Hooking a Firefly: Sparkle City Book Two, page 1
Hooking a Firefly
Hooking a Firefly
Sparkle City Book Two
Dawn Brower
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Hooking a Firefly Copyright © 2019 by Dawn Brower
All rights reserved.
Cover Art by Victoria Miller
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.
For my mom…every day I wish you were here and I never stop missing you.
Sometimes falling apart is the bravest act of all.
Sarah Hackley
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Afterword
About The Author
Also by Dawn Brower
Acknowledgments
Excerpt: Passion and LIes
Prologue
Excerpt: Desire and Jealousy
Prologue
Excerpt: Seduction and Betryal
Prologue
Prologue
Ashlyn Penn never did anything foolish. Every action was carefully thought out and performed with perfection in mind. If she could remove spontaneity from the world, she would. It was her firm belief that impulsiveness led to the cornerstone of chaos. With her gifts, she couldn’t embrace anything so irrational.
She also realized that most people would think her the unreasonable one. Visions should make her life easier. They would be wrong. Those visions were the very epitome of chaos. The future was fluid and changeable, and what she saw didn’t always come to fruition. Her predictions still had over an eighty percent success rate, though. That was why she didn’t believe in impetuous behavior. Fate was fickle, and she didn’t want to give that bitch any reason to destroy Ashlyn’s carefully laid plans.
She hadn’t wanted to give her sister Scarlett bad news. Ashlyn loved both of her sisters, but she had to warn her. JD was the fickle one in their relationship. Ashlyn could tell he would be the one that would bolt—even without the vision that explained it all. She wished with her entire heart that her vision would be wrong, and for that reason, she hadn’t wanted to go to Scarlett’s wedding. She almost hadn’t…
What if she’d been wrong and had read the situation erroneously? Then she would have missed her sister’s big day. She hadn’t made it to the church when a motion from one of the side entrances caught her attention. Harrison Thoreau strolled out, and he didn’t have a cheerful expression on his face. His sun kissed chocolate brown hair was disheveled. She couldn’t see his eyes, but she had a feeling that she’d see sadness if she were closer.
Ashlyn moved toward him and stopped in front of him. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo. She almost lifted her hand up to smooth down his waistcoat, but held back. “What happened?”
He yanked at the tie at his neck and unraveled it, then slid it out and shoved it inside his pocket. He unbuttoned the collar and took in long, slow gulps of air. “Are you all right?” she asked him.
She didn’t know what to do for him. Ashlyn didn’t do well with emotional upheaval. That was one of the reason’s she had been determined to stay away. She feared her vision had come to pass. Why else was JD’s best friend so overwrought?
“I’ll be fine,” he said after a moment. Harrison stared at her for several seconds. “I thought you were not going to attend.”
Heat creeped up her cheek. She had to be as red as her hair. The joys of being a ginger. Ashlyn sighed. “I hadn’t realized anyone noticed I was missing.”
He shook his head. “Faith mentioned something to me a little while ago.” He took another fortifying breath. “Did you really have a vision this wedding would not happen?”
Sometimes she really hated her gift. It was more of a curse than anything else. She hated some of the things she saw. “I did.”
“And that’s why you were not going to come.” He nodded absentmindedly. “Why did you change your mind?”
She glanced away from him. “I didn’t want to disappoint Scarlett.” She sighed. “But it appears as if that part won’t matter. JD has already done more damage than I ever could.”
“He’s an asshole. I can’t believe he did this to her.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I love him, but I am so disappointed in him.”
“He will regret his decision,” she said with more of a knowing than anything to substantiate the feeling inside of her. “One day he’ll look back and realize this was when he lost the best thing in his life and once he does he’ll be willing to lay everything aside to have it again, but by then it may be too late.”
Harrison nodded. “That’s the root of regrets. We all have them. Though some are much larger and more intense than others. This will be the one that tops JD’s list.”
“Yes,” she agreed. Then glanced up at him. “What are you going to do?”
He shrugged, then met her gaze. “Want to get out of here?”
Ashlyn thought about his question. This was spontaneity that she hated. She had not planned for this, and she didn’t know if she should go with it or not. It would have been better if she had stayed home. Going with Harrison might take her down a path that she might regret. He was three years older than her sixteen years. He’d been at college for a year now. There were several girls in school that would have jumped at the chance to spend some time with him.
He was handsome, and a hockey player at the college he attended. Harrison Thoreau probably had no problems finding girls to hang out with him. Why would he want Ashlyn to be the one at his side? This was uncharted territory for her. “Where would we go?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter?”
