Perfectly Aligned
by Stephanie Alba
Publication Date: October 20, 2015
How does your mind move on from someone your soul can't seem to forget? How can your heart resist a love that never fully came to be?
Ten years. It's been ten years since Hailee saw Corwin Rogers. In person that is, because despite their lack of physical contact, Corwin's gorgeous face has plagued her dreams all this time. In its most idle hours of the night, her mind always reverts back to the image of the teenage boy she loved in secret years ago.
They were classmates for four years, forging a limited friendship within school grounds and occasional parties, but they also shared a unique bond over their struggles. Hailee never told him how she felt, and she wasn't sure if the feelings were reciprocated, but she always wondered. How could she not when he shared so much of himself with her and only her?
Seeing him a decade after their high school graduation presents the two with another fateful opportunity to be everything for one another. Hailee starts to consider that her inexplicable dreams actually mean something, and that her ties to Corwin are stronger than she ever allowed herself to believe. But after years of separation, their chance at happiness is challenged by secrets from their time apart. When the truth emerges, colliding pasts and futures, Hailee and Corwin have to decide if they truly are perfectly aligned.
Excerpt
“You’re exactly the same,” he laughed, his dimples severely indenting his cheeks.
“Huh?”
“You’re still super-shy and quirky.”
“I wasn’t and am not.”
“Relax, I mean it as a compliment. I like your bashfulness.” His brows rose as he continued, “But you are and most certainly were a ball of nerves back then. Don’t you remember the first time we were paired together freshman year? You hardly looked at me.”
“Yeah, well it was the first day … I was rightfully nervous.”
“And now?” He coaxed me to look up at him, but I didn’t.
“Now what?” I asked, continuing to stare at the ground.
“Are you nervous now? You’re not looking at me and barely have all day.”
My eyes shot up and met his. The truth was I’d stared at him all day, but he had no idea because it only happened when he wasn’t aware. I’d scarcely made eye contact because his body looked ridiculously amazing and I felt like he was watching me too, looking at my body in a new light. It was too much.
I wasn’t sure if it was in my head or not, but I was worried if he looked into my eyes long enough, that he’d know everything; that my secrets would pour out of my appearance and he’d sense how attractive I found him. Something told me he already did because he had started watching me mischievously now and biting his lower lip. He was irresistible and so tempting. I stared at his mouth and bulging biceps for too long and he chuckled to himself, obviously conscious of my thoughts. I looked up again and met his green eyes that were seemingly smiling along with his grin. They seemed a brighter shade of green against the dark forest leaves. Corwin looked captivating amongst nature. It really brought out the color of his radiant complexion, the browns and greens of the earth blending perfectly with his beauty.
“There you are,” he whispered, nudging my shoulders and beholding me through thick, dark lashes.
“I’ve always been here, Corwin.” I managed to keep eye contact with him, though it was difficult and left me notably exposed.
“Yeah, but now you’re actually looking. Now you see me … like you used to.”
“I always did. I think that was the hardest part after you left … not hearing from you. I know we weren’t best friends, but sometimes it felt close to that. Sometimes it was like I was something more to you.”
About Stephanie Alba
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