Publication date: August 18, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
A girl’s sweet sixteen party
is supposed to be among the most memorable events of her life. But on the night
of hers, Mercy Clare wakes in the waiting room of a hospital with no memory of
how she got there. To make matters worse, she’s wearing something she’d never
be caught dead in: her best friend Lyla’s clothes.
Mercy’s nightmare is just
beginning. The doctor arrives to tell her that it’s she who lies in the
hospital bed waiting to die. A trip to the bathroom confirms Mercy’s fears, as
Lyla’s face stares back at her and Lyla’s curvy figure pokes through her tight
clothes.
But finding out what’s really
going on won’t be easy. Because if Mercy wants her body back, it might just
cost her Lyla’s life.
This is from one of the very first drafts of the story, when Mercy’s name was still Claire Henry and she and Jay were a couple. Many, many revisions later, I had decided to cut Jay from the story entirely, but he just wouldn’t have it. He ended up as the boyfriend of Mercy’s best friend, Lyla.
I got off late from Wally’s. Again. I knew my dad was going to be pissed off when I got home. He hated that I worked in a pub and he hated it even more that my shifts kept me out until the wee hours of the night on a pretty regular basis.
All the lights were on when I pulled up to the house. “Perfect.”
I slammed the car door and trudged up the path preparing myself for the nightly scolding.
“Hey Dad.” The wooden screen door slapped against the frame.
“You’re late.” His voice came from the kitchen.
“Sorry. Full house tonight. Kate really needed my help.”
“You have finals tomorrow.”
“Got it covered.” I didn’t wait for a response before fleeing to my room. Securing the deadbolt, I breathed a sigh of relief.
A hand clamped down on my mouth. I gasped, dropping my keys to the floor.
“Don’t scream.” He whispered into my neck.
I turned and shoved him off. “Jesus Christ, Jay! You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry.” He laughed, throwing his hands up in playful surrender.
“My Dad’s still awake.”
“I know.” His chest puffed out as he walked toward me. “Do you know how quiet I had to be? I’ve been bored off my ass waiting for you.” He flashed me his most charming smile. “You were supposed to be home an hour ago.”
“You sound like my dad.”
I flipped on the light. He squinted, covering his face
. “Damn, C, this place is a disaster.” Jay shook his head.
. “Damn, C, this place is a disaster.” Jay shook his head.
“Please, like your room is any better! At least I have an excuse.”
Illuminated, it was no longer possible to deny that my room looked like a post-disaster photo-op. The room was divided in two packing stages, first my trip with Millie, and second, the move to San Francisco. There were boxes everywhere, stacked and huddled in corners. Buried beneath packing material was my desk. It was a miracle I was able to study in this mess. Crammed in the far corner of the room, my bed was unmade and calling to me.
“Jay, I’m really tired. I need to get some sleep.”
“Fine with me.” He slid off his shoes.
“You can’t stay here tonight.” I protested, handing his shoes back to him.
“Why not?” Effortlessly, he slid his belt off.
“Jay.” I laughed, shaking my head at his cheesy striptease.
Shirtless, he grabbed me by the waist. I hid my face, leaving my neck open. His lips met my throat and my breath stopped. Eyes closed, I leaned into his kiss.
He reached behind me and flipped off the lights.
Fifteen minutes later I fell asleep with Jay’s body intertwined with mine.
My heavy eyelids were no match for the sunlight that came pouring through the windows. My head felt sluggish. Next to me Jay moaned.
“Claire.” My father pounded on the door. “It’s almost seven.”
I shoved Jay with all of my five foot six frame.
“Claire, are you awake?” The doorknob rattled. Thank god for the deadbolt I installed a few months prior when Jay started sleeping over regularly.
“Yeah Dad, I’m up.”
I finally managed to rouse Jay from slumber. Hearing my father’s voice, he sprang from my bed and dashed to grab his jeans and shoes. He was half way out the window by the time I slid my bathrobe around me.
“Love you.” He called over his shoulder.
“Love you too.”
Caroline T
Patti is the author of The World Spins Madly On and Too Late To Apologize. When
she’s not writing, she’s a school librarian, mother of two, wife, avid reader
and Green Bay Packer fan. You can chat with her on Twitter:@carepatti or find
her onFacebook.
Five (5)
winners
will receive
a digital copy
of
Into the Dark
by Caroline T. Patti (INT)
Ends September 11, 2015
August 17-30, 2015
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