My Only Exception: Lovestruck Hearts

My Only Exception

Jessa Harmon

Copyright © 2022 by Jessa Harmon

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Jessa Harmon asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Editing by Magnolia Author Services

Book Cover by Prince from CentralCovers

Contents

Prologue

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

5. 5

6. 6

7. 7

8. 8

9. 9

Epilogue

Prologue

CARLY

Iwas twelve years old when I decided I never wanted to get married. By fourteen I had sworn off any kind of serious romantic relationship. It was just too easy to get hurt.

My dad tried for a while to assure me I would change my mind. That I shouldn’t limit my happiness or shape my future around the circumstances of my parents’ divorce. But I saw what the end of his marriage had done to him. I saw how my mom’s ability to move forward like the last fifteen years had meant nothing to her had shattered his already broken heart into even smaller pieces.

He had tried dating, a little, when I was in my late teens. But no one ever stuck. There were a few I thought might crack his shell a bit. I had opened up to them, tried to envision them living with us. Tried to envision my life with a step-mother. Each time, around when I finally accepted they would always be around, things had ended just as they had every time before.

My mom had destroyed my dad with her infidelity and her callous regard toward him, his feelings, and their entire relationship. She had destroyed her relationship with me in the process. I had forgiven her, to a point. But I hadn’t forgotten that she had left me behind just as easily as she’d left him.

When Dad got sick, she’d tried to convince me to move in with her and her new husband instead.

Dad had half-heartedly tried to convince me it was a good idea. That his illness shouldn’t be my burden to bear. That I was just a kid and should be able to focus on being a kid.

But I thought of the awful summer and holiday visitations and had firmly declined. I would not abandon him when he needed me most. Not to mention, at nearly eighteen, my entire life revolved around school and my friends. I didn’t want to start over.

When he died, it only solidified my resolve and opinions about marriage and serious relationships. He had been the one constant in my life and he was gone. It was devastating, but I knew I could protect myself from this kind of pain by never allowing someone close enough to hurt me.

I wasn’t interested in a serious relationship. Ever. Until I met Liam.

1

CARLY

Forget it, Carls, you’re too out of practice. Maybe once upon a time you were an elite gymnast, but that was loooong ago, my friend Desi teased me as we walked through the quad. We were headed for the library to cram for our first exam of the semester. Her brown eyes shone, and her smirk only goaded me further.

Just watch. I pointed to a bench on the sidewalk and set down my bag. Perfect back handspring for your viewing pleasure.

I stuck my tongue out at her and lined myself up at the edge of the flat, grassy expanse. Inhale, exhale. I tensed as I crouched low, feeling my muscles coiled and ready. Like riding a bike. It hadn’t been too long.

In a flash I was in motion and as I was airborne, hurling myself backward, I saw the shocked expression on Desi’s face which threw me off a touch. It was the whole reason the ensuing events occurred. I will swear that until the day I die. It wasn’t because I was out of practice. It was Desi’s face that got into my head and altered my positioning just enough.

My hands hit the ground, and that’s when I saw the approaching feet. Shit, there was something walking up behind me. I had definitely checked that it was clear before I started. Where the hell had this person come from?

It was too late to stop now. I sprung from my hands, trying to decide how to deal with the imminent impact in the half second I had left. Desi shouted, Hey man, look out!

My white sneakers hit the ground behind me, but he was too close, and I had too much momentum going to stop. I needed at least one hop after landing and I didn’t have the room, so I collided with him. My shoulders hit him squarely in the chest, and we both tumbled to the grass.

Oof. The air left my lungs at the impact and considering I had landed basically on top of a perfect stranger who I had bowled over with my less than perfect back handspring, I tried to scramble to my feet as quickly as possible. A sharp pain flared through my right ankle, and I collapsed back to the ground. My breath hissed through my teeth.

Holy shit, are you okay? A low, gravelly voice broke through the fog of pain. My unwitting victim was kneeling beside me, and I gritted my teeth and nodded. My eyes squeezed closed and my hands clutching my ankle.

Yeah, yeah. Just need a minute.

I heard footsteps approaching and Desi kneeled down opposite Mr. Husky-voice. Carly, babe, are you okay?

How was it? I asked.

What? How was what? Desi replied.

My back handspring. Before the collision. Perfect, right?

I heard Desi scoff and a low chuckle from Mr. Husky-voice.

It was perfect right up to the end, he said.

I finally opened my eyes to find a pair of warm brown eyes looking into mine. Thick blond hair fell away from his face as he leaned over me. His cheekbones were high and flawless, his nose long and perfectly straight over a pair of full, wide lips stretched in a grin that made his eyes crinkle in the most attractive way.

Kill me now. I had knocked over a male supermodel in the middle of the quad and sprained my ankle in the process. I sat up carefully to lean onto my elbows and looked around. A few people were watching us, but most seem to have missed the excitement.

Let me help you up, Carls, Desi said and hooked an arm under my elbow.

Here, I’ll help too, the male supermodel said, and the two of them helped me hobble back to the bench. My ankle was already swollen and red. Finally, my brain wasn’t completely preoccupied with the pain, and I turned back to the blond man standing in front of me.

I am so, so sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I? I swear I checked behind me before I started but I guess I spent too long hyping myself up. The apology rushed out, and his mouth widened to a grin again. He held up his hands to stop me.

Nope. All good here, in one piece. May end up with a few bruises, but I’ve been hit by a baseball more than once and survived. He said it with a laugh. And you did check behind you. I happened to be sitting behind that tree right over there and was a little distracted by my phone when I got up and started this way. It’s just as much my fault as it is yours. He held up his cell and waved it for emphasis, and I saw the crack in the screen.

Shit. I’ll pay to fix your phone. I’m so sorry again.

Oh. No, no it’s honestly okay. He paused. But maybe you can give me your phone number as an apology.

I froze, not expecting this turn of events. Male supermodels didn’t just hit on me in the quad. I mean, sure I was pretty enough, I guess. But I was a little too short, my bottom half a little too curvy to match my top half, and my hair was usually a hot mess. Today I was wearing a worn bubblegum pink gym hoodie, black leggings, and white sneakers to complete my usual just rolled out of bed look for class.

I couldn’t seem to find the words to respond, so Desi piped up beside me. She’d love to. She held out