Reckless Refuge (Wrecked #4) - Catherine Cowles Page 0,115
me.
I gave my head a little shake. “Just a fight. I think high school is going to be different…” I let my words trail off. I didn’t know how to explain it. Everything felt as if it were changing, and all I wanted was for things to stay the same.
Nathan and Vic shared a look, and then Vic turned to face me. “Friends aren’t always forever. Sometimes, they’re just for a season. Others might fall away, only to come back when you least expect it. I have a feeling you and Jenn will find your way.”
“Maybe.” I couldn’t imagine my life without her. We’d been friends for so long, she felt more like another limb. I took a shuddering breath. I could take it back, apologize tomorrow. Or maybe she’d have a horrible time at the party and realize that a movie night was better.
Nathan stood from the table. “Why don’t I make sundaes, and we can pile onto the couch and watch that awful movie for the millionth time?”
Vic pressed his lips together to hide his chuckle, but he wasn’t very successful. “You love Troop Beverly Hills. It’s why you decided to lead Piper’s Girl Scout troop.”
Nathan leveled Vic with a glare. “Don’t remind me of those dark days.”
“The moms loved you, though,” I offered.
“I thought I knew what being competitive meant, but I had no idea until we had to sell those damned cookies. I swear those moms would’ve sold a kidney to win one of those cookie prizes.”
“Language,” Vic chided.
I rolled my eyes. “I think I’ve heard the word damn before.”
Vic pulled me into a tight hug and then covered my ears. “Let me keep you young and innocent forever.”
I immediately went for his sides, where I knew he was ticklish. “What was that?”
Vic’s hands flew off my ears with a shriek. “Uncalled for, young lady!”
Nathan just shook his head at the two of us.
Eventually, we settled onto the couch with bowls of ice cream in hand—extra whipped cream on mine, no peanuts, just the way I liked it. I burrowed into the couch cushions between the men who always had my back, no matter what life threw my way. But the ice cream sat heavily in my stomach, and I couldn’t help but imagine where Jenn was. Wondered if she was having so much fun, she hadn’t thought about me.
By the time the movie had ended, I was a walking zombie, brushing my teeth on autopilot and falling into bed. I pulled back the curtain to peek out the window. I saw no light on in Jenn’s room at her cabin. My stomach twisted. Clearly, she was having way more fun than I’d thought she would. I lay back on my pillow and stared at the ceiling. It was a while before sleep finally came, and when it did, it was fitful. Dreams of being stuffed into a high school locker, kids laughing and pointing.
When an arm shook me awake, I thought it was because I’d screamed in my sleep. Nathan’s face filled my vision. “Did you hear from Jenn last night?”
I blinked the sleep out of my eyes. “No.” Cell phones barely worked on this end of the island. You had to stand in one of three spots to get service.
Nathan’s jaw tightened. “Do you know where she was going? The truth, Piper.”
My heartbeat fluttered, wings beating against my rib cage. “Sh-she wanted to go to a bonfire. With some high school kids. What’s going on?”
He eased down onto the bed. “The Brantons can’t find her. She wasn’t in her bed this morning.”
“What?” I croaked. Jenn might stay out late, but all night? Never.
Nathan took my hand. “No one’s seen her. She’s missing.”
Beneath the Wreckage is available for purchase by tapping HERE.
Enjoy This Book?
You can make a huge difference in Reckless Refuge’s book life!
Reviews encourage other readers to try out a book. They are critically important to getting the word out about a novel and mean the world to every author.
I’d love your help in sharing Reckless Refuge with the world. If you could take a quick moment to leave a review on your favorite book site, I would be forever grateful. It can be as short as you like. You can do that on your preferred retailer, Goodreads, or BookBub. Even better? All three! Just copy and paste that baby!
Email me a link to your review at [email protected] so I can be sure to thank you. You’re the best!
Acknowledgments
To my family and friends. Thank you for supporting me on this crazy journey, even if you don’t read “kissing books.”
Thank you to all the wonderful authors who have helped me along the way. From sharing wisdom and support to laughter when things get tough. You prove that the internet isn’t always a scary place, after all. An extra special thank you to Emma, Grahame, Laura, and Willow for walking with me through all of the ups and downs of this business. And to the Goldbricker ladies for all of the motivation and encouragement.
To my fearless beta readers: Crystal, Emily, and Trisha, thank you for reading this book in its roughest form and helping me to make it the best it could possibly be!
The crew that helps bring my words to life and gets them out into the world is pretty darn epic. Thank you to Susan, Chelle, Janice, Julie, Hang, Stacey, Jenn, and the rest of my team at Social Butterfly. Your hard work is so appreciated!
To all the bloggers who have taken a chance on my words…THANK YOU! Your championing of my stories means more than I can say. And to my launch and ARC teams, thank you for your kindness, support, and sharing my books with the world. An extra special thank you to Crystal for wrangling it all.
Ladies of Catherine Cowles Reader Group, you’re my favorite place to hang out on the internet! Thank you for your support, encouragement, and willingness to always dish about your latest book boyfriends. You’re the freaking best!
Lastly, thank YOU! Yes, YOU. I’m so grateful you’re reading this book and making my author dreams come true. I love you for that. A whole lot!
Also Available from Catherine Cowles
Further To Fall
The Sutter Lake Series
Beautifully Broken Pieces
Beautifully Broken Life
Beautifully Broken Spirit
Beautifully Broken Control
The Wrecked Series
Reckless Memories
Perfect Wreckage
Wrecked Palace
Reckless Refuge
Beneath the Wreckage
Stay Connected
You can find Catherine in all the usual bookish places…
Website
Facebook Page
Catherine Cowles Facebook Reader Group
Goodreads
BookBub
Amazon
About Catherine Cowles
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing, she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.