TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Saturday

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Today we are excited to feature fanficsR4nerds, author of The Coffin Maker's Wife, The Admiral, Lockdown, Knocked Up, and With Grace. She's sharing a preview of her upcoming new fic Solace.

banner by fanficsR4nerds

Solace

by

fanficsR4nerds

Summary: After being forced into a marriage with a stranger at her family's behest, Bella tries to make a new life for herself. Though she is learning to find her voice, she must navigate the complex social politics that come with her new title, while trying to get to know the man she's now tied to. Surrounded by lies and secrets, Bella must work fast to figure out whom she can trust before it's too late.

~~0x0~~

“He will come back,” Rosalie says gently. 

I glance at her. “But he will still be a stranger.”

Four years married to a man that I can barely remember. It had not even been until months after he departed that I had learned his name at all. He was a stranger who left me the first morning of our new life together.

Rosalie pats the back of my hand. 

“The duke says he is a good man,” she says softly. “He has risen in the ranks too.”

I nod mutely. I know this only because whenever he has been offered a promotion, Rowanberry Manor is gifted another parcel of acreage by the duke. What was once a cottage, now stands as a manor fit for a lord.

“He will come home, and you will find that he is more wonderful than your heart could have dreamed.” Rosalie sighs. “And you will have one hundred beautiful little children.”

I bark out a laugh and she grins at me. Rosalie is such a romantic, despite her own life not turning out quite as dreamy as the one she is painting for me. 

The duke loves her in his own way, I am sure, but his affections have waned considerably. He is not the sparkling jewel she once believed him to be, nor has my sister been the sweet compliant wife he expected either.

There is friction in their marriage, but thus far, it has stayed minimal and is cured by Rosalie’s excessive visits to Rowanberry.

We sit under the willow for a while longer before the air grows cool. The sun is still in the sky, but evening is on its way, and we decide to head back to the manor.

Charlotte, in her exhaustion, cannot walk, so I scoop her up, holding her tight to my chest as Rosalie strolls carefully beside me.

The sun is just beginning its descent when the manor falls into our view. There is a carriage outside and a host of horses that brings my feet to an abrupt halt. 

Rosalie looks back at me in alarm, but my heart is racing in my chest, my grip tightening over Charlotte as I stare at the manor.

He is home.

A loud ringing starts up in my ears, and my palms grow sweaty.

I can hear servants calling out to each other as they scramble to welcome my husband home.

“Bella,” Rosalie starts. I ignore her. I can barely hear her at all with how loud my heart is thumping in my ears. 

I force my feet to take a step forward, then another, my heart picking up into a gallop as I approach the house.

When I am ten paces from the front door, there is a shout as someone says my name, and then he is there, filling the doorway as his brilliant emerald eyes seek me out.

The air leaves my body.

He is larger than he was when he left, broader and more defined. Where his cheeks were once smooth, there is now a coppery beard, making him look so much older.

He is no longer the boy who left. He is a man, and he is gazing at me like I am a storm on the horizon.

“Bella,” he says, and I watch as his chest deflates slightly when he whispers my name. He rushes forward, his stride powerful and strong as he climbs down the manor steps. Before Rosalie can take her child, he is before me, pulling me into a crushing hug that takes my breath away. 

It is the first time a man has ever hugged me in my life.

He smells of orange and woodsmoke and leather.

Before I can say anything, he shifts, his arms coming up to cup my face, and then his lips are on mine, firm and hungry, foreign and familiar. I gasp, and his tongue snakes into my mouth, stroking my own and provoking a nearly visceral response from me.

He pulls back, his hands still cupped around my cheeks, his bright gaze searching my face.

“Bella,” he says, his breathing slightly ragged.

I take my own shuddering breath. “Welcome home, Edward.”

~~0x0~~

Be sure to put fanficsR4nerds on alert. Solace begins posting on December 1, 2023.

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

For this edition of Sneak Peek Saturday, we are thrilled to feature something new from Sunshine1220, author of Clutch, Shift, What She Needs and many other fandom favs. This week, she's giving us a peek into her upcoming fic Out of the Woods.

banner by Sunshine1220

Out of the Woods

by

Sunshine1220

Summary: Something evil happened that night, under the canopy of trees, but Bella’s foggy memories are too terrifying to be believed. And the texts from her husband have left her with more questions than answers. The only thing she knows for certain is that whatever destroyed her life that night is still lurking. Her escape will be more difficult than just being pulled out of the woods.

xXXx

I’m trying my hand at something a little different—for me—this time around. This short story just in time for spooky season, too. It was inspired more than a year ago by a prompt on The Fic Lab on Facebook. It didn’t hurt that the photo app I was playing with at the time gave me some visual inspiration as well. It’s been an on-again, off-again, behind-the-scenes project since then.

