Risking forever, p.1
Risking Forever, page 1
RISKING FOREVER
THE EMERSON FAMILY OF SHATTERED COVE SERIES BOOK 2
A. M. KUSI
This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, organizations, events, and incidents are either products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental. Any trademarks, product names, service marks, and named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are only used for references.
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Copyright © 2022 by A. M. Kusi.
All rights reserved.
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No part of this book or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified, distributed, stored, transmitted in any form or by any means, or adapted without the prior written consent of the authors and publisher.
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Published by A. M. Kusi 2022
amkusinovels@gmail.com
Visit our website at www.amkusi.com
Editor: Lauren Clarke of CREATING ink
Sensitivity Edit: Renita McKinney of A Book A Day
Proofreader: Judy’s Proofreading
Cover Design: Regina Wamba of ReginaWamba.com
OTHER BOOKS BY A. M. KUSI
Stepping Into Tomorrow
(Book 1 in The Emerson Family of Shattered Cove)
* * *
Wishing for Yesterday
(Book 3 in The Emerson Family of Shattered Cove)
* * *
A Fallen Star (eBook FREE on all retailers)
(Book 1 in The Shattered Cove Series)
* * *
Glass Secrets
(Book 2 in The Shattered Cove Series)
* * *
Defying Gravity
(Book 3 in The Shattered Cove Series)
* * *
The Lighthouse Inn
(Book 4 in The Shattered Cove series)
* * *
His True North
(Book 5 in The Shattered Cove series)
* * *
In The Grey
(Book 6 in The Shattered Cove series)
* * *
Brave Love
(Book 7 in The Shattered Cove series)
* * *
Hope Between Us
(Book 8 in The Shattered Cove series)
* * *
Beautiful Collision
(A Shattered Cove Novel)
* * *
One Holiday Kiss (eBook FREE on all retailers)
(A Shattered Cove Short Story)
* * *
The Orchard Inn Series
(Our first complete steamy romance series.)
* * *
For a complete list of all our books, visit:
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www.amkusi.com/books
DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to me. Because after two and a half rewrites, several anxiety attacks, and a breakdown later, I finally finished it only two weeks late.
“Trauma comes back as a reaction, not a memory.”
– Bessel Van Der Kolk
“Moving forward with our grief is not the same as moving on from our grief.”
– Marie
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Get A FREE Short Novel
Playlist
1. Elise
2. Roman
3. Elise
4. Elise
5. Elise
6. Roman
7. Elise
8. Elise
9. Roman
10. Elise
11. Elise
12. Roman
13. Elise
14. Roman
15. Elise
16. Elise
17. Roman
18. Roman
19. Elise
20. Elise
21. Elise
22. Roman
23. Elise
24. Roman
25. Elise
26. Elise
27. Roman
28. Elise
29. Elise
30. Elise
31. Roman
32. Elise
33. Elise
34. Roman
35. Elise
36. Roman
37. Elise
38. Roman
39. Elise
40. Roman
41. Elise
42. Elise
43. Roman
44. Roman
45. Elise
46. Elise
47. Roman
48. Elise
Epilogue - Roman
Sneak Peek of Wishing for Yesterday
Acknowledments
Thank You
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About A. M. Kusi
Also by A. M. Kusi
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PLAYLIST
“Keep On” by Sasha Alex Sloan
“Rain” by Grandson and Jessie Reyez
“Lost my Mind” by FINNEAS
“Stupid” by Ashnikko Ft. Yung Baby Tate
“Do It For Me” by Rosenfeld
“Show Off” by SoMo
“You Broke Me First” by Tate McRae
“Dirty Mind” by Boy Epic
1
ELISE
“You can do this,” Elise said aloud to herself in the rearview mirror.
Ding!
She focused on the gauges in front of her. Shit! The tire-pressure icon lit up red. She had so many of those little colored lights, you’d think she was collecting them like Girl Scout badges.
“Just one more reason you need this job. So go in there and convince this family you’re their best choice for a nanny.” It’s ten times better than free babysitting for my slimy two-timing ex.
Elise blew out a breath and squeezed the back of her neck. A tension headache was pinching her nerves.
