












Worth the Wait
Charity West
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance
Gemma Rhodes has her entire life ahead of her. At eighteen, she should be at college, living life to the fullest. Except she doesn’t have her life even the slightest bit figured out. Instead, she’s taken the year off to learn who she is and what she wants – aside from the unattainable Jake Bennet. Her brother’s best friend, her knight in shining armor, and a man who thinks of her as a little sister. She knows she should move on, but how can she when no one could ever compare to Jake?
Jake Bennet might be half a world away in the middle of a war, but the Marine only has one thing on his mind – Gemma. The one woman he can never have. There were some rules a guy just didn’t break, and dating his best friend’s sister was one of them. Riley would break him if he caught Jake looking at Gemma like the lovesick fool he was. When he’s injured and sent home, he knows he should stay away, but sometimes temptation is just too much for a mere mortal to handle.
There’s only one thing Jake needs to know… Can Gemma love a broken Marine? Because she’s had his heart for years, and if he’s learned anything, it’s that some things are worth the wait.
Jake Bennet reclined on his bunk, his booted feet crossed at the ankles, one hand behind his head. The picture on his phone wasn’t new by any means, but it was no less enthralling. He’d had a thing for Gemma Rhodes for as long as he’d remembered, not that he’d ever admitted it to anyone other than his mother. If his best friend, Riley, knew that Jake was crushing on Riley’s younger sister, there would be hell to pay. Although, after he’d offered to pay for half her car two years ago, he’d wondered if his friend might have an idea. It had cleaned out his savings account at the time, but it had been worth it.
He smiled a little as he stared at the picture and wished he could be there with her now. Even though she was still in high school, after everything he’d been through, nothing would keep him from her side. Her smile was bright enough to light up any room, and her eyes were bewitching. He’d wanted to ask her to his senior prom, but then the school had passed a rule that only seniors could attend. Jake had fought the ruling, but in the end, he’d lost and had to take a fellow classmate.
The way Gemma had chased after her brother and him had always been cute, even if her brother had never thought so. But sometime around Gemma’s fifteenth birthday, Jake had realized that she was growing into a rather stunning young lady, one that he wouldn’t mind dating. As he’d watched Riley chase off all of Gemma’s would-be boyfriends, he’d known that he didn’t stand a chance, not until he’d proven himself worthy. When Riley had talked about joining the Marines, Jake had thought he’d finally found a way to prove he wasn’t a screw-up, but someone who Gemma could depend on when things got tough. Not a boy chasing after dreams, but a man who could provide for her and offer her a real future.
And now he was stuck in Afghanistan, fighting for…hell, he wasn’t even sure what they were fighting for, and he doubted any of his fellow Marines knew either. It was hotter than the lowest level of hell, and every time he inhaled, he swore he breathed in more sand than air. He’d joined the Marines with thoughts of being a hero and defending his country, and now he realized that in this war, there was no such thing as a hero. Every man here followed orders the same as everyone else. Some had medals from previous battles and acts of bravery, but if you asked those men if they were heroes, every last one would tell you no.
His phone vibrated then flickered out, and he cursed the low battery. Shoving to his feet, he decided to check his email and see if there was any news from home, but on his way, he passed Riley.
His best friend looked deathly pale, and like he might puke at any moment. Unease settled in Jake’s belly. He didn’t know what had caused Riley such pain, but he knew it wasn’t good, and since Riley only had two living relatives, something had to have happened to either his dad or his sister. Just the thought of anything bad happening to Gemma was enough to make him feel a little green himself.
“What’s up, Riley? Bad news from home?” Jake asked.
“It’s Gemma. Dad said she went to the store the other night, and someone crashed into her car. She went down the embankment and into the gorge off Brierview Road.” Riley lifted his gaze. “It’s bad, man. Dad sent the email yesterday and said Gemma hadn’t woken yet. She has a broken wrist and stitches in her head where she bashed it against the window and steering wheel. They aren’t sure when she’ll regain consciousness.”
