Anywhere With You: A Novel | Book 2 | The With You Series (Ebook)

Chapter One

Jack

HAVE YOU EVER held something so beautiful you wanted to hang onto it—and yet at the same time, put it aside just for fear of using it up? I have. It’s like that uncle of yours who owns several amazing classic cars, and while he tinkers with them daily—he rarely actually takes them out for a drive. Or—your Grandma and her fine china, which only sees the light of day on special occasions. Or maybe it’s that little black dress you keep hanging in the back of your closet despite the fact that you haven’t worn it in a decade because you assure yourself you’ll fit back into one of these days. 

That’s how I felt about her. She was all of the things I mentioned above—compiled into one really amazing person. And I was afraid that I’d use her up. 

Over time—I might’ve learned that there was so much more where that came from—if only I’d just kept looking. But that’s not what happened in South America. Basically, you could say I choked. And I’m not one who chokes. Yet, with her—it happened. With her… it always happens. 

I’d spent such a long time trying to locate Amelie and traveling to find her. And then, when I did—well, it was beyond anything I could have expected. She was the same—only better. She was still as captivating as ever, smarter, and worldlier, too. In a sense, we were both better than the last time we’d spent time together. Just not good enough, I guess. 

There’s also the fact that I left in the shittiest way possible. Unexpectedly and without notice. Which if you’re going to leave a woman, really, it’s the best—if not the only way to go about doing it. Before you hate me too much, let me say this—I did at least leave a note. 

If I were to try and explain to you then why I left, I couldn’t. Mostly because I’m not certain I even really knew myself. But I know now. 

It’s been two years since I walked out of that hotel room leaving Amelie lying naked tangled up in the mess we’d made only hours before. As I studied the way the early morning light poured in through the balcony doors and filtered itself over her tanned, bare skin, I ran my fingers through her hair and watched as she stirred a little. If I remember correctly, and I do, because I’ve thought back over those moments thousands of times, probably at least once every day since that morning, I remember she smiled in her sleep. She was happy. Too damned happy. And maybe that was the problem. 

I do recall willing her to wake, willing her to get up, to ask me just what in the hell I was doing. But she didn’t. She merely sighed, pulled the covers up to her chin, and rolled over onto her stomach. So I kissed the top of her head, placed the note on the bedside table, and that was that.  

Two days later, I received an email. 

To: Jack Harrison

From: Amelie Rose 

Subject: You’re an asshole. 

Jack, 

From here on out, leave me alone. 

Life is better that way. 

Amelie 

It was just like Amelie to want the last word, but I wasn’t the kind of guy, not then anyway, to let her have it. 

To: Amelie Rose 

From: Jack Harrison

Subject: Tell me something I don’t know…

Dear Amelie, 

I can’t. It’s against my nature. 

I truly am sorry for leaving the way I did.

I just had to get back... 

Love,

Jack 

When I wrote that email, I expected a response. Basically, I wanted more from her. I wanted her to tell me that we could make it work this time. I wanted her to fight. I wanted her to tell me to go to hell—that I was wrong to leave. And in a sense, I guess she did—because I didn’t see or hear from her again for nearly two years.

Ebooks are delivered instantly by a link in your confirmation email (and as a backup, also by email from our delivery partner, Bookfunnel). It is a simple one click download to get the ebook to your favorite reading device.

You can read the ebooks on any ereader (Amazon, Kobo, Nook), your tablet, phone, computer, and/or in the free Bookfunnel app.