Most of you who read me know brevity isn’t my strong suit, so I challenged myself to write exactly 500-word chapters. So, while it’s not technically a drabble, I’ll say it’s drabble-ish. Needless to say, choosing the tease I’m sharing today was a challenge, simply for the fact that I didn’t want to share an entire chapter. 

Enjoy, and I hope you’ll join me on October 1! 

xXXx

I look away, my vision clouded once again as the hopeless feeling I’ve had since waking burrows deeper into my heart.

I blink back tears as I listen to the fading footsteps of the two men who’ve been attempting to question me for the past hour. 

“Now, how do you really feel?”

Slowly, I turn my head to face Doctor Cullen. “I … I don’t know,” I rasp. 

“That’s to be expected. You’ve endured quite the ordeal.”

“Is it …”

“Is it what?”

“Is it normal to not remember?”

He sighs and sits in the chair at my bedside. “As I said, you went through quite the ordeal. Your body is still recovering.” He gives me a rueful smile. “I’m sure, in time, those missing memories will return.”

The way he looks at me, the curious yet cautious way in which he studies me, leads me to believe there’s more he wants to say. 

“But what if I don’t want to remember?”

xXXx

This one is completely written. It’s thirty-one, exactly 500-word chapters plus an epilogue and will post daily beginning October 1. You can find me at Sunshine1220 on fanfiction.net and at my group, Sunshine Fics, on Facebook. Where I’m sure I’ll share pictures and music that inspired parts of this story. Hope you’ll join me! 

~Sunshine

xXXx

Be sure and put Sunshine1220 on alert so you can follow along with us!

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

This week we are excited to feature Hotteaforme, author of The Little Things, Taste of Ink, and White Noise. She's sharing an excerpt of her upcoming new fic This is Where it Ends. 

banner by Lizzie Paige

This is Where it Ends

by

Hotteaforme

Summary: A chance encounter between high-class escort, Isabella Swan, and political hot-shot Edward Cullen sends both their lives into a tailspin. Lies, manipulation, deceit, and all-consuming obsession follow... but where does it all end? 

xx~OO~xx

"Isabella? It's time." 

The slow drip of anxiety turns into a waterfall of light-headedness and Bambi-legged movements as I stand slowly from the chair.

 

Taking two or three deep breaths, I smooth down the fabric of the tailored black blazer I'm wearing, a light blue blouse underneath. It's smart. Demure. I shunned all attempts by the wardrobe department to dress me more provocatively—high cut skirts, low-cut dresses, anything that showed more than a hint of skin. I've been exposed enough, and this final move will strip me bare. 

Apprehensively I follow the blonde assistant from the room, Bree silently at my side, clutching a bag full of brushes and products for touch-ups. A maze of corridors pass in a blur—until we arrive at our destination. 

The room in the hotel we're filming in is a flurry of activity, the assistant ushering both Bree and I into the chaos, closing the door firmly behind her. Bree leaves me alone to take it all in. Tall windows along the right-hand side of the room make it feel light and airy and everything from the carpet to the chairs is decorated in a palette of soft greys and creams. It's a sharp contrast to all the bulky equipment that sits in it: multiple cameras, lighting, sound rigs. Front and center are two armchairs that have been carefully placed, a low coffee table in between them. With passing interest, I watch as they arrange lilies in a vase, positioned on a sideboard in view of the cameras. 

There's a surprising amount of people I need to meet; the director, the producer, show runners. I smile, shake hands dutifully, trying not to feel overwhelmed. But it is overwhelming. And that feeling only intensifies when I spot Victoria Sutherland in the far corner, her arms crossed and a sheet of paper hanging from her hand. 

Victoria holds court with a man, who I assume is her personal assistant, her signature red hair pulled back into a sleek bun, a forest-green all in one pant-suit emphasising her slender waist. I've seen her on TV, of course, but she's even thinner and more glamorous in the flesh. Her talk show, The Victoria Sutherland Show, is wildly successful, her interviews watched globally at times. She's firm, fair, and famous for her probing interviews of celebrities, politicians, and foreign royalty alike.

And now she's interviewing me. And I'm none of those. Not even close. I don't want to be either. 

Victoria's face lights up when she realizes I'm here, confident as she walks over, her hand extended outwards before she even reaches me.

"Isabella, it's a pleasure." 

I'm not so sure it is, but I shake her hand firmly, anyway. 

"Likewise. I'm a—a big fan of yours, so it's great to meet you, even if the circumstances aren't… well."

Her hand moves to my forearm, a touch of reassurance. 

"Not ideal for you. I understand. Hopefully, this will give you a chance to shine a light on things. Don't be afraid, I'm here to ask questions, of course, but I'm also here to hear you. Just believe in what you're saying—speak with conviction, and your audience will believe you too."

"It's the truth," I tell her resolutely. "Whether people want to believe that or not—I'm not interested." 

She appraises me with intense blue eyes and I wonder whether she has the measure of me already or whether the things I've done will shock her. Somehow I doubt it. If anything, Victoria Sutherland is the least unflappable of all. 

"Perfect," she says finally. "Well, let's run over some of the things we'll be covering, and then we can get started." 

She offers the white paper to me. Typed words jump out as I skim read, and the more I do, the dryer my mouth becomes. Seeing it written in black and white somehow makes the experience even more real; the truths I'll have to speak, the things I will have to admit out loud. 

"I'll throw some curveballs in there, of course. We want this to be fluid—a natural discussion," Victoria continues.

"I understand," I tell her. 

She takes the paper gently out of my hands and hands it off to her assistant. I can't help but follow its journey as it travels to the back of the room and onto the clipboard of a runner, as if my fate is written on there too. 

But I don't know it yet.

I don't know what will happen after this.

All I know is that I loved Edward Cullen once, but I'll never, ever let myself love him again. 

xx~OO~xx

Be sure to put Hotteaforme on alert. This is Where it Ends begins posting on August 4.

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

This week's feature comes to us from the collaborative efforts of Lily Jill, fanficsR4nerds, and DaniDarlingxx, also know as Nerdy Lil Darlins. They are sharing a preview of their upcoming new fic Taking the Horizon.

banner by DaniDarlingxx

Taking the Horizon

by

Nerdy Lil Darlins

Summary: ‘For her, the ocean was more than a dream. It was a place she needed to visit to find herself.’ A tale of true friendship, new love, and learning to dance in the waves.

~~xxXXxx~~

Since the first day they met on the campus of the University of Minnesota in their freshman year, they had always known how to read one another.  Three different girls,  with three different personalities and backgrounds, somehow gifted with understanding each other better than anyone else.  They had been inseparable since that day, the three of them attached at the hip throughout their bumpy, incredible, roller-coaster college years.

And now, it’s over.

This chapter of their lives has officially come to a close.

One week ago, before they boarded a flight to Lighthouse Cove, Maine, they had watched each other walk across the stage at their college graduation.  According to the world around them, they were now fully equipped to begin careers of their choosing.

For the first time in four years, the girls would have to part ways and enter adulthood without the other two by their side. It was a thought that had devastated the three of them, throwing them into a panic about how they could manage without each other. 

“Pick a place,” Bella had said through her tears one night on their couch in their college apartment after too much wine at the realization of their upcoming separation.  “Pick a place and we’ll go there right after graduation.”

“One last hurrah,” Alice had agreed while Rosalie had pulled out her phone to find a destination for the three of them.

Lighthouse Cove off the coast of Maine is what they had landed on, and now, as the sun rises from what seems like the depths of the ocean and covers them all in youth-like warmth, they know this will not be the last time they experience this together.

“It has to be an annual thing,” Rosalie says. “Every year we need to come back here.”

The pull of the horizon, the promise of endless possibilities, and a blank slate for them all to write their own stories upon, leaves them all in quiet reflection.

“I don’t want to leave,” Bella sighs, lifting her head into the sunlight and letting it sink into her skin. There is still a morning chill in the air, as it is the middle of May and not quite summer season yet, but it warms her nonetheless.

“I agree with Rose,” Alice says. “With you too, Bella. We might not be able to stay here now, but we’ll visit every summer. And instead of one week, we’ll make it two.”

“Aren’t you getting married in the next year?” Rosalie asks with a laugh.

“Yeah, but that won’t matter. Peter knows how important you two are to me,” Alice answers back, unable to keep the smile off her face as she thinks of her fiancé.

“He’s a good guy,” Bella says thoughtfully. “I’m happy for you.”

“When you know, you know,” Alice replies, not for a single second regretting the idea of settling down at the young age of twenty-two. “Sometimes life is too short to think and wonder if every move you make is the right one.”

“Now is the time for mistakes then?” Rosalie jokes.

“Maybe,” Alice laughs with a shake of her head. She shrugs. “The last four years were meant to be the years we find out who we are. We’re college graduates now, ladies.”

“So what’s next?” Bella asks.

Alice giggles and reaches for her coffee again. “Fuck if I know. Maybe figure out this whole adult thing. Learn to make money and save it.”

“Or fall in love,” Rosalie finishes, memories of the handsome, quick-witted gentleman she had spent entire nights talking to during her last trip scouting apartments.

“Or travel the world,” Bella adds. She points to the horizon once more, and it might as well be the rest of the world for all they can see. “It’s ours for the taking.”

~~xxXXxx~~

Put Nerdy Lil Darlins on Alert so you don't miss out! Taking the Horizon begins posting on June 16.