Harrison didn’t know her at all. Of course, it mattered. She hated surprises and not knowing where they were headed…it might cause a panic attack. So, it shocked her a little that instead of declining she found herself saying, “Let’s go.”
For the first time since she walked up to him, his face lit up with a smile. That charming grin sent shivers up her spine, and that should have been a warning. One she would have normally heeded, but Harrison brought out a side of her she didn’t know existed.
He slid his arm around her shoulder and led her to his red truck, and helped her inside. She slid her seatbelt on and prayed she wasn’t making a mistake. Ashlyn glanced back at the church and felt a little guilty. She should have checked on Scarlett. Hopefully, Faith would help her through her emotional turmoil. Ashlyn’s twin was better at helping others than she ever could be. This was for the best. At least that was what she kept telling herself.
Harrison still couldn’t believe JD had stood up Scarlett at the altar. When he next talked to him, he would tell him how much of an asshole move that had been. When he had found that letter instructing, he give it to Scarlett… He hoped he never had to go through something like that ever again.
He glanced at the girl sitting next to him. Ashlyn Penn’s was a beautiful girl with wavy red hair and green eyes that bewitched him. She’d always been so remote and cold. That should have turned him off, but something about her had always appealed to him. Maybe he was a bit of a masochist… He’d been surprised she had agreed to come with him.
She wore a pretty green dress that matched her eyes, and simple white flats. He didn’t know where to take her, but he knew he wanted to be alone with her. Harrison needed to learn more about her. What made her tick, and why was she always so distant with those around her.
Was it her visions?
He didn’t understand what they were or why she had them. Ashlyn, Faith, and Scarlett all had gifts of a sort. Each one was different, and he had never bothered to ask for details. JD had mentioned them in passing and Harrison had dismissed them as nonsense. Clearly, he should have paid more attention.
After a few moments, he pulled his truck up at the private beach near his family’s home. No one would be there. Everyone was in town for the wedding. “Want to walk on the beach?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Sure.” Her tone noncommittal as she spoke.
He pushed his door open and stepped out of the truck. Harrison rounded the truck intending to open her door for her, but she was already stepping out when he reached her. Well, hell… She had an independent streak. He could work with that if he had to. Harrison liked to take care of people, protect them. Ashlyn might not like that side of him, but hopefully she would look past it. Harrison hoped to have something more with her. He had been interested in her over the past year. The more he saw her when she was around JD and Scarlett… He knew their age difference and kept his distance, but she would be seventeen soon, and three years wasn’t that large of a gap. It was closer to two and a half, actually. He had only turned nineteen a few months ago.
Harrison held out his arm to her. “My lady,” he said in a formal tone.
She giggled. It did funny things to his heart. He had never heard her laugh before. Ashlyn placed her hand on arm a nd then smiled. “To the beach then?” she asked.
He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Yes,” he finally managed to say.
When they reached the beach, she stopped to take her shoes off. “I don’t want to get sand in them. I’ll leave them here for now.”
He nodded. “Good idea.” Harrison stopped to slip his shoes and socks off and left them beside hers. After that was done, they walked down to the beach. She went right to the shore and started to wade into it. Harrison took the time to roll up his pants so he could join her.
“This was a good idea,” she said. “I never think to go to the beach.”
“Do you ever think of doing anything pleasurable?”
“Pleasure is relative,” she said. “What one finds appealing another might not.” She met his gaze. “If you compare one person to another, you will find incongruent answers. So, what I find pleasure in you might not.”
“That doesn’t really answer my question.” He grinned. “Instead of debating the merits of pleasure, why don’t we explore a few things we both can agree are indeed pleasurable.”
Harrison stepped toward her. She didn’t move back, and he took that as a sign to move forward. They were both standing in the ocean with waves crashing over their legs. His pants were getting soaked, but he didn’t care. He slid his hand around her waist and pulled her against him, then leaned his head down until his forehead pressed against hers. “Do you like this?” he asked in a husky tone.
“It’s tolerable,” she said in a neutral tone.
He chuckled. “That’s a start, I suppose.” Harrison slid his hand over her silky red hair. “Let’s try a few more things.”
She nodded. “All right. I’m open to a little experimentation.”
Harrison adored her curiosity, but he had to take things slowly with her. Going too far might push her away, and he wanted to take the time to learn everything about her if she would allow it. He lowered his head until his lips brushed against hers. Heat shot through him in sharp spikes, and it was the simplest of kisses. She stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He deepened the kiss and tasted her slowly, deeply, until the kiss took on a life of its own. She moaned, he pulled her closer, and the world disappeared for several heartbeats.
Until it all went to hell. She pushed him and he fell back into the water, then she stormed away from him. He scrambled to his feet and went after her. She was slipping on her shoes when he caught up to her.
