Back to Me without You: Sibling Love, #1

By Christie Mack

Abby Carter has it all as a successful romance novelist, but when it comes to love, she's not lucky in love. Men are just attracted to her for one thing, and she's not interested in just sex anymore.

Abby arrives home in Sydney Australia to attend her little sister's wedding. She's lived in New York City home for five years now. But she doesn't expect to fall for the charismatic best man. He also happens to be the older brother of the groom.

Sam is everything Abby should be looking for in a boyfriend. He's good looking, has a thriving career as a doctor and driven to succeed in life just as she is.

Only Sam has his woes about love as well.

He's recently divorced from a woman who cheated on him and only cared about racking up her credit card bill.

Will their siblings' wedding be enough to bring two people together before they give up finding love altogether?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christie Mack
• Release date: Dec 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386357872

Book preview

Home is Where the Heart is

Lucky One

Back to Me without You

Love at Unexpected Moments

More than Friends

Coming Home for Christmas

Abby Carter has it all as a successful romance novelist, but when it comes to love, she’s not lucky in love. Men are just attracted to her for one thing, and she’s not interested in just sex anymore.

Abby arrives home in Sydney Australia to attend her little sister’s wedding. She’s lived in New York City home for five years now. But she doesn’t expect to fall for the charismatic best man. He also happens to be the older brother of the groom.

Sam is everything Abby should be looking for in a boyfriend. He’s good looking, has a thriving career as a doctor and driven to succeed in life just as she is.

Only Sam has his woes about love as well.

He’s recently divorced from a woman who cheated on him and only cared about racking up her credit card bill.

Will their siblings’ wedding be enough to bring two people together before they give up finding love altogether?

For Judith (sister), Phillip (brother), Mark (brother in law) and Nicole (sister in law)

Thank you for always being there for me.

After the death of her parents, Abby Carter didn’t think anything else would get better for her until she got the opportunity to work for a women’s contemporary magazine in the Big Apple.

Abby hadn’t wanted to accept the job offer at first. It meant leaving the only home she had ever known and the only family she had left. It was on the advice of her brother and sister that she go in search of her dreams rather than stay there to care for them. They insisted they were capable of looking after themselves.

Saying goodbye and burying her parents had been one of the hardest things Abby ever had to do. But she was determined to embark on a new life as an aspiring writer, so she said goodbye to her brother and sister, then hopped on a plane to New York City.

As the plane climbed into the clouds, Abby looked out the window and watched the familiar landscape turn to a patchwork of greens and browns, then disappear. There was no turning back now. She was heading off to the biggest adventure in her life, unsure of when she would find the courage to go home again.

On an August day in New York City, Abby Carter was busy tapping away on her computer in her home office. It was where she worked as a published romance novelist. Her cell phone buzzed on the desk. Jessica, her little sister, was calling. Panic set in. Jessica usually only called her if there was an issue or life-threatening emergency. It wasn’t that they didn’t talk, but they preferred to converse via Facebook or e-mail. And it worked better for them considering the continents between them.

Abby peered over at the clock on the wall.

Three p.m. That meant it had to be around five a.m. tomorrow—in Sydney.

Jessica was never awake at this hour. She liked her sleep and usually didn’t wake up before six a.m. As a child, Jessica was always the last one to wake up on a lazy Sunday morning.

Abby picked up her phone. Hello? Jessica? What’s wrong? Panic filled her voice straight away.

ABBY! Jessica screeched into the phone. Abby pulled the phone away from her ear. I’m so happy to hear your voice. I just had to call you. I have sensational news.

What news? What’s up? Abby asked, her voice quivering relief and curiosity.

I’m getting married!

What the hell? Now she wished she hadn’t answered her phone at all. She never expected to hear those words come from Jessica’s mouth, but they had. And by the sound of her excited voice, she wasn’t taking them back anytime soon.

Abby, did you hear me? I’m engaged!

I heard you, Jess. I’m just surprised. That’s all.

Surprise was the understatement of the century. Abby’s little sister was just twenty-one years old, and now, apparently, she was engaged.

After the death of their parents five years ago Abby, Jessica and their brother Steven only had each other to rely on as a family. Since then, Abby had made it her mission always to be there for her younger siblings. The distance between Sydney, Australia and New York City didn’t matter. She would watch out for them, no matter what. At twenty-eight years of age, Abby didn’t have any intentions to settle down, and she never expected that her little sister would, either. Jessica was still too young to settle down.

Well, are you happy for me?

Abby wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Of course, I’m delighted for you. You’re my baby sister. But I didn’t even know you were seeing anybody.

Well, I wasn’t seeing anyone until recently. I met Justin when I was out at a club a couple of months ago with my friends. We just clicked straight away. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

Jess—

Abby, I know what you’re going to say. We haven’t known each other long. But when you know, you know. He’s the one. I can feel it. I thought you of all people would be happy for me. With Mum and Dad gone, I need you to be glad for me. You and Steven are the only family I have.

I am.

Yeah, well you don’t sound happy for me. You’re the first person I’ve told. Well, besides Steven. I couldn’t keep it from him. We still live together. Even if you are halfway across the world, I had to tell my big sister the news before any of my friends. I didn’t want you hearing about it on Facebook.

I’m sorry. I’m just blown away by your news. It’s unexpected, even for you. So when is the wedding?

