Book Title: Unexpected Departure
Author and Publisher: Shannon O’Connor
Cover Artist: M Leigh Morhaime of Lost Marbles Designs
Release Date: April 21, 2022
Genres: Contemporary F/F Romance, Women’s Fiction
Tropes: Slow Burn
Themes: Love after loss, losing a parent, self-love, self-acceptance
Length: 42 000 words/ 160 pages
Heat Rating: 1 flame
It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited
Will she be able to confront her past, learn to move on, and learn to love herself?
Blurb
Riley is stuck —in a job she hates, a toxic relationship, and in life. She knows the relationship is bad for her, but she also can’t seem to let her go. After catching her girlfriend cheating, again, she finds comfort at her favorite bar, with her best friend by her side.
After punching someone in the face and meeting a mysteriously gorgeous bartender, Riley thinks things may be changing. Sawyer is adventurous, sexy, and confident— all the things Riley yearns to be. And a sunrise motorcycle ride starts to give her hope that things can change.
When she suddenly gets a phone call from her brother, she discovers her estranged mother is dying. After almost a decade of silence, she’s forced to return to her small homophobic hometown, say goodbye, and confront her demons.
Will she be able to confront her past, learn to move on, and learn to love herself?
I’m sitting on the final flight home, the economy seats killing my back. The itchy fabric scratching me through my leggings. I’m thankful to be done with all the transfers. Once I get off this plane I will be a short cab ride from home. If I don’t fly for ten years, it will still be too soon. My trip was good, but I am happy to be on my way home.
I spent the last month traveling all over Europe, exploring Amsterdam, Italy, Spain, and even part of London. I drank my way through the countries, shopped until I couldn’t fit anything else into my suitcase, and tried all kinds of food I didn’t know existed. I spent my adventure learning to be alone, and as much about myself as possible.
I am finally coming home because I realized what I want. In between endless wine in Italy and long hours of sleeping on planes, I thought about what I wanted back home. I realized I want Sawyer. She is the only person I can imagine being with me but not needing her there. I could’ve spent more time abroad, but something was calling me home. There was so much more I could’ve seen, but part of me wants to see it with her.
So as I depart the plane for the last time, I try to get through customs and security as quickly as possible. I purposely didn’t tell anyone I was coming home. As much as I would love to see Luna or my brother, I want to see Sawyer first. Honestly before I lose my nerve. Luna has kept me in the loop because of Cody, letting me know she isn’t seeing anyone serious, at least as of last week. I hope that means she is waiting for me after all.
As soon as I catch a cab outside of the airport, I tell them the address for Puzzles. It’s Saturday night so she should be working. With the time differences I should be exhausted but I’m high on adrenaline. My legs are shaking in the backseat as I look at the nightlife lighting up the city. I look at my phone, it’s just past 11pm and the city is in full swing.
I know I am taking a huge risk showing up at the bar with no warning. It is something the old Riley never would’ve done. I spent the last few months introducing myself to the new Riley, working on myself and in turn my relationships. My brother and I are closer than ever, visiting him and Elijah will be a trip I take next weekend. I still have some things to work out with my pop, we went a long time not talking, but I have hope we’ll work it out.
My therapist and I had kept in touch throughout my trip and I have plans to see her this week, hopefully with some good news about Sawyer and I. While I was away, I wrote a letter I’d read her. Of all the things I never got to say in my life and all the things I’d be doing now that I was home. Hopefully once it was said, I’d have some sense of peace with everything that happened. The letter, that I’ve rewritten a million times throughout my trip, stayed in my notes app.
I considered writing out what I wanted to say to Sawyer but every time I opened the app my mind would go blank. I didn’t know what to say to her, this isn’t some big declaration of love or anything, this is just me wanting to get to know her. I take a deep breath as the cab driver pulls me from my thoughts.
“There’s a truck doing a delivery so this is as close as I can get you, is this good?” He looks through the rearview mirror. I nod and hand him some cash with a hefty tip. I appreciated the silence from him on the way, nothing worse than a chatty cab driver.
He helps me out, grabbing my suitcase from the trunk and putting it on the sidewalk. The bar is halfway down the block, I can see a crowd forming outside. It must be busy inside if there are so many people outside. I take a few deep breaths to calm my nerves. Am I even going to be able to get in? Clearly, I didn’t think this through at all. I focus on walking, one foot in front of the other.
I look up just in time to see Sawyer. She’s standing against that brick wall smoking a cigarette in her motorcycle jacket just as I met her so many months ago. My heart does so many flips I worry it’s going to jump out of my chest. She hasn’t noticed me yet, too entranced in her phone and the cigarette. I force myself forward despite my anxiety telling me not to.
“Can I have one?” I smile at her.
“Riley? What are you doing here? I thought you were in Europe?” Sawyer’s eyes light up and it makes me relax a bit.
“I just got back.” I chuckle.
“I can see that, slugger.” She laughs and her smile is enough to make me know this was the right choice. She puts out her cigarette and looks at me, like she can’t believe I’m here. I can’t believe it myself.
“I came to see if you wanted to go out sometime.” I smirk.
“You came all this way to ask me out?” She looks surprised. I take a deep breath before doing the boldest and most selfish thing I’ve ever done.
“And this.” I lean forward to press my lips on hers.
It’s every bit as perfect as I imagined these last few months. Her hands find my waist and pull me into her. She tastes like my favorite brand of cigarettes and she’s every bit as addicting.
Shannon O’Connor is a twenty-something, bisexual, self-published poet of several books and counting. She released her first novel, Electric Love in 2021 and is currently working on several sapphic romance novels. She believes there is a lack of positive Female/Female romances in the world, and wants to make them more accessible. She is often found in coffee shops, probably writing about someone she shouldn’t be.
Social Media Links
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win
one of five ebook copies of Only for the Summer
