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.Wanting ForeverA Nelson Island NovelDiana GardinNew York BostonBegin ReadingTable of ContentsA Preview of Ever AlwaysNewslettersCopyright PageIn accordance with the U.S.Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com.Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.I’ve wanted Forever for as long as I can remember.This story is dedicated to my very own version of that.Thank you, Tyson.PrologueTwo Months Previously in Duck CreekEver sniffled once, twice, wiping her red nose on her plaid flannel shirtsleeve.Each tear she shed sliced like a dagger through his heart.He hated that he was the one doing this to her.More than once, he’d vowed never to be the one to hurt her.She’d had enough pain from that asshole father of hers.He used her like a punching bag on the nights he came home stumbling drunk.Too many times her nose looked just like this on those nights she climbed into Sam’s window long after her father had fallen into a stupor.But now, here he was, the one making her cry.Like he’d said he’d never do.Damn it all to hell.“Listen to me,” he said fiercely as he grabbed both sides of her face in his calloused hands.“I promise you I’ll be back for you.Don’t spend a day missing me.Don’t drop your guard.I’ll come back, and when I do, we’ll go away together and we won’t look back at this godforsaken town.You hear me?”She nodded, and he leaned down to claim her lips.He kissed her long and hard.When he pulled back, her tears were mixed with his on both their faces.“I don’t want you to go,” she said.“You don’t have to go, Sam.I can tell them—”“You tell them nothing,” he insisted.“Nothing.We agreed, didn’t we? You let them look for me.They can search ’til the cows come home, but they won’t find me.And when things die down, I am coming for you.Have I ever let you down?”She shook her head.“No, Sam.Never.”“And I’m not about to start now.” He lifted his head sharply as sirens blared in the distance.It always took the county sheriff longer than it should to get anywhere.Sam had the time he needed to get gone.He stepped backward but stopped at the stricken look on her face.He stepped quickly in front of her again and took her chin in one hand, lifting it up so she would meet his eyes.“Be strong, Ev.You be strong for both of us.Stick to the story.You’ll be safe now.I promise.”He bent his head to hers, letting the feel of her lips envelope him for the last time.He pulled away too quickly and backed away.One last look allowed him to memorize the familiar curves and the way her auburn hair fell in waves around her.Then he took off through the woods.Sharp branches slapped his face, leaving burning, angry marks behind.Tiny twigs snapped beneath his feet as they pounded through the brush.He’d keep running until he emerged on the other side where the state highway ran around the outskirt of Duck Creek.That’s where his brother, Hunter, had hidden his Harley for him as soon as they’d realized what had to be done.Sam would take off, headed south, and wouldn’t stop until he crossed state lines and then some.Ever would be safe now.He’d made sure of it.He’d protected her most of their lives, and he wasn’t going to stop now.He didn’t care that it turned him into a wanted man.Because she was worth it.OneKeep stacking those bales, son.When you’re finished, we’ll head back up to the main house and I’ll let you go for the day.” Leon, the ranch manager, scratched his forehead as he lifted his Stetson in the steamy, late afternoon heat.“Yes, sir.” Sam stood back from the hay bale and wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead.It was unusually hot for May.On a day like this, he’d guzzled two gallon-size jugs of water, and he’d need more by the time he was done.He’d lost his shirt hours ago, and the brazen heat sizzled into the now-golden skin of his chiseled torso.When Sam finished spreading the hay through the pasture for the horses for the day, he met Leon in front of the stables.“I want to run something by you, Leon.Do you mind?”“Go ahead, son.” Leon’s expression teetered between tense and exhausted.He was down a few workers, which was why the ranch had hired Sam on as a temp without asking a whole lot of questions.“How’s the new scheduling procedure working out?”“Savin’ my ass.Your suggestion of having some of the trainers pitch in was a great way to get around the shortage of hands.You done a lot of this scheduling stuff before, kid?”The corner of Sam’s mouth tilted upward in a smile.He grabbed his shirt, lying atop the swinging barn door, and used it as a rag to wipe the sweat dripping from his chin.“A little bit.I helped the owner of the garage where I used to work with a lot with stuff like that.Ended up managing the place when I was eighteen.”They climbed into Leon’s work truck and turned up the gravel path toward the main house.“So, Sam,” Leon began.He removed his well-worn Stetson and scratched his head.Replacing the hat, he glanced at Sam.“You plannin’ on stayin’ around just for the summer? Or you gonna be here in Nelson Island longer than that?”“You know, sir, I really don’t know yet.I’m just trying to figure things out.Taking it one day at a time.”Leon nodded.“I can understand that.You’re young.What…twenty or so?”“I was twenty-one last month.”“Twenty-one.You got a lot of road stretched out in front of you, Sam.Nelson Island is a great place to figure it all out.”“Thank you, sir.I can see that.”“And you moved from where?”“North of here, sir.”Sam wasn’t willing to go into details about exactly where he was from.Too much information may lead someone to draw conclusions about what he’d done back home, about why he was running.Leon pulled the truck onto the circular driveway that curved into a horseshoe in front of the main house.He turned off the ignition and climbed out of the truck.“Got any special plans this evening?” Leon asked.“No,” Sam answered, shaking his head.“I think I’ll just go back to the tack house and crash for the night.”He nodded.“It’s almost dinnertime, son.Shouldn’t be skipping meals while you’re doing all this hard work.Go on, then.I’ll see you early tomorrow.Seven o’clock.”“I’ll be there,” answered Sam.Leon headed up the steps leading to the front door.Sam watched him go, thinking back to when he’d first met Leon on his way down from Virginia.He’d stopped at a gas station to fill up, and Leon had stopped him to ask about the Harley.They’d gotten to talking, or rather Leon talked and Sam listened.The ranch manager was looking for some workers.Sam ended up leaving the gas station and following behind Leon’s truck while Leon led him straight over the bridge from Charleston, South Carolina, to Mr.Hopewell at his horse ranch in Nelson Island.Sam shoved his hands in his pockets and walked around the driveway and down the stone-paved path through wooded land that led to the tack house.Greenery surrounded the ranch, from old magnificent magnolia trees to palmettos flapping in the breeze.Lush, green pastures rose and fell gently with the rolling hills [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]