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

This week we are featuring aushapasha, author of Best of Us, Hollywood Drive, and The Truce. She's sharing an excerpt from her upcoming new fic, Jilted. 

banner by Lizzie Paige

Jilted 

by 

aushapasha

Summary: After getting left at the altar without a word, Bella Swan treats herself to a beach holiday for one. The poolside oasis is perfect for sipping drinks, some attempted healing, and meeting a handsome stranger with a not so different past.

~oOxOo~

Edward

Hours later, I’m sitting on my little terrace, enjoying some peace and quiet, when I hear Jessica’s stupid bird whistle. It’s something she picked up early in life, and she only uses it when she wants to get my attention without really bothering me. She knows if I hear it, but don’t answer, I want to be left alone. 

“What do you want, butt-face?” I’m on the ground floor, so when her head pops up over the plants around my little patio, I’m not surprised.

“Really? ‘Butt-face’? You’re 33, come up with a better insult, Edward.” She gracefully climbs through the foliage to sit down across from me and sighs. 

“How was your spa day?” She smiles. Jess and I have always been closer than Marcus and me. My brother and I are closer in age, but he’s a perpetual frat boy. Jess is almost 40 and has always been the most mature person at the table; our parents included. 

“It was glorious. Did you know James upgraded us? We got the works.” She smiles, and I don’t even want to think about how she’s going to thank her husband for that later. “I saw your friend Bella.” She wiggles her eyebrows, and I cock mine at her. 

“Why does everyone keep calling her my friend? I barely know the woman.” I throw my hands up in frustration. I know almost nothing about this woman, but I keep finding myself in her presence, and I’ll be damned if—

“You’ve got that look on your face again.” Jess breaks me out of my thoughts. 

“What look?” 

“The look that says, ‘I don’t know anything about the pretty lady’.” She smirks, and I flip her off. 

“That’s not a common look for me.”

She laughs heartily. “You had it all last night. But I have info for you; for all of us really. Bella is joining us for dinner. Well, she’s joining you, me, James, Mom, and Dad. M and M are watching the kids tonight.”

I side-eye her. “Are you trying to set us up?”

“As entertained as I would be at the idea of you having an island fling, no, I’m not trying to set you up. She’s got baggage. She seems to be carrying it quite well but baggage nonetheless.” My sister cringes, and I turn to face her. 

“What’s Emerald Bay?” Her eyes go wide. I tried not to put too much thought into what Bella said earlier, but half of the reason we came here is because Jess and James came here on their honeymoon, or more specifically, they came to one of the sister resorts. 

“Edward, Emerald Bay is a Sandals resort for honeymooners in the Bahamas, I think. It could be Antigua.” She’s avoiding my eyes until I kick her lightly in the shin. “Ouch! Bella got stood up at the altar … a week ago.”

Jess is rambling on about how she hasn’t even spoken to her ex and how she went ahead and had the reception, and then decided to come on the vacation anyway because didn’t she deserve it? I sit back, letting that sink in. 

“Edward? Edward, don’t let this change how you approach her. She’s a nice person, and honestly, I think she’s handling it pretty well. I’m sure the situation is different.” Jess gives me a sympathetic smile. 

What a terrible thing to happen to someone. How humiliating and devastating. 

I should know. 

I left someone at the altar too. 

~oOxOo~

Be sure and put aushapasha on alert so you don't miss out. Jilted will begin posting later today. 

TLS Special Sneak PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Today we are excited to feature fanficsR4nerds, author of Lockdown, Knocked Up and With Grace. She's sharing a preview of her upcoming new fic Summer with the Swans.

banner by FanficsR4nerds

Summer with the Swans

by

FanficsR4nerds

Summary: 12 miscommunications, 11 hikers lost, 10 poisoned muffins, 9 yogis stretching, 8 drunken confessions, 7 enemies made, 6 ruined dinners, 5 wedding plans, 4 intrusive parents, 3 nosy neighbors, 2 family food fights, and 1 whole summer with the Swans.

~~0x0~~

For the first time in a very long time, Bella Swan was nervous. She’d thought that at the tender age of twenty-four, she’d completely mastered fear.

But she was learning, it turned out the more you loved someone outside of yourself, the more vulnerable you were to things like caring about their welfare.

It was, she thought as she plucked at her surprisingly restricting blouse, a fair trade. Caring about others had brought her into the arms of some of the best people she knew.

You didn’t turn your back and run when those people’s lives were being hauled upside down.

“Are you sure about this?” Bella almost didn’t recognize her own voice.

Beside her, Esme reached out, taking her hand between her own.

“Yes, Darling. We are quite sure about all this.”

For her part, Esme Cullen sounded calm, serene even. Bella couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.

To put it bluntly, Esme and Carlisle Cullen had been royaly fucked over. The business empire they’d built from the ground up had come crashing down around them in a matter of days. The lynchpin, one Jay Jenks, had embezzled millions from their company. Whatever the weasel hadn’t run off with was being wiped away between lawsuits and back taxes. The Cullens were facing something beyond bankruptcy; they would be completely destitute.

