Fortuity (Transcend, #3)

by Jewel E. Ann

This girl. She’s life. She pumped my heart when I didn’t think it could keep beating. She filled my lungs when I thought I’d taken my last breath. She crawled up my face and showed me I still had a smile.

I love this girl. She’s my world. My hands will release her … set her free. But my heart can’t let go, which means she will rip it from my chest and carry it with her forever. And I will wait for her to return … for my heart to return.

“Trust is fragile. You have to be careful with it. It’s easy to break someone’s trust, even if you love them. I’m not saying it’s not an important component of a relationship, but it can’t be everything. I was an ornery child, who occasionally got into fights and told many white lies. My parents didn’t always trust me, but they always loved me. They forgave my mistakes and my lies. You have to treat trust like modeling clay that can be broken and repaired a million times, not like a priceless vase that belonged to your dead grandmother.”

Here’s the thing … you have to love the person more than you hate the lie.

“A moment. Many moments. Whatever you need. When emotions hit you like this, where you realize your dad won’t keep a promise he made, when your crazy aunt is the only family you have on Thanksgiving, or just for no particular reason at any given time, don’t be afraid to say I’m sad. I’m mad. I’m down.

“You don’t need an excuse. I lost the first man I ever loved over twenty years ago, and I still have days that I want to stay in bed and just … miss him. We can’t control how we feel on any given day, just how we deal with those feelings. Promise me you won’t ignore them. Promise me you’ll give them the attention they deserve. If you want to

hit something, I’ll buy you a punching bag. If you want to cry, I’ll be the first to hand you a tissue. If you want to watch your favorite movie over a tub of popcorn and a ...