From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan comes a new story in her Fractured Connections seriesโฆ
It all started at a wedding. Beckham didnโt mean to dance with Meadow. And he really didnโt mean to kiss her. But now, sheโs the only thing on his mind. And when it all comes down to it, sheโs the only person he can’t have.
He’ll just have to stay away from her, no matter how hard theyโre pulled together.
Running away from her friend’s wedding isn’t the best way to keep the gossip at bay. But falling for the mysterious and gorgeous bartender at her friendsโ bar will only make it worse. Beckham has his secrets, and she refuses to pry.
Once burned, twice kicked down, and never allowed to get up again. Yet taking a chance with him might be the only choice she has. And the only one she wants.
**For fans of Carrie Annโs Fractured Connections series, Taken With You is book four in that series.**
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, itโs an introduction to an authorโs world. And for fans, itโs a bonus book in the authorโs series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan comes a new story in her Fractured Connections series, and I’m thrilled to share an excerpt below!
โYou are the person of my heart. The woman of my dreams. The other half of my soul. Iโll never forget why you are mine. And why I am yours. I will do whatever is within my power to make sure that you know Iโll always love you with every ounce of my being. To the last breath in my body. I love you, Harmony. With everything that I am. Be mine. Forever.โ
โI love you, Brendon. With every ounce of my soul, with every breath of my being. I hope that one day I will be able to really make you understand exactly how much, and how honored I am to call you mine. We walked through the darkness, and I know that even though we werenโt alone, we were there for each other for a reason. And I will never regret that. You are mine, Brendon Connolly. Forever and always. And I cannot wait to see whatโs next.โ
I leaned back in my chair and just smiled up at the couple as Brendon and Harmony continued their vows in front of each other and the rest of the wedding guests. We were family in a way, friends in so many more. And I was glad that I was here, even if Iโd almost stayed away. After all, I was good at being on the periphery these days. I wasnโt very good at being in the middle of things.
I had been to a few weddings in my time, but never one quite like this. I didnโt think there would ever be one quite like this.
Iโd known Brendon Connolly for a few yearsโoff and on in the past. Then a lot better recently. Particularly when he and his brothers came to take over the bar that I worked at to try and make it better. To make it a home again. I had been there for the guy. Just like I had been there for his brothers, Aiden and Cameron, as they attempted to figure out how to make their world make sense after losing their parents and coming back together as a family again.
Itโd been interesting to watch them create relationships and then fall in love even when they didnโt mean to. Of courseโat least, in my opinionโmost people didnโt mean to fall in love. It just happened.
Not that Iโd ever actually been in love. Not my thing. It was safer to not form those connections. They only left you fractured in the end.
I resisted the urge to look across the aisle at the brideโs side. At her. There would only be pain and heartache there.
โYou may now kiss your bride,โ the woman officiating said. Brendon dipped Harmony low, his mouth fastening to hers in a deep kiss that had the rest of the wedding guests on their feet, hooting and hollering and clapping.
I shook my head, standing up with the rest of them as I cheered as well. Then I put my fingers between my lips and whistled, a high, sharp sound that garnered a few looks.
Including hers.
I really should not be thinking about her. Or noticing her.
Though it was hard not to. Especially since she was alwaysโฆthere.
Not in a bad way. She was part of our new circle. The one I hadnโt acknowledged Iโd become a part of until I was sitting next to all the Connolly brothers and their women and suddenly realized I was one of them.
Meadow Brown was the same way, just on the opposite side of the connection line.
It was odd to think that, after all these years, I was in the same circle as sheโeven though I didnโt think she actually knew who I was. Beyond being the bartender and the one who liked to give Brendon shit about his drink-slinging skills anyway.
I was the one with the smiles. The jokes. And that was the image I tried for. I didnโt want them to know who I had been before. I wanted to hide the stains on my hands.
I didnโt want to think about it either.
So I wasnโt going to.
Instead, I pushed those thoughts from my mind, shoved Meadow out as well, and grinned as Brendon picked up his wife and carried her down the aisle.
Of course, the rest of the wedding party had to have fun, too.