Cover Reveal for Twisting Fate (Fate Series #2) by Charisse Reid!!

Kinzleigh's life came crashing down after that tragic day leaving her in a whirlwind of despair. How do you move on from something when you have a secret no one knows; a constant reminder of something so beautiful that was taken as if it never existed?

Kinzleigh Baker was the golden girl. She never partied or gave her parents an ounce of trouble. She sure as heck didn't venture out with boys. She had hopes and dreams that could only be obtained by keeping a clear head; free from emotions that only hold you back. She had her life planned out like a book, moving forward chapter by chapter. What she didn't expect was for fate to knock her off that pedestal she has been on by throwing at her one unexpected thing after another.

Finally learning we can't always control the life we planned out for ourselves she accepted the destiny she was given and even embraced it, finding a love many people never experience in a lifetime. What happens, though, when fate laughs in your face just to drastically change it all again?

Kinzleigh has realized hopes and dreams are useless. Why even bother trying when everything always gets taken from you? The only way to abstain from hurt is to have no aspirations or expectations. After finally trying to pick up the pieces of her life and live the only way she knows how, fate gets the last move again and throws in a twist no one expected. Will she finally get the ending to her story?

I'm exhausted. I don't even want to get out of bed, but today is Breyson's memorial service. I stand from the bed and look at my small figure in the mirror. I've lost weight from the constant pregnancy sickness and not being able to eat from the depression. I have done nothing but lay in the bed in his oversized tee shirt. My hair is dirty and and I haven't showered since I got home from the hospital.

A knock sounds at my door and opens before I can respond. One look at me and Adalynn allows a tear to fall down her face. I haven't spoken with her or anyone else for that matter. "Why didn't you tell me?" One sentence and I know exactly what she's referring to. "Don't shut me out Kinzleigh. I can help you get through all of this, but only if you let me in."

I feel numb. Everything she says goes in one ear and out the other; nothing sticks. My energy has completely left me. I don't even have the energy to shower which is why I haven't. I feel like someone walked by, reached inside and removed my soul from the confinements of my body; leaving nothing but a shell. Tears have become an expectation on a regular basis. I don't even try to wipe them away anymore.

I just stare at her blankly; no expressions to give. She walks over to me and wraps me in her arms. Her outfit goes with the way I feel; black and dark; the symbolic color for death. "When did you find out?"

I don't want to think about the baby right now. I like pretending it's not there. "After we dropped Breyson off at the airport." I can't even say it without crying all over again. I still can't believe this has become my life. How am I supposed to go back to school or cheerleading? I'll never be happy again.

She tightens her hold around me. "I'll never tell anyone until you're ready. You know I'll help you right? You don't have to go through this alone; any of it. You're my best friend and you're family to me." I know she expects the Kinzleigh she knows and loves to come back at some point, but that girl is long gone; a vapor in the wind. All I can do is recluse inside myself and try to hold on to what little bit of sanity I have left. "Come on and I'll help you get ready. You need a bath."

As embarrassing as it was to have someone help you bathe, I can't seem to find the will to care. I guess times like these are when you discover who your true friends are. I pull on my long black maxi dress and a pair of sunglasses to hide my reddened eyes. I imagine to an outsider I look like I'm on drugs. Since I've been taking my nausea medication I don't get sick as often, but I can't seem to eat either. I'm getting thinner as the days go on and my clothes are getting big, but I can't eat. I'm doing good to get down one bowl of soup a day and that's only for the baby's sake.

We pull up at the cemetery and walk over to the headstone beside Beau's, that is now waiting with his name etched on it. An open casket service wasn't necessary since there is no body. I come to stand in front of the headstone and read the letters etched into the stone.

Breyson Patrick Abercrombie

October 2, 1995-February 3,2014

Forever remembered by the ones you love

The preacher starts his speech; one that he has said a million times I'm sure. It seems too practiced and frankly, not good enough. I just stare at the headstone in front of me picturing my beautiful boy. I close my eyes and allow myself to go to my happy place while the words and sadness flow around me. Come back to me Breyson. Let me feel you. If not in body, then in spirit. I need you to keep me going. I don't have the strength to do it myself. The salty tears run down my face, underneath my shades.

