Phenomenal

By Suzanne D. Williams

A lump formed in his throat, nervousness filling him, but he forced his thoughts out. "I like you. A lot."

She sighed, the sound long. "I like you, too."

Sixteen-year-old Corey Freeman likes the new girl across the street. Kennedy Palmer is pretty and sweet and fun to be around. When he decides to kiss her, it seems the moment is never right. He fails twice but refuses to give up. Then a huge misunderstanding threatens to ruin his chances once and for all.

A story of first love and that magical first kiss by best-selling author, SUZANNE D. WILLIAMS.15,000 words. Clean Romance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Suzanne D. Williams
• Release date: Apr 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781507030967

Suzanne D. Williams

Best-selling author, Suzanne D. Williams, is a native Floridian, wife, mother, and photographer. She is the author of both nonfiction and fiction books. She writes a monthly column for Steves-Digicams.com on the subject of digital photography, as well as devotionals and instructional articles for various blogs. She also does graphic design for self-publishing authors. She is co-founder of THE EDGE. To learn more about what she’s doing and check out her extensive catalogue of stories, visit http://suzanne-williams-photography.blogspot.com/ or link with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/suzannedwilliamsauthor.

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SUZANNE D. WILLIAMS

www.feelgoodromance.com

© 2014 PHENOMENAL by Suzanne D. Williams

www.feelgoodromance.com

www.suzannedwilliams.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

CHAPTER 1

An elbow jabbed hard in his ribs, and sixteen-year-old Corey Freeman swung a fist, narrowly missing his buddy, Jason’s, face. Jason’s laughter filled the summer sunshine. Corey ignored it and retrieved his skateboard from where it’d fallen in the grass.

Dude, check out the chick across the street. She’s been eyeing you for ten minutes.

This was, of course, the point of Jason’s elbow. Jason was forever looking at girls.

She’s new, Corey said, turning aside. He tossed his board down on the pavement and hopped on, rolling down the slope of the driveway.

Jason ran after him. Seriously? She’s all google-eyed at you, and all you can say is, ‘She’s new’? New to what? Boys?

Corey fastened his blue-eyed gaze on his friend’s sun-reddened face. "New to the neighborhood. I notice she’s not staring at you."

Jason seemed peeved by that, which made Corey laugh. Tossing his head, he shifted his blond bangs out of his eyes then shoved off with his left foot, pushing himself back uphill.

Jason dogged his heels. So you gonna go over and meet her?

Corey circled around him, at the edge of the drive doing a kickturn. Why would I?

Well ... she’s kinda cute.

You think Leah Katz is ‘kinda cute.’

If you don’t look at her nose, she’s cute, Jason returned.

Corey halted halfway across the concrete. Then why haven’t you asked her out?

Jason didn’t respond right away. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he leaned back on his heels. She’s Jewish.

So?

So I’m not. I figure her dad will castrate me. Isn’t that what they do?

Corey laughed. Circumcise, and they do that when you’re eight days old.

Oh. Still ... I probably don’t have a chance.

She’s nice, so ask her out. You shouldn’t stereotype people anyhow, Corey said. Casting off again, he rolled up to the garage doors and revolved.

The new girl still stood there, staring at him. Jason was right. She was cute, but introductions had never been his best thing. He poised one foot on the board.

The front door of the girl’s house opened, and a younger girl, maybe three, toddled out. A rubber ball in her hand, she tossed it forward, and the older girl, temporarily distracted, retrieved it.

Now, you’re staring as hard as she is, Jason said in his ear.

Corey glared at him and made to push off on his board, but sight of an approaching car halted him in place. Slowing for the stop sign on the nearby perpendicular street, the car made a right, its pathway the road between his house and the girl’s.

At that moment, the little girl, once again, tossed the ball. It rolled over the grass and bounced off the curb, directly into the path of the car.

Corey’s gaze widened at sight of the youngster wandering into the street.

Dude, the kid, Jason said.

Unthinking, Corey pushed off, picking up speed on the incline. He glanced toward the approaching car then focused on getting to the little girl in time. The driver hit her brakes, her tires squealing on the pavement. But there wasn’t enough room to stop, and the little girl froze in its path, her mouth curled into a terrified scream.

Corey bent over at the waist, arms extended, and in a split second motion, lifted her from the pavement and shot out the other side. His board escaped from underneath him, and he fell down prone in the grass, the girl squealing in his lap.

The driver, leaving her door ajar, ran over to him. I didn’t see her. Is she okay?

Corey sat the girl upright and dusted her off. Cheeks damp with tears, she sniveled in his lap. She’s fine, he replied.

That was very brave, young man.

Corey looked up at the woman, and the little girl pulled free. He released her and sat up, his knees tented. Wasn’t anything.

Still ... The woman glanced back at her car. Wait here. She was gone only a moment, returning with a twenty dollar bill. For you.

He stared at the money, his palms dampening. I can’t take that.

Of course, you can. You saved me from hurting her, and I’m grateful. I hate to think what could have happened.

Jason, now standing behind her, mouthed