Before she could overthink it any more, she shut off the engine and climbed out of the piece of junk that needed more work than it was worth. It seemed so out of place here next to the neatly trimmed yard, rolling green hills, and tidy garage. The gravel driveway was huge and rounded, lined with trees on one side. A white van parked by the edge of the house had an Emerson Farms logo on the sliding door. Colorful flowers adorned the walkway up to a massive wraparound porch. Planters with purple, pink, and blue flowers hung from the edge of the porch roof above the railings. Floral notes melded with the scent of fresh-cut hay sweetening the fresh air.
The sound of a screen door shutting drew her focus to the older Black woman smiling from the entryway with a wave. The woman’s brown, purple-tipped dreadlocks swayed with her motion. “You must be Elise Aki.”
“Yes, ma’am. And you must be Mrs. Emerson.”
“Oh, please call me Renita or Mama E.” She waved her hand as if dismissing the formality.
Elise scanned the property once more. Lush green grass with wildflowers poking through it covered the fields to her right. There was a barn and pasture down the hill, and another larger barn complete with a gravel parking lot she’d passed on her way up the long tree-lined driveway. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you. Come on in. Ariel is excited to meet you, and I’ve got a cup of coffee with your name on it or tea if you prefer?”
“Tea would be lovely. Thank you.” Elise followed the woman inside.
The home was spacious and bright. Colorful rugs were scattered over the pine floors. Pictures adorned the walls of the hall and the living room she passed, which contained a mishmash of furniture.
Renita led her past some smaller rooms and a shut door before they entered a large kitchen that chefs’ dreams were made of.
“Have a seat.” Mrs. Emerson motioned to a stool at the large kitchen island.
Elise did as she said. A little girl with puff buns in her hair peeked into the room. Elise smiled and waved to her, but the girl hid behind the wall once again.
“Ariel Daisy Emerson, you get your butt out here and greet our guest,” Renita chided while setting a plate of cookies on the table between them.
Elise’s stomach grumbled embarrassingly loudly. She’d skipped breakfast and lunch—again. Her savings were down to almost nothing and her credit card was maxed. If her best friends Sam and Jack knew she’d been skipping meals, they’d be furious with her, but she didn’t want to be a drain on them any more than she had been these last few weeks.
Renita pushed the cookies towards her. “Help yourself. Your tea will be ready in a moment. I have peppermint or chamomile, and I think black mango.”
“Black mango, please, but I’m more than happy to get it.” Elise rose.
Renita shook her head as the little girl walked into the room. “No way. You sit right there and get started on those cookies.”
Ariel climbed onto the stool across from her. Her head was bowed, but the girl’s eyes were definitely aimed at Elise.
Elise gave the girl her most friendly smile and signed as she spoke. “Hello. You must be Ariel; I’ve heard so much about you. But I have one question. Are you a mermaid, like the Ariel in the movie?”
The little girl bit back a smile, her eyes lighting up as she signed back to Elise. “No, I’m not. But I want to meet a mermaid.”
“Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to spot one sometime. ” Elise winked.
Ariel reached across the counter and grabbed a cookie. She bit into it as Renita set a cup of tea and jar of honey in front of Elise before taking a seat beside them.
Elise stirred a spoonful of sweetener into her tea. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I don’t believe we should waste each other’s time. Let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we?” Renita asked.
Elise’s stomach clenched. Had she messed this up already? “Of course.”
“I went over your references, and you seem more than qualified to take care of my granddaughter this summer. But what I’d like to know is why a young woman like yourself, with your degree, wants to nanny?” Renita didn’t pull any punches.
“I’m actually teaching this fall at Shattered Cove Grade School, so this was perfect as I needed something to do during the summer. I’ve double-checked the date, and I would need to report to school a week before my work officially ends for Ariel. Would that be a problem?”
Renita shook her head. “It shouldn’t be. I’ll be back by then, and we can make necessary arrangements for her care. Are you new to the area?”
“No, my family is from Dark Cove, so just the next city over.”
Renita’s eyes widened. “Oh, well then, that’s great. You already know your way around.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re okay with the live-in position? You’d be staying in my son Roman’s house. You passed the turnoff on your way in. You’ll have a bedroom to yourself but share a bathroom with this little one.” Renita motioned to her granddaughter.
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
Ariel reached for another cookie, eyeing her grandma. Renita glanced at the little girl. “Don’t tell your daddy I let you eat cookies so close to dinner.”
