Sneak Peek!

We have a first ever sneak peek of Lindsay Gibson’s Where It All Began! Read on for more!

Prologue

Prom Night, May 2017

Willow

“I’ve never worn this much makeup in my life.” Willow Anderson turned from the full-length mirror in her bedroom. “Are you sure it’s not too much?” she asked her older sister, Whitney, who walked over to stand next to her.

“If you think it’s too much, just wipe the lipstick off.” Whitney touched the end of one of her wavy locks. “Your hair came out perfect. I’ve always been so jealous of your curls and this color.” Her sister had straight, brown hair, just like their mother.

Willow smiled at her. “Yours is much easier to keep up with though.” When she was born, her mother was thrilled to see that unlike her other children, Willow had inherited her grandmother’s curly locks that matched the shade of the sun’s golden hour.

Willow twisted in front of the mirror to look at her long honey-blonde waves cascading down her back. Their mother, Rachel, had taken a curling iron to them, tightening them up a bit more, and now they fell to her midback just the way she’d envisioned. Her mom then braided two small sections and crowned them behind her head, fastening them with a silver hair clip. Whitney had loaned her a pair of sparkly dangle earrings she’d worn at her own prom nine years earlier, matching the clip perfectly.

Whitney now lived in the town next to Terra Cove with her fiancé Jason Wilder, but luckily Martha’s Vineyard was so small, it was never far to get to anyone on the island. Despite the close proximity, Willow didn’t see her as often as she’d liked since her sister had finished college and went right into teaching kindergarten at one of the elementary schools on the island, so being alone together like they had been all afternoon meant a lot to Willow.

“You know”—Willow leaned closer to the mirror again—“I think Grayson will love this red lipstick. I’ll keep it.” The high neckline on her long, dark green prom dress made her red lips and golden-brown eyes pop. She’d been dating Grayson Turner for four years now and despite many school dances in the past, this would be the most dressed-up she’d been with him.

“Just wow . . .” Her mom’s voice behind them made both girls turn around. “You look stunning, Willow. You and Grayson will be the island’s couple of the night. I hope these fit. I can’t believe we forgot to buy you shoes.” She handed Willow a pair of silver dress heels and held her hand to balance her while she slipped them on. “Sorry it took me so long to get them. Your father needed a hand outside with one of the horses.” Rachel Anderson was a full-time homemaker but would often pitch in to help their dad with the family’s horse farm—especially with all the office management.

“I’m sure they will be talked about. Everyone from one end of the island to the next has had the privilege to witness their relationship unfold over the last four years. So we’ve all been waiting for this night . . . I know I have,” Whitney said, bending over to fluff out the mermaid-style skirt after Willow fastened the heels. “Besides, it’s not hard to be talked about when everyone knows everything about you around here.” Other than a charter school, Martha’s Vineyard had one public high school that Willow attended along with the rest of the kids from the five small towns on the island.

“There,” Willow said, smiling at her mom and sister. “Perfect fit. Now I’m ready.”

“Grayson should be here in about an hour. That leaves me just enough time to head to the flower shop and pick up your corsage,” Mom said.

“Thank you for helping him with that.” Willow looked sheepishly at her mom. “I know his mom wasn’t all that involved with prom.”

Nicole Turner was always nice to Willow, but very withdrawn from all of her and Grayson’s activities over the years, so Rachel stepped in to help him get the right corsage.

“It won’t take me long and when I get back, Dad and I would love to take some photos with just you and your brother and sister before he gets here.”

“Did someone mention me?” Her little brother, Wesley, came into the room with a low whistle. “Well, look at you! Going somewhere special?”

“Do you think Grayson will like this dress?” Willow turned around for him to see.

Wesley shrugged. “Don’t ask me. A dress is a dress.”

“Wes!” Whitney gave him a shove. At fifteen, Wesley only cared about his friends and making the soccer team that year as a freshman. Regardless of his immaturity, both sisters adored their little brother with his round chocolate-brown eyes. Even Willow remembered how cute they made him look when he was younger.

