Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
He taught me pain, patience, forgiveness, and the impact of the footprints I will leave in the sands of time. But most of all, he taught me what it meant to truly give my heart to another. It was short-lived and intense—a soul-shattering type of love—but it was mine, and I clung to it right until the end.
Noah Ryan was my salvation.
And I . . . I was his first great love.
Remember Us This Way is an intense short-lived epic love story that will leave the soul gasping for air. Please be mindful that this story is a tragedy with the purpose of taking its readers on an emotional journey.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Prologue
Zoey
Noah stares into my eyes as though I’m the only girl in the world, his dark gaze sending a million fluttering butterflies soaring through the pit of my stomach. A soft smile plays on my lips, and when his warm hand takes mine, he drops down on one knee.
My chest swells with happiness as he clutches his mother’s ring between his fingers, and in this moment, I’ve never been happier. “Zoey Erica James,” he says, not daring to take his eyes off mine as the soft spring breeze catches in my hair, blowing my chestnut locks around my face. “Will you marry me?”
His voice doesn’t shake, and as I stare down at him, I see the rest of my life flash before my eyes, playing out like a movie. Only my hand falls away, dropping to my side as red-hot anger booms through my chest. “NO!” I huff, stomping my foot and crossing my arms over my chest. “You did it wrong. You’re supposed to tell me how beautiful I am.”
Noah groans, the frustration clear in his eyes as he scrambles to his feet. “I did not do it wrong,” he argues, that temper of his quickly boiling to the surface as his little brother, Lincoln, kicks a goal and cheers to himself across the yard. “That’s what they do in all the movies.”
“MOM!” I whine, feeling the tears beginning to sting my eyes as I turn to find our mothers watching us from the back patio, my baby sister, Hazel, crying in her bouncer. “Noah’s not doing it right.”
“Oh, honey,” she says with a heavy sigh, a tightness in her eyes that’s been there ever since she brought me home from the doctor yesterday. She quickly wipes her face, and I wonder why she’s so sad. It’s a happy day. Noah and his mom are here. That’s her favorite thing in the world . . . mine too. “I think he did a wonderful job. It was a million times better than your daddy’s proposal to me.”
Noah’s mom laughs, watching us with sadness in her eyes as she scoops up my sister and gently rocks her in her arms. “Come on, Noah. Give it another try. Zoey is your bestest friend in the world. Dig down deep and really blow her away.”
Noah groans and lets out a heavy sigh before turning back to me, and I smile wide, more than ready to have my bestest friend blow me away . . . whatever that means.
He mutters under his breath before his gaze lifts back to mine. He takes my hand, only this time, he’s clearly not in the mood to play along, but it doesn’t matter to me. As long as Noah is playing with me, I’m happy. I’m always happy when he comes over. And when he smiles at me . . . maybe that’s what it means to blow me away.
Noah holds my gaze and inches toward me, his chest right in front of mine. “Zoey Erica James,” he starts again, and my smile stretches wide over my face as he drops back down to one knee. “You are the most beautiful girl in the world. Can you marry me now?”
Elation bursts through my veins, and I squeal, never so happy in my life. “YES!” I boom before throwing myself at him. Noah wraps his arms protectively around me as we crash to the ground, and his mother’s ring tumbles into the long grass, probably never to be seen again, but I don’t care about that.
I slam my lips down on his, giving him the biggest kiss I can possibly manage. “You’re going to be the bestest husband, Noah Ryan.”
“Ugh, gross, Zozo,” he says, shoving me off him, and as I fall into the dirty grass and stain my dress, he wipes the back of his arm across his mouth, losing my kiss. “This is stupid. You have girl germs.”
My bottom lip wobbles as I get to my feet, my butt hurting from when he shoved me off him, but I won’t dare tell him that. Noah’s so brave. I don’t ever want him to see me not being brave too. “I do not have girl germs.”