Four friends since childhood. Major intense feelings between all of them.
She disappears but no one knows why. Ryder was hit the hardest.
Why doesn't she remember them? Why did they hire a PI?
This is a story you don't want to miss!
PAPER STARS REWRITTEN
Book 2 in the Fallen Brook Series
She disappears but no one knows why. Ryder was hit the hardest.
Why doesn't she remember them? Why did they hire a PI?
This is a story you don't want to miss!
PAPER STARS REWRITTEN
Book 2 in the Fallen Brook Series
☆☆☆☆☆
Excerpt from Paper Stars Rewritten
I see Preston, a guy I know from one of my classes last year. He spots me heading his way. Sweat breaks out all along my forehead, my palms go clammy, my heart begins to pound out of my chest, a sick feeling swirls in my gut. I feel like I am about to pass out or explode into a million jagged pieces, my body can’t decide which. My vision blurs and I use the back of my hands to wipe them. Am I crying? Am I even breathing? My legs have stopped moving but I feel like I’m flying. It’s a strange sensation. I blink a few times to clear my vision. Each blink is like the click of a camera shutter. My brain catalogs each blink, each click, storing every image away. My ears record every hum, every noise. I swallow thickly, my mouth bone dry. My gaze is frozen. Unmoving. Locked onto the person standing next to Preston. My brain can only process a few words.
Holy fuck. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.
I must have said the words out loud. The person in front of me turns around. Sage green eyes, pale blond hair tipped with rosy pink, full lips, the most beautiful face I have ever seen. A face that has haunted me for over a year. A face that I have loved for most of my life. She’s here.
“Elizabeth?”
“Yes?” Her stunning verdant eyes scrutinize me like she’s meeting me for the first time.
Preston looks from me then to her. I’m probably freaking everyone out because I’m crying and almost hyperventilating, but I don’t give a shit. She’s here. Jesus. How could the PI not know she’s right here! My phone keeps ringing nonstop now. Whoever it is can fucking wait a goddamn second.
“Elizabeth, you’re here. How in the hell are you here?”
She looks at me like my question is full of the most confusing words she has ever heard. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
What the hell? “Baby, it’s me. Ryder.” My hands are shaking so bad with the desire to snatch her into my arms and never let go, but something’s wrong. Something’s not right. My phone rings again.
Her eyes travel over my body and back up to my face.
“Do you know Elizabeth?” Preston asks me, clearly confused about what’s happening.
I ignore him, all my attention focused on Elizabeth. “Where have you been all this time? Why didn’t you contact us? What the hell’s going on?” My voice rises in frustration because she’s acting like I’m a stranger.
“Elizabeth, do you know Ryder?”
She clutches at her chest which is rapidly moving in and out now. “I...I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know. Of course you fucking know me. We’ve known each other since we were nine years old.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers up at me, eyes wide and panicked. “I don’t remember.”
“Elizabeth, what the fuck is going on?” This time I do reach for her and she stumbles back into Preston who catches her by the shoulders.
“Holy shit! Elizabeth?” Fallon shouts, rushing up from behind me. I completely forgot he came in the student center with me.
Hearing her name spoken once again, Elizabeth turns in the direction of Fallon.
“I’m sorry,” she cries and pushes away from Preston. “I can’t do this.” Frantically clawing at Preston’s grip, she breaks free and takes off like a bat out of hell.
“Elizabeth!” I shout after her which causes several people in the student center to glare at me. I can’t let her leave. I have to stop her. Before I’m able to make two running steps to chase her down, Preston shoves me back hard.
“I don’t think so, man.”
“Move, Preston. Get the hell out of my way.”
“Not moving. She’s clearly afraid of you guys.”
My phone starts ringing. I try to push past Preston again, and again he stops me. Enough of this shit. I raise my fist prepared to knock him out so I can go after Elizabeth, but Fallon jumps in and holds my arm in a death grip. “Stop, Ry.”
I yank my arm down and whirl on Fallon, fury and rage now directed at him. “Not a chance in hell. Don’t try to stop me, Fallon. That was Elizabeth. My Elizabeth! We’ve been searching for her for over a year, Fallon. A whole fucking year! And she’s been here. Jesus!”
“Yes, and clearly she doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“She acts like she doesn’t fucking know me!” I scream back at him.
Someone must have called campus police. Through the front glass of the center, I see two officers dismount from their bikes and walk inside. A girl behind the register points in our direction. Fallon sees them as well. “Ry, let’s go, man. Come on.”
He leads me quickly to the back exit, Preston in tow. We then dart inside the campus library next door and Fallon ushers us up the stairs a few floors before opening the stairwell doors. Making sure that the coast is clear and no one is on the floor or near the stacks, we walk inside and head over to a sofa facing the wall of windows.
