Like It's The First Time

By Ava Stone

Good guy Jason Cole always tries to do the right thing for everyone - his cancer-ridden mother, his best friend, even his neighbors. But when his first love - Emery Reid returns home for Christmas with a giant ring on her finger, Jason is determined to do the right thing for him.
Emery left Wheston to pursue her dreams on the New York stage. A cramped apartment and barely scraping by, her luck changes once she starts dating an up and coming director. But when she returns home for the holidays and sees Jason after all these years, she can't remember why she ever left home in the first place. Will she take another chance with her fist love or keep her eye on the dreams she's worked so hard to obtain?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Stone
• Release date: Nov 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311446084

Ava Stone

Ava Stone is a USA Today bestselling author of Regency historical romance and college age New Adult romance. Whether in the 19th Century or the 21st, her books explore deep themes but with a light touch. A single mother, Ava lives outside Raleigh NC, but she travels extensively, always looking for inspiration for new stories and characters in the various locales she visits.

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Like It’s The First Time

Like It’s The First Time

Ava Stone

Desolate Sun

Contents

Copyright

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Epilogue

About Ava Stone

Ava Stone’s Desolate Sun Series

Like It’s The First Time

A Desolate Sun Novel

Copyright © 2015 by Ava Stone

Cover Design by Covers By Lily

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All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Created with Vellum

For Thomas ~

You’re my real life hero who’s asked me to come with you on a journey that just might change our lives. I love you enough to come with you. ~ Ava

One

Emery

It was so weird being home. Wheston was so completely different than New York. Quaint. Wheston was quaint, I decided. Even with the energy from all the students at the university, it certainly moved at a much slower pace than what I was used to these days. Some of it felt really familiar, like pieces of my childhood with flashes of memory, and some of Wheston felt as foreign as Manhattan had when I’d first arrived there right after high school.

I’d only been home a couple days, but I missed the energy, the constant motion of New York already. And that is the only excuse I have for why I ventured out to University Mall for the Black Friday after Thanksgiving sales. It was either that or I’d gone crazy, and I’d prefer not to think it was the latter. Though, I supposed, it was just as likely as the former.

The truth was, I wasn’t myself these days. I wasn’t even sure who I was anymore. When I’d lived in Wheston, I’d known who I was. A girl, albeit a talented one, with stars in my eyes and dreams as big as the galaxy for my future. And in New York, I’d accomplished a lot of what I’d set out to do. I wasn’t up for any Tony’s or anything, but I’d been acting every chance I got and I was happy.

The giant diamond on my finger glistened under the department store lights and caught my eye again. If it was weird being home, it was even weirder wearing Hunter’s ring. That little band of white gold was nearly suffocating me. Why had I said ‘yes’? Because he’d asked, and I hadn’t known what else to say. That was the truth even though I’d never said so out loud to myself or anyone else.

It wasn’t like Hunter was a bad guy or anything. A little pushy sometimes, but he was a Yankee. And a lot of people were pushy in the city. In his own way he was pretty wonderful. He’d cast me in his off-Broadway drama, and it had been easier to pay the bills ever since. And when I moved into his brownstone, it was even easier. But it would be since he was paying most of the bills. I mean, I loved him, or I told myself I did. It wasn’t that all-encompassing, my-every-thought-was-devoted-to-him kind of love. That kind of love was rare. I’d only ever loved like that once in my life…back when I lived in Wheston. And loving like that twice in a lifetime didn’t really seem possible.

Besides, with Hunter it was a more contented love, more grown-up. Hunter and I had the same friends, we ran in the same circles or we did now. We liked the same things, wanted the same things out of life, and we were comfortable together. We were comfortable, and being comfortable is important…

But we were gonna get married. Shit. My stomach twisted again.

Emery Houtman-Greene! Someone called my name. My old name. But then, again, I was in Wheston.

I glanced over my shoulder and my mouth fell open. Leah Willett? I breathed out. Wow. She barely looked like the fucked up, pregnant girl I’d last seen before departing for New York. She looked good. The cloud was gone from her eyes. She looked more mature, and the really hot guy on her arm probably had something to with the giant smile that was spread across her face.

Oh my God! Her smile got even wider as she dropped the guy’s arm, raced toward me and threw her arms around my neck. It’s so good to see you.

You too. I said, hugging her back. Leah and I hadn’t ever been really tight, but I’d known her pretty well back in the day. My high school boyfriend had been best friends with her brother.

What are you doing here? she asked, stepping away from me.

I shrugged slightly. Here for the holidays. That was half of it anyway, and if Hunter had made it for Thanksgiving, I’d probably already be headed back to New York. But he’d been delayed. He hadn’t met Mom and Dad yet. And I was still here.

That’s awesome. Have you seen Jason yet?

