There's less than a week left until HDU's release! I've got one more teaser for all of you this week before getting the book to you on November 30th! Last week I posted an "article" in the book announcing Amanda's first outing with Liam but this week, I'm going to take it back a few pages with a scene in Amanda's hometown of Merit, Missouri. Amanda's neighborhood has gathered to prepare for a welcome home party celebrating the return of Amanda's backstabbing ex-best friend, Megan (who happens to be a huge Liam Brody fan). This is a quick scene before Amanda meets Liam for the first time and is reunited with Megan at her party...
Amidst Amanda’s closet full of sweatshirts and blue jeans
was one outfit that she felt she looked fairly decent in. The long-sleeved, cross-front dress was
a turquoise color that complemented her auburn hair nicely, and the opaque
black tights she wore underneath always flattered her legs. The ensemble was also the only one in
her wardrobe that probably wouldn’t bore Liam to death. Amanda disliked him and all, but she
still wanted to look moderately attractive upon first meeting him. Plus, he was gaining points with her
for being so responsibly communicative.
Earlier that morning, he had sent her a text message about having just
boarded his flight. It was
unreal. A Hollywood actor was
reporting to her. He was Golden Globe nominated for
goodness sake.
Amanda had texted him the address of Ian’s hotel, where
they were set to meet in the lobby.
He would notify her upon his landing and she would drive from her own
house to Ian’s hotel. There, they
would all officially meet and get their first encounter over with before
heading back to Megan’s party, which by then would be in full swing. Perhaps not so strangely, that was the part
that Amanda anticipated the most.
“Well, well, well. Look who it is!” Megan’s mother clapped her hands as Amanda
made her way to the kitchen, where her own mother was preparing chili.
“Hi, Alice,” she said, wondering how happy Alice Mayer
really could be to see her. Rumors
aside, her own daughter had to have told her a few lies about what had happened
in St. Louis. Megan certainly
wouldn’t have admitted to stealing her own best friend’s boyfriend.
“Nice of you to dress up for the occasion,” Alice
smiled, plucking at the fabric of Amanda’s dress. Her smile faltered as if she had expected to feel a nicer
material. “You gonna help us set
up the food?”
“Sure.
But,” Amanda paused, realizing that she was about to utter the first
word of her epic, sensational, and glamorous lie. Her lips curled upward. “I have to pick up a friend soon. He’s arriving at the airport in thirty minutes.”
Both her mother and Alice halted, staring at her with
confusion.
“Who?” Her mother squinted.
“Is it that boy that you were with at L.J’s?” Alice
asked.
“No, it’s not Ian,” Amanda said, reveling in each of
her own words. “It’s my… good
friend.” She knew her coy wording
would invite assumptions.
“Oh my gosh, it’s
a new boyfriend!” Alice exclaimed
boisterously, hands on her hips. “Young
lady, spill.” Amanda bit her lips back and grinned shyly,
prompting Alice to point and gasp.
“Look at the girl,” she clucked.
“She’s head over heels.”
She wasn’t quite, but the excitement on her face was
real. Amanda had never encountered
a celebrity face-to-face, and it was about to happen in less than an hour. She had also never been involved in
such an enormous charade, and the idea of pretending so much made her stomach
turn, but with anticipation. It
would be like being an actress, but in her every day life.
After twenty minutes of dodging questions from both
her mother and Alice, Amanda’s phone vibrated, making everybody jump.
“It’s him!” Alice gasped as Amanda snatched her phone
before her mother could. The
message was indeed from Liam.
Landed. Heading to Marriott now.
Amanda’s stomach promptly turned. “Okay, I gotta go,” she said quietly,
trying to suppress the toast that she had consumed for breakfast. It was threatening to rise from
digestion in her queasy stomach.
“Is this why you’ve been acting like a complete loon
the past few days?” her mother asked.
Amanda ignored her as she put on her coat by the door,
trying to concentrate on not vomiting.
Her excitement had quickly transformed to nerves, but it was coming off
as being tight-lipped. Her mother
crossed her arms, miffed. “Amanda
Bree, I swear to God, you need to tell me one
thing about this boy before you leave.”
Amanda obliged before opening the door, glancing back
towards the kitchen just to catch their reactions. “He’s a famous actor,” she said. “He’s asked me to move to New York with him.”
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