The High Road
by Lauren Runow
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 24th, 2017
by Lauren Runow
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 24th, 2017
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| Cover Designer: Designed With Grace |
Blurb:
I walk through these halls with my tight bun, form-fitting uniform and a fake smile plastered across my face. My career is everything I’ve planned. I’ve made Captain in the Air Force, and I’ve gained the respect and recognition from my peers both below and above me. On the outside, I look like I’ve got it all, but on the inside, I’m slowing dying inside.
I never knew after one staggering night out, Alex would change my perception on life. He opened my eyes and gave me a glimpse into a world of what I was missing.
More of what I yearned for.
More of what I needed.
But he forgot to mention one thing… he is my subordinate.
*The High Road is a novella originally published in the Secret Affair Anthology.
Excerpt:
“Excuse me, are you Jenelle?”
A girl stands before me with a look of death written all over her face, making me wish Jenelle wasn't my name. I get the feeling whatever she wants with me, I’m not going to like. I smile—the same, sweet, fake smile I have plastered on my face all day long. The one that hides my true feelings of how unhappy I am with the direction my life is going.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“No, you don’t know me. I wanted to let you know I’m pregnant with your boyfriend’s baby,” she states matter-of-factly, like I’m at a coffee shop and my drink was being called instead of dropping life-altering news.
My smile fades like the jeans this chick is wearing. I turn more toward her, shaking my head in disbelief. “Excuse me? I think you have the wrong person.”
“Oh, no. You’re the right person. Believe me, I’ve seen your picture all over his apartment every time we fucked.”
Bile fills my throat, and the sting of swallowing it down almost hurts more than the pain that’s filling my chest. I sit silently, not sure what to say. I’ve never seen this girl, and I still have no clue what’s actually going on.
My friend, Layla, witnesses my sudden paleness and grabs my arm. “Jenelle, are you okay?”
She’s missed the interaction I’ve had in the last few seconds. Her attention was on the hot bartender who was making our drinks instead.
The girl in front of me offers her hand to Layla in greeting. “Hi, I’m sorry, you missed all the fun. I’m Sarah, and I’m pregnant with Travis’s baby.”
A freezing cold feeling of liquid splashing up from the ground brings me out of my shock. I look at Layla who’s leaning down to pick up the drink that fell from her hands.
I’m glad to see I'm not the only one losing my shit by what this girl is saying.
“Wait, I’m sorry, let me get this straight. You know my Travis?” I ask, leaning in and placing my hand on my chest.
Her head falls back, and a deep laugh escapes her lips. “Well, I guess you could say he’s our Travis. I’ve been fucking him for four months now. He said he was bored with your lazy lays and needed a little excitement. He wouldn’t break it off with you because it looks good for his advancement coming up.”
Travis and I are both Officers in the Air Force. I’m already a Captain, and he’s testing any day to be one, too. The higher in rank you go, the more they pay attention to the examples you lead in your life. I guess it looks good we’re together but what she’s saying doesn’t make much sense.
“What does us being together have to do with his upcoming test?”
“Oh, I guess I left out that part. I’m Airman First Class Anderson,” she states with a sarcastic nod of her head. “I guess he could hide our relationship better because everyone knew he was with you.”
My eyes go big. Is she serious right now?
She’s not only telling me she’s in the Air Force, but she’s newly enlisted, which is an extreme no-no for fraternizing within the military.
I’ve heard of mean girls and even trashy sluts who get their kicks out of making other women’s lives hell, but I’m not getting that kind of vibe from this girl. She obviously didn’t care they were having an affair behind my back. Things aren’t adding up.
“So, if you’ve been having sex with him for so long, why are you telling me now?”
“I just wanted you to know what a scum bag he really is. When I told him I was pregnant he denied everything, saying it wasn’t his kid, and he’d have nothing to do with me. So, I’m taking him down.” She leans in, making sure I hear her clearly over the rising noise around us. “Everyone will find out he’s been seeing me, and I'm going to make it my personal mission to fuck up his life.”
My life, as I know it, just changed in the drop of a dime, or in my case, a girl named Sarah.
Butterflies swarm in my stomach and the burn of potential vomit presses its way up to my mouth where saliva fills to the brim. I swallow it down, trying to let air into my closed chest, when Layla grabs my arm, noticing my oncoming panic attack. Thankfully, she pulls me out of the bar before I make a scene.
I hate men.
A girl stands before me with a look of death written all over her face, making me wish Jenelle wasn't my name. I get the feeling whatever she wants with me, I’m not going to like. I smile—the same, sweet, fake smile I have plastered on my face all day long. The one that hides my true feelings of how unhappy I am with the direction my life is going.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“No, you don’t know me. I wanted to let you know I’m pregnant with your boyfriend’s baby,” she states matter-of-factly, like I’m at a coffee shop and my drink was being called instead of dropping life-altering news.
My smile fades like the jeans this chick is wearing. I turn more toward her, shaking my head in disbelief. “Excuse me? I think you have the wrong person.”
“Oh, no. You’re the right person. Believe me, I’ve seen your picture all over his apartment every time we fucked.”
Bile fills my throat, and the sting of swallowing it down almost hurts more than the pain that’s filling my chest. I sit silently, not sure what to say. I’ve never seen this girl, and I still have no clue what’s actually going on.
My friend, Layla, witnesses my sudden paleness and grabs my arm. “Jenelle, are you okay?”
She’s missed the interaction I’ve had in the last few seconds. Her attention was on the hot bartender who was making our drinks instead.
The girl in front of me offers her hand to Layla in greeting. “Hi, I’m sorry, you missed all the fun. I’m Sarah, and I’m pregnant with Travis’s baby.”
A freezing cold feeling of liquid splashing up from the ground brings me out of my shock. I look at Layla who’s leaning down to pick up the drink that fell from her hands.
I’m glad to see I'm not the only one losing my shit by what this girl is saying.
“Wait, I’m sorry, let me get this straight. You know my Travis?” I ask, leaning in and placing my hand on my chest.
Her head falls back, and a deep laugh escapes her lips. “Well, I guess you could say he’s our Travis. I’ve been fucking him for four months now. He said he was bored with your lazy lays and needed a little excitement. He wouldn’t break it off with you because it looks good for his advancement coming up.”
Travis and I are both Officers in the Air Force. I’m already a Captain, and he’s testing any day to be one, too. The higher in rank you go, the more they pay attention to the examples you lead in your life. I guess it looks good we’re together but what she’s saying doesn’t make much sense.
“What does us being together have to do with his upcoming test?”
“Oh, I guess I left out that part. I’m Airman First Class Anderson,” she states with a sarcastic nod of her head. “I guess he could hide our relationship better because everyone knew he was with you.”
My eyes go big. Is she serious right now?
She’s not only telling me she’s in the Air Force, but she’s newly enlisted, which is an extreme no-no for fraternizing within the military.
I’ve heard of mean girls and even trashy sluts who get their kicks out of making other women’s lives hell, but I’m not getting that kind of vibe from this girl. She obviously didn’t care they were having an affair behind my back. Things aren’t adding up.
“So, if you’ve been having sex with him for so long, why are you telling me now?”
“I just wanted you to know what a scum bag he really is. When I told him I was pregnant he denied everything, saying it wasn’t his kid, and he’d have nothing to do with me. So, I’m taking him down.” She leans in, making sure I hear her clearly over the rising noise around us. “Everyone will find out he’s been seeing me, and I'm going to make it my personal mission to fuck up his life.”
My life, as I know it, just changed in the drop of a dime, or in my case, a girl named Sarah.
Butterflies swarm in my stomach and the burn of potential vomit presses its way up to my mouth where saliva fills to the brim. I swallow it down, trying to let air into my closed chest, when Layla grabs my arm, noticing my oncoming panic attack. Thankfully, she pulls me out of the bar before I make a scene.
I hate men.
About the Author:
Lauren Runow is the author of multiple Adult Contemporary Romance novels, some more dirty than others. When Lauren isn't writing, you'll find her listening to music, at her local CrossFit, reading, or at the baseball field with her boys. Her only vice is coffee, and she swears it makes her a better mom!
Lauren is a graduate from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and is the founder and co-owner of the community magazine she and her husband publish. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons.
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My review:
~ The forbidden fruit has always been the most desirable one. Even when you didn’t know it was forbidden in the first place. ~
I
rarely read novellas because I generally prefer full length novels for
multiple reasons but I have to admit that despite the length of this
book, it had it all. Sure, it was fast paced but it was nonetheless a
wonderful story with loveable characters.
There's betrayal, secrets, carefreeness, the thrill of the forbidden and the desire to find true happiness.
‘He’s carefree, daring and open for anything. I can be myself and ask for what I want knowing I don’t have to be afraid of what he might think or say.’
The Story:
Being
Captain in the Air Force is Janelle’s whole life but after recent
events she decides to start living for herself and no one else and
begins with her new fuck-it attitude and having a little more fun
outside of the military life.
Being out and about with
her best friend, the last thing she needs is a guy and so she tells the
one trying his luck with her to move along. A mix-up on her part gets
the thing going though because what's a better start than to embarrass
yourself.
Alex is a welcome distraction and so
different to all the military men Jenelle is around daily, starting from
the longer hair to the tattoos that adorn his body.
They
both aren’t looking for a date but who’s to say they can’t have fun.
There’s obvious chemistry between those two though what happens when it
goes further than that? That’s where the trouble starts, because he
isn’t just any guy. He’s her subordinate.
Thoughts:
This
was a different kind of military romance for me and I welcomed the
change. Finally an independent woman, high-ranking in military and no
need for a guy to save the day.
It was a great quickie
if I do say so. =P Perfect for in between reading because you can
easily finish it in one go. And I never had the feeling that there was
something missing because everything in the story was well covered. It
was the most enjoyable novella I had read in a while.
-- I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. --
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
View review on goodreads
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