I'm here baby. I'm trying to get to you. Please don't give up on me. I need you to remember our love. I need you to keep going. Wait for me.... My eyes shoot open and I feel like I'm going to pass out. I must be having a mental breakdown because I swear on everything I feel like there is someone near me and I have never been one of those people that believe in ghosts. I'm a realist, but I promise on my life I heard Breyson's beautiful voice in my head. The mind is a cruel thing. It has the ability to play tricks on us and make us hear and see things that aren't there. My subconscious wants him to be here so my mind has got to be trying to ease the pain that consumes me by giving me a little bit of false hope.

As crazy as it is, I can't help but to imagine maybe it were some kind of sign. What if it is? Could it be? I've heard crazy stories before about two souls that were meant to be, having the ability to call out to one another when they're apart; kind of like twins separated at birth but can feel each others pain and emotions subconsciously. What if it's real and I give up on him? What if me believing he's still alive actually keeps him alive? Can I dig deep down inside and find the will to still hope that it could actually happen? It's a long stretch and may make me crazier than I already am. The question I have to ask myself is would I rather live with the false hope that he could actually survive trying to get back to me or let him go just to avoid feeling crazy and go on living emotionally slaughtered?

In one sense, I have to believe that the supernatural is possible to believe in God. When you choose to believe in a higher power, you accept that the things seeming humanly impossible can actually happen if God wills them to. Can his love for me bring him home? Can our baby bring him home? Can Beau bring him home? I know God himself can, but will he? Like an answer to my question, part of a bible verse comes to me, in paraphrase of course. To have faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains...

I stand here with the war of questions going on in my mind as the memorial service comes and goes. Everyone begins walking back to their cars, but I continue to stand here, staring straight ahead. "You ready to go sweetie," mom says.

"I'll be there in a few minutes, okay?" She nods and leaves me to myself. I push my shades up on top of my head as the cars leave the cemetery behind. Most of those people will never set foot on this place again until they have to be here for the sole purpose of paying their respects; however, for people like me and Macie this becomes like a second home. I remove the plastic protected piece of paper from the pocket of my white denim jacket and walk closer to the headstone. White is not a standard color to be worn at a funeral, but I had to wear it since my black cotton dress is strapless and it's the middle of February.

Kneeling on my knees, I open the small ziplock bag and remove one of the sonogram photos I was given when I found out I was pregnant. I look down at it, remembering that last day with him. "Hey Brey. I didn't want to tell you this way, but you've left me no other option." Uncontrollable tears spill from my eyes as I try to gather my thoughts. "I'm pregnant. I wanted to wait until you got back to tell you so you could enjoy your trip, but I guess you never got there. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get pregnant. I was going to take full responsibility and give up cheerleading so you could keep your football dream, but I guess that's no longer an option. You would've been a great football player and an even better dad. I know you would've stood by me and that's why I was going to give it all up. I won't leave you here by yourself. I'll come back everyday and visit. I hope you know how much I love you." Sliding the ultrasound photo back into the plastic bag, I seal it shut.

I begin digging my nails in the grass that grows in front of the headstone, making a hole. I can't see in front of me because my eyes are blurred from not wiping my eyes. I don't see the point because they continue to fall. I don't even know where the tears are coming from anymore. "I want you to have this picture Brey. It's our baby." I place the clear plastic bag containing the photo inside the hole before covering it back up. "Why'd you break your promise Brey? I was counting on you to keep it. You were right about one thing; you've ruined me. I love you more than I love myself; more than anything in this world. I don't know why, but I'll try to wait for you. Please don't make me wait long. I'm begging you Brey. I'll beg all you want, but please don't leave me here alone."

I get that feeling again as if I'm not alone. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck and arms stand up. I really need to get a grip and check back in with reality before I end up in one of those padded rooms by myself. What's even stranger is for a moment some of the pain begins to dwindle. It's like someone is protecting me, but I can't see them. I refuse to freak myself out. I believe in the existence of angels and demons because I believe in God, but I just can't believe in ghosts or spirits being left behind when their bodies parish. Maybe I need to go back to bed. Clearly my mind is way out in left field. I'm upset and hurt and and my emotions are all over the place.

I stand for another moment before I can make myself walk away. Have you ever wished you could just pick one moment in your life and press rewind so you can go back and change it? I would go back to the night I bought those tickets and press delete or even change my mind the morning he asked me to go with him. Both ways would bring us to one outcome dead or alive; together. I walk up to the headstone, bend down and kiss the jagged stone. "Bye Brey. Always remember you're my one and only. No one will ever replace you. You have my heart and my soul, leaving the only thing remaining as being my body. Don't miss me too much." I run my fingertips along the top and turn to leave, unsure of where I want to go from here.

