: The Letters
Chapter 26: The House on the Ocean
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Date: 2014-12-29; view: 835
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