I start pacing in the front of the windows like a caged tiger, my emotions all over the place. “I don’t understand. How could the PI not know she was here? Where the hell has she been all this time?”
“You hired a PI? To find Elizabeth?” Preston asks me, absolutely confused.
I need to know exactly what Preston knows. Right now.
“How do you know Elizabeth?” I demand.
“Dude, I just met her like thirty minutes ago.”
“Keep talking.”
“I don’t think so. Look, I’m obviously missing something, and I don’t want to get involved. I’m just going to leave.”
Fallon crosses his arms and leans his hip against the sofa, a picture of pure relaxation and ease. Only his voice and eyes say different. “What you’re going to do is answer the man’s questions. You’re here on scholarship, right? Would be a pity if something happened to that.” Fallon’s tone makes it clear he’s not asking, he’s telling.
Preston’s face blanches. Good. He’s aware of Fallon’s reach around campus, his family’s reach. When Fallon said he was the king on campus, he wasn’t lying. He rules CU just like he did Highland High.
I wait, impatient for Preston to get on with it. “I approached her in the east lot a little while ago. I mean, she’s totally hot, so yeah.” I glare at him. He swallows. “Yeah, so, anyway, she was about to get in her car. The car is what caught my attention first before I saw her. I chatted her up, asked her to grab a bite with me. She said yes. That’s about it. Honest. Can I go now?”
“Did she say anything else?”
“Um, she bought her car in Seattle. That’s all I remember, I swear.”
“Give me your phone, fucker,” Fallon tells Preston, motioning with his hand for him to hand it over immediately. Preston enters his password and hands his phone to Fallon, no questions asked. Fallon sends himself a text from Preston’s phone and gives it back. “I’ve got your number now, and you’ve got mine. You see that girl again, no matter where or when, you contact me. Understand?”
“Yeah, I got it. Can I go now?” Fallon nods and Preston hurries to the exit.
My phone dings. Fallon just forwarded me Preston’s number as well. “So what’re you going to do now, hoss?”
“I need to find my girl.”
“What about Jay and Jules?”
Shit. Jayson’s going to lose his goddamn mind. Julien too. I exhale roughly. “Yeah. Okay.” I get out my phone once again and dial Jay’s number. He answers on the first ring.
“Why haven’t you answered your fucking phone asshole! We’ve been calling you nonstop for fifteen minutes!” he roars at me and then continues to ramble but I’m not listening. There are more important things right now.
“Jay. Shut up and listen.”
“No. You listen. He found her. She’s here, Ry! She’s at CU!”
“I know.”
“What the hell do you mean, you know?”
“I know. That’s why I’m calling. Is Julien there? Put him on.”
“What do you mean you know, Ryder?” Jay yells at me at the same time Julien’s voice says, “I’m here on speaker.”
“I’m with Fallon. Elizabeth was here. Right here. Right in front of me.”
“Where are you? We’re coming now. Keep her there and don’t let her leave.”
“She’s gone. She ran.”
Over the phone, Jayson’s temper explodes with uncontrollable rage.
I see Preston, a guy I know from one of my classes last year. He spots me heading his way. Sweat breaks out all along my forehead, my palms go clammy, my heart begins to pound out of my chest, a sick feeling swirls in my gut. I feel like I am about to pass out or explode into a million jagged pieces, my body can’t decide which. My vision blurs and I use the back of my hands to wipe them. Am I crying? Am I even breathing? My legs have stopped moving but I feel like I’m flying. It’s a strange sensation. I blink a few times to clear my vision. Each blink is like the click of a camera shutter. My brain catalogs each blink, each click, storing every image away. My ears record every hum, every noise. I swallow thickly, my mouth bone dry. My gaze is frozen. Unmoving. Locked onto the person standing next to Preston. My brain can only process a few words.
Holy fuck. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.
I must have said the words out loud. The person in front of me turns around. Sage green eyes, pale blond hair tipped with rosy pink, full lips, the most beautiful face I have ever seen. A face that has haunted me for over a year. A face that I have loved for most of my life. She’s here.
“Elizabeth?”
“Yes?” Her stunning verdant eyes scrutinize me like she’s meeting me for the first time.
Preston looks from me then to her. I’m probably freaking everyone out because I’m crying and almost hyperventilating, but I don’t give a shit. She’s here. Jesus. How could the PI not know she’s right here! My phone keeps ringing nonstop now. Whoever it is can fucking wait a goddamn second.
“Elizabeth, you’re here. How in the hell are you here?”
She looks at me like my question is full of the most confusing words she has ever heard. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
What the hell? “Baby, it’s me. Ryder.” My hands are shaking so bad with the desire to snatch her into my arms and never let go, but something’s wrong. Something’s not right. My phone rings again.
