*This is a crossover novella featuring characters from both
the Seaside and Ruin series*
Lead singer of AD2 Demetri Daniels only wants one thing...
To marry the love of his life and make the day perfect for
her.
But perfect isn't exactly happening, not with his
sister-in-law going into labor, or with rabid fans discovering their wedding
location, or birds suddenly attacking the rehearsal dinner.
It doesn't help matters that his bride to be is starstruck as
singer Ashton Hyde makes a drop in appearance to start recording his new album.
Nothing is going right.
And it's about to get worse.
ADD TO GOODREADS
EXCERPT:
Something
flashed by my window.
flashed by my window.
Awesome, the
night before I’m going to get married a freaking bird was going to break into
my room and kill me.
night before I’m going to get married a freaking bird was going to break into
my room and kill me.
Well, I’d
had a good run with her.
had a good run with her.
Something
else flew by.
else flew by.
Holy shit,
why were seagulls out this late?
why were seagulls out this late?
Didn’t they
have a curfew? Like all spawns of Satan?
have a curfew? Like all spawns of Satan?
I wasn’t
making it up. Something else flew by and then landed on the windowsill.
making it up. Something else flew by and then landed on the windowsill.
Slowly, as
to not scare it into attacking me, I turned on my side.
to not scare it into attacking me, I turned on my side.
A bat.
A freaking
bat.
bat.
Great.
Another animal to add to my hate list.
Another animal to add to my hate list.
“Shoo!” I
waved my hand at it.
waved my hand at it.
It stayed
put.
put.
Seaside had
bats. Who knew? Or maybe this one had flown all the way up from South America
just to haunt me. No really. If it could happen, it would happen to me.
bats. Who knew? Or maybe this one had flown all the way up from South America
just to haunt me. No really. If it could happen, it would happen to me.
“Yo,” I
called. “You need to go.”
called. “You need to go.”
The bat
stayed.
stayed.
I needed a
gun.
gun.
Or a
giant-ass Tonka trunk to throw at it.
giant-ass Tonka trunk to throw at it.
“Seriously…”
I held my hands in front of my face. “…this is the moneymaker, all I got. Well,
that and the voice. You ruin this, you disappoint women everywhere.”
I held my hands in front of my face. “…this is the moneymaker, all I got. Well,
that and the voice. You ruin this, you disappoint women everywhere.”
The bat was
unfazed. Maybe it was friendly? Like Dracula from Sesame Street?
unfazed. Maybe it was friendly? Like Dracula from Sesame Street?
I reached
forward.
forward.
It lurched
back just far enough for me to pull the window shut.
back just far enough for me to pull the window shut.
“Sucker!” I
pointed at it and stuck my tongue out just as it took a dive toward the window.
pointed at it and stuck my tongue out just as it took a dive toward the window.
Cursing, I
fell backward on my ass.
fell backward on my ass.
My door
jerked open. “Hey, you okay in here? I could have sworn I heard yelling… and
why… are you on the floor?” Jaymeson cocked his head to the side.
jerked open. “Hey, you okay in here? I could have sworn I heard yelling… and
why… are you on the floor?” Jaymeson cocked his head to the side.
“Why are you
at my house?”
at my house?”
Jaymeson
shrugged. “I live next door in that giant-ass beach house during filming,
remember?”
shrugged. “I live next door in that giant-ass beach house during filming,
remember?”
“Which still
doesn’t explain why you’re in my bedroom.”
doesn’t explain why you’re in my bedroom.”
“I watch you
while you sleep then eat chocolate over your quiet body and take Polaroids to
stash under my pillow. Why else would I be here? We’re out of popcorn.”
while you sleep then eat chocolate over your quiet body and take Polaroids to
stash under my pillow. Why else would I be here? We’re out of popcorn.”
“Oh good,
because that first explanation sounded way too detailed to be a lie.” I pushed
up to my feet. “Now go home.”
because that first explanation sounded way too detailed to be a lie.” I pushed
up to my feet. “Now go home.”
“The girls
are hanging out… watching movies. By the way, why are you in bed so early? It’s
ten.”
are hanging out… watching movies. By the way, why are you in bed so early? It’s
ten.”
“Easy. I’m
so sexually frustrated and keyed-up. I figured a Nyquil-induced state would be
the only thing to keep me from breaking down Lyss’s door across the hall.”
so sexually frustrated and keyed-up. I figured a Nyquil-induced state would be
the only thing to keep me from breaking down Lyss’s door across the hall.”
“It’s open.”
“Not
helping.”
helping.”
“No,
seriously. She said she trusts you so much she’s leaving it open all night
long…” Jaymeson did a little jig in front of me. “…all night long. All night.”
seriously. She said she trusts you so much she’s leaving it open all night
long…” Jaymeson did a little jig in front of me. “…all night long. All night.”
“Go be
British elsewhere.”
British elsewhere.”
“Aw, mate.”
“Not your
mate.”
mate.”
“Cheers.”
“Stop that!”
“Blimey.”
“Okay, now
you’re just being annoying and saying words that people don’t even use in real
life anymore.”
you’re just being annoying and saying words that people don’t even use in real
life anymore.”
“Not true.”
Jaymeson thrust his hand into the air. “One time—“
Jaymeson thrust his hand into the air. “One time—“
“Go home,
Jaymeson.”
Jaymeson.”
“I have an
idea, though.” He shrugged. “Let’s have a bro night while the girls watch
movies.”
idea, though.” He shrugged. “Let’s have a bro night while the girls watch
movies.”
“I’m
sexually frustrated, and you want to sit next to me?”
sexually frustrated, and you want to sit next to me?”
“The man has
a point.” He huffed. “Well then, good luck with...” He pointed at my body.
