Out of Nowhere Read online

  Table of Contents

  TITLE PAGE

  SYNOPSIS

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  PROLOGUE

  PART ONE: EMERSON

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  PART TWO:CHASE

  PART THREE: EMERSON & CHASE

  CHAPTER ONE: CHASE

  CHAPTER TWO: EMERSON

  CHAPTER THREE: CHASE

  CHAPTER FOUR: EMERSON

  CHAPTER FIVE: CHASE

  CHAPTER SIX: EMERSON

  CHAPTER SEVEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER EIGHT: EMERSON

  CHAPTER NINE: CHASE

  CHAPTER TEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER ELEVEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER TWELVE: EMERSON

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER NINETEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER TWENTY: EMERSON

  EPILOGUE

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  PLAYLIST

  OTHER WORKS BY DL GALLIE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  OUT OF NOWHERE

  A novel by

  DL GALLIE

  Emerson James has it all. Great job. Wonderful fiancé. Amazing friends. Loving family. Life is perfect. In an instant her once perfect life implodes and everything falls apart. Rather than facing life, she packs a bag and leaves New York behind, embarking on a journey of self-discovery.

  By a twist of fate, she ends up in Nels Cove, Colorado and decides to stay, indefinitely. Country life is just what she needs. If it weren't for Chase Archibald, her life could be perfect. He’s an arrogant ass who grates on her nerves but at the same time, he sets her ablaze.

  * * *

  Chase Archibald is Nels Cove royalty. Everyone loves him, especially the ladies. Well most of them. Emerson James is the first person to call him out and not fall at his feet. That pisses him off but at the same time she sparks something inside of him; he can’t stop thinking about her.

  With persistence, Chase manages to get Emerson to lower her guard and open her heart up again. But when her past and present collide, she will have to face the consequences of running away. Once again, she runs but is running the right decision this time?

  Copyright © DL Gallie 2018

  Out of Nowhere

  First published 2018

  Email: [email protected]

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a database and retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the owner of copyright and the above publishers.

  This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be stored or reproduced by any process without prior written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the produce of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to the actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and meant with no prejudice or harm.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the various products referenced in this works of fiction, which have been used without permission. The use of these trademarks is not sponsored, associated or endorsed by the trademark owner.

  ISBN: 10: 0-6482653-0-7

  ISBN: 13: 978-0-6482653-0-6

  Edited by Karen Hrdlicka, Barren Acres Editing

  Cover Designed by Tash Drake, Outlined with Love Designs

  Formatted by Stacey Blake, Champagne Book Design

  Proofread by Tammy Coffey, Final Touch Proofreading

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  SYNOPSIS

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  PROLOGUE

  PART ONE: EMERSON

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  PART TWO:CHASE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  PART THREE: EMERSON & CHASE

  CHAPTER ONE: CHASE

  CHAPTER TWO: EMERSON

  CHAPTER THREE: CHASE

  CHAPTER FOUR: EMERSON

  CHAPTER FIVE: CHASE

  CHAPTER SIX: EMERSON

  CHAPTER SEVEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER EIGHT: EMERSON

  CHAPTER NINE: CHASE

  CHAPTER TEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER ELEVEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER TWELVE: EMERSON

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: EMERSON

  CHAPTER NINETEEN: CHASE

  CHAPTER TWENTY: EMERSON

  EPILOGUE

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  PLAYLIST

  OTHER WORKS BY DL GALLIE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DEDICATION

  To Uncle Lew,

  Thank you for your support, your encouragement, and your prank calls. You are one of a kind, and I love that you are my uncle, teasing and all.

  And if I ever see one of my books on eBay being sold by you, then I know I’ve made it.

  Love ya XoXoX

  PROLOGUE

  BANG!

  The sound of the gunfire is deafening, it echoes through my head, my ears ringing. People are running for their lives, screaming in terror, but I stand here frozen, my body unable to move as a mixture of fear, disbelief, and shock courses through my veins.

  Standing in the middle of the path, I watch the scene unfold in front of me. I’m unable to do anything to stop what’s happening before me.

  BANG!

  All of a sudden, I’m tumbling to the ground and I land with a thud on my stomach. Brian’s body is half on top of mine. With a shove, I push him off me and roll over onto my back. Lying there dazed, I stare up at the sky. Everything around me is muffled, my vision blurred. I let out the breath that I didn’t realize I was holding, and wince in pain. People screaming and the sound of feet pounding the pavement as people run for their lives snaps me back to reality, and it’s a reality that I don’t want to be in.

  With a groan, I look to my side and see my fiancé lying there, his lifeless eyes staring back at me. The loving gaze from before replaced with a vacant dead stare, and behind him I see carnage everywhere I look.

  In an instant, my life imploded.

  One minute I was happy and living the picture-perfect life: great job, wonderful fiancé, loving family, amazing friends. Life in the city could not have been better, and in the blink of an eye, nothing would be the same again. My job, gone. My fiancé and family ripped from my life. I am alone, lost, and unhappy. The city I once loved—now a painful reminder of everything I no longer have. One day, I make a dec
ision that would change the path of my future.

  On a whim, I pack a bag, switch off my phone, and take off. I leave my shattered life behind and embark on an adventure to find myself. My journey comes to a halt when a force beyond my control pulls me in a different direction and I land in the quaint country town of Nels Cove, Colorado. There is something about this small town that speaks to me. It is nothing like New York, but here I am happy and start to feel like me again. After only a few days I decide to stay and it’s in Nels Cove that I get my life back.

  PART ONE

  EMERSON

  CHAPTER ONE

  Emerson

  …Three weeks earlier

  BRIAN DROPS DOWN ON BENDED knee, pulls a box out of his pocket, and asks me the most important question of my life. “Emerson Grace James, will you marry me, Brian Evan Scott?”

  These are the four words I have been waiting to hear, ever since I found the ring hidden in Brian’s sock drawer three weeks ago—the wait had been killing me. And now that they have been spoken, I am speechless. Stunned. Never before have I been at a loss for words, but right at this moment, no words are forming.

  Brian is staring at me, his beautiful face etched with apprehension as he takes the ring out of the timber box and holds it up to me, the diamond catching in the moonlight and sparkling. Hesitantly, he asks me again, “Babe, will you…”

  His deep voice sparks me to life, and before he finishes I fall to my knees, grip his cheeks tightly, and interrupt him. “Yes. Yes. Yes. A hundred times yes. Yes, I will marry you, Brian Evan Scott.”

  He slips the gorgeous white gold solitaire ring onto my finger, before he caresses my cheeks and softly presses his lips to mine. Our first kiss as an engaged couple is the best kiss of my life. Breaking the kiss, I jump up and shout to the pitch-black night sky. “I’m getting married!” Turning back to my fiancé, I jump toward him, and he opens his arms to catch me. I wrap my legs around his waist. His muscular arms hook around me, pressing me tightly against his chest. He lowers his head and kisses me again. While the first kiss was slow, gentle, and sensual, this one is hungry, electrified, and fierce.

  Without breaking contact, he gently lays me down on the picnic blanket and cocoons my body, our lips still fused together in a heated, passionate kiss. The moment is broken when a stern voice booms, “Break it up, guys.”

  Mortified, I push Brian off me. Over his shoulder I see my dad standing above us, and behind him the rest of our families. My mouth drops open in shock. Brian looks over his shoulder, and with a smile worthy of a dentistry advertisement proudly declares, “She said yes.”

  Everyone cheers and hollers for us, someone at the back pops open a bottle of bubbly—I’m pretty sure it’s my brother—and begins to pour a glass for everyone. Brian helps me up. Mom and Dad are the first to congratulate me. Then Brian’s parents, Sue and Jim, embrace me, almost suffocating me in their excitement. Jim welcomes me to the family before my brother, Dave, pulls me aside and into a big brother bear hug.

  “Congrats, Sissy. I’m so happy for you and Brian.”

  “Thanks, big brother. The last three weeks have been killing me.”

  “You knew?” I hear Brian say from behind me, his voice laced with shock.

  Spinning around, I slink my arm around his waist. “Not specifically, but I did find the ring in your sock drawer a few weeks ago. I’ve been on eggshells, waiting, ever since. But I didn’t expect this tonight, that was a complete surprise.” I kiss his jaw before whispering, “I love you, and I cannot wait to become Mrs. Scott.”

  “I love you too, baby. And I cannot wait to become Mr. James.”

  We both laugh and begin to sing “Dr. Jones” by Aqua, but change it to Dr. James instead; this is a thing we do. When the song first released, I thought it was Dr. James instead of Dr. Jones, and ever since, we have sung our version. It’s silly, but that’s just Brian and me: two silly kids in love, who are about to get married and embark on life’s next journey together. When we are finished our impromptu song, Brian wraps his arms around me, dips me back, and kisses me passionately.

  We spend the next hour with our family celebrating our engagement, just being happy and carefree. Before heading home, we reconfirm the time to meet at The Boatshed for my birthday lunch. I’m turning twenty-eight tomorrow. The celebration will now be a combined birthday and engagement lunch. Our happiness is short-lived, because three weeks later everything changes.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Emerson

  MY PHONE RINGS AND I see that it’s my boss, Kendra. Putting on my fake happy face, because I really cannot stand that woman, I answer my phone. “Morning, Kendra,” I cheerily singsong.