“Kidding! Geez, you’re so uptight.” Wesley smiled at her. “You look beautiful. Grayson will love it.”

“It’s so amazing you two have been together through all of high school. From ninth-graders with braces, nervous about starting high school, to graduating seniors,” her mom said with a sigh.

“Thanks, Mom. I think it’s pretty amazing too. I love him more as each year goes by. I can’t wait to see what happens for us after graduation.” A tingle shot through her as she anticipated all the exciting possibilities on the horizon. It wouldn’t be the easiest path, but they had a plan.

Willow would attend Connecticut College in the fall, and Grayson planned to stay in Terra Cove to save some money while working full-time and taking online business courses through Cape Cod Community College. The commute from Martha’s Vineyard to Connecticut was doable, and they both felt positive about the decision.

“Is Tyler bringing his date to take pictures with you two?” Mom asked.

“Tyler is going solo. The girl he wanted to bring turned him down,” Willow said. “But yes, he’s coming to take pictures with us.”

 “I’m sure he’ll want some time with you alone,” Whitney said, waggling her eyebrows.

“Would you stop?” Willow grabbed a pillow off her bed and tossed it at her sister.

Whitney had teased her for years about her and Grayson’s best friend, Tyler Parker. Both boys were handsome in their own way, but the girls at their school pined after Tyler with his striking good looks. Quarterback of their football team, he was a noticeable figure when they walked through the hallways, very tall with blonde hair and blue eyes—but she had eyes for only one of them. Grayson’s more rough-around-the edges charm was what captured her, with his unruly brown hair that always spilled across his forehead, framing his mesmerizing bright green eyes.

The three of them grew up together and were inseparable. As kids, they often referred to themselves as the “three island amigos” of Terra Cove. Things got a little awkward when Willow started dating Grayson the summer after eighth grade, but they couldn’t blame Tyler for feeling left out. She and Grayson spent more time together without him, but as their high school years continued, everything with Tyler seemed to settle. He began to date and got busy with football alongside Grayson, giving the boys time together without her. Soon she and Tyler grew comfortable around each other again and could talk—just like old times. Yet, for some reason, Whitney always insisted Tyler was jealous of her relationship with Grayson.

“Just wait until Tyler sees you in that dress. ‘The look’ is coming,” Whitney said, lifting her fingers to make air quotes.

 “You’ll never give up on that. It’s just the way Tyler looks at me. It doesn’t mean anything.” Willow rolled her eyes. It was an argument that had gone nowhere with her sister over the years.

“I’m with Whit,” Wesley said. “I’ve seen that look a hundred times.”

Willow shook her head but stayed quiet. While it annoyed her that they always thought Tyler looked at her a certain way, she had to admit she’d seen it too. She would turn or look up and catch him staring at her with a sense of deep admiration. She’d become good at pretending she never noticed and sure hoped Grayson didn’t. He was not the jealous type, but there was one night after homecoming junior year at a bonfire party when something was said between them about her, and it was the only time she’d ever seen them fight. The boys saw how upset Willow had gotten after witnessing the two people she cared about the most arguing over her and they dropped it right then and there. As far as she knew, nothing had happened since.

“Okay, you two, leave Willow alone. Whatever ‘look’ you think Tyler gives her doesn’t matter. She and Grayson are together, and Tyler knows that. Give it a rest,” their mom said and headed toward the door. “Meet me and Dad outside for pictures in about twenty minutes. I’m off to get the corsage.”

An hour and many family pictures later, Willow checked the time on her phone. No text or missed call from Grayson. He was always early, so it was strange he hadn’t shown up yet.

“Maybe he’s taking pictures with his mother and Abby,” her mom said, patting her shoulder. Abby was Grayson’s little sister and was in the same class as Wesley. Their father, Jack Turner, hadn’t been around since Grayson was twelve years old, and with his alcoholic, abusive nature, it had been for the best.