Bella had been trying to convince them, at the very least, to go after Jenks, but Esme and Carlisle were convinced Karma would take care of things. She’d even resorted to going with them to the meeting with their lawyers in a last-ditch effort to save them.

“Esme, please,” Bella begged. “This isn’t just about you two. What about all your employees?” Bella would use any tactic she could to make Esme see reason.

But Esme pat the back of Bella’s hand and offered her a smile. 

“All will be well, darling. You’ll see.”

~~~~

Edward Cullen was exhausted. 

It had been a long few weeks for him and his loved ones. After much arguing, his parents finally agreed to move with them to the States while they got back on their feet. They were forced out of the family home, and most of their possessions were sold to make up for the millions they owed. All the items the Cullens owned were now boiled down to the contents of four suitcases.

Bella had been working around the clock to find an apartment they could afford. Their original destination had been Los Angeles, but prices were just too steep to house four adults on only two incomes. Then, the job Edward had lined up in Los Angeles fell through. With potentially only one income to settle them, their choices had grown even thinner.

It had come down to only one choice, and it hadn’t been a choice Bella had made lightly.

“Tell me this is a good idea,” she whispered to Edward as they stood on the curb of the Seattle airport.

“It’s the best solution,” Edward said softly. “We’ll be able to get back on our feet while living somewhere affordably.”

Bella let out a long, heavy sigh.

An old Chevy Tahoe pulled up and parked in front of them. Bella watched her older sister Kate climb out of the front seat, and Bella extracted herself from Edward’s embrace to greet her.

“Bella,” Kate murmured, pulling her sister into a hug as soon as she was close enough. 

“Thank you for picking us up,” Bella whispered, hugging her sister firmly. 

Garrett, Kate’s husband, was busy pulling open the trunk and helping the Cullens load their bags.

“Are you sure about this?” Kate asked, pulling back from Bella to look at her sister. 

Bella let out a breath.

“Not even a little bit.”

Kate frowned but nodded. They packed the car, and Edward and Bella climbed into the back seat, leaving the middle row for Esme and Carlisle. The car was packed, and Bella felt the walls closing in around her.

She was moving back to Forks. Not just Forks, but back to her parent’s house. The house she’d moved out of at eighteen and swore never to move back to.

It wasn’t a good option, but it had ended up being the only option.

One summer. That’s what she and Edward had agreed upon when they had resorted to this plan. They would live with the Swans for one summer, and one summer only. They would make sure Esme and Carlisle were back on their feet, and Edward and Bella would both find a way to make enough money to move back to a large city, far from the crazy, small-town life of the Swans.

Everything would be fine.

After all. …they were only spending the summer with the Swans.

~~0x0~~

Be sure to put fanficsR4nerds on alert. Summer with the Swans begins posting on May 1, 2023.

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Opening day for America's national pastime is March 30, so it is only fitting we share an upcoming baseball fic. This week we are thrilled to feature DrivingEdward, a reader-turned-writer who will begin posting her very first fic, The Love of the Game. We think this one will be a home run!

banner by Lizzie Paige

The Love of the Game

by 

DrivingEdward

Summary: Love of family and love of the game drive Braves shortstop Edward Cullen. His focus has always been on striving to be his best, to giving his all. But what if that isn’t enough? When Bella Swan enters his life, they begin a game of love neither of them expects or is sure they can win. Baseballward and Soccerella. AH/ExB/Rated M

****

Thank you so much for having me. I am DrivingEdward, aka Pamela Lorraine for those who don’t know me by my fic name. I’m a long-time prereader and lover of words. I am humbled by the opportunity to sneak my very first fic here. What started out as a Fic Lab prompt, a love of baseball, a muse, and a movie, spawned a story I’ve been excited and itching to tell.

With the love, guidance, and support of my amazing prereaders and beta encouraging me along, I have mustered the courage to step my big toe into the world of writing fic.

This has been a labor of love and baseball. A huge challenge to push myself and do something outside the box in the year 2023. So, with that, I am excited to share with you The Love of the Game. This story is loosely, and I stress loosely, based on the movie For the Love of the Game. It’s a whole lot of love story with a side of baseball. I hope you enjoy this Edward and Bella as much as I have enjoyed creating them.

*<>*

Excerpt, chapter 2: The Love of the Game 

Edward touched her arm and stopped her. “I’m not even close to being ready for this evening to end, are you?” He looked deep into her eyes, hoping for some sign she was interested in spending more time together. 

“Not really,” she replied as goosebumps broke out on the arm he was touching. “What do you have in mind? Is there another bar nearby we can go to?”

“Not a bar, exactly,” he responded, a bit unsure. “I want to show you one of my favorite places. Are you game? It’s not far, I promise. I know you’re in heels.” 

“Where precisely is this favorite place?” Bella asked with curiosity.

