NOVA
AND QUINTON: NO REGRETS by Jessica Sorensen
(April 15, 2014; Forever E-Book;
$4.99)
Today
is the first day of Quinton Carter's new life. The toxic guilt of his past left
him in pieces-but one girl unexpectedly put him back together. Thanks to Nova
Reed, Quinton can finally see the world with clear eyes. She's the reason his
heart is still kicking behind the jagged scar on his chest. And he would love
to have her in his arms every minute of the day . . . but he's not ready yet.
Playing drums in a band and living with her best friends are just some of the highlights of Nova's life. But the best new development? Talking to Quinton on the phone each night. She wishes she could touch him, kiss him, though she knows he needs time to heal. Yet shocking news is on the way-a reminder of life's dark side-and Nova will need Quinton like he once needed her. Is he strong enough to take the final leap out of his broken past . . . and into Nova's heart?
Playing drums in a band and living with her best friends are just some of the highlights of Nova's life. But the best new development? Talking to Quinton on the phone each night. She wishes she could touch him, kiss him, though she knows he needs time to heal. Yet shocking news is on the way-a reminder of life's dark side-and Nova will need Quinton like he once needed her. Is he strong enough to take the final leap out of his broken past . . . and into Nova's heart?
Prologue
Nova
December 28,
the day of the funeral
It’s a strange feeling, getting ready to watch someone get put
under the ground into their final resting place. I’ve been to enough funerals
to know that my senses always become hyper-aware of everything going on around
me: the touch of the wind seems stronger, the sun a little more blinding, the
smell of the leaves, grass, and fresh dirt overpowering. It’s like my mind is
reaching out and trying to grasp each aspect of the moment, when part of me
wants nothing more than to forget.
I’m actually at the church earlier than I’m supposed to be and I
don’t even know why, other than that sitting home for a second longer just
didn’t seem possible. So I left the house without telling anyone and got in my
cherry-red Chevy Nova, the car my dad left to me when he died, and drove it to
the church where my dad’s and Landon’s funeral took place. And in just a bit,
I’ll say good-bye to another person I once knew and will never see again.
Now that I’m here, staring at the brick building with a white
tower pointing to the sky, I’m not sure what I should do. I’m three hours early
to a funeral, which might say a lot about me. A lot of people would likely show
up late, wanting to avoid death for as long as possible, but I’ve become so
familiar with it it’s unsettling.
After sitting in the car for about ten minutes, watching
snowflakes fall from the sky and frost the grass and the windshield, I decide
to take video instead. I didn’t bring the fancy camera my mom gave me, but the
one on my phone works and honestly I use that one a lot more because it’s handy
for sporadic recording, which seems to be my specialty.
I blow out a deep breath as I sit back in the seat, aim the camera
at myself, and hit record. I have the screen flipped to me and my image
immediately pops up. I look tired. The bags under my eyes are pretty obvious,
even though I’ve tried to cover them up with makeup, and my brown hair wasn’t
being cooperative so I ended up pulling it up into a ponytail. I’m wearing a
black dress and earrings and the contrast with my fair skin makes me look
pallid.
“It’s amazing how everything can seem so perfect one moment and
then suddenly it’s not. How quickly perfection can evaporate… how rare it is.”
I pause, gathering my thoughts. “I’ve seen a lot of death. More than the normal
person, probably. I watched my father’s life vanish in front of me within
minutes. Found my boyfriend’s body right after he took his own life. Too early.
Too suddenly. Both of them. I never had time to prepare myself and I thought it
was the worst feeling in the world. I always wondered how different it would
be, if it ever happened again. If maybe the third or fourth time around, I
wouldn’t hurt so badly. If it’d be easier letting someone go now that I’ve had
so much practice.” I tuck a fallen strand of my bangs behind my ear and swallow
the lump in my throat. “And maybe it has gotten easier… but it still hurts. I
still shed tears… it’s still agonizing… painful…” I trail off as a few tears
slip from my eyes and roll down my cheeks. “Even now, just thinking about some
of the stuff I saw… I should have stopped it… should have done things
differently…” I trail off, staring at the window. “But I didn’t… and now
they’re gone forever.”
About
Jessica Sorensen:
Jessica
Sorensen is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author who lives with her husband and three kids in Idaho. When she's not
writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
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Giveaway:
Because music plays
such an important part in the Nova series, and all of Jessica's books, we're
offering a $25 iTunes gift card plus a collection of Jessica's print titles
with signed bookplates: THE SECRET OF ELLA AND MICHA, THE TEMPTATION OF LILA
AND ETHAN, THE COINCIDENCE OF CALLIE AND KAYDEN, THE REDEMPTION OF CALLIE AND
KAYDEN, and NOVA AND QUINTON: NO REGRETS. The mini grand prize winner will
receive a $25 iTunes gift card and a special print copy of NOVA AND QUINTON: NO
REGRETS, and an additional 10 winners will receive a special print copy of NOVA
AND QUINTON: NO REGRETS.
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