Ariel smiled and shook her head, holding out her pinky finger. Renita looped her smallest digit with her granddaughter’s in a promise.
“Your resume didn’t list your employment for the last two years.” Renita’s attention was back on Elise.
“I, uh, well, I was . . .” Sweat dotted her forehead as the newly scabbed wounds over her heart opened wide again. “I had a family situation that needed my attention.” That was vague but hopefully professional. Elise was pretty sure if she spilled the whole sordid tale of her shitty judgment in men, Renita would show her the door. But she needed this job. She’d searched and there was nothing else that would allow her to make enough money in the two months before school started to save for a down payment on an apartment, and this was a live-in position. She wouldn’t have to force Sam and Jack to put up with her in their guest bedroom any longer than the three weeks she’d already commandeered it for.
Renita’s eyes crinkled, her keen gaze studying Elise for a beat. “Well, I’m pretty satisfied with our phone interview, your background checks out, and you obviously know American Sign Language well.” She turned to Ariel. “What do you think, pumpkin? Would you like to spend the summer playing with Elise?”
Ariel licked a few crumbs off her lips and signed, “Will you take me to the beach to look for mermaids?”
Elise laughed. “If your parents say it’s okay.”
“And will you give me cookies like Gramma?”
“Well, I do love to bake.”
“Okay.” Ariel nodded.
“She drives a hard bargain,” Renita joked. “Ariel, why don’t you go clean up your toys? Your dad will be home soon.”
Ariel hopped off the stool and gave Elise a wave before disappearing out of the room.
Renita got up and grabbed a framed photo from the kitchen wall, handing it over to Elise. “It’s just my son. His wife—Ariel’s mom—passed almost four years ago. Since then, Ariel hasn’t said a word.”
“I see.” Elise’s heart broke for the little girl. A smiling Ariel beamed at the camera, holding a line with a small fish out in front of her. The man next to her smiled down at her like the little girl was his whole world—and he was one of the sexiest men she’d ever laid eyes on. He could have been a model with his toned body and six-pack, the likes of which she’d only ever seen on magazine and book covers. Damn, he was fine. And that was the dad she would be living with? Her skin heated.
But the last thing I need is another single dad taking advantage of me—no matter how hot he is.
“Roman is really busy in the summers unless it’s bad weather. He’s up before the sun most days and home after it sometimes. You’d have to be able to make dinner too. Is that a problem?”
“No. I can cook. I enjoy it actually,” Elise assured her. It would make things easier if she didn’t have too many run-ins with the hottie from the picture.
Renita smiled. “Great. Ariel has therapy every other Monday. And she’s been homeschooled up until now. She’s going to school this fall, so if you don’t mind working with her on the things she may need to know?”
“Absolutely.”
“And the salary is alright with you?”
“Yes, ma’am,” she quickly agreed, handing the photo back.
Renita stood again and walked over to the counter to grab a piece of paper and pen, and return the frame. She slid a legal-looking document over to Elise. “Then I’d like to officially offer you the job. This is a contract with everything we went over on the phone. You go ahead and read through it and make sure it’s agreeable to you.”
Elise skimmed the particulars. At this point, it didn’t matter if Mrs. Emerson required a kidney; she needed this job. She’d nannied during college but she’d never been presented with a contract before.
As if sensing her question, Renita explained, “There’s a part in there about not speaking to the press or anyone outside the family except the authorities about the open investigation regarding the murder of my son’s ex. I hope you understand the sensitive manner of this request?”
Murder? Oh, God. How much had Ariel lost? Had she seen her mother be attacked? Was that why she didn’t speak? How strange Elise hadn’t heard about the case. She’d been gone a long time from Dark Cove, but this kind of news usually traveled.
“Of course. I understand.” She signed her name on the line and dated it.
Renita did the same and produced another copy for Elise to keep.
“Great. Now, let’s show you where you’ll be staying this summer. Did you need a few days to move in?”
Elise shifted on her feet, tucking her hair behind her ear anxiously. “I actually have everything with me.” Because I’m kinda without an address at the moment.
“I like a woman who comes prepared. Perfect. Ariel?”
The little girl came bounding around the corner.
“Let’s go show Elise her room in your house.”