Her eyes travel over my body and back up to my face.
“Do you know Elizabeth?” Preston asks me, clearly confused about what’s happening.
I ignore him, all my attention focused on Elizabeth. “Where have you been all this time? Why didn’t you contact us? What the hell’s going on?” My voice rises in frustration because she’s acting like I’m a stranger.
“Elizabeth, do you know Ryder?”
She clutches at her chest which is rapidly moving in and out now. “I...I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know. Of course you fucking know me. We’ve known each other since we were nine years old.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers up at me, eyes wide and panicked. “I don’t remember.”
“Elizabeth, what the fuck is going on?” This time I do reach for her and she stumbles back into Preston who catches her by the shoulders.
“Holy shit! Elizabeth?” Fallon shouts, rushing up from behind me. I completely forgot he came in the student center with me.
Hearing her name spoken once again, Elizabeth turns in the direction of Fallon.
“I’m sorry,” she cries and pushes away from Preston. “I can’t do this.” Frantically clawing at Preston’s grip, she breaks free and takes off like a bat out of hell.
“Elizabeth!” I shout after her which causes several people in the student center to glare at me. I can’t let her leave. I have to stop her. Before I’m able to make two running steps to chase her down, Preston shoves me back hard.
“I don’t think so, man.”
“Move, Preston. Get the hell out of my way.”
“Not moving. She’s clearly afraid of you guys.”
My phone starts ringing. I try to push past Preston again, and again he stops me. Enough of this shit. I raise my fist prepared to knock him out so I can go after Elizabeth, but Fallon jumps in and holds my arm in a death grip. “Stop, Ry.”
I yank my arm down and whirl on Fallon, fury and rage now directed at him. “Not a chance in hell. Don’t try to stop me, Fallon. That was Elizabeth. My Elizabeth! We’ve been searching for her for over a year, Fallon. A whole fucking year! And she’s been here. Jesus!”
“Yes, and clearly she doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“She acts like she doesn’t fucking know me!” I scream back at him.
Someone must have called campus police. Through the front glass of the center, I see two officers dismount from their bikes and walk inside. A girl behind the register points in our direction. Fallon sees them as well. “Ry, let’s go, man. Come on.”
He leads me quickly to the back exit, Preston in tow. We then dart inside the campus library next door and Fallon ushers us up the stairs a few floors before opening the stairwell doors. Making sure that the coast is clear and no one is on the floor or near the stacks, we walk inside and head over to a sofa facing the wall of windows.
I start pacing in the front of the windows like a caged tiger, my emotions all over the place. “I don’t understand. How could the PI not know she was here? Where the hell has she been all this time?”
“You hired a PI? To find Elizabeth?” Preston asks me, absolutely confused.
I need to know exactly what Preston knows. Right now.
“How do you know Elizabeth?” I demand.
“Dude, I just met her like thirty minutes ago.”
“Keep talking.”
“I don’t think so. Look, I’m obviously missing something, and I don’t want to get involved. I’m just going to leave.”
Fallon crosses his arms and leans his hip against the sofa, a picture of pure relaxation and ease. Only his voice and eyes say different. “What you’re going to do is answer the man’s questions. You’re here on scholarship, right? Would be a pity if something happened to that.” Fallon’s tone makes it clear he’s not asking, he’s telling.
Preston’s face blanches. Good. He’s aware of Fallon’s reach around campus, his family’s reach. When Fallon said he was the king on campus, he wasn’t lying. He rules CU just like he did Highland High.
I wait, impatient for Preston to get on with it. “I approached her in the east lot a little while ago. I mean, she’s totally hot, so yeah.” I glare at him. He swallows. “Yeah, so, anyway, she was about to get in her car. The car is what caught my attention first before I saw her. I chatted her up, asked her to grab a bite with me. She said yes. That’s about it. Honest. Can I go now?”
“Did she say anything else?”
“Um, she bought her car in Seattle. That’s all I remember, I swear.”
“Give me your phone, fucker,” Fallon tells Preston, motioning with his hand for him to hand it over immediately. Preston enters his password and hands his phone to Fallon, no questions asked. Fallon sends himself a text from Preston’s phone and gives it back. “I’ve got your number now, and you’ve got mine. You see that girl again, no matter where or when, you contact me. Understand?”
“Yeah, I got it. Can I go now?” Fallon nods and Preston hurries to the exit.
My phone dings. Fallon just forwarded me Preston’s number as well. “So what’re you going to do now, hoss?”
“I need to find my girl.”
“What about Jay and Jules?”
