Excerpt: First Comes Love + GIVEAWAY!

Today I have an Excerpt From First Comes Love

DYLAN

I sit down on the dry, prickly grass and watch him curiously as he disappears inside the English building like he’s running for cover. 

My photography class has taught me two crucial lessons about life.  First, become an avid people watcher.  It’s amazing the truth people expose when they think nobody’s looking.  Two, look for beauty where it isn’t obvious.  Try to see life through a creative lens.  I love this challenge.  Anyone can see what’s right in front of them, but its subtle beauty, the kind that takes time to discover, that you have to pull out and dust off that catches my eye.  I find things with cracks and flaws and textures so much more interesting than something polished and perfect and pristine.  

I’ve taken my professor’s advice and everyday after class I people watch and collect observations.  That’s when I noticed this guy.  It’s easy to overlook him; his back is always molded to the side of the building like he’s part human, part statue.  I almost doubted he was alive until one day when our eyes accidentally crossed paths.  Even from across the courtyard, I could see they were striking, the color of a clear blue afternoon sky (up close they’re even more impressive—they can hold you hostage).  But there’s an edge to them that was more startling than the color.  Instead of seeing, they were repelling.  Deflecting.  I smiled at him, but he didn’t grin back at me.  He didn’t even nod—he just turned away like I had rudely stumbled into his line of vision. 

He’s trying to blend in, which only makes him stand out to me.  In the last two weeks, I’ve made a couple of observations:

1)      He never smiles.  Ever.  I’ve seen him nod to people that pass him on the sidewalk.  He talks on his phone sometimes and texts.  He doesn’t frown either.  He’s just emotionless.  Numb.  Like something’s missing.  Why doesn’t this kid smile?  Do his mouth muscles not work?  Does he have braces?  A gaping overbite?  It’s become my mission to make him smile, like trying to chip through a layer of ice to see if something’s moving and flowing underneath.   

2)      He avoids people.  This suggests a few theories—he’s aloof, he’s antisocial, or he has a contagious skin rash that he’s afraid to spread.  Or, the mostly likely scenario, he chooses to be alone.  There’s always a reason why someone prefers solitude to people and I’m determined to figure out why.  For me, life is one long expedition in search of answers to WHY. 

3)      He’s cute, but not in a typical way.  He’s not one of the pretty boys that litter Phoenix like glittery street ornaments.  No tattoos, no spiky hair or muscle tank tops or shirts with the buttons open halfway down to expose bronzed skin and sun-streaked chest hair.  This guy mostly wears gym shorts and baseball T-shirts and flip flops.  That’s one thing we have in common.  He’s not trying to impress anyone.  He may not be Mr. Approachable, but at least he’s real. 

4)      Music is his thing.  It’s always on.  He zones out to it.  And he always wears a hat.    It’s like he hides behind it, as if he’s trying to escape or shut out the world. 

I unzip my backpack and pull out my inspiration log (a hand-sized journal I carry everywhere).  I flip through the pages until I find my list of Oughta’s—daily goals I assign to myself.  In the year I’ve been making them, I’ve seen every single one through.  Today’s goal is:  MAKE A FRIEND.  This challenge is no easy feat but I’ve been holding my own secret audition, listening to people’s conversations and studying their mannerisms and waiting for someone intriguing to come along. 

I look back at the English building and smile because now I’m convinced.  

This guy is perfect. 

On the surface he might be calloused, but looking through a creative lens, I think there’s something more hiding underneath.  He reminds me of a folding chair, closed in and waiting to be shoved in a storage closet.  I’m determined to see him unfold. 

First Comes Love (Book 1)

 Blurb:

Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl always searching for what's next, seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving and besides, opposites attract.

What starts as friendship, turns into admiration, respect and caring, until finally these two lone souls find they are truly in love with each other.

But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they're going to have to work at it. And learn that sometimes love means having to say you're sorry.

Second Chance(book #2)

Blurb:

Can two drastically different, imperfect people be perfect for each other?

It’s been four months since Gray and Dylan have seen each other. Dylan’s been traveling in Europe, while Gray has college, baseball, and a life rooted in one place. Gray’s determined to forget Dylan, the girl he fell in love with in First Comes Love. Besides, how do you make a relationship work with an independent loner?

Just when he decides he’s over her, Dylan makes an unexpected entrance back into his life, hoping their steamy romance can start right where it left off. Gray realizes you can tell your mind to do one thing, but you can’t always convince your heart to follow. Dylan realizes she finally has to make a choice between freedom and her relationship with Gray.

Hilarious, intense, inspiring, and emotional, Second Chance shows that love is a journey, and there are never clear road signs or maps to guide you along. You can only navigate with your heart.

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