The Way We Rise is now available! This is the sequel to The Way We Break, which is on sale right now for $2.99!
EBOOK
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PAPERBACK
AUDIOBOOK
- Coming soon!
Description:
The highly anticipated conclusion to the USA Today bestselling Story of Us series.
With Liam’s fate no longer in the balance, Rory and Houston are poised on the precipice of a life-altering decision. When Rory’s father arrives in California to comfort Rory and make amends, Houston finds the decision becomes much easier to make.
When Houston suggests they take a break Rory thinks he must be joking. But he’s not. And his timing couldn’t be worse.
With Houston and Rory vowing to keep their new friendship strictly outside of the bedroom, their friends and family seize the opportunity to draw out the torture and surprises. Ensuring that Houston and Rory’s story has an ending they’ll never forget.
EXCERPT
Almost all he’s ever seen of Liam were his worst traits: the jealousy and anger and duplicity.
He didn’t know that Liam was a good person with a good heart, and the worst taste in music. He never saw Liam fall asleep on the sofa with Sparky in the middle of the day. He never heard Liam talk about his older sister as if she were his idol. He never caught Liam taking selfies in a Santa suit.
I wash up quickly in the shower and put on the clean outfit I brought with me when we went to pick up Sparky at three in the morning from the house Liam and I shared for the past month and a half, until yesterday. I open the bathroom door and Houston is sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his thighs as both dogs lie at his feet.
He looks up as I come out of the bathroom and manages a weak smile. “How are you feeling?”
I sniff loudly and let out a deep sigh. “Never better.”
“Don’t do that, Rory,” he says, beating me to the doorway before I can leave the bedroom. “Don’t shut me out.”
I stare at his chest and wonder what’s going on inside there. Does his heart ache even a tiny fraction as much as mine does right now? Does he feel even the slightest bit of remorse for what happened last night?
I swipe my hands down my face then wipe the moisture on the front of my jeans. “I can’t. I can’t talk to you about him. It’s just… It’s not right. I’m sorry.”
He reaches out slowly and gently takes me into his arms. “It’s okay.”
His shirt smells like yesterday.
I reach up and close my fist tightly around the fabric, bringing it to my nose. I inhale the scent slowly and deeply, aching to be transported back to last night. To the moment when I could have chosen to stay in my damn hotel room.
Then a pitiful, involuntary whimper leaks out of my mouth. Houston tightens his grip on me as he feels my body becoming heavy. In one swift motion, he swoops me up in his arms and carries me to the bed. Then he sits on the edge and waits for me to speak.
I pull the sheet up, use it to wipe my eyes, hoping to conceal my grief and my shame, but Houston won’t allow it. He pries the sheet out of my hands and pulls it down, away from my face, so he can see me.
“Look at me, Rory.”
I angle my face upward to look at him and the change in position sends two fat tears sliding down my cheeks.
He reaches for me, wiping one of them away. “I realized something when I woke up this morning and found you lying next to me for the first time in five and a half years.”
I want to ask him what he realized, but I can’t bring myself to speak.
He tucks my damp hair behind my ear. “The world looks and feels different when I’m with you. Better and easier.” His gaze wanders over my face and hair for a moment before he continues. “That’s how I know we’re going to get through this, because we’re better together.”