  “I’m sorry, Emerson, but we are letting you go.” I stand there shocked, totally not expecting that. “The company is downsizing and there is no longer a job here for you at Smyth and Co.” With one phone call, my amazing life began to fall apart, if only I knew how far I would fall.

  “Can you repeat that, I think I misheard you?” I say, my tone clipped as I’m kind of shocked that this is happening…and over the phone, really? She couldn’t wait forty minutes for me to get in?

  “Emerson, do I really need to repeat myself?” her voice laced with resentment before she snottily adds. “We’re letting you go.”

  “I’m fired,” I say quietly.

  “Yes, Emerson, you’re fired. I’m sorry to do this.” No you’re not, I think to myself. “But times are tough. Do you think you can come in today and clear out your things?”

  “Ummm…” I’m still stunned that she’s doing this and I’m too shocked to reply.

  Kendra doesn’t wait for my answer. “Great, see you at eleven, Emerson.” And she hangs up before I can say anything else.

  I stand there, staring at my phone. I’ve just been fired. I’ve worked there for near on five years and they fire me…over the phone. Without thinking, I throw my phone at the wall; it shatters into a million pieces. Falling to my knees in shock, I stare at my broken phone and begin to sob. Brian walks in when he hears me crying. He stops mid-step when he sees me on the floor in a heap. I look up at him and plead with him subconsciously to hug me. It’s like he’s in my mind and reads my thoughts because he races toward me and wraps his arms tightly around my shoulders. Nuzzling into his neck, I cry until there are no more tears left to cry. He releases his grip on me, I look up at him, and he asks, “Emerson, babe, what’s wrong?” Before I can reply, another sob breaks free, and he wraps his arms tighter around me before pulling me into his lap. Snuggling into him, I fall apart further, his grip tightening around me as I sob into his chest and let out all my frustrations.

  After a few moments, I mumble through my tears, “I just got fired.”

  I feel his body flinch at my words, as he pulls away from me. “What the hell?”

  Wiping away my tears, I give him the rundown of my call with Kendra. “The bitch did it over the phone?”

  “Yep,” I say, letting the P pop.

  “Wow, that’s low, even for her.”

  Shaking my head with a small laugh, I scoff, “Doesn’t surprise me at all, really. You’ve met Kendra, you know what she’s like.” Standing up, I take a seat on the edge of the bed, “It’s probably for the best anyway. You know I wasn’t happy there, maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.”

  “You, Emerson James, are amazing. You’ve just been fired…over the phone, by the way, and you are looking at it positively. This is one of the many reasons that I love you.” He hops up and kisses me on the forehead before taking a seat next to me. We sit in comfortable silence until Brian slaps his thighs, my head snaps around, and I see his eyes wide open in excitement, his lips smirking; he has a plan. Jumping up, he excitedly yells “Okay,” He turns to face to me and places his hands on my shoulders and squeezes. “You finish getting dressed because ‘Operation Cheer Emerson Up’ is about to commence.” He pulls me up and hugs the life out of me. “Today, I’m going to make you forget you ever knew Kendra what’s-her-f
ace or the assholes at Smyth and Co.”

  “I love you so much, Brian. Thank you for making me feel that this isn’t going to be a completely shitty day.”

  Who knew that getting fired was just the start of my shithouse day from hell?

  * * *

  After we finish getting ready, Brian calls in sick and I call Dave. He answers on the second ring, “You playing hooky today, Sissy?”

  “Fired,” I reply abruptly.

  “Ha ha, very funny.”

  Interrupting him, I say, “Dude, I’m not kidding. Kendra just fired me over the phone.”

  “What a bitch.”

  “You are the second person to say that today.”

  “Then it must be true.” He pauses. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I think I am. Surprisingly.”

  “Of course you are. You are Emerson James.”

  “Yes, that is my name. Thanks for reminding me, I totally forgot what my name was.” I laugh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but I feel okay with it.”

  “You can always go work with Dad?”

  “Yeah, nah, that’s not gonna happen.” Dad and Mom own and operate the James Corporation. They built it from the ground up and today it’s a profitable Fortune 500 company. “I love Mom and Dad dearly, but I don’t want to get a free ride, per se. I’ll make my own way—like I always have—and if I get desperate, I can dip into my trust until I get back on my feet.”

  “You are so stubborn, E.”

  “And you wouldn’t have me any other way, big brother,” I reply softly, with a sweet and innocent tinge to it.

  “Actually, it’s because you are my lil’ baby sister and I have no choice.”

  I scoff in reply; I knew Dave would help make this situation not feel so hopeless. I look up and see Brian, leaning against the doorframe, he’s spinning his fingers in a wrap it up motion. “Dave, I gotta run, but since I’m free, wanna do lunch tomorrow?”