“Well, it’s in the Omni Hotel, right across the way.”

“I’m staying at the Omni, and I don’t recall anything remarkable in the hotel.”

Edward gave a sly smile as he responded. “Well, that’s because you aren’t in a suite overlooking the stadium.” His eyes twinkled with a bit of mischief as he attempted to woo Bella back to his room. The view at night with all the lights was extraordinary. It was his church, and in that moment, he wanted to share it with her.

Bella looked at him hesitantly, but nodded in agreement, as she began to walk toward the bathroom. 

Edward gathered their drinks, one in each hand. “Look at me,” he called after her. “I’m rendered completely helpless.” He chuckled. “I can’t use either of my hands. You’ll be safe with me. And I promise I’ll be the perfect gentleman.” 

Bella turned around and saw the jovial expression on Edward’s face as he walked toward her. 

“Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that, Cullen.” She laughed. “You’re not the first professional athlete who’s tried to get me to their room, and I’m sure you won’t be the last.” Bella glanced back at Edward right before she entered the bathroom and noted the look of contemplation on his face. 

As she entered the bathroom, she heard Edward shout, “I’ll meet you at the door.”

Standing at the mirror, Bella smoothed down her hair, and swiped a bit of lipstick on her lips. She gave herself a good, hard look while she delivered a silent pep talk. She felt assured that going to his suite was a good idea. He knew she was Emmett’s sister-in-law, she considered. Nothing bad could possibly happen. They were teammates, friends, compadres. 

Edward was truly a stand-up guy. A possible hookup with that desirable man could be a possibility, and Bella decided she was up for it. She hadn’t opened herself up in a long time. Edward was easy to talk to, and the whole evening had seemed effortless. 

She knew, just by the interaction they’d had tonight, that Edward was nothing like her ex. He had the wholesome, boy-next-door quality that made him quite endearing. Everyone around him seemed to want to be in his presence. She was just lucky enough to garner his attention, and she was not complaining. An unfamiliar emotion overcame her as she looked at herself for the last time before leaving the bathroom—desire.

When Bella walked out of the bathroom, she spied Edward standing by the door, holding not only both drinks, but a bottle of chardonnay under his arm. 

“Where did that come from?”

“I know people.” He shrugged as he gave her that sweet smile. “Ready?”

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, Darling.” 

*<>*

After a lazy walk across the Battery to the hotel, Bella and Edward found themselves patiently waiting for the elevator to take them to Edward’s suite. Both of them were aware of their surroundings and hoped no one was around to catch them going up together. The gossip would be relentless, and neither one of them was interested in perpetuating that. 

As the elevator dinged and the doors opened, Bella and Edward walked in. They took one last look into the lobby, checking to see if there were any witnesses. When they were satisfied, Bella asked Edward what floor he was on. 

“Sixteen,” he replied gruffly. Clearing his throat, he gave her a reassuring smile. 

Bella hit the button for the sixteenth floor and rested against the back wall next to Edward. 

The moment the door closed, the atmosphere changed. Something about the fact that they were alone, in an enclosed space, made the ambiance feel electric. They were both reticent, wondering what the other was thinking. The silence was deafening as the elevator moved up the floors. They turned to each other simultaneously, each with a lingering gaze, both deciding what they wanted to say or do.

Bella reached over to take the wine bottle out of Edward’s arm to lighten his load, and in that slight turn of their bodies, as she removed the bottle, they came face-to-face. Their eyes locked, and without any delay, their lips crashed together.

*<>*

If you’d like to read more, please put me on alert and follow me here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2561609/DrivingEdward

Thank you, and hope to see you March 30th when I post the first chapter!

****

Remember to follow DrivingEdward so you don't miss out on The Love of the Game. 

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

 

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Today we are featuring the amazing drotuno, author of fandom favorites like the Gravity Series, the Angel Series, Once Upon Another Time, Man Behind the Mask, and Masen Manor. She has graciously agreed to share a sneak of her upcoming new fic, Common Ground. 

banner by Lizzie Paige

Common Ground

by

drotuno

Summary: Common ground or mutual understanding – the ability to find a shared event, feeling, or mind-set. Detective Edward Masen rarely cared about finding common ground with anyone, but he may find he has no choice when it comes to solving his current homicide case. AH/ExB/Rated M

~oOxOo~

The sun tried to peek through the early morning drizzle of Seattle as I made my way across to the park. I pulled my truck up next to the Crime Scene Unit’s van, reaching into the console to pull out a few pairs of rubber gloves.

Garrett was standing by my door when I opened it.

“Who’ve we got?” I asked him, pulling on the gloves.

“Maria Navarro. Originally from Texas. Twenty-seven. Her throat was cut, so she bled out.”

“Here?”

“Looks like it.”

