A Forever Love preview

Here is a preview of “A Forever Love” the sequel to “Beautiful Disaster”

Release date: May 1, 2014

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“Where are we going?” Amber asked Jason as they drove town the coastal road in the heart of Malibu. It was a beautiful sunny morning and everything seemed to be better. They had slept in and had a leisurely breakfast before he told her they had somewhere to be.

“Elizabeth and I were talking last night and we wanted to do something. She and Evan are meeting us,” he said, purposefully vague.

“Do what?” she turned to look at him in her seat.

“It’s a surprise, so you won’t get it out of me. Besides, we’re almost there,” he grinned.

She stared at him and his chiseled features were almost her undoing. “You’re not playing fair.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “I never do.”

She laughed and they pulled into the beach parking lot. He drove through a private entrance and parked.

Amber looked out and saw Elizabeth and Evan sitting on a bench waiting for them. Elizabeth had a basket full of something Amber couldn’t see and Evan looked as frustrated as Amber.

“Evan doesn’t know why we’re here either?”

Jason opened her door and took her hand. “Nope.”

They walked to the other couple and Jason nodded at Elizabeth.

“Come on, this way,” she said and took Evan’s hand.

“Why can’t you tell us what’s going on?” he whined.

“You’re worse than a baby,” she laughed and he scowled.

They walked to a blanket that was already set up and Jason helped Amber to a seat while Elizabeth did the same for Evan. The two siblings sat down opposite their significant others.

“Okay, so you’re both probably wondering why we’re here,” Jason said.

Evan waited and Amber smiled at him.

“I know the last few months have been full of heartache, for a lot of reasons, and when Elizabeth and I were talking last night, it occurred to us that you both have been through the most. How you both have managed to come out of everything so amazingly well is a tribute to who you are as individuals,” Jason looked at Elizabeth.

“Even though you are such amazing and well adjusted people, we don’t want to overlook the cost of our happiness. Amber, we know that you lost your mother and you haven’t had a chance to properly mourn her,” she turned and looked at Evan. “And Ev, you lost your father, and you also haven’t had a chance to say a proper goodbye.”

Jason took his sisters hand and they looked at Amber and Evan.

“We wanted to take a moment and let you both say a proper farewell to them. We have some flower petals to sprinkle in the ocean and if you want to say something, we are here to listen. If you want a simple moment alone, that’s okay, too,” Jason said softly.

Amber wiped her eyes and looked at Evan, who appeared shocked.

“I understand honoring Amber’s mother, but my dad tried to kill you Elizabeth. How is that something we should honor?” Evan sighed.

Elizabeth smiled at him and looked at Jason before she took Evan’s hands. “Your father was a good man. He got into trouble and he may not have handled it the best way, but I truly believe he was trying to help me when he did what he did. He knew I was in danger and he did what he could. I’m not excusing it, but baby your dad was a part of our lives for so long. He loved you so much and you deserve to mourn him. You need to say goodbye.”

Jason nodded and looked at Amber. “And even though I never met her, your mother was an amazing woman. I didn’t need to know her personally to know that. I look at you and I know she is there. Your strength and tenacity and beauty all comes from a place within that I know she encouraged and nurtured. Your compassion and your willingness to sacrifice your personal happiness to save those you love is something I know you must have learned from her.”

Amber wiped her tears, which fell freely, and she was speechless by how touched she was at this whole speech. She looked at Jason and Elizabeth and then at Evan.

“Why don’t we walk to the water and let some flowers go,” she smiled at him.

He felt his chin quiver and he nodded. He took Jason’s hand to help pull him up and Elizabeth handed them each a bag of rose petals. They walked behind them to the shoreline.

Amber took her shoes and socks off and walked a little way into the water. She looked out across the vast Pacific Ocean and felt the enormity of her loss. She cried as she looked up and said a silent prayer for her mother. Jason walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

“I miss her so much, Jason. I can’t believe she’s gone,” she sobbed.

He kissed her cheek and felt his own eyes fill with tears. “I wish I had met her.”

She smiled as her tears fell. “She would have loved you, Jason. I hate that she never met you, that she never saw how happy I am.”

He leaned down and spoke to her. “I think she knew I was waiting for you. I think we met because of her.”

Amber looked at him with confusion.

“You came to California after she died. You were running from Titan, but I think your mom led you right to me. I think she knew I needed you and I will be forever grateful to her for that,” he tucked her hair behind her ears.

She hugged him and then looked into his eyes. “You are quite something, Jason Becker.”

He kissed her deeply and then motioned to the water. “Go drop the petals in. I’ll wait here.”

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and walked into the ocean. She opened the bag and took a handful of flower petals and gently dropped them in the water, watching as they moved with the current. She said her goodbyes as the waves crashed and she felt the heaviness in her heart begin to lift.

******

“I feel ridiculous,” Evan said as Elizabeth stood with him.

“It isn’t ridiculous to lose a parent and want to mourn them. You need to let him go, Ev. You need to have closure.”

“I hate him. I don’t want to mourn him. I don’t want to miss him and I don’t want to say goodbye,” he said firmly, his tears betraying his words.

She hugged his arm as she stood next to him. “Sometimes we need to do the things we don’t want to do,” she rubbed his arm and looked at him. “We have both lived the last three years with a sadness that never went away. I know what it means to live with regret and I don’t want you to feel another minute of it. Your father raised you with love. He became your only family after your mom died and he did the best he could to teach you how to be a man. I can attest to the fact that you are the best man I know. You love me completely and you protect those you love with everything you have. You are smart and funny and loyal and you make me happy to be alive.”

He turned and looked into her eyes and she cupped his face with her hands. “Don’t look at how your dad died, remember how he lived. Say goodbye to that man. Let him rest in peace and then maybe, you can begin to feel the same.”

“I love you so much,” he said softly.

She smiled through her own tears. “I know.”

He nodded and walked into the water, taking a deep breath and reaching into his bag of petals, sprinkling them on the water and saying goodbye to the man he always respected. He hoped wherever his father was, he would become that man again.