Here With Me (Together #2)
by Alla
Kar
Release Date: 10/28/14
Swoon Romance
Summary from Goodreads:
JADEN BAKER is stoked
about college, new friends, and a second chance to erase the memory of being
bullied through high school. But moving on comes with a price. Her dad has made
arrangements for her to move into her brother’s apartment so her brother can
watch over her like she was a baby. But there's a glitch in her dad's plans.
There are also two roommates living in the apartment too. Suddenly, living in
an off campus apartment with three college-aged boys seems like a bad idea --
but not to Jaden. After all, Cade is pretty damn hot, making the whole forced
living arrangement and new baby-sitter a little more tolerable.
CADE JENKINS grew up on the opposite side of the tracks from his best-friend and his privileged little sister. His dad bailed when he was a kid, and he can't help but still care for his drug-addicted mother. But things are looking up. He's met someone. Too bad she's his best-friend's fresh out of high-school, inexperienced little sister. Awkward!
Just when it looks like things might be changing for the better, Jaden finds herself battling severe depression and a broken heart when her high school bully targets her once again. Cade, who'd love to pick up the pieces and make her whole, must fight his own demons and family trouble.
If only they didn't find themselves falling irrevocably in love.
CADE JENKINS grew up on the opposite side of the tracks from his best-friend and his privileged little sister. His dad bailed when he was a kid, and he can't help but still care for his drug-addicted mother. But things are looking up. He's met someone. Too bad she's his best-friend's fresh out of high-school, inexperienced little sister. Awkward!
Just when it looks like things might be changing for the better, Jaden finds herself battling severe depression and a broken heart when her high school bully targets her once again. Cade, who'd love to pick up the pieces and make her whole, must fight his own demons and family trouble.
If only they didn't find themselves falling irrevocably in love.
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Excerpt
“Are you listening to me, Jaden?”
No, not really.
My father’s BMW grinds to a halt in
front of my brother’s apartment building. Or should I say my apartment
building.
God, this is going
to suck.
My freshman year of college, and I’m
being forced to live with my older brother. Dad wants me to be safe. He says Adam can show me the ropes
and make sure I’m hanging out with the right group of friends. If only that
were the case.
The truth is, I have no friends, and Dad
wants to make sure I’ll be around other human beings instead of staring at my
walls all day long.
He won’t have anyone to watch over me if
I stay in a dorm room. What’s he going to
do, pay my roommate to hang out with me? With my brother being a social
butterfly, I’ll be exposed to people my age. What Dad forgets—or decides to
ignore—is that I’m going to be surrounded by half-naked girls all the time.
Adam is definitely one of those guys.
I love him, he’s my brother, but he’s an ass.
Dad snaps his fingers in front of my
face, and I jump. “Huh?”
He ruffles his graying hair and goes to
say something when his phone beeps.
“Dr. Baker, here. What can I do for
you?” he says into the Bluetooth speaker. “Yes, our appointment is tomorrow.
Yes, eleven.”
Dad clicks his pen, and I watch as he
pulls out his checkbook. “Jaden.”
I roll my eyes.
Money fixes
everything,
according to Dad, who’s a psychologist, so he should know you can’t buy
happiness. “I’m giving you three blank checks. You get anything you need for
school. New clothes. Things for school. All of your books are on your bed
upstairs. Nancy’s already got everything you’ll need for your room and
classes.”
Nancy is my dad’s secretary and the
closest thing I’ve ever had to a mother. I wish she were here. But she has her
own kids to worry about.
I fold the checks and slip them into my
jeans.
“Are you ready to go inside? See your
new room?” He has this fake enthusiastic tone to his voice. He uses it on me
like I’m three, not eighteen. It’s the same one he uses on his clients—the ones
who need mental help.
“No,” I say, grabbing my purse, which
Dad spent a fortune on. “But, like I have a choice.”
Dad frowns, pulls the keys from the
ignition, and faces me. The icy look—his real look—is there, but I don’t care.
“This should be exciting for you, Jaden.” He reaches for me but withdraws his
hand like I might bite him for touching me. His brown eyes narrow and he
furrows his thick brows. “This is your chance to make a fresh start. Make friends.
Make new memories. Good ones this time.”
Dad pulls on his tie. “Okay, Dad. Can we go
inside now?”
He stares blankly at me for a long while
before getting out of the driver’s seat.
“Are you listening to me, Jaden?”
No, not really.
My father’s BMW grinds to a halt in
front of my brother’s apartment building. Or should I say my apartment
building.
God, this is going
to suck.
My freshman year of college, and I’m
being forced to live with my older brother. Dad wants me to be safe. He says Adam can show me the ropes
and make sure I’m hanging out with the right group of friends. If only that
were the case.
The truth is, I have no friends, and Dad
wants to make sure I’ll be around other human beings instead of staring at my
walls all day long.
He won’t have anyone to watch over me if
I stay in a dorm room. What’s he going to
do, pay my roommate to hang out with me? With my brother being a social
butterfly, I’ll be exposed to people my age. What Dad forgets—or decides to
ignore—is that I’m going to be surrounded by half-naked girls all the time.
Adam is definitely one of those guys.
I love him, he’s my brother, but he’s an ass.
Dad snaps his fingers in front of my
face, and I jump. “Huh?”
He ruffles his graying hair and goes to
say something when his phone beeps.
“Dr. Baker, here. What can I do for
you?” he says into the Bluetooth speaker. “Yes, our appointment is tomorrow.
Yes, eleven.”
Dad clicks his pen, and I watch as he
pulls out his checkbook. “Jaden.”
I roll my eyes.
Money fixes
everything,
according to Dad, who’s a psychologist, so he should know you can’t buy
happiness. “I’m giving you three blank checks. You get anything you need for
school. New clothes. Things for school. All of your books are on your bed
upstairs. Nancy’s already got everything you’ll need for your room and
classes.”
Nancy is my dad’s secretary and the
closest thing I’ve ever had to a mother. I wish she were here. But she has her
own kids to worry about.
I fold the checks and slip them into my
jeans.
“Are you ready to go inside? See your
new room?” He has this fake enthusiastic tone to his voice. He uses it on me
like I’m three, not eighteen. It’s the same one he uses on his clients—the ones
who need mental help.
“No,” I say, grabbing my purse, which
Dad spent a fortune on. “But, like I have a choice.”
Dad frowns, pulls the keys from the
ignition, and faces me. The icy look—his real look—is there, but I don’t care.
“This should be exciting for you, Jaden.” He reaches for me but withdraws his
hand like I might bite him for touching me. His brown eyes narrow and he
furrows his thick brows. “This is your chance to make a fresh start. Make friends.
Make new memories. Good ones this time.”
Dad pulls on his tie. “Okay, Dad. Can we go
inside now?”
He stares blankly at me for a long while
before getting out of the driver’s seat.
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