Sue and Tom (13 page)

But you can’t undo the past. Mike went to college on a baseball scholarship and eventually married a girl he met there. Although the marriage didn’t last, their divorce was very friendly. They had one child, Jack, and both he and Lisa always made sure he came first. Now Jack will be getting another sibling (Lisa remarried and has a baby girl.). Gina says he’s not too wild about another crying baby, but my guess is that he’ll be just fine.

I keep thinking about Gina’s baby and whether it will be a girl or a boy. I’m secretly hoping for a girl, but I know that it doesn’t matter to Gina and Mike, as long as the baby’s healthy. But Gina has always wanted to have a daughter and name her Daisy. I hope she gets that chance.

***

Keith (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a girl that’s constantly on the go. Never forget all the fun we had in Hoffman’s class and thanks for all the times you kept me awake. Good luck in college and don’t break too many guys’ hearts.

AFA, Keith

Keith never did his homework. He was one of those kids who got A’s without even trying. I hated that about him. Me? I had to work my ass off to get a B.

I can’t believe that Keith and his wife, who he met in college, have five kids. Two sets of twin girls and one boy! Wow! At least they don’t have to pay for eye exams! Turned out Keith became an eye doctor and joined his dad’s practice.

He’s definitely one of those guys who got better looking with age. He kind of grew into his big ears and narrow nose, and if I saw him on the street, I would definitely look twice.

***

Ron
 (Yearbook post)

Sue, to the best girlfriend a guy could have. I’m really glad we met in the hallway after the game. Thanks for always listening to me when I go off about things and thanks for everything you do for me, which is a lot. I can’t wait to spend more time with you this summer. I wish we were going to the same college but I know that we’ll see each other when we come home. I love you and I want what we have to work out.

Love, Ron

Ron was my first real love and I thought we would be together forever. I met him in the hallway after a basketball game. I lost my virginity to him the summer before we started college. It was the first year I didn’t go on vacation with my family. I helped run the recreation program at the community park and couldn’t get off work. Ron came over after work one night and we ended up in my white canopy bed.

To be honest, the first time we did it I was disappointed. The way Gina and some of my other girlfriends talked, I expected it was going to be earth shattering. Turned out it hurt way more than I thought it would and I never did have an orgasm—not once the entire time Ron and I were together. In fact, I pretended I did just so Ron wouldn’t feel bad.

A couple of years later I met this guy in college. Matt was only the second guy I had ever slept with, but I will never forget the first orgasm I had happened in his dorm room. I’m like, so THIS is what all the fuss is about. Yeah, baby. Bring it on. And he did. Lots of times.

***

Fred (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a girl I knew for a few years and am glad I didn’t know longer. Ha. Ha. Be good and keep out of trouble.

Fred

Fred always was a comedian. Like Cookie, he had a natural gift for making people laugh. And a lot of the times he made himself the target. I always thought he did this because he was afraid other people would make fun of him so he made fun of himself first, sort of taking the wind out of their sails.

He also had the loudest and lowest belch of anyone I knew. That’s how he got the nickname Foghorn, which he hated. You could be on one side of the school building and he could be on the other side and you’d hear his belch echo through the maze of hallways.

***

Lynn (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a really great girl I met in 7th grade. You’re a terrific friend and really fun to be around. You’re always moving and always smiling! Never forget all of the games we cheered at. And thanks for always being there for me. You’re a good listener and I appreciate all of the times you spent listening to me and all my guy drama. Keep up those good looks. I know I’ll never forget you so keep in touch!

Love, Lynn

I never knew anyone who was as good as Lynn when it came to planning events. She was our class president and voted the most likely to succeed. She’s an events planner at a country club and has always planned all of our class reunions. Somehow she makes it seem so effortless, and I’m sure it’s not.

One time Lynn and I were out partying and she got drunk. The problem was that she was sleeping overnight at my house and I had to get her in my house and past my dad, which wasn’t easy. I think Dad knew something was up, but he ignored us when we walked past him. The next morning, Dad asked Lynn how she felt and she mumbled that she wasn’t feeling too hot. And I swear there was a smirk on my dad’s face.

***

Jim (Yearbook post)

Sue, to one of the neatest chicks I’ve ever met with good looks and a great personality. Good luck in everything you do.