 

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Charisse Reid lives in the small town of Purvis, Mississippi. She is a mommy to one amazing four year old daughter. She developed a love for reading through iBooks and Kindle app, on her iPad, a year ago she never would have imagined. She loves to escape for a while through the characters of a good romance. Any romance will do; she likes to mix it up. She has developed a passion for indie authors. They seem to usually develop the best stories in her opinion. She has a love for Rocker Romance right now. Got to love those tattooed bad boys right? She never would have dreamed of writing until a fellow author friend mentioned she should try it through editing a work in progress for her.

At first, she thought it was funny because editing was as close as she thought she would get to the creative side of book writing, but then came up with a storyline and decided to give it a shot. Now she absolutely loves to write and has several books lined up that she cannot wait to share with the world.

AMAZON / AMAZON CA / AMAZON UK / SMASHWORDS / KOBO

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Cover Reveal for Accepted Fate by Charisse Reid!!

Synopsis

What do you do when everything you had planned out for yourself gets changed in one summer? Do you embrace the new or fight to keep things the same?

For seventeen year old Kinzleigh everything was going just as she always planned. She had great friends, went to a school she loved, and always knew she was destined for greatness. One step already completed towards acquiring the job she has forever dreamed of, a pro football cheerleader. Nothing and no one was going to stand in her way, especially not love. What she doesn't expect is for her parents to suddenly change everything and send her spiraling into a life she didn't want for herself, especially after meeting one blue eyed boy she can't stop dreaming about. Her life is changing at every turn. She is learning that sometimes life has different plans than our own. When she finally accepts the hand fate has dealt, everything is ripped from her once again. Can she accept the ugly fate that was chosen for her or will she fight to once again accept it.

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Excerpt

I finally reach the end and sit, placing my legs over the side, but because of my height they do not reach the water. The night begins to replay through my thoughts. I can't believe everything I've worked so hard for is crashing down around me. Being squad captain of one of the top 5 squads in the country guaranteed me a spot on almost any college in the country. Even if this Hicksville town, Mississippi has a cheer leading squad, will they even have room for another cheerleader? Do they even compete? Now, I'm going to have to work harder just to get a tryout at the colleges I'm interested in.

Why would my parents just pick up and move us when I have one year of high school left? How do they expect me to just leave everything I know behind and start over? I have friends here, family, that has to mean something to them. This isn't fair. Maybe I can think of a way to stay behind. I just have to. My parents have got to understand what this will do to me. I just want to wake up and realize this is all a dream. All I can do is stare out at the ocean, lost in thought.

All of my emotions finally catch up to me and the tears start to fall, heavier this time. I can't stop them anymore. I don't know what to do. Everything was going great in my life and now the misery is about to begin. I don't even try to wipe the tears away anymore, I just let them flow. I don't understand out of all the states in the continental U.S., why my parents have to choose some po-dunk town in Mississippi. I can't imagine the kind of people that reside there. After that big hurricane, Katrina I think, they had people walking around barefooted and missing teeth. Do they even have shopping malls and designer clothes, I wonder, or is it full of trailer parks and cow fields. My stomach turns at the thought. I'm not sure how long I've been sitting there, staring at the water, but my back is beginning to hurt and I'm growing tired from crying, but the tears continue to fall. I should just go home and go to bed, but I'm not ready to face my parents yet. I lay back against the pier, looking into the sky. Its dark, but the sky is clear. There is not a cloud for miles. It's beautiful glancing out at all the stars, shining brightly. It's also a full moon tonight. A strange peacefulness begins to wash over me, causing me to close my eyes. Clearly my mind is not in normal territory, because I would never close my eyes late at night on a public beach. There are too many creeps out there.

I couldn't have been laying there but what seemed like a few minutes. I must have dozed off when, "Mind if I join you," flows through my ears in a deep, raspy voice. My eyes pop open and a tall familiar face is standing over me, looking down, with a smile on his face.

I begin to panic and sit up in a hurry, embarrassed. Embarrassment is a rare trait for me and this guy has brought it out twice in one day. "I'm sorry, I don't usually do this, it's been a bad night." I look back out at the water, gripping the side of the pier, as if the most beautiful boy isn't standing behind me. Right then, I can feel his breathing on the back of my neck, quickening my heart rate. In the short time, he has managed to squat behind me, the inside of each knee resting against my side.