“Or maybe he picked up Tyler first?” Whitney suggested.

“He was supposed to come here on his own so we could take pictures on the beach before Tyler gets here.”

The day before, they’d been running in and out of the rock boulders on their special beach that many tourists missed during the summer, which kept the area quieter than the rest of the island. Coastal Rock Preserve was their favorite place to have picnic dates, trail rides, swim, dive off the large rock lodged in the water, and where Grayson had first kissed her.

“While you figure out where he is, I need to do a couple things out in the barn before dark. That old tractor has been giving me fits today. Your mother wants to get a shot of you two in front of the barn,” her dad said, pointing outside toward the horse barn.

Anderson Stables, started by her dad, had become a staple on the island for horse training, boarding, and care. On their sprawling fifteen-acre property a large barn sat behind the main house, complete with spacious stalls and an open arena and paddocks. Dedicated to the health and well-being of his horses, Liam Anderson himself and a handful of expert trainers developed the horses’ skills, tailoring to the specific needs of each one. Willow’s siblings didn’t love the farm, but she had learned to ride and rode well. She had even competed in multiple prize-winning competitions over the years.

 As soon as her dad left, a knock sounded at the front door, and she rushed to answer it, a wide smile on her face. But when she opened it, Grayson wasn’t the one standing there. It was Tyler, dressed in a simple gray suit, which fit him well. Her smile fell, though she tried to paste it back on, not wanting her friend to think she wasn’t happy to see him. “Hey, Ty! I wasn’t expecting you yet. I guess Grayson’s running a little late, because—”

“Willow,” he cut in, his voice on edge. “Grayson isn’t coming.”

Everything around her spun as her heart picked up its pace. “What?” She didn’t want to believe what he’d just told her. Her mom came close to her with a look of concern, and Willow held up her finger, indicating she wanted a minute alone with Tyler. She stepped out onto the front porch.

“He’s not coming to meet you for pictures or to take you to prom.”

She began to pace. “I don’t understand. Is he okay? Did he get into a car accident or something? Or did his dad—” Panic rose. She didn’t even want to finish that thought. Grayson’s father had been known to show up randomly, drunk, and start fights with him or his mother.

Tyler hesitated. “His dad came over, and they had a fight,” he admitted. “He’s not hurt or anything. He’s okay. But he just can’t take you to prom.”

Must have been a bad fight. She tried to figure out what to do next. Should she go see him and skip the whole evening? Even when his dad wasn’t violent, the encounters were tough on Grayson emotionally. Tough enough that going to a big party was probably the last thing he wanted to do.

“Right,” she said, glancing at Tyler. “Okay. Just let me get changed, and we can go over to his place.” Even if he didn’t want to be around a crowd, Grayson never minded letting her and Tyler in. And she didn’t want him to be alone and hurting. She was disappointed to let go of the special prom night she’d thought they’d share, but she pushed that aside. So they’d miss prom—so what? At least they’d be together. That was what really mattered.

“No, don’t change,” Tyler said quickly, looking down at her dress. “You look . . . absolutely gorgeous.”

Willow flushed and tried to ignore the heat in his eyes.

“And anyway,” Tyler continued, “he wanted us to go. He told me to take you.”

“Of course he’d say that, but I’m not going to a party when he’s at home upset. Really, it’ll just take me a minute to change,” she said, then turned to head back to her room, but Tyler caught her arm.

“No, listen to me, Willow. He doesn’t want you to come over. He doesn’t want to see you.”

That didn’t make sense. “Why wouldn’t he want to see me?”

“He’s . . .” Tyler let go of her arm and fidgeted with his sleeves, avoiding looking her in the eye. “He’s extremely upset.”

“Well, that’s exactly why he needs me, don’t you think?”

“That was the first thing I said to him too, but all he kept saying was that he couldn’t.”

“Couldn’t what?” Willow waited for an answer, but her mind was going in circles trying to understand.

“Couldn’t be with you,” Tyler said, the words coming out in a rush, like a dam had broken. A strange light filled his eyes that she didn’t recognize. “Not anymore.”

Willow froze. “What?” The word sounded faint and strangled even to her own ears.

“He has wanted to end things with you for a while now. He’s brought it up over and over again, but he always talks himself out of it. Then tonight the fight with his dad pushed him to do it. I guess he finally decided he’s done with pretending and just isn’t man enough to tell you himself. It’s over, Willow. You and him. It’s done.”

“Done?” she repeated, her voice cracking midway through the word. “No, it can’t be. He wouldn’t. He . . .” A sob caught in her throat, and she couldn’t manage to say anything more. A part of her wanted to tell Tyler he was wrong and to leave, but she couldn’t. He was her friend. He wouldn’t be saying this to her if it wasn’t true. But how could it be true? How could everything have fallen apart so fast? Had Grayson really been planning to break up with her for a while now? How had she missed the signs?

Tyler pulled her into his arms and let her cry on his shoulder.

“I’m here for you, Willow.” He held her tighter as she cried and tried to understand.

They stood in silence for a moment as she buried her face into him, then suddenly pulled back. “No. It’s not true.” She backed away, holding up her arms when Tyler reached for her again.

“Willow, listen to me. I just sat with him for over an hour. It’s true. He—”

“He wouldn’t do this to me! You’re wrong!” Willow turned and dashed down the porch steps and toward the barn.

There, she went straight for their gelding, Finn. He was the fastest horse they owned, and she led him out to saddle him.

“Willow!” Tyler’s voice echoed into the barn as he got closer.

Tears continued to stream down her face as she gathered her tack. The makeup her sister had worked so hard on was ruined now.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Where do you think?” She pulled the strap and stroked Finn’s neck. “Go on to prom. Have fun. I need to see Grayson.”

“I told you. He doesn’t want to see you. Not anymore. It’s over, Willow. Seeing you will only make him more upset.” Tyler pointed to her dress. “Besides, you’re in a dress.”

“And?” She kicked off her heels and pulled on some tall boots from the corner of the tack room. She led Finn outside while Tyler followed close behind. Pulling up the front of her dress, she hoisted herself into the saddle. “Like that would stop me.”

“How about we go to the beach? Just for a little while. Please,” he begged. “He doesn’t want to see you.”

“I don’t believe you,” Willow turned Finn toward the driveway, clicked her tongue, and dashed off toward the preserve and the trail to Grayson’s house.

Grayson

He was too stunned to move. How could he say that to Willow? That was not what he’d asked Tyler to do. But before he could approach them, Willow took off on the horse, not even noticing his old pick-up truck that had made its way up her driveway only a few minutes before he overheard her and Tyler.

When Jack stumbled into his house earlier, he’d shocked Grayson with news that affected all of them, and Grayson needed the night to calm down. He’d asked Tyler to simply drive her to prom so she could go have fun and that he’d see her afterward. There was no way he could show up at a dance with a smile on his face, walking in with Willow and his best friend, who, he’d just learned, was possibly his half brother.

Clenching his fists, he rounded the side of the barn and halted when Mr. Anderson walked out and stopped next to Tyler.

“Let her go, son. I don’t know what’s going on, but I heard enough. If what you said about Grayson is true, let her figure that out.” Mr. Anderson strode over to the tractor, climbed up, and turned it on.

“I can’t believe you!” Grayson shouted as Tyler turned in surprise.

“Why are you here, Grayson?” Tyler stepped toward him, the sound of the tractor muffling their voices a bit.

“I came to my senses is why! I realized after you left how stupid I was being, but I can’t believe you just lied to her like that!” Grayson shoved Tyler, making him stumble into the barn.

“Boys!” Liam hopped out of the tractor, leaving the engine running.

“I didn’t lie. You’re not in your right mind to be with her!” Tyler got right in his face.

“I asked you to take her to prom so she could go have a good time, not lie!” Grayson tackled Tyler, and both boys fell to the ground, wrestling outside the stalls.

“Enough!” Liam got between them and grabbed Grayson’s arm before he punched Tyler. “Grayson, stop!”

Tyler scrambled backward to get out from under Grayson’s grip and stood up. “See? He’s unstable, Mr. Anderson. I’m just trying to protect Willow.”

Grayson lurched at him again but stopped when Liam shot him a warning look. “Don’t you dare, young man. You want to fight him, go ahead, but off my property!”

Thick smoke past Liam’s shoulder grabbed Grayson’s attention. “Sir? Smoke! I think the tractor is on fire and so is the barn!”

Liam spun around, pausing for a second when they saw the door covered in heavy flames. Hay was quickly burning, and the fire was moving fast.

“Dad!” Willow screamed from the other side of the fire. Grayson could just make out her horse through the smoke.

“Willow! Call 911!” Liam yelled toward her. “Boys! Out the other side. Now!”

Liam started to usher him and Tyler out of the barn, but Grayson stopped.

“The horses! Let me help you!”

“No! I can’t have you two getting hurt,” Liam said, but it was too late. Grayson and Tyler ran to the stalls and threw open the doors to get the horses to safety. They managed to get two out, but the fire was intense, spreading quickly.

Grayson’s heart hammered as he raced to the next horse, but Liam started coughing, then stumbled to the ground.

“Tyler! Help me get him out of here!” They grabbed his shoulders and carried him out, the sound of sirens in the distance.

Willow

Sitting on the porch steps a few hours later, Willow looked up at the moon, full and bright. The firemen had managed to put out the fire, but not before more than half of the barn was gone, along with seven horses. How would her parents mitigate such loss with their clients? She couldn’t even imagine what type of lawsuit could come of this for them. Her mother was at the hospital with Dad, who was staying for observation overnight. He had inhaled a lot of smoke, and the paramedics wanted him to get a thorough check-up.

Her sudden intuition that Grayson wouldn’t be home had proven correct. She only made it to the edge of the road before she’d turned Finn around and spotted Grayson’s truck parked up near the house. The shouting in the barn had made the horse uneasy and by the time she got there, the entire tractor and entranceway were already in flames. The flashing lights of the police cars and firetruck still parked in the drive held her attention as her mind raced with everything that had happened that night . . . including her and Grayson. An image of them during one of their nightly walks along the shore over the last four summers pushed the trauma of the fire out of her mind. Were they really over?

“Dad will be okay,” Wesley said, dropping to sit next to her.

“It’s my fault.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You know that.” Wesley put his arm around her.

“I should have just stayed, then Grayson and Tyler wouldn’t have had that fight, and Dad would have seen the fire faster . . .” Fresh tears spilled out.

“The fire was an accident and would have happened either way. Who knows what was wrong with that old tractor.”

Willow wiped the tears, just as Grayson and his mother walked away from one of the officers who had been taking his statement. When Grayson turned toward her, she expected him to come over, but shock rippled through her when he only gave her a long stare before getting into his truck.

“See?” a voice near them startled her. Tyler sat down on her other side as Willow watched the truck go down her long driveway. Grayson had not spoken a word to her since the fire was put out. Maybe Tyler had been right after all.

“I’m sure he’ll call you,” her brother said, unaware of her earlier conversation with Tyler.

Lowering her head, she looked down at her hands. It was a bad accident. He just needs some time. After all, he came to her house for a reason, most likely to explain himself. She only needed to wait and give him some space, she tried reasoning with herself, not realizing just how long it would be before she got an explanation.

Where It All Began is out Tuesday, May 27th in ebook, paperback and audiobook!