A.V.G.F.A.

Love, Jim

Jim lived down the street. He was a couple of years older than me but we played together all of the time when we were kids. After high school, he went in the Navy. I’d see him every once in awhile when he came home on leave. He married someone he met in the service and they live in Virginia. Mom told me he has a couple of boys and they sound like they’re a chip off the old block. Jim was always a daredevil. I think he had more broken bones than anyone I know.

When he was four, he was playing at my house and jumped off my top bunk. He ended up with a fracture! After that, Mom didn’t let us play in my bedroom.

***

Patrick (Yearbook post)

Sue, to a nice looking girl who got a lot prettier since 2nd grade. Good luck in the future.

Love, Pat

Pat always made me smile. He had this goofy grin and a great sense of humor. His ears stuck straight out and the kids teased him and called him Dopey. I told him that they were just jealous, that his ears made him special. But he cried anyway. I remember asking him what he wanted for Christmas one year and he said, “New ears.” Eventually he had an operation so his ears laid flat against his head. He was so happy after that. But I kind of missed his old ears.

What people are saying about “The Yearbook Series: Gina and Mike:

The highs and lows keep you reading and anxious to see what's next.

Wonderfully relatable characters whose lives are forever altered by the choice of silence.

A story of friendship, love and redemption, this book will grab you from the beginning and leave you wanting more.

This is a perfect vacation read, once you start you won't put it down until you're finished!

It will make you laugh and make you cry, and realize the importance of friends and family - and how a secret can change your life.

Buffy Andrews draws you in with action from the very start of this novel.

The characters feel like old friends and will bring the reader back to their high school days.

A quick page turner, you won't be able to put this book down.

This is a great story about the vagaries of life, but also about the redemptive and healing power of love.

If you love a romance about second chances, with characters that will break your heart only to put it back together again … pick up a copy of "Gina and Mike" from the Yearbook Series.

I was hooked immediately on the characters and what was going to happen next. I hope that there will be more to the series …

The book is riveting and engaging as vivid memories of high-school and first love spill off the pages and into your soul.

I loved this book! After tragedies and heartache, Gina and Mike try to rekindle their love after 20 years apart. The highs and lows keep you reading and anxious to see what's next. Great story!

I look forward to each new book in this series. What a clever idea to take a yearbook and form stories around students and what happened to them and who they became.

Buffy Andrews's works are worth taking a look at! What a great storyteller! I'm a Buffy fan!

This book made me feel like I was back in high school re-living my youth through the characters. I would recommend this book to my friends.

The characters are believable and poignant. They make tough decisions, grapple with regret and try to make the most of their situations.

As someone happily married to my high school sweetheart, I love how it shows first loves can last a lifetime.

The characters are very real and engage the reader from the beginning.

This book was a page turner that I just couldn't put down. I can't wait for more novels to come!!!

I can't wait to read more from this author!

Acknowledgements

There are so many people I’d like to thank for their continued love and support.

God, who is always with me.

Beth Vrabel, Robin Bohanan, Kris Ort, Sharon Kirchoff, Bonnie Lerman and Laura Schreiber, whose friendships fill my life with joy.

The incredible Limitless team, who loved my book and helped make it better.
 

My sisters Dawn Beakler, Cindy Andrews and Tania Nade, who keep all my secrets, share all my dreams and hold my heart in their hands.

My sons, Zach and Micah, who remind me of all that is good in this world.

And, lastly, my husband, Tom, who loves me and encourages me to follow my dreams, even when that means spending less time with him.

About the Author

Buffy Andrews is a journalist by day, author by night -- and social media maven all of the time!

In addition to her writing blog, Buffy’s Write Zone, she maintains a social media blog, Buffy's World.

You will find her on a plethora of social networking sites, from Twitter and Facebook to RebelMouse and NewHive. She loves social media and loves to connect with her fans via the various platforms.

Buffy says that some of her fiction ideas pop into her head at the most inopportune times, such as during a sermon or in the shower or when she’s supposed to be listening in a meeting. She has written all over church bulletins, jumped out of the shower more than once to write down an idea and turned meeting handouts into story boards.

She lives in southcentral Pennsylvania with her husband, Tom; two sons, Zach and Micah; and wheaten cairn terrier Kakita.

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