He begins to whisper in my ear, "May I keep you company for a while? I'll be quiet if that's what you need." His breath is so light, it tickles my ear. I can barely breath, let alone speak, so I just nod. My head is fuzzy and I can't think when he's this close.

He sits beside me and removes his shoes, placing his feet in the water. I'm finally able to exhale the breath I've been holding. "How long have you been here?" I turn and glance at him, to find that he's staring at me. I don't know where this guy is from, I don't really care, but he's gorgeous. I never take an interest in a guy, it's one of my few rules, but following rules have gotten me nowhere, obviously. I'm not thinking clearly anyway, I guess I can break my rule and enjoy his company for a while. He is leaving soon anyway and right now I need a distraction from all this bad news.

He reaches out slowly, as if he's afraid I'll run away, placing his hand over my cheek, rubbing his thumb underneath my eye, freeing it from the wetness of the tears. Great, I have no idea what I look like right now. "I needed to clear my head and came to the beach, I saw you standing by the water earlier, are you okay?"

My eyes close at the warmth from his hand. I should be mad he followed me, but I can't. I just want him near me, but no personal questions. I don't need him to know me or what makes me tick. I don't need any complications. I open my eyes to him staring at my lips. "Can we just exist together without trying to obtain personal quota? Let's just enjoy casual company, two people needing nothing from each other. Clearly you're not from here, meaning you'll be gone soon. I'm not one of those girls that needs or wants to know everything about you nor do I want to spill my entire life to you. We don't have to pretend with each other, lets call this what it is. Can you do that?"

He just stares at me as if he's trying to figure me out, like I'm a book full of secrets. He seems lost in my eyes, amused, confused, I don't know. We sit there staring at each other as if we can't pull away. He doesn't say anything, just bites his lip as if he's trying to answer his own question, or to make a decision. I'm about to get up and walk away, when his other hand reaches behind my neck, pulling me closer. His lips stop in front of mine, close enough to touch, when he whispers, "Beautiful," and crashes his lips to mine.

His lips are so soft and full, but needy. His warm tongue slips through the opening of my lips, requesting entry. Our tongues taste, touch, and dance together. A moan, barely more than a whisper, escapes my lips. I run my hands across his arms and up his neck, into the back of his hair. My heart is beating wildly. Foreign emotions are running through my body. I have never felt this need before, but it's as if my body needs more. Suddenly, I feel like I need to cross my legs from the spasms down below. What is he doing to me? What does this mean? He turns, laying me against the pier. He has one hand on my waist, the other beside my head, holding his weight above me, like when we were at the beach. He continues to kiss me, taking my bottom lip into his mouth, lightly sucking. He makes a low growling sound from his throat. I'm not sure why until I feel his need pressed against the bottom of my belly, making my eyes go wide from surprise. Oh no, I can't go there. As if he can sense my panic, he stops. He kisses me one last time softly and releases my lips.

He looks me in the eyes, a smile growing across his face. He brushes his fingers through my hair, down my arm and grabs me by the hand, interlacing his fingers with mine. "Nothing personal huh, I think I can do that." His lips brush mine quickly before he moves back to his spot of the pier, pulling me by my hand to sit between his legs. "I promise I'll be good for the rest of the night. I've just wanted to do that all day."

I'm completely and utterly speechless. I have no idea what I'm doing. I never do reckless or unplanned things like this. I have no idea who this guy is, really, and now I'm sitting on the pier making out with him. I really need to get my head back in the game. I always think everything through before I make a decision. Being around him takes away my ability to process. Right now there are so many unknowns, but what I do know is that I'm not ready for it to end just yet.

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Meet the Author

Facebook / Goodreads

Charisse Reid lives in the small town of Purvis, Mississippi. She is married with a four year old daughter. She developed a love for reading through iBooks and Kindle app, on her iPad, a year ago she never would have imagined. She loves to escape for a while through the characters of a good romance. Any romance will do, but she has developed a passion for indie authors. They seem to usually develop the best stories in her opinion. Her personal favorite is Young Adult and rocker romance. Got to love those tattooed bad boys right? She never would have dreamed of writing until a fellow author friend mentioned she should try it through editing a work in progress for her. At first, she thought it was funny because editing was as close as she thought she would get to the creative side of book writing, but then came up with a storyline and decided to give it a shot. Now she absolutely loves to write and has several books lined up that she cannot wait to share with the world.

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