Jason. My breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t thought about Jason in forever. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, if I was being honest. I’d thought about him as soon as I arrived in Wheston on Wednesday night. But how could I not? So much of my life here had revolved around him, even if that had been a lifetime ago. No. I shook my head. I haven’t seen him.

Leah tugged the handsome guy toward me. Emery, this is Brody. He’s in Jason’s band.

Brody shot an incredulous look in Leah’s direction as he cleared his throat, which made her laugh in response.

"I mean, Brody and Jason are in Desolate Sun, and they’re amazing. But the bass player’s my absolute favorite." She batted her eyes up at him.

Better. The guy grinned. The bass player, clearly. Then he reached his hand out to me. Brody Campbell.

Emery Reid, I replied, shaking his hand.

Oh! Leah touched her heart, her eyes on my giant ring. You’re married. I didn’t realize…

Not yet. Just engaged. I shook my head. Professional name. Much easier to say and print on playbills.

Emery is an amazing actress, Leah gushed.

And that’s when I realized she sported an engagement ring as well. Wow. She must have really turned her life around. I gestured to her hand. You’re getting married too?

She blushed slightly as she looked at the bass player who must also be her fiancé. Next summer, after school gets out. Then she waved to my ring. You?

That was the question, wasn’t it? If Hunter’d had his way, we’d already be married. But I’d been putting him off and insisted he had to meet my parents first, though I had no idea why I would put him through that. It wasn’t like I was excited to spend time with them myself, which might be the real reason I was out on Black Friday at the mall – so I could avoid spending any more time at my parents’ home. Soon, I hedged. Then I glanced at Leah’s boyfriend. They played in the same band, huh? "How is Jason?"

Emery and Jason were the perfect couple in high school, Leah explained.

Hmm. Brody smirked. And looking at her, she seems like she’d have such good taste in men.

Leah rolled her eyes and lightly smacked him in the chest. Brody and Jason don’t always get along.

Yeah, I gathered that. Though I couldn’t imagine anyone not getting along with Jason. Jason was, in a word, perfect. We weren’t the perfect couple in high school. It’s just that he was perfect and that polish somehow rubbed off on me in other people’s eyes.

But Jason’s doing good, Leah continued. Actually, Desolate Sun is playing tonight at The Keep if you wanna come. Mike’ll be there too. It’ll be like old times.

Old times. Was that what I was missing? Old times? No one had a voice like Jason’s, not even in New York. And no one had ever measured up to him in my eyes either, not after I left Virginia, and not even Hunter.

But maybe he wasn’t what I remembered. Maybe that’s what had been gnawing at me since I’d come home. Maybe seeing him again and realizing he wasn’t the perfect knight-in-shining-armor from my memories would help me finally pick a date for the wedding. It might be just what I needed to take the next step forward in my life. Sure, I said. What time? I’ll be there.

Eight o’clock, her fiancé said.

I’ll see you then. I smiled.

Yeah! Leah grinned back. I’ll save a table near the front.

Then the two of them said goodbye and headed off toward the children’s department, and I started for the makeup counter to inspect the gift with purchase offer in the display case.

Jason

Son of a bitch . I was seeing things.

Or was I?

There were so many people crowding the mall today, but there was a girl off in the distance who looked so much like Emery, I would have sworn it was her. Over by the makeup counter. Long brown, wavy hair and ivory skin. But it couldn’t be her. There was no reason why my ex-girlfriend would be at University Mall the day after Thanksgiving. She didn’t even live in Virginia anymore. Of course her family was still here. Or I thought they were, not that we’d kept up after she’d gone off to New York.

It did look like her, though. So much so, my heart sped up a little. Part of me had never gotten over Emery Houtman-Greene. Her parents were just as pretentious as her name sounds. But Em wasn’t. She was down-to-Earth, funny, and talented as hell. She was every dream I’d ever had all rolled up in one beautiful package.

Noah! A woman yelled as a little curly-headed boy slammed right into my legs and then fell onto his bottom with a thud. Sorry, the woman said to me as she scooped her child up in her arms. Then she shook her head at the kid. You have to watch where you’re going. You can’t run off like that.

But Santa, the kid started.

We’ll see Santa in a minute, she said, walking away from me. "If you listen. Now hold your sister’s hand."

I looked back toward the makeup counter, but the brunette was gone. Probably a figment of my imagination anyway. I mean, even if Emery’s family was still here, I couldn’t imagine her coming home to see them. Her parents were the reason she’d run from Wheston as fast as she could after high school.

So I refocused on my reason for being in this madness today. Christmas shopping. I pushed my way through the crowd toward the jewelry counter. I never knew what to get my mom, but this year it really had to be special. Unless there was some sort of miracle, it was gonna be the last Christmas she’d see and I wanted something…Well, I needed the perfect thing. I just wasn’t sure what it was, but thought a locket or something might catch my eye. I figured I’d know it when I saw it.