Shit. Jayson’s going to lose his goddamn mind. Julien too. I exhale roughly. “Yeah. Okay.” I get out my phone once again and dial Jay’s number. He answers on the first ring.
“Why haven’t you answered your fucking phone asshole! We’ve been calling you nonstop for fifteen minutes!” he roars at me and then continues to ramble but I’m not listening. There are more important things right now.
“Jay. Shut up and listen.”
“No. You listen. He found her. She’s here, Ry! She’s at CU!”
“I know.”
“What the hell do you mean, you know?”
“I know. That’s why I’m calling. Is Julien there? Put him on.”
“What do you mean you know, Ryder?” Jay yells at me at the same time Julien’s voice says, “I’m here on speaker.”
“I’m with Fallon. Elizabeth was here. Right here. Right in front of me.”
“Where are you? We’re coming now. Keep her there and don’t let her leave.”
“She’s gone. She ran.”
Over the phone, Jayson’s temper explodes with uncontrollable rage.
☆☆☆☆☆
MORE ABOUT PAPER STARS REWRITTEN
This is the story of a girl and three boys.
Elizabeth. Jayson. Julien. Ryder.
A princess and her three princes.
Four forever loves.
But this is not your typical love story.
Elizabeth’s choice changed everything.
She thought she knew how her love story would end.
She couldn't have been more wrong.
One will lose everything.
One will get a second chance.
One will have to choose.
Ryder.
It has always been the four us – me, Elizabeth, Jayson, and Julien. We grew up together. Shared our lives together. We were best friends. We were a family. Until we weren’t. Until my best friend betrayed me. Then one horrific night altered our lives in unimaginable ways. What happens when love offers you a second chance? Am I selfish enough to take it? Strong enough to survive when it all comes crashing back down around me?
All I know is - our stories can be rewritten.
This is the story of a girl and three boys.
Elizabeth. Jayson. Julien. Ryder.
A princess and her three princes.
Four forever loves.
But this is not your typical love story.
Elizabeth’s choice changed everything.
She thought she knew how her love story would end.
She couldn't have been more wrong.
One will lose everything.
One will get a second chance.
One will have to choose.
Ryder.
It has always been the four us – me, Elizabeth, Jayson, and Julien. We grew up together. Shared our lives together. We were best friends. We were a family. Until we weren’t. Until my best friend betrayed me. Then one horrific night altered our lives in unimaginable ways. What happens when love offers you a second chance? Am I selfish enough to take it? Strong enough to survive when it all comes crashing back down around me?
All I know is - our stories can be rewritten.
☆☆☆☆☆
PAPER STARS REWRITTEN
Available NOW on
Amazon
☆☆☆☆☆
MEET AUTHOR JENNILYNN WYER
Jennilynn Wyer is an author of mature High School & Young Adult, New Adult & College, and Contemporary romantic fiction. She lives with her family in the Gulf States, is married to a Brit, and you can usually find her in her favorite reading spot, e-reader in hand, with the latest romance novel. When not writing, she is an active educator, researcher, and environmental scientist who enjoys lecturing, teaching, and sharing her love of science with students and the public.
She is the author of the Fallen Brook series. ALL OUR NEXT TIMES (Book 1) has been described as "the ultimate combination of romance, complex relationships and a thriller all rolled into one story" (Lisa, GoodReads), "a gorgeous story about how life doesn’t always work out the way we want it to, but if we’re willing, we can still make it a great life" (ABW), and an "impressive...fantastic imaginary story" (ARW). PAPER STARS REWRITTEN (Book 2) released November 17, 2020 with BROKEN BUTTERFLY (Book 3) set to slated for June 1, 2021, followed by her new standalone novel THAT GIRL expected November 2021.
Follow Jennilynn on Amazon Here
Jennilynn Wyer is an author of mature High School & Young Adult, New Adult & College, and Contemporary romantic fiction. She lives with her family in the Gulf States, is married to a Brit, and you can usually find her in her favorite reading spot, e-reader in hand, with the latest romance novel. When not writing, she is an active educator, researcher, and environmental scientist who enjoys lecturing, teaching, and sharing her love of science with students and the public.
She is the author of the Fallen Brook series. ALL OUR NEXT TIMES (Book 1) has been described as "the ultimate combination of romance, complex relationships and a thriller all rolled into one story" (Lisa, GoodReads), "a gorgeous story about how life doesn’t always work out the way we want it to, but if we’re willing, we can still make it a great life" (ABW), and an "impressive...fantastic imaginary story" (ARW). PAPER STARS REWRITTEN (Book 2) released November 17, 2020 with BROKEN BUTTERFLY (Book 3) set to slated for June 1, 2021, followed by her new standalone novel THAT GIRL expected November 2021.
Follow Jennilynn on Amazon Here
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