Nodding, I gestured for him to lead the way. His former partner had retired six months ago, and I’d put in the transfer from Narcotics to Homicide. Garrett Spears was a few years older than me. He was tall, lean, and as laid-back as someone who’d smoked a joint, though his came naturally. His wife, Kate, was expecting their first kid by summer, and he was obnoxiously happy about it.

I ducked under the crime scene tape, ignoring the media and waiting for the coroner to finish making an assessment. Once he stood up, I stepped closer to the body.

No wounds showed other than the slice across her neck. The ground beneath her was saturated in blood, so she did die at the scene.

“I know her,” I said, glancing over my shoulder to Garrett.

“Yeah, she’s from your old department, I’d guess.” He pointed to the track marks along the inside of her arms – and probably between her toes if we took her shoes off.

“Mmhm, she’s a dancer down at The Inferno, but she had lots of extracurricular activities – online adult entertainment, part-time prostitute, and drug mule. Nasty drug habit – heroin. All under the watchful eye of James Hunt.”

“Fuck me,” Garrett hissed.

I gazed back down at the victim, pulling out a pen from my pocket to shift her hand a little. “She’s holding something,” I stated, waving over one of the CSI techs. “You might want to bag her hands. She’s got something in a grip.”

“Will do, Masen,” the young girl said, taking a few photos before pulling out a bag to cover Maria’s hands. She looked nervously to me. “We’re just about finished processing, which means we’ll be moving her soon.”

Nodding, I stood up and walked the whole scene. As the morning got lighter, I could see that they’d picked the perfect location to kill her. She was on the bank of a small pond, not easily accessible from the park’s walking trail. The park was known for drug deals – nothing big, just weed and a little coke. 

With a glance around, I saw a middle-aged man holding the leash of a black lab.

“Let me guess. The dog found the body,” I asked her.

She smiled. “Good guess. He’s the one who called 911. He said his dog went after a duck, and well, there you go.” She gestured to the body. “She’s soaking wet, and rigor has already set in, so she’s been here several hours. Overnight.”

“Thanks…”

“Jessica.”

“Thanks, Jessica. Can you let me know when you’ve processed evidence? And a tox report too?”

“Yeah, yeah. For sure.”

Garrett stepped up as Jessica started to turn the body over to document more pictures.

“It doesn’t bother you that every female on the fucking force knows your name, yet you pay zero attention to that shit?”

Raising an eyebrow his way, I shrugged a shoulder. “Why would I give a shit?”

~oOxOo~

Remember to put drotuno on alert so you don't miss out! Common Ground will begin posting soon.

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

Today we are featuring MarieCarro, author of Through Your Eyes, The Duke & the Swan without Wings, and Love is Strange. She's sharing a peek of her upcoming new mob fic The Death of a Prince. 

banner by MarieCarro

The Death of a Prince

by

MarieCarro

Summary: At age 7, Edward Cullen witnesses his father's death. Traumatized and terrified, he blames himself and runs away. Two minor league criminals stumble upon him when he wanders the streets at night, freezing and starving, and they decide to take him in. Years later, Edward is confronted by his past and must decide if he'll take his rightful place as the head of the Irish Mob, or remain with those who raised him. {Heavy Angst/Crime/All-Human} Rated M

~oOOo~

Edward's belly rumbled angrily from being empty for so many hours, but he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Food cost money, which he was only given occasionally, but today, his pockets were as empty as his hungry stomach.

On top of that, he was lost. He'd been in the heart of Boston a handful of times, and always with an adult, but the part of the city he was in now was unfamiliar and quickly grew scary as the sun set for the day.

Where he was, there were no green parks with families sitting on blankets and important men wearing suits talking on the phone. There were no bicycles or ponds and fountains. Only blocks of gray buildings and broken concrete under his feet, and the only people around all looked rather menacing even as they minded their own business.

He had nowhere to go and wandering all day had made his feet and legs hurt. He sat down on the edge of the sidewalk, but then the mouthwatering smell of cooking food wafted in his direction from somewhere, and his stomach ached so much he started crying.

Running away had been his only option, but he knew there was no way he'd make it in Boston on his own. He was already too hungry with hurting feet, no money, and nowhere to sleep.

He also really needed to go to the bathroom.

Across the street, there was a small commotion that caused Edward to look up and see what was going on.

One dark-haired boy, not too many years older than himself, and a tall guy who was definitely more adult than boy was helping a third man they'd accidentally bumped into and caused to drop his items.

“I'm sorry, sir,” the boy said, looking contrite, but as Edward watched, he saw him seamlessly slip a golden watch from the man's wrist into his own pocket.

“Yeah, are you okay?” the tall guy asked and handed the man his dropped phone.

“I'm fine,” the man replied with annoyance. “Just watch where you're going next time.”

“Of course, sir,” the guy promised. “Once again, so sorry.”