My cell dinged with a text and I stopped mid-step to pull my phone from my pocket. A message from my roommate and best friend Mike lit up the display screen. Help me put up mom’s lights?

That would take the better part of the day. Mrs. Willett had a lot of lights. But my mom would see them from her window across the street and they’d probably make her happy. Sure. When?

Idk after lunch?

Just had to be done before the gig at The Keep. But that was probably doable. K stop by after shopping.

I saw a flash of red out of the corner of my eye, and I turned just in time to see Santa Claus pick up the curly-headed kid who’d run into me and dart toward an exit. Shit. He was taking that kid!

Hey! I called after the departing Santa, but the guy didn’t slow down in the least, and in the crowded store, no one else paid me any attention at all.

So I took off after them, pushing my way through the swarm of shoppers. And I was gaining on them. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I kept my eyes locked on that red Santa hat and coat. I couldn’t lose them. If I did, something awful was gonna happen, I just knew it in the pit of my stomach.

Somewhere behind me, I barely heard a woman yell, "Noah! Where are you now?"

Noah. That’s right. The kid’s name was Noah.

Santa was almost out the department store doors, headed for the parking lot when I grabbed a handful of his red coat and jerked him backward.

Hey, he snarled, looking over his shoulder at me. His light eyes filled with some sort of wildness. Lemme go.

I looked at the curly-headed boy in his arms and said, You’re Noah, right?

The kid nodded.

You know this guy? I asked.

Santa, he said, holding up a red and white candy cane, like that explained everything. And it did in a really sick way.

Uh-huh. I tightened my grasp on Santa’s jacket. Noah’s mom! I yelled at the top of my lungs. Over here!

Santa dropped the kid and tried to wriggle out of my grasp, but I quickly grabbed onto the guy with both arms. He wasn’t going anywhere, not as long as I was breathing.

Noah started crying on the floor, but I refused to let go of Santa for even a second. The kid wasn’t hurt, he was just scared. And I was just as scared as he was. Someone call security! I yelled as Santa tried to pry my fingers from around him. Shit, he was strong too.

In the blink of an eye, there was a crowd surrounding us. Lots of gasps and lots of questions being hurled our way, but I just concentrated on holding onto Santa with both arms, tightening my grasp around the less than jolly son of a bitch to make sure he couldn’t escape.

A minute later, an older, balding department store security guard pushed his way through the crowd. Noah’s mom and three other little kids were trailing right after him.

What’s going on? the security guy asked.

This guy’s assaulting me! Santa yelled, prying at my fingers with renewed vigor. Get him off me.

He grabbed that kid, I said, nodding toward Noah, not loosening my grasp at all. He was just about outside when I caught him.

Noah! The boy’s mother snatched her son up in her arms. Oh my God.

Lies! Santa yelled, trying to kick me. I didn’t do anything. This guy attacked me. I was mindin’ my own business.

Why don’t we just check the security tapes and see what happened, all right? the guard said. Then he pushed the radio receiver on his shoulder and said into mic, Bob, call the sheriff’s department and have ‘em send a car, would ya? We have a possible 207. Over.

A staticky, Calling now, echoed back through the radio.

Then the guard looked at me and said, All right. Let ‘im go.

Which I still didn’t want to do. The security guy didn’t even have Santa’s arm or anything to keep him from bolting away. You wanna take him first? I looked at the guy like he was nuts. But, seriously, what the hell?

The guard narrowed his eyes on me like he didn’t appreciate me telling him how to do his job, but right then I didn’t really care. So I waited until he grabbed one of Santa’s arms and gestured toward the far wall. This way, hero, he said to me.

Santa was gonna let me ride in his sleigh, Noah sobbed as the security guard started to guide the still-complaining Santa through the crowd.

Ma’am, the guard called to Noah’s mom, cops’ll wanna talk to you too.

I was right after the pair, adrenaline still pumping through my veins. I didn’t know what the guy planned on doing to that kid, but what kind of sick fuck dressed up like Santa Claus to snatch children?

Noah’s mom caught up to me as we navigated the shocked holiday shoppers. She was clutching her son to her chest, as her other children followed closely behind. Thank you, thank you, she breathed out, her voice filled with emotion. I don’t know what we would’ve done if you hadn’t been there.

I’m just glad everything’s ok, I said, my heart finally starting to return to a more normal pace.

When Santa and the security guard disappeared through an office door, I stopped and looked at the lady. Hey, don’t go near that guy in there, ok? Let’s keep these kids near us. Just to be safe.

She nodded quickly. Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Two

Emery

My