Going for the Moment by Elena Aitken

Going for the Moment, by  Elena Aitken

Today's special guest is Elena Aitken, author of Going for the Moment. Welcome, Elena!

Sometimes opposites don’t just attract, they collide.

Amber McCormick has always lived a well ordered life. She’s made sure of it. Now, with a new college degree in hand, she decides to take a few days to visit her best friend in Sapphire Falls before starting the next phase of her life. It’s perfect timing too, since for the first time in her life, Amber’s no longer sure of her plan.

However, a mix up in timing results in her crashing with her best friend's wild—more than a little rough around the edges—brother and Amber suddenly finds her predictable life turned upside down.

Taking a break from the backcountry of Australia, Cole Price is home to visit his little sister. But he definitely wasn’t prepared to find her very attractive and very tightly wound best friend, Amber there instead.

Stuck together for a few days, they decide to make the best of the mix up and take in the town’s Fall Festival. All Amber wants is to have a little fun and maybe even lighten up a little bit. The last thing she expects is to be attracted to a man like Cole, and she’s definitely not prepared to actually fall for him. Now after only a few days, Amber’s questioning everything she ever thought she wanted and what she really needs.

Excerpt: 

He was going to kiss her. He should have kissed her.

Or maybe he shouldn’t have? He was still Josie’s brother, after all.

Damn.

Amber couldn’t think of it anymore. She unscrewed the lid of her Booze and tapped it to his. “Cheers. Happy fall festival.”

He smiled. “This kind of makes us locals, doesn’t it?”

“Hardly.” She laughed and took a small sip of her drink. Not really sure what to expect, she guarded herself, but the pumpkin spice flavored-alcohol was delicious, so she took a bigger swallow. “But this is delicious. What flavor did you get?”

“It’s kind of an apple cider. Delicious, but…strong, I think.”

“Be careful,” a man across from them offered. “Borcher’s Booze will sneak up on you.”

“What is it?” Amber asked. “Because it’s delicious.”

The man laughed. “No one really knows the recipe, but it definitely is delicious.”

“Which is what makes it so dangerous.” The woman next to him laughed. “Welcome to town. There’s a bonfire down by the river tonight. You two should check it out.”

“That sounds fun.” Cole looked over at Amber for confirmation.

With the way he was looking at her and the warmth of the Booze in her belly, she was fairly sure she’d say yes to anything he suggested.

“Great,” the woman said. “The hay ride will take you there.” She winked at them and went back to snuggling with her man.

They looked cozy and sweet. In the past few months, since breaking up with Randy, more than once there’d been moments where Amber missed the togetherness that came with being a couple, the companionship that having someone special in your life afforded you. She thought she was over it and had moved on. Watching the young couple, those old feelings came back. But only a little bit. She pulled her gaze away and turned to Cole, who was watching her carefully.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he said. “I was just wondering where you went. You looked like maybe you were lost in your head there.”

Amber smiled, which was easy to do when she was looking at Cole, and took another big sip of her drink. “I was just thinking about something I used to have and don’t anymore.”

“And that made you sad?”

She shook her head, enjoying how the waves of hair hit her face. It had been so long since she’d worn it down. “You know what, it really didn’t. A little nostalgic maybe. But I think I’ve realized that what I thought I had wasn’t so great. I’m looking forward to the future and having fun.”

His hand slid across the hay to hers. He didn’t take it in his, but instead only one finger wrapped around hers. “Good. I’ve built a whole life on having fun and exploring the world.”

“But there’s more to life than just having fun, isn’t there?”

He laughed. “Spoken like a true accountant.”

“Maybe.” She ignored the twinge of hurt she felt at his words. “But I think I’m starting to see that it should be a balance. I’m twenty-four. I can’t just live a life of fun and no responsibility.”

“Have you ever?”

“That’s why I think it should be a balance.” She winked at him. “I definitely haven’t had enough of it. I was so busy trying to be a ‘good girl’ and not cause any waves at home that I don’t think I really had a chance to do any of the wild and crazy stuff you’re supposed to when you’re a teenager.”

She really didn’t want to get into her family life with Cole. It was hard enough to explain to people that her and her younger sister were the products of a long-running affair and when their father finally left his other family to be with them, it had basically destroyed the lives of all six kids. She’d mostly come to peace with the situation, but there was no denying that the choices of her parents had shaped who she was.

As if he could sense that she didn’t want to get into the details, he squeezed her finger with his and smiled. “Well, it’s never too late. We both have some Booze and we’re at a festival. I can’t think of a better time to have a little of that wild fun, can you?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I can’t.” They each raised their jars and drank deeply. In the back of her head, Amber knew it was a bad idea to let loose completely, but the part of her that no longer cared was a lot louder than the part that did. She took another drink right as an eerie howl split the peaceful night. She jumped, splashing her drink.

“What was that?”

Cole chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “I imagine that was the haunted part of the haunted hay ride. Don’t be scared.”

She wasn’t. At least, not of whatever fabricated haunts were waiting for them on their ride to the river. No, if Amber was scared of anything at all, it was the way her stomach fluttered and her body burned at Cole’s touch.

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Going for the Moment