Jake had to lock his knees to remain upright. There was a roaring in his ears and tightness in his chest.
“I want to ask for leave to go home and be with her, but Dad told me my duty was first to our country, and I had a job to finish. He’s right. I know he’s right, but it tears me apart thinking of her lying there hurt, and I’m way the fuck over here unable to do a damn thing.” Riley shook his head. “This is seriously fucked up.”
Jake couldn’t argue the point since he felt the same. The worst part was that he didn’t even have a right to ask for leave to check on Gemma. They weren’t dating, or engaged. If they were older and married, he’d take off in a heartbeat to be with her, but he knew that was just a dream for many years down the road. If Riley wasn’t going to let him date Gemma, big brother sure as hell wasn’t going to let him marry her. Hell, he was only nineteen and shouldn’t even be thinking such thoughts, but when he saw Gemma, he saw forever.
He just hoped he’d get the chance to tell her that someday.
Charity West is a young adult/new adult romance author who has always had her head in the clouds. She had her first crush when she was four, and it lasted for six years. Then she quickly fell head over heels for another boy, until she had to move away and leave him behind. Jumping from one boy to another, she finally found a keeper when she was twenty, and she’s been married to him ever since.
By the time Charity was twelve, she was sneaking her mother’s Harlequin romances and reading them in secret when she was supposed to be asleep. Teased throughout middle school and high school for the bodice ripper covers on the books she openly read in class, she knew that one day she wanted to write her own happily-ever-afters.








Overland
Ramcy Diek
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Romance, Thriller
Skyla Overland is proud to work for Overland Insurance, the company founded by her grandfather. She enjoys sharing an apartment with her best friend, Pauline, and is in love with Edmond. Besides one nerve-wracking insurance fraud case in the past, her sheltered life is uneventful and just the way she likes it.
Until one day, everything changes…
Skyla and Troy, the manager at Overland Insurance, are the last ones to leave the office. In the empty parking lot, Troy takes her in his arms. Why would he ruin their easy-going friendship by kissing her, especially since he knows she’s dating Edmond?
Left alone, Skyla hurries to her car, puts on her seatbelt, and glances in her rearview mirror.
The face of a stranger grins at her from the backseat. “How nice to see you again,” he hisses close to her ear.
Regaining consciousness, Skyla finds herself on the backseat of her own car, with her hands tied behind her back.
Is she getting kidnapped? Who is he? And where is he taking her?
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The trip into the city took him almost three hours. Rage dominated his already ugly frame of mind.
“Asshole!” he yelled, honking his horn at the unexpected car that suddenly pulled out right in front of him. “Who taught you to drive, slowpoke? Hit that throttle!”
He looked at his fuel gauge. Empty. A stream of curses spewed from his mouth. He wanted so much and had so little. Life was unfair. Everything he’d ever cared about had been taken away from him and all that remained were responsibilities. The upcoming holiday season only added to his misery. He hated Thanksgiving. It brought out too many people, the spirit of Christmas already in their eyes as they clogged up the streets, sidewalks, and parking lots. Beyond pathetic, they were blind to other people’s misery, pretending the world was one big happy place. It was not. Not for the likes of him.
He drove first to the post office. With any luck, his welfare check was waiting for him. After finding a parking spot, he got out of his pickup truck. The frigid November blizzard immediately hit him in the face, and he pulled up his collar against the snowflakes whirling around. The sidewalk was just starting to turn white, his boots leaving footprints in the slick layer. As he rounded the corner to Edison Street, the force of the cold westerly wind slammed into him. He took a quick hold of his baseball cap, drawing it further down to keep it from flying away, and shuddered. His threadbare camouflage jacket was no match for the almost below freezing temperatures.
Other pedestrians hustled by, all bundled up and eager to escape the cold. He envied them their warm coats. He needed one of those rugged waterproof parkas. Preferably one with a hood and lots of pockets. That would make life a little better.
