Charming
by Krystal Wade
Published by: Curiosity Quills
Press
Publication Date: October 6th, 2014
Genres: Thriller, Young
Adult
Synopsis:
They say what doesn’t kill
you makes you stronger, and that’s great . . . as long as you don’t die.
Sixteen-year-old Haley Tremaine had it all: top-notch school, fantastic
family, and a bright future, but all of that changed when an accident tore her
family apart. Now, an alcoholic father, a bitter younger sister, and a cold
headstone bearing her mother’s name are all she has left.
Chris Charming has it all: a powerful CEO for a father, a prestigious school,
and a fortune at his fingertips, but none of that matters when he lands a
reputation as a troublemaker. Struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps, he
reaches out to the one person he believes truly sees him, the one person he
wants: Haley.
Little do they know someone’s determined to bring the two together, even if
it means murder.
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Excerpt from Charming
Chapter 1, part 2
“Deerfield police found Jeremiah Woodson dead this morning
along the bank of the Connecticut River. Investigators say he suffered a
bullet-wound to the head and are searching for clues.”
“Wife probably killed him.” Dad chugged a bottle of beer,
then slammed it onto his side table—he knew his least favorite daughter was
home, and that was his best greeting—rattling the seven or eight other empty
bottles already there. “Maybe his oldest daughter.”
Jocelyn tensed, finger held over one spot in the middle of
her book, legs tucked up under her on their ugly paisley sofa.
“I’m home,” Haley muttered.
Dad took the time to glance at the clock, then scowled over
his shoulder at Haley with his piercing blue gaze. “About time.”
Please not tonight.
Five minutes past curfew, five minutes her manager had wanted
to talk about candle placements for the upcoming Harvest Festival. But Dad
would never forgive those five minutes. He’d never understand. Haley should
have been home. She had chores, homework, a family—that didn’t love her.
He remained seated, despite his pursed lips and balled fists.
Dad would wait for Jocelyn to go to bed before he said anything to Haley.
Wouldn’t want to tarnish that image in his perfect daughter’s
eyes. That perfect daughter who had yet to acknowledge Haley was home.
With a silent sigh, she dropped her bag inside the door to
the mostly empty bedroom she wouldn’t be able to crash in for at least another
hour, then started on her chores. She filled the sink with soapy water,
collected the dirty dishes from the uneven kitchen table and off stacks of
newspapers in the den, then washed and dried them one by one. From there, Haley
wiped down the butcher-block counters, the gas stove—astounded they actually
tried to make a meal rather than microwave something; although burned mac and
cheese was probably a step down—picked up the trash, then swept the tacky
yellow linoleum floors. Haley slammed the garbage into the large black can outside
and then sat on the steps and put her head in her hands, tugging out strands of
hair as she tried to control her shaking.
A stray cat Dad had taken a liking to walked up to her and
meowed.
“Hey there.”
The little orange tabby wound through Haley’s ankles, purring
set on overdrive, leaving fur behind on her black work slacks.
“You’re like the only thing in this house that cares about my
existence. Promise not to ever run away?”
The cat put her front paws on Haley’s knees and meowed again.
“Feed that animal already,” Dad yelled from inside, sending a
wave of panic through Haley’s chest at the same time the cat hissed. Had Dad
heard her?
“Taking off for Amanda’s now, Daddy,” Jocelyn called in her
sweet little voice, walking toward the door with her patchwork shoulder bag
slung over her arm.
“She still having issues with that stupid boy?”
“Yep. Be back in about an hour.”
“I don’t like you out there alone at night.”
“Mace is already in my bag, Daddy.”
Dad said something else in return, but Haley stopped paying
attention when he agreed and allowed her fourteen-year-old sister to go out
past ten on a school night because a friend was having boy issues.
“I’d love to hear his response if I asked that question,”
Haley whispered, scratching the scruffy cat behind the ears.
“Maybe if you didn’t always come home after curfew,
he’d let you.” Jocelyn allowed the screen door to slam behind her and then
propped her hands on her slim hips, her wavy, long blonde hair falling around
her porcelain face, narrowed blue gaze locked on Haley.
About the Author
Krystal Wade is happily married to the love of her life (don’t gag) and
raising three beautiful children in the gorgeous state of Virginia. They live
just outside Washington, D.C., and every day she wakes up to find herself stuck
in traffic trying to get there.
The horrid commute gives Krystal plenty of time to zone out and think about
her characters in full, brilliant details (she’s a safe driver; don’t worry).
Stories give her a way to forget about the sometimes smelly strangers sitting
next to her on the fifty mile trek into town (she picks up hitchhikers every
day. True story. Check out www.slug-lines.com if you don’t believe
us).
Krystal has been a part of organized hitchhiking for nearly fifteen years,
but that’s just one small aspect of her oh-so-large life. When she’s not
working, commuting, or chasing after her three children (four if you count the
man), you can usually find Krystal outside talking to her chickens like they’re
the cutest things in the world (they are), or training her amazing dogs how to
herd said chickens (which they love), or curled up on the sofa with a good book
(why can’t that be 100% of the time?).
Author Links:
***GIVEAWAY***
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