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Wherever You Are
Elle Wright
Take a second chance on me…Avery Montgomery created a hit show about her old neighborhood, but there’s one secret she can’t reveal: the reason she left town. Avery felt like an outsider in Dr. Elwood Jackson’s world, thanks to his brother’s disapproval. Elwood has never forgiven Avery for leaving. But when a crisis lands her in El’s emergency room, passion sparks hotter than before. Will it be too late for another chance at love?
Take a second chance on me...
Avery Montgomery created a hit show about her old neighborhood, but there’s one secret she can’t reveal: the reason she left town. Avery felt like an outsider in Dr. Elwood Jackson’s world, thanks to his brother’s disapproval. Elwood has never forgiven Avery for leaving. But when a crisis lands her in El’s emergency room, passion sparks hotter than before. Will it be too late for another chance at love?
There was never a time when ELLE WRIGHT wasn’t about to start a book, already deep in a book or just finishing one. She grew up believing in the importance of reading, and became a lover of all things romance when her mother gave her her first romance novel. She lives in Southeast Michigan.
Also By Elle Wright (#ub7cd4e72-b174-5979-bf81-d6fe6b02046d)
It’s Always Been You
Wherever You Are
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Wherever You Are
Elle Wright
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08484-0
WHEREVER YOU ARE
© 2018 Leslie Wright
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
When her gaze met his, she knew he’d felt the spark, too. It was like a bolt of lightning whenever they were within arm’s reach of each other.
Dr. Elwood Jackson. Still fine as ever.
A sexy smirk flashed across his face before it was replaced with...apathy. “Avery,” he greeted.
“El,” she replied, willing the warmth that had pooled in her belly away. “What are you doing here?” Avery gestured to the guard and waved him away. The burly six-foot-two man stepped back, giving her and El some space.
“Honestly, I don’t know. Maybe I just wanted to come and see for myself if you were real. Or if you were a figment of my imagination.”
The barb hurt, but she didn’t blame him. The last time they’d seen each other hadn’t been pleasant. Massaging her aching temple, she answered, “Touché.”
They stood in silence, each of them taking the other in. His gaze traveled down the length of her body, causing the hairs on her arms to stand on end and her stomach to do the crazy flips it always did when he was near. Like a magnet, he made her want to step forward, right into his arms.
Dear Reader (#ub7cd4e72-b174-5979-bf81-d6fe6b02046d),
Some couples don’t get it right the first time. Wherever You Are explores how a second chance at love can be so much sweeter.
A wise person once told me that “God will find a way to sit you down, to make you rest.” Avery is at that point in her life, forced to rest due to a health crisis, and it’s not easy for her. Dr. Elwood Jackson (El) is the man who helps Avery heal. He’s also her first love. Their relationship didn’t end well, but when she needs him—despite the hurt and betrayal of the past—he is there for her.
Wherever You Are deals with forgiveness and understanding, moving forward while dealing with the past. Most of all, it’s about loving another person unconditionally, being willing to see the best in someone and loving them through the pain.
I hope you enjoy the ride!
Love,
Elle
ElleWright.com (http://www.ElleWright.com)
@LWrightAuthor (https://twitter.com/lwrightauthor?lang=en)
To my mother, Regina; you are missed.
Acknowledgments (#ub7cd4e72-b174-5979-bf81-d6fe6b02046d)
I thank my God for His protection, His provision, His love. I would be nothing without Him.
To Jason; my children, Asante, Kaia, Masai; and the rest of my family, I love you all BIG. There are so many of you, I can’t name everyone. But you know who you are. I learned long ago that you don’t have to be blood to be family, and that couldn’t be more true. I appreciate the time, the talks, the hugs, the tears...everything. I thank you all for your unwavering support.
To my agent, Sara, I thank you for believing in me.
To the Kimani family, thank you for your encouragement.
Hard to believe I’m on this journey. I couldn’t have done it without all of your love and support. Thank you for being #TeamElle! You all mean the world to me!
Contents
Cover (#ue06f934d-f415-508d-82e2-4fac07fc4a75)
Back Cover Text (#uaee7ece2-5899-50c4-bd5f-53e97487b805)
About the Author (#u48b010f8-5092-5502-8370-91c708ee21f4)
Booklist (#u478d6777-eb27-5993-9e88-3d1746cf7146)
Title Page (#ua96a9f67-981e-5267-94da-568617872266)
Copyright (#u3fdbbe90-ab16-5100-ac67-4819f03aec24)
Introduction (#ud8c080dd-6e3c-5a9b-9b50-c80063d1c958)
Dear Reader (#u587579d2-3025-581e-bc92-da3e31c26e7c)
Dedication (#u6dae0163-f1d0-5e64-b846-12ce0314485a)
Acknowledgments (#u7242e009-561b-5e6c-93dc-77c4e4e47f76)
Chapter 1 (#u9a2ba1b2-240e-539b-9081-723d8e488b3b)
Chapter 2 (#ub6ea1cd1-94a2-505b-8b6c-99ddead50cfc)
Chapter 3 (#uf93276ca-e510-58fe-8585-aa231549e0da)
Chapter 4 (#u3df374c1-f65a-5e7c-b34b-a39e720cdde0)
Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1 (#ub7cd4e72-b174-5979-bf81-d6fe6b02046d)
“Life is full of twists and turns, dips and hills.” Avery Montgomery viewed her audience. Some were smiling; some were crying; some were simply listening. She’d rocked it! Every anecdote, every joke, every story...on point. Who knew she could add public speaking to her already amazing résumé? But... Ooo wee, is this what a hot flash feels like?