At the post office, he opened his box and pulled out the small stack of mail. The first item that caught his attention was a red note, informing him his rent for the box was overdue. He mumbled a harsh word, crushed the note in his hand and tossed it onto the floor. “That check better be there,” he mumbled, searching through the stack of letters and advertisements until he found it. On his way out, he dumped the rest of the unopened mail in the garbage bin. Whatever it contained, he didn’t care.
Continuing his drive on fumes, he headed downtown to cash what had become his only source of income. Without a phone or a watch, he had no idea of the exact time. The darkening sky suggested it had to be close to five. When he reached the bank, it was already closed.
“Damn you people,” he shouted. He banged his right fist several times against the glass door, leaving dirty smudges all over. “Lazy sons of bitches! Can’t you work a few minutes longer?”
He looked around with wild eyes filled with wrath, his hands still balled into fists. Several pedestrians hurried to get out his way. He didn’t even notice their shocked reactions as he continued to rant and rave. “Get out of my way!”
He lumbered back to his truck. His stomach growled, and he hadn’t had a cigarette in more than two weeks. He craved the nicotine more than anything. What now?
Frustrated, he stepped in and slammed his palm against the steering wheel. He’d spent his last few bucks on gas and didn’t even have a penny left in his pocket, the mental image of the double burger and large fries beyond his reach. Dammit, he needed cash. He needed it now.
All over the city, lights sparkled. Store windows glowed, filled with decorations and signs, trying to lure in customers with discounts. The holiday season would kick off with Thanksgiving only a few days away, followed by Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. All the cheerfulness and brightness fueled his resentment. What a way to spend your time, buying useless gifts nobody wanted or needed. Didn’t they have anything better to do with their money? Why not give it to the poor and needy, to someone like him?
Traffic crawled. The snow stopped, turning into a light drizzle. With luck, he might just make it to the Westside Soup Kitchen. He’d been there several times in the past. Run by several priests, or some other religious dudes, the food was decent. They even served a second helping if someone asked. With the holiday season, people were more generous to the hungry and donations to shelters increased. Who knew? They might even offer dessert.
He left his truck and walked the last few blocks. On the way, he passed an All-American diner, an Italian restaurant, and two burger joints. The delicious smell of roasted meat and french fries tickled his senses and made him salivate. His anger against the bank flared up again. He would have given anything for a juicy burger smothered in cheese and several thick strips of bacon, or for a bucket of fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. Instead, he would probably wind up eating spaghetti and cheap white dinner rolls, or Spanish rice with sticks of celery and iceberg salad.
One of the city buses came to a halt next to him, the screeching brakes drawing his attention. The doors opened and people streamed out on the sidewalk in front of him. Others waited to climb on board, blocking his path. He stopped and waited, his hands deep in his pockets, until he noticed the colorful advertisement on the side of the bus.
It read – ‘Protection for all you hold dear. Call Overland Insurance’ – in bold lettering, with two men and two women on either side, all four dressed to perfection, smiling brightly with their too white, orthodontia-enhanced teeth.
He felt sucker punched in the belly and his blood started to boil. He knew that insurance agency too damn well. The Overland family! Definitely the last name he needed to see today. Acid-filled resentment flooded his throat, and disgusted, he spat on the sidewalk. He detested those people, hated them. They’d caused his troubles. They were to blame for his misery. Somebody should destroy them, make them burn in hell. That’s what they deserved.
A long time ago, I fell in love with the United States while traveling around in an Oldsmobile station-wagon with my husband. We are both born and raised in the Netherlands.
Together, we eventually found our way to the Pacific Northwest, built up a business, and raised our two boys into amazing young adults with their own careers. During this time, I also made a slow transition from reader to writer of many different stories.
My multiple award winning debut novel "Storm at Keizer Manor" sets the bar high for my second novel, Eagles in Flight.
All my books are stand alone novels in different genres. You might be in for a surprise, or a disappointment.Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub