The Longest Ride (47 page)
Authors: Nicholas Sparks
He looked upward, staring into the dark reaches of the heavens, thinking about his mom and the ranch. He still had trouble fathoming the path his life had suddenly taken, nor could he reconcile it with the life he once had lived. Everything was different, and he wondered whether he would change. He found himself being drawn frequently to memories of Ira, the man who changed his life, the man he never really knew. To Ira, Ruth meant everything, and in the quiet darkness, Luke pictured Sophia asleep in his bed, her golden hair spread over the pillow.
Sophia, after all, was the real treasure he’d found this year, worth more to him than all the art in the world. With a smile, Luke whispered into the dark, “I understand, Ira.” And when a shooting star passed overhead, he had the strange sense that Ira had not only heard him, but was smiling down on him in approval.
Fourteen years ago, Noah fell in love with a girl. He is still haunted by her memory but convinced he will never find her again. But when these distant memories begin to slide into reality, the passion that had lain still is ignited once more.
My Darling Catherine, Where are you? And why, I wonder as I sit alone in a darkened house, have we been forced apart?
When Theresa finds this desperate message washed up on a Cape Cod beach, she embarks on a search that brings her to an unexpected confrontation…
Landon would never have dreamed of asking Jamie out, but a twist of fate throws them together. In the months that follow, the young couple begin to fall in love, but then Landon discovers that Jamie has been keeping a secret – a secret that will break his heart.
A brush with tragedy pushes Denise to the brink. She is pulled back by dashing fireman Taylor, who helps her recover from the shock of her son’s disappearance. Their chemistry is undeniable, but just as she lets herself relax, Denise realises that Taylor simply cannot open his heart to her. His conflicting desires throw her emotions painfully awry, and soon he has to decide: draw back or dive in. Can he give Denise the happiness they both so crave?
Miles’s life is shattered when he loses his beloved wife to a hit-and-run driver, but he does what he can to hold things together for his son, Jonah. As Miles and Jonah’s teacher, Sarah, discuss his struggling son, an attraction develops. But Sarah has a secret that links her to Miles with a shocking force and the strength of their passion is put to the test.
When her husband abandons her for another woman, Adrienne Willis flees to a small coastal town to look after a friend’s guesthouse. But when a storm moves in, she is stranded – until a guest arrives: Paul Flanner, who is trying to escape his own shattered past. Now, with the storm closing in, two wounded people will turn to each other and set in motion feelings that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.
Julie understands the pain that comes with love and has avoided romance for a long time, until her eye is caught by the darkly sophisticated Richard. He begins his passionate pursuit of her, but she is still confused by her feelings for best friend Mike. A seemingly innocent choice sets off a deadly chain of events that leaves Julie fighting for her life, as jealousy simmers into murderous desire.
After twenty years of marriage, Wilson is forced to admit that the romance is gone. He knows he has to do something drastic to win back Jane’s heart, the woman he loves more deeply than ever before. With the shining example of his parents-in-law’s fifty-year love affair, Wilson knows it is time to act. Does Jane love him any more? Will Wilson be able to change his ways in time? It has to be worth a try…
Pursuing a scientific explanation for a disturbing and unexplained phenomenon, Jeremy’s sceptical nature is thrown off course when he meets Lexie, the town librarian. As they work together, ghostly occurrences and passionate moments converge, forcing Jeremy to realise that there are some truths science cannot explain, as he finally appreciates the pleasures of exploring the heart.
Jeremy vowed he would never leave New York City, or give his heart away again after barely surviving one failed marriage. Now he is living in the small town of Boone Creek, married to the woman he loves. Life seems to be settling down – until a disturbing message appears from the past. Wounds he thought had healed are re-opened, and Jeremy realises his old life is closer to him than he thinks.
When John meets Savannah, he realises he’s ready to turn over a new leaf for the woman who has captured his heart. What neither realises is that the events of 9/11 will change everything. John is prompted to re-enlist, but the lovers are young and their separation is long. Can they survive the distance?
Travis is in full pursuit of the good life, and believes that a serious relationship would only cramp his style. That is until Gabby moves in next door. Despite Travis’s attempts to be friendly, she seems to have a chip on her shoulder about him. But his persistent efforts to get to know her lead them both to make tough decisions, the consequences of which neither could have foreseen.
Ex-soldier Logan knows how fortunate he is to be home. He believes that a photograph he carried with him of a smiling woman he’s never met, kept him safe, and he resolves to find her. Beth, the woman whose picture he holds, is struggling with problems of her own: her volatile ex-husband won’t accept their relationship is over. And, despite a growing attraction between them, Logan has kept one explosive secret from Beth: how he came across her photograph in the first place…
Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Miller is angry at being forced to spend the summer with her father in a quiet beach town in North Carolina. But what unfolds is an unforgettable story about love – first love and the love between parents and children – that demonstrates the many ways that relationships can break our hearts… and heal them.
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet unassuming, Katie is determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard. But even as Katie starts to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts her…
They were teenage sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks – with a passion that would change their lives for ