Title: 3volve
Author: Josefina Gutierrez
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
From author Josefina Gutierrez, of “The Shadow of Loss”, comes a new New-Adult contemporary love story.
I thought my life began when I graduated high school and moved far, far away—okay three hours away. But I was wrong. My life didn’t start until it almost ended.
I’m Cristal Escobedo, twenty-two years old and a former wild child who favors tequila far too much. But that all changed when life happened, and I ended up being responsible for my younger brothers. To top it all off, I think I’m falling in love with my best friend—dammit.
This is my not-so-happy story of how I grew up and got my shit together. My story isn’t filled with a bunch of pretty analogies or hyperboles. The people are real, the hurt is deep, and the love is complicated. People are flawed in the ways that matter; it’s what makes us human.
Author Bio
Links
Webpage http://www.josefinagutierrez.com
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/yajosefinag
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Excerpt #1
“Do you feel like you’re missing something?” Charlie asks with a stern voice, but underneath I can sense his gentle nudge.
I shrug, “My phone.”
“You were supposed to meet my assistant, because she scheduled a meeting with a job prospect.” He drops a stack of papers on my coffee table.
“Yes! See I remember that…I was just going.” I claw at the inside of my palms nervously, “I needed my phone first, gosh where is that thing anyway—” I trail off laughing awkwardly.
“Looking like that,” he points at my ketchup stained Atreyushirt, with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. I knew I should have looked at my shirt closer, the smell test is never a sure thing.
“Well obviously not. Hello! Who do you take me for? I was going to change.” I backtrack from the living room.
Charlie counters me, walking towards me with his stern face. “So you didn’t forget about the meeting then?”
“Of course not! I am totally prepared,” I say bumping into the wall.
“Good,” he repositions me, turning me around, “because I would hate it if you were lying to me right now.”
“Good?” I question him, slowly walk to my room. He only says ‘good’ when he’s already onto me. Shit, he’s on to me! He’s going to see scruffy-face guy—then I’m going to get a lecture about my poor choices in men. Ugh. Now he’s going to give me a disappointed long face, with a ‘good’ to top it all off.
“So you didn’t get plastered last night?” Charlie asks. I can sense him trying extra hard to smell me from where he’s standing. I knew coffee was a good idea!
“Of course not!” I stop in front of my door, blocking it.
“Good.” He swats at me to move and I nudge over a bit.
I turn around exasperated. I can’t keep this up. “Okay, fine. I lied. I’m lying! I totally forgot about the stupid meeting, with your stupid assistant, about the stupid job,” I roll my eyes. “Alright, that’s not fair of me. Your assistant isn’t stupid,” I say moving to block the door again.
“Uh huh,” he says, reaching for the door handle. But I smack his hand.
“You know my room is such a mess. You know me. I can get dressed faster than you can say…”
“Good,” we both say together.
“Yes! See I know you,” I smile—but he isn’t having any of it. I open the door slightly trying to nudge myself in without letting on too much, but Charlie barges on through as if he owns the place, which sure he found the place for us, but I still pay rent.
I ready my defense, hoping to calm him down, when I notice scruffy guy isn’t in the bed anymore. Huh. Where the heck did he go? Oh, well, who cares, at least he’s gone.
“Why do you look so surprised? It’s not like your room has ever been clean. Get dressed we don’t have much time,” he rummages through my closet. Finally deciding on my nice blue suit, throwing it in my direction.
Excerpt #2
Charlie turns to his side, reaching out for me. I huddle closer to him. “Soon,” he says and I rest my head on his chest. “I’m really tired.” He closes his eyes and a silence overtakes us.
His face looks so gaunt. The afternoon sun blazing against his cheekbones. Whatever it is he’s keeping from me, it’s keeping him exhausted. I know he’ll tell me eventually, I just hope it comes sooner rather than later.
I place my hand over his heart. The gentle thumping of his heart soothes my discomfort. I almost forget the reason why I haven’t slept in this room. I haven’t slept in here in over a year, because it felt so empty, an unknowing abyss of guilt. Except for now. Except when he’s sleeping next to me. I focus intently on his steadied breathing, how his chest upheaves with every intake of breath. I close my eyes, more calmed than I was this morning.
Without knowing it, I fall asleep and drift off into my dreams. A peaceful dream world. A forgiving and heavenly dream where my parents comfort me. It isn’t just a repeat of the past. It isn’t about regret or grief. It’s just a moment where we sit on the living room playing Pictionary and eating pizza. Jeremy and Jeremiah are laughing, finishing each other’s sentences.
It’s the best kind of dream where you don’t know there is an end.
But there is.
And when I wake up, it hits me.
All that I’ve lost.
Excerpt #3
I’ve never claimed to have it all together. I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was roaming through life high and excited for the unexpected. I love my family, my parents, my brothers, my friends, but their love was never enough to save me from myself. My self-destructive way, how I always kept ruining the best things I didn’t know I even had.
My story isn’t filled with morality. It doesn’t have some intriguing message about love, and life. Shit, it’s a mess. I’m a mess. I’m not here to tell you what should be important—we all have different values. I’m not here to tell you about responsibility. Hell, if you finish reading my story and gain insight, then more power to you!
I thought my life began when I graduated high school and moved far, far away—okay three hours away. But I was wrong. My life didn’t start until it almost ended.
I’m Cristal Escobedo a twenty-two year old, former wild child, and this is my not-so-happy story of how I grew up and got my shit together. It isn’t filled with a bunch of pretty analogies or hyperboles. The people are real, the hurt runs deep, and the love is complicated. People are flawed in the ways that matter; it’s what makes us human. If you want a sugarcoated story, look to someone other than me.
Excerpt #4
“Let me spell it out for you: you plus Charlie equals destiny, chica.”
I shake my head. “I was never good at math, but I think you have that equation all wrong.” Her mouth is moving and words are coming out, but it’s like she’s speaking another language. It’s not destiny. Bitch is cray cray. I love her and everything, but she’s losing it here, and I should be the hot mess right now.
She clutches my arms. “Destiny,” she waves her hand like some glittering sign above our heads—more like a dim lit convenient store sign with dying batteries. Hmph destiny my sweet ass.
At that moment Charlie walks in, “What we talking about?” he asks poking at my first attempt at chicken enchiladas. He promptly spits it back out, “Mmm so good.” He lies swishing water in his mouth.
“Destiny.” Vanessa does the whole imaginary sign again and winks her eyes repeatedly. I laugh, she totally looks like Shannon from Superstar. Next thing we know she’s going to break out in dance.
“Are you having a spasm?” Charlie places his palm on her forehead to check for a fever. “Maybe you’ve been cooking long enough, eh,” he jokes.
“You two are so blind!” She throws her hands up in the air and stomps out of the kitchen.
“I feel like I missed something, something important.” He looks to me for an answer.
“She thinks we’re fated for destiny.” I wave my hands copying her, “isn’t that ridiculous.” I laugh looking over at him to second it, but he just stands there looking at me.
“You seem to think so,” he says quietly.
“Well yeah, because it is,” I wait for him to join in, but he still doesn’t. He looks more serious now than he has before. He opens his mouth to say something, but then he thinks better of it, “I need to get home. Nessa is here so you’ll be fine,” he says all business like.
“You’re leaving already; you can’t stay a little while longer? I’m sure your parent’s aren’t expecting you yet.” I feel like a child asking her parents why she has to leave the party so early.
“I have a life.” He blurts out, hurting my feelings in the process.
“Fine. Go have your life,” I point at the door. I’m trying my best to hold back tears I didn’t even knew I still had. I’ve cried a river goddammit! And I will not break my “no crying in public” oath.
He runs his hand through his hair, and his look softens. “You can call if you need anything. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose on your busy life,” I choke on the words.
Excerpt #5
Her cold hand against my arm, somehow makes something click in my mind. I can’t remember what Ma felt like, or what she smelled like anymore. One day what if I wake up and she’ll be but a fading memory in the back of my mind. I will have forgotten what she sounds like singing in her rose garden:
Cada vez que yo me voy llevo a un lado de mi piel
Tus fotografía para verlas cada vez
Que to ausencia me devora entero el corazón
Y yo no tengo remedio mas que amarte
Y en la distancia te puedo ver
Cuando tus fotos me siento a ver
Y en las estrellas tus ojos ver
Cuando tus fotos me siento a ver
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