“…that. And if all else fails, cold showers, friend.”
a point.” He huffed. “Well then, good luck with...” He pointed at my body.
“…that. And if all else fails, cold showers, friend.”
I cursed.
“Want me to
sing you a lullaby with my accent? Does it for Pris every time. Then again,
it’s not hard to—“
sing you a lullaby with my accent? Does it for Pris every time. Then again,
it’s not hard to—“
“Go.”
Chuckling,
he lifted his hands into the air and backed up. “Fine. See you on the other
side.”
he lifted his hands into the air and backed up. “Fine. See you on the other
side.”
The door
slammed.
slammed.
And I was
left more wide awake than I was before.
left more wide awake than I was before.
I was just
getting ready to jump back into bed when my door slammed open and Alyssa launched
her tiny body in my direction like a lion attacking a zebra.
getting ready to jump back into bed when my door slammed open and Alyssa launched
her tiny body in my direction like a lion attacking a zebra.
Her mouth
was on mine.
was on mine.
Her tongue,
touching my tongue.
touching my tongue.
Her breasts
pressed against my naked chest.
pressed against my naked chest.
I groaned.
And sadly,
pushed her away.
pushed her away.
“Whatcha
doin?”
doin?”
“Saying
goodnight?”
goodnight?”
“Say it
again… I dare you,” I whispered against her lips.
again… I dare you,” I whispered against her lips.
“You ate
three fish meant for seals today.”
three fish meant for seals today.”
I kissed her
again. “I also sang One Direction. Give me my prize, woman.”
again. “I also sang One Direction. Give me my prize, woman.”
“Prizes come
tomorrow night.”
tomorrow night.”
“Can they
come tonight too?” I joked.
come tonight too?” I joked.
She smacked
me on the shoulder. “Goodnight, Dem!”
me on the shoulder. “Goodnight, Dem!”
“Goodnight,
love of my life, sexiest woman on the planet. Oh, and PS, Jaymeson offered to
sing me a lullaby. He was going to fix the problem, and here you go…” I pointed
down in exasperation. “…and stir things up again.”
love of my life, sexiest woman on the planet. Oh, and PS, Jaymeson offered to
sing me a lullaby. He was going to fix the problem, and here you go…” I pointed
down in exasperation. “…and stir things up again.”
She tilted
her head, a seductive smile curving around those lush lips. “Mad because I’m
good with my hands?”
her head, a seductive smile curving around those lush lips. “Mad because I’m
good with my hands?”
“How good?”
I croaked, not so sure I wanted to hear the answer, considering I was ready to
explode on the spot.
I croaked, not so sure I wanted to hear the answer, considering I was ready to
explode on the spot.
Her voice
dripped with sex. “Wanna see?”
dripped with sex. “Wanna see?”
I nodded,
mouth dry. Hell yes.
mouth dry. Hell yes.
With a saucy
grin, she waved them in front of her face and winked.
grin, she waved them in front of her face and winked.
“Cute. It’s
like sign language for the lion to come out and play. Do it again. See if I
don’t chase you down the hall and claim any prize I can get my hands on. Go
ahead. Run antelope, run!”
like sign language for the lion to come out and play. Do it again. See if I
don’t chase you down the hall and claim any prize I can get my hands on. Go
ahead. Run antelope, run!”
“Ha.” She
threw her head back and laughed. “I’ll see you in the morning… Just think. This
is the last night you have to sleep all by your lonesome.”
threw her head back and laughed. “I’ll see you in the morning… Just think. This
is the last night you have to sleep all by your lonesome.”
“There was a
bat!” I said in desperation.
bat!” I said in desperation.
Lyss’s eyes
narrowed as she peeked under the covers. “In your bed?”
narrowed as she peeked under the covers. “In your bed?”
“No!” I
coughed, swatting her hand away. “At the window. It taunted me, said… mean
things.”
coughed, swatting her hand away. “At the window. It taunted me, said… mean
things.”
“The bat
talked to you.”
talked to you.”
“No, well…”
I scratched my head. “…tt communicated with its eyes.” Yeah, that so wasn’t
helping my case.
I scratched my head. “…tt communicated with its eyes.” Yeah, that so wasn’t
helping my case.
“And it
said… ‘I’m going to kill you in your sleep’?”
said… ‘I’m going to kill you in your sleep’?”
Awesome. I
could have really done without the cheesy Count Dracula voice.
could have really done without the cheesy Count Dracula voice.
“No, but—“
She crossed
her arms. “Dem, was there really a bat?”
her arms. “Dem, was there really a bat?”
“YES!” I
went over to the window. “It was right here.”
went over to the window. “It was right here.”
She squinted
and walked over. “Wow, look at that bat-filled sky. It’s just… insane.”
and walked over. “Wow, look at that bat-filled sky. It’s just… insane.”
“I’m not
lying.”
lying.”
“Cute
excuse, a bat. Didn’t see that one coming.” She laughed. “Love you.”
excuse, a bat. Didn’t see that one coming.” She laughed. “Love you.”
The door
closed.
closed.
With a
curse, I glanced back at the window, only to see the bat sitting there again,
freaking glaring at me like some demon-possessed creature. Swear, it’s eyes
were even red.
curse, I glanced back at the window, only to see the bat sitting there again,
freaking glaring at me like some demon-possessed creature. Swear, it’s eyes
were even red.
“I’ll get
you,” I vowed.
you,” I vowed.
Really, that
should have been my cue right there. Seeing a bat was like seeing a black cat, right?
Because the next day… though I was convinced was going to go as planned…
should have been my cue right there. Seeing a bat was like seeing a black cat, right?
Because the next day… though I was convinced was going to go as planned…
Didn’t.
It just…
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
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