The man huffed and hurried away from the scene, completely unaware he did so sans golden watch, and Edward stared after him with rapt attention, fascinated by how fast and smooth he'd been robbed without knowing it.

“Shit, I think he saw us,” he heard and looked toward the thieves, who were now staring straight at him.

Edward averted his eyes toward the ground and quickly stood up to walk away. He had no idea if the thieves were dangerous, and he didn't want to cause any trouble, so he hurried to get out of their way.

However, he'd barely walked a few yards before the older thief ran around him and came to a sudden stop in front of him. “Not so fast, kid. I'm afraid we can't just let you walk away after that.”

The younger thief closed in on him from behind and crossed his arms. Edward didn't know what to say and froze in place, his eyes directed to the ground. The tall one looked at him for a long moment, and then his eyes wandered down until they spotted the blood spatter on Edward's pants.

“Hey, Em, come over here,” he said to the younger thief, who with visible confusion rounded Edward and looked where the tall one pointed. They exchanged a glance, and then the tall one crouched down to be at Edward's eye-level. “You okay, kid?”

Edward stared at him, not understanding his sudden change of tone, and then shrugged. “I guess,” he said.

“You sure?” the boy named Em asked, and Edward nodded. “Then that blood on you isn't yours?”

He looked down at the dried spots and was momentarily brought back to that morning and the sight of his dad falling to his knees and taking his last breath. Edward clenched his eyes shut and shook his head. “No, it's not mine.”

~oOOo~

Remember to put MarieCarro on alert. The Death of a Prince begins posting on January 1, 2023. 

TLS Special SNEAK PEEK Feature

The Lemonade Stand has spent so many years bringing you the best the Twilight fandom has to offer, and we are very excited to have the chance to offer you even MORE. We've watched stories grow and develop from first post through COMPLETE, and now we're lucky enough to share previews of the stories that will soon be your new addiction.

For this week's feature, we have samviolawrites, author of the recently completed fic Pretend for Me and the current wip collab, The Code of the Swan.  She's sharing an excerpt of her upcoming new fic Swan Dive. 

banner by Lizzie Paige

Swan Dive

by 

samviolawrites

Summary: A girl from the Upper East Side, trying to recover from her fall from grace, meets a man in a bar in Brooklyn, one whose lifestyle couldn’t be more different. Is it possible to put the past behind you when your name and face are recognizable everywhere you go? Bella sure hopes so because for once in her life, she's found a man she wants and she’s not letting go without a fight.

*xxX0Xxx*

All my life, I’d done what was expected of me. I went through the prep schools, attended charity galas, and then when I was old enough, I modeled for the Who’s Who, having dinner and making connections with whomever my mother deemed best. 

I was flying high off of the money, the fame, the status. That was until it all came crashing down with one wrong move. There was no forgiveness. Nobody looked at everything I’d done right, but then again, had I done anything right in my twenty-five years?

The problem about being up so high was the only direction to go was down. Based on the fact that I was lost in the streets of Brooklyn, I'd finally reached rock bottom. 

His footsteps echoed off the pavement, and I could tell that he’d picked up his pace, moving on from walking to jogging behind me. However, I was fast even in my four-inch heels, so I sped along, hoping to keep some distance between us. For both of our sanities. I’d never felt a connection with someone so quickly and so intensely. If I dared to want him, what would that mean?

Our worlds were so different. His was Brooklyn and a bar. Mine was Barneys and baguettes. We might as well be oil and water—two things that just can’t mix. Except I wanted to see if I could shake things up enough to try. 

My steps slowed as I decided it was time to finally stop running. From this man. From the things haunting my past. From myself. I turned to face him and said his voice in a whisper. “Edward.” I was unsure what to say next, how to put into words all the thoughts swirling in my head.

I paused and found this gorgeous creature looking at me, looking at me like he really saw me and not just my beauty.

Edward was a ruggedly handsome, green-eyed man. A man who had no clue who I was or what I’d done. Or at least I hoped he didn’t. Throughout our conversation at the bar, he never let on that he’d heard my name, knew who my family was, or why I’d been ostracized. To him, I was just Bella, and it was liberating. To finally be myself, and to not worry about being judged.

 

Taking in the yearning in his eyes, I decided at that moment that if he wanted me enough to chase me down the streets of Brooklyn for an opportunity for more, then I could want something too…

I started walking toward him to close the gap, to see where this could take us. Maybe we didn’t have to be the girl from the Upper East Side, trying to recover from her fall from grace, and the man from a bar in Brooklyn, whose lifestyle couldn’t have been more different. Maybe we could just be and see how it went. I’d never know unless I tried, right?

I mean, I was famous for my swan dives—what was one more? 

Who knows, maybe this was not only what I wanted but what I needed.

*xxX0Xxx*

Remember to put samviolawrites on alert. Swan Dive will begin posting soon.