Avery pulled at her sweater and took a quick sip of her water. As she viewed some of the hopeful faces in the front row, she thought back on her college graduation many years ago and the view of life she’d had back then. Graduating at the top of her class in molecular biology was no small feat, and she’d dreamed of being invited back one day to encourage young women of color to pursue careers in math and science.
When she was twenty-one—the same age of many of those in front of her—she would have placed a wager that she’d be completing her residency right now and getting ready for a coveted fellowship at Johns Hopkins.
Yet she wasn’t standing before the beautiful, intelligent graduates of the University of Michigan as Dr. Avery Montgomery. Instead, she was standing before them as Avery Montgomery, creator, head writer and executive producer of a top television show.
Giving the keynote address at the Black Celebratory, a program put in place to acknowledge and celebrate the African American experience at her alma mater, meant everything to her. Avery couldn’t help but snicker at the irony, though. No Johns Hopkins. No residency. But she’d still been invited to inspire a room full of hopeful college graduates.
“Never be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to fail. Embrace rejection, not because it’s a part of life, but because it’s a learning tool that will propel you to new heights,” she continued, squeezing the podium.
Avery’s gaze dropped down to her notes. The words blurred in front of her. Her head hurt in a way it had never hurt before. In fact, it was the worst headache of her life. But she pushed herself to keep going, as she did every day. Okay, I got this.
“You already know the standard platitudes given to graduates. Never let your major, your advisors, your parents or your friends prevent you from following your dream. That’s very true. When I started my time here at the University of Michigan, I wasn’t going to let anyone tell me I couldn’t be a scientist, that I wouldn’t become a doctor.”
Glancing up from the podium, she met one of her favorite professors’ eyes and smiled. Then she scanned the audience once again. “I stand before you...”
The word “today” died on her lips when she spotted the familiar silhouette in front of her, at the entrance of the auditorium. The massive Power Center was packed full of proud parents, giddy grandparents, solemn professors and others there to wish the 2018 graduating class much success. The spotlight was on her, but it might as well have been on him. She couldn’t see his face, but there was no mistaking the man who had made her life on campus what she’d deem the best time of her life.
A flash from a camera jerked her thoughts back to the matter at hand. “I...” She covered by clearing her throat and taking another long gulp of water. “Today, I stand before you as someone who thought I knew my destiny—until I didn’t. And that’s okay.” Unable to help herself, she looked at the entrance of the massive space again. He was gone.
“It’s okay to veer off your predetermined road because your future may be off the map altogether. Be open to the possibilities of life,” she said, in closing. “You won’t regret it. Thank you.”
Avery waved, took a quick bow and hugged Professor Bauer before an escort led her off the stage. When she’d accepted the formal invitation to speak, she’d hoped to stay behind and greet some of the students, but a last-minute change to her schedule prevented that.
She wasted no time unhooking the microphone from the lapel of her suit. Thanking her escort, she proceeded toward the waiting limousine with her security following close behind. Avery could hear the cheers from the auditorium as she walked, and she felt a pang of guilt for leaving before she could shake the hands of the graduates.
“Duty calls,” she mumbled to herself with a quick roll of her eyes.
“No time to greet your fans?”
Avery tripped and almost hit the floor. Fortunately for her, that smooth baritone voice belonged to someone whose reflexes were unrivaled. His smell wrapped around her brain while his strong arms snaked around her waist, preventing her fall.
She backed out of his warm grasp quickly and tugged on her suit jacket. When her gaze met his, she knew he’d felt the spark, too. It was like a bolt of lightning whenever they were within arm’s distance of each other.
Dr. Elwood Jackson. Still fine as ever.
A sexy smirk flashed across his face before it was replaced with...apathy. “Avery,” he greeted her.
“El,” she replied, willing the warmth that had pooled in her belly away. “What are you doing here?” Avery gestured to the guard, and waved him off. The burly, six-foot-two man stepped back, giving her and El some space.
“Maybe I just wanted to come and see for myself if you were real. Or if you were a figment of my imagination.”
The barb hurt, but she didn’t blame him. The last time they’d seen each other hadn’t been pleasant. In fact, she’d rate it as one of the worst moments of her life. Three years hadn’t been long enough to erase the hurt or the longing she felt simply being in his presence.