“Ash…”
She shook her head vehemently. “I can’t do this. It won’t work…” Fear spilled from her green eyes so heavy that it sucker punched him in the stomach so hard it stole his breath.
How could he have not seen it? She was innocent, and he had taken advantage of her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed…”
“No,” she interrupted him. “We don’t have a future. You don’t understand. There can never be anything between us. Can you take me home?”
“Not ever?” He lifted a brow. “How could…” Harrison almost asked her how she could possibly know that. Then he remembered. She’d had a vision, and it hadn’t been a good one. He couldn’t fight that. Even if not all her visions came true, enough did that she had made up her mind. That meant there was no place in her life for him, and there went everything he hoped to have. It hurt so damn bad, but he would respect her wishes. He had no other choice.
Chapter 1
Eleven years later…
Ashlyn stood next to her sister Faith, stage right at the benefit concert. Scarlett was about to perform the song she had written with her half-brother, Remy. All the proceeds for the concert would be donated to charity. Their song, Diamonds Don’t Cry, would be the first single released from the album. Their album wouldn’t release for a few more weeks. They hadn’t even dropped a single for radios to play. The plan was to hold this concert and introduce the music to them live, then release the album a week later. Preorder sales were already astronomical. Scarlett’s fans, combined with those that adored her father’s band, Harrowed Souls were all out to support the joint venture.
Ashlyn didn’t need visions to predict their success.
The first notes of Diamonds Don’t Cry echoed around her. Ashlyn closed her eyes and listened as the lyrics and music rolled over her. Scarlett sang the words with emotion that seared Ashlyn’s soul. She was so damn proud of her sister and all she had achieved. Sometime she wished she could put that into words for Scarlett, but Ashlyn had never been very good with feelings and expressing anything real to anyone. She hated that about herself, but she didn’t know how to change or if she was capable of it. When the song finished, the crowd was completely silent—Ashlyn could relate. It was as if the gravity of the song touched them so much they didn’t know how to react. After several heartbeats, the fans erupted in whistles, cheers, and a round of applause.
Ashlyn peaked out at the stage as Scarlett wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Thank you so much.” Scarlett’s voice shook a little as she spoke.
Remy came to stand next to her and slid her microphone out of her hand. “The world doesn’t know how amazing this woman is. Without her, I might not be here today.” He held his hands out to her and waved them. “Please give this woman a round of applause for her generosity.” The crowd cheered even more.
Faith moved closer to her and whispered. “Can you believe that is our sister?”
Ashlyn shook her head. “She’s so talented.”
Scarlett reached for the microphone, but Remy held it back. “There is one more thing that has to be done before we can return to the music. I hope you’ll be patient for a little while longer.”
He looked past her to the other side of the stage. Thatcher walked out from stage left, escorting JD. Scarlett turned to Remy, and then back to her father and JD. When they reached them, JD snatched the microphone from Remy and turned to her, then dropped to his knees. “Scarlett,” he began. “Love of my life, will you please marry me?”
This was why they were all there. Yes, they supported Scarlett when they could, but this was a special occasion. After JD had stood her up at their wedding over a decade ago, he wanted to make it up to her in spades, and this was a start. Ashlyn had also not seen this one failing. She smiled at the two of them. Scarlett had the deer caught in the headlights look. Poor thing probably didn’t know what to say, and that, in turn, was probably making JD super nervous.
“I thought you might have trouble answering,” JD said softly into the microphone. His tone was coaxing and tender. “That’s why I’ve decided to simplify things for you.” Ashlyn wasn’t as unromantic as a lot of people believed. Her heart melted as JD spoke to Scarlett.
He took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger. “Say the word, and Remy will perform the wedding right now. We have the marriage license, and he’s taken steps to be able to perform the ceremony.” JD gestured to the other side of the stage. “Your sisters are here to act as bridesmaids and your mother and stepfather are backstage.” Scarlett looked over her shoulder. Ashlyn and Faith waved at her.
“And if you decide to marry this young man, I’ll do my part and give you away,” her father said. “Even though we haven’t had much time together.”
Tears flowed freely now. Scarlett nodded her head furiously. “Yes,” she shouted. The microphone picked up her voice, carrying her answer through the speakers. The crowd screamed at her words. “I’ll marry you.”
JD stood and wrapped his arms around her, kissed her cheek, then pressed his lips to hers. Maybe it wasn’t the most conventional wedding, but Scarlett married JD in front of an audience of over three thousand enthusiastic fans. Ashlynn and Faith stood beside them as they said their vows, and afterwards there were hugs all around.