Abby had always known Jessica to take her time in everything she tried to do with her life. Abby and Steven had gotten their learner’s permit the second they turned sixteen. Jessica hadn’t gotten hers until she turned seventeen.

September.

As in next year. Well, that’s okay. I think we’ll be able to plan a wedding in a year—

No, not next year. September, as in next month.

Okay, so Abby could understand about an engagement after one month of dating, but planning a wedding in a month? Why was she rushing into marriage so quickly?

I know that’s not much time, but this is why I’m telling you first. I figure you’d need a chance to get your head around it and plan. I want you at the wedding, as my maid of honour.

As hard as it was to hear the news, Abby couldn’t blow off her sister’s wedding. Jessica would never forgive her if she did that. Of course, I’ll be there, and I am honoured to stand beside you as your maid of honour.

Good because Steven is going to walk me down the aisle. After everything that we’ve been through, I just want my brother and sister there for me on my special day. Do you think you’ll be able to take time off from work to be here for me? I know that you’ve got deadlines to meet but I need my big sister as well, she said.

I reckon I’ll be able to make it work. That’s the beautiful thing about my job. I can take it with me and still be able to make my deadlines.

They talked for another couple of minutes. Jessica explained how she had so much to do in such a short amount of time. It would be worth it though; she couldn’t wait to get married.

Abby would be there for her. Maybe if she and Steven were all in the same place at the same time, then they might be able to talk some sense into Jessica.

Six days later, Abby sat on an airplane taking off for Sydney, Australia.

She hadn’t been home for almost a year. Her first time home since her parent’s funeral hadn’t been an easy time. Everywhere she’d looked, she was reminded of who wasn’t there anymore, and she’d vowed never to go back to Australia for another holiday again. She wasn’t good at facing her problems head on. She liked to skip them altogether.

Some good that did.

She loved Steven and Jessica. She did. But being in Australia was way too difficult. There was so much pain she wasn’t ready to deal with just yet. Besides, she had built a new life for herself in New York City. Steven and Jessica were always welcome there whenever they liked. They had already taken her up on the offer a couple of times.

Abby settled into the window seat with her carry-on. She hoped no one would sit beside her, but it would be rare to have a row all to herself, especially in economy. She put her reading glasses on and pulled her long, wavy, chocolate-brown hair into a low ponytail to secure it into place. It was something she always did when she had work to do.

She checked her e-mails one last time and sent hurried messages to Steven and Jessica to let them know that she had boarded the plane. She would be arriving at Sydney Airport in another 20 hours and 22 minutes. Then she switched off her device, leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She was prepared for take-off.

Not a big fan of the take-off, she shut her eyes instead of looking out the window. With her eyes still closed, she felt someone sit down in the seat beside her when their arm bumped hers by accident.

She should have splurged on a first class ticket.

Hello. His voice was deep and American, not at all like her Australian accent. Abby instantly envisioned him as tall, dark and handsome, like one of the cover models on her romance books.

You nervous about flying too? he asked, seemingly unfazed by the fact she hadn’t yet opened her eyes.

Couldn’t he see she wasn’t in the mood to chat? She sighed, then prepared herself to force a polite smile. No, I just don’t like the taking off part. My stomach feels as though it’s tied into knots.

Opening her eyes, she found herself face to face with a blue-eyed, blond-haired man with the subtle hint of a five o’clock shadow. He couldn’t be more than 30 years old. He wasn’t tall, dark and handsome, but he was still gorgeous.

Oh, God, why do you like to torture me so much?

It was a question Abby often found herself asking. It seemed that when good-looking men entered her life, it was often for the wrong purpose—just looking for casual sex—or at the wrong possible time, like now. She had a wedding to try to stop. That’s what she was heading home for. But she managed to give him a smile.

Hi, she said. Do you not like planes?

He shook his head as he buckled his seatbelt and sunk into his chair. No, can’t say that I do. They’re more my brother’s thing.

Have you ever been on a plane before? She didn’t mean to pry into his personal life, but if he felt the need to talk to her first, then she may as well make small talk with him.

In one word—no, he paused for a moment. I ’ve never had any need to be on one until now. But I guess you have. Your accent. It’s Australian, right?

Abby found it strange that a grown man had never been on a plane until now. What? No holidays via air? And yes, I’m Australian.

He shook his head, and despite herself, Abby couldn’t help but notice his chiselled jaw. His eyebrows lifted. Are you always this sarcastic? I’ve been on holidays, but I prefer the driving kind. What’s more, with my work, I rarely get time off. Are you going home?

Home? Australia? No, New York City is my home now. But my family lives in Australia, so I’m visiting them. What about you?

I’m meeting up with my brother and the rest of my family who are on their way there as well. By the way, I’m Sam. He extended his hand towards her.

She didn’t accept the offered handshake. Instead, she just nodded her head. I’m Abby.

He gave her a charming smile that no doubt worked on a lot of women, but it wasn’t going to work on her. In her experience, men like Sam were only after one thing. And she’d had her share of experiences with gorgeous men. She was often told she was a stunner. She wasn’t sure that was true, but she seemed to attract extremely good-looking men. Once they got what they wanted, however, they ditched her for someone else. She was through playing that game and had been for a while now.

The flight attendant approached, advising them to buckle their seat belts and flashed a smile at Sam. Abby could have sworn she winked at him too as she offered him some peanuts and a drink. Good lord. Abby sat back in her seat and prepared herself for