She went up behind Rich, wrapped her arms around him and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek.
He turned around with a grin and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her soundly on the mouth.
“Hey,” Colin objected. “Get your hands off my girl.”
Briana giggled and smacked her lips in an exaggerated way as she kissed Rich back. “Thanks for taking Kent home,” she said, turning serious for a moment. “I really appreciate it.”
“Sure thing,” he replied with a wink, letting her off of his lap and turning to Colin. “Your girl?”
Colin looked sheepish for a moment, then pulled Briana over to him and looked into her eyes. “If she’ll have me.”
She met his lips gently at first, then deepened the kiss before pulling back and smiling brightly. “She’ll have you,” she replied.
Colin’s face broke into a wide grin. He reached over to bump fists with Pete, who watched the whole exchange from behind the bar.
“You hear that, Petey?” Colin sang. “Looks like we’ve both hit the jackpot in the girlfriend department.”
“Better ya’ll than me,” Rich quipped taking a drink of his two dollar draft.
“You say that now,” Colin laughed, “But just you wait. When the right girl comes along, you’ll be right there with us.”
“Fat chance,” Rich said, but Briana saw him watch Roni’s progress back to the hostess stand through the mirror over the bar.
“Briana, could you please not sit on the customers?” Pam requested as she came through the kitchen door.
Briana giggled and climbed off of Colin’s lap.
“Sorry, Pam. I was just finishing up my break.”
Pam rolled her eyes and told her to get back to work.
“You okay?” Briana whispered to Colin before going back to the kitchen.
He nodded at her and gave her a small smile.
As she went back to work she heard Rich ask, “So, what’s up dude? What did you want to talk to me about?”
She was leaving Colin in good hands with Rich. As much as he loved to joke around and have fun, Rich was the most loyal friend she’d ever known, and she knew without a doubt that he would be there for Colin now.
Chapter Twenty
Briana hung up the phone. Then she started jumping up and down and squealing.
“What?” Kara asked, running out of her bedroom. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” Briana shouted, jumping over to Kara and pulling her in a hug, jostling her around. “Everything is wonderful. I just got off the phone with the culinary school. They accepted my application and want me to start school in the fall.”
She broke apart from Kara and did a booty dance, shaking her butt and circling Kara.
Kara couldn’t help but laugh as she started dancing around the room with her.
“Yay! That’s wonderful.” Kara enthused. She stopped suddenly. “Wait a minute…that means you’re moving to Austin.”
She pouted prettily, which made Briana laugh.
“It’s just to Austin,” Briana assured her. “You’ll come visit me and I’ll come visit you.”
“Promise?”
Briana pulled her into a big hug. “Of course. You know I love you, girl.”
“I love you, too.”
“We still have a couple weeks together. Oh, I’ll have to give Pam notice. I feel bad about that, but she knows this is what I really want to do, so I think she’ll be happy for me.”
“She will be. Don’t worry about that, Bree. Everyone is going to be happy for you. I’m so proud of you for going after what you want.” Kara’s eyes misted over.
“Thanks, Kara. Oh. My. Gosh. I have to tell Colin,” Briana said. “I’m going to see if I can catch him at the store. I’ll see you at work, okay?”
“Sure,” Kara laughingly responded to Briana’s retreating back.
Briana parked and ran into the store, looking for Colin through the aisles. She stopped at the counter where Rich was making a shake for a little boy. He looked up at her and she mouthed, Colin? He pointed his head toward the back office and she gave him a huge grin before she went through the door to the back.
She found Colin sitting at the desk when she walked in. He was starting at the computer, a notepad in front of him and a pencil in his mouth, His brow was furrowed in thought.
He looked adorable.
She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. He jumped, then smiled and leaned back to nuzzle her neck.
“Well, this is a nice surprise,” he said in between kisses along her jaw.
His hair smelled spicy and delicious. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel and smell of him.
“I have some good news,” she whispered
He turned in his chair so he could face her. “I’m always ready for good news.”
“I just got off of the phone with the culinary school. I’ve been accepted to start in the fall.” She said it so quickly that by the time she got to the end of the sentence her voice was a few octaves higher than normal.
“That’s awesome,” he replied, pulling her in for a quick kiss on the lips, his pride in her evident on his face. “I knew they’d accept you. It’s so great that your dream is coming true.”
“I’m so glad you think so, ‘cause I’m super excited.” Briana squealed and gave him another quick kiss. “I’m gonna tell Pam tonight. I know it’s too soon to give notice, but I don’t want to keep it a secret. I want to tell everyone. And I want her to have a chance to hire someone else that I can train before I go.”
“I’m sure she’s going to be thrilled for you,” he assured her. He held her hands in his, looking up into her beaming face. “I love you, Bree.”
Briana’s mouth formed an O and her expression changed from excitement to surprise, and finally to happiness.
Colin continued talking before she could say anything. “I know now may not be the best time. You’ve just started to trust in me again, and it may seem too soon, but I swear, I’ve never stopped loving you. These last few weeks having you back in my life have been the happiest of my life, and I don’t want another moment to pass without you knowing that.”
Tears began to form in Briana’s eyes. She felt lighter, happier, than she ever had. It seemed like things were finally turning out the way she had always hoped they would.
“But I’m leaving for Austin.”
“That’s okay,” he tried to reassure her. “Austin isn’t that far. We can see each other on weekends and stuff. Don’t worry about that, we’ll work it out.”
She smiled even wider and nodded her head once in affirmation.
“I love you, too.” she exclaimed.
Colin beamed at her, bringing each of her hands to his lips. They heard a throat clear and jumped at the interruption.
“Sorry,” Colin’s father said gruffly. “I needed to get something off of the desk. I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“You could never intrude, Mr. Grayson,” Briana said as she bounced over to him and gave him a hug. “I have to get to work, anyway.” She looked over her shoulder and winked at Colin. “I’ll see you later.”
Colin’s father chuckled and patted her back. “It’s good to see you two so happy again.”
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and bounded out of the office. She was a little early for her shift, but that gave her time to talk to Pam, so it worked out perfectly.
Just as everyone predicted, Pam was as excited about her attending the school as she was, and she was happy that Briana would be able to train a new short order cook before she left.
When she was in the break room clocking in and putting up her stuff, Kara and Pete came in laughing and holding hands.
“Close your eyes, Bree,” Kara instructed. “We have a surprise for you,”
Briana glanced between them with suspicion, but did as she was told.
She heard the sound of shuffling feet and muffled voices and couldn’t keep a smile from forming.
 
; “Okay,” Kara said loudly. “Open ‘em.”
Briana opened her eyes and saw every available shift worker piled into their small break room. In the center of the table was a delicious looking chocolate cake that read, “Congratulations, Bree. We are so proud of you.”
Briana didn’t even attempt to hide the tears that streamed down her face.
“Thanks, guys. This means so much to me.”
Everyone took turns giving her hugs and wishing her luck. The people who had to get on the floor got back to work with the promise that cake would be saved for each of them. Everyone else stayed to have a piece.
It was the best cake Briana had ever eaten.
Epilogue
The last couple of weeks before Briana left for Austin flew by. She spent every spare moment with Colin, which only strengthened their relationship.
The day that Shawn texted him to tell him that she had gone through with the abortion was difficult, but they got through it together. Colin was sad at the loss, but admitted that it probably wasn’t the best time for him, or them, to start a family. He was adamant that he did want to have kids someday, which made Briana even more excited about their future.
She knew that long distance relationships didn’t always work, but she had faith that after all that they had been through, they would find a way to make it work.
She trained the new hire at the restaurant and felt confident that he would work out just fine.
Nicole and Roni found an apartment together and were having fun picking out decorations. The biggest surprise came when Kara revealed that Pete would be taking Briana’s place in their apartment.
“I know it sounds crazy. And fast. And crazy,” Kara admitted to Briana when she told her. “But he needs a place and I’ve got a room opening up…it just makes sense. It’s not like we’re living together…I mean, yes, technically we’re living together, but not living together.”
Briana chuckled at Kara’s rationale and said, “You guys will be great.”
It was a sad day for both of them when it was finally time for Briana to leave.
“I’m going to miss you so much, Bree,” Kara said between sniffles.
“Me, too,” Briana whimpered back.
They hugged, squeezing each other tight. When Colin’s truck pulled up, they were still locked in their embrace, not ready to let the other go.
“Hey, ladies, don’t cry,” Colin said when he got out and started loading Briana’s things into the bed of his truck. “Please?”
Briana and Kara broke apart and wiped their faces, then Briana picked up one of her bags and went to put it in the truck. She paused before she lifted it in, looking at Colin in confusion.
“What are all of these other bags?”
Colin and Kara exchanged glances and turned to her with wide grins.
“I got hired on as an Assistant Coach at UT,” he said. “I’m going to Austin with you.”
Briana dropped her bag with a thud, her mouth wide with shock. The tears once again began to fall down her face.
“Oh. My. God.”
She jumped into Colin’s arms, wrapping herself around him and screaming in his ear. “I can’t believe it.”
He laughed as she pulled back and began to cover his face with kisses.
“I love you so much,” she exclaimed.
“I love you, too, Bree,” he replied. “And I promise that this time, we’ll make it last.”
Keep reading for an excerpt from the second book in the Friends & Lovers Trilogy
I Choose You
Available in 2013
Prologue
Nicole knew that she would have to face her parents and let them know that not only had she changed her major, but that she didn’t want to marry Jake and start a congregation.
She knew it would be difficult, and that they would be disappointed in her. But before she went to speak with them, she had to face Jake.
She pulled into the parking lot of the city park where they said they’d meet.
Jake was already there. He was sitting on the bench facing the pond, watching the ducks float by.
His light brown hair blew in the soft breeze and his expression was peaceful.
Nicole’s stomach clenched at the thought of what she had to do. She knew that she should have broken it off three years ago, but she’d been too afraid.
“Hey, Jake,” she said as she neared him.
Jake turned and stood up at the sound of her voice. They were almost the same height, so she could see his eyes light up as she walked up to him.
“Hey, Nicky,” he said warmly as he put his arms out, expecting to be greeted with a hug as usual.
She walked into his arms willingly, taking stock of the familiarity of his hold, while breathing in the scent of his familiar cologne.
She knew Jake very well. She’d known him since they were small children, so she knew that he would never forgive her for what she was about to do.
She squeezed him tightly, one last time, before pulling back to look him in the eyes. He looked back at her, confusion spreading across his handsome face.
“What is it?” He could always tell when something was wrong.
“Can we sit?” Nicole asked, gesturing towards bench he’d been sitting on. She had to sit before her knees gave out.
“Okay,” Jake said slowly, as if already dreading what she was going to say next.
“Jake,” She began, clasping her hands nervously in her lap as she forced herself to look at him. “I’m sure you have noticed that I’ve changed over the last few years. Things aren’t the way they were when we began dating. First you went away for school, then I left for school. Since then, most of our relationship has been spent over the phone or on the internet.”
Jake nodded, waiting for her to finish explaining.
Nicole bit her lip nervously, then continued, “Look, I have to admit that I haven’t been honest with you, or my parents for some time now. I changed my major to English. I don’t want to study Youth Ministries and come back here to start a congregation. That was always my parents dream, and yours, not mine.”
Jake looked over her shoulder, processing what she was saying, then looked back at her.
“That’s okay, Nicky. I mean, I’m not happy that you lied, but I’m glad you told me now. You don’t have to run anything that you don’t want to. You can just be my wife. There will be plenty to keep you busy, as a Minister’s wife, even without running Youth Ministries.”
Nicole sighed, a little frustrated that he wasn’t hearing what she was saying.
“No, Jake, you aren’t getting it. I don’t want to live here at all. I don’t want to be a Minister’s wife. I don’t want to be your wife.” She stressed, not wanting to hurt him, but wanting him to understand.
Jake’s face fell, hurt and confusion taking over.
“What?” Jake asked, as if unable to believe what she’d just said. “You don’t want to marry me? We have been engaged for three years, and you’ve never had second thoughts about us, at least none you’ve ever shared with me. I don’t understand.”
Jake stood up and walked to the edge of the water. He shoved his hands through his hair, then in his pockets, as if unsure what he should do with them.
The pain on his face tore Nicole apart. She knew that she should have talked to him when she’d first begun to question their betrothal.
“Jake,” She whispered softly as she walked up next to him. “I’m so sorry. I love you and you’re the last person I ever wanted to hurt.”
He turned to her at that, anger flashing in his eyes.
“If you loved me, you wouldn’t be hurting me.”
Nicole felt hot ball of tears begin to form at the back of her throat, and turned to leave before she made matters worse.
“I’m sorry, Jake,” She said again, a little more loudly. “I promise that I’ll stay away and let you live your life. I wish you every happiness.”
When she got to her car, Nicole turned back f
or one last look at Jake.
He stood in the same spot looking out over the water as his shoulders softly shook with sadness.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have made so many friends since I have been writing that it would be hard to try list them all and not leave someone out. I want to say that I am grateful for all of their support, which drives me every day.
When I was writing, Make it last, there are a few people that were instrumental in helping me make it the book that it is today: Raine Thomas, Autumn Sexton Hull, Taneesha Freidus, Marilyn Almodovar, and Tameri Etherton. These women took the time to read and critique, Make it Last, and I am forever grateful to them.
I decided to use a professional cover designer for the first time. I did a lot of research, because I wanted to find a designer that would be the perfect match for me and my work. When I found Stephanie Mooney, I knew she was the one. I hope you love the cover as much as I do. You can see more of Stephanie’s work at her website: http://mooneydesigns.net/
Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has read, Make it Last. I appreciate your support, and I really hope you enjoyed the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bethany Lopez was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Michigan and San Antonio, Texas. She went to High School at Dearborn High, in Dearborn, Michigan, which is where she has set her Young Adult series. She is married and has a blended family with five children. She is currently serving in the United States Air Force as a Recruiter in Los Angeles, California. She has always loved to read and write and has seen her dream realized by independently publishing her first novels through Amazon.
Visit Bethany Lopez at:
www.bethanylopez.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/#./pages/Bethany-Lopez/214630865247702
@BethanyLopez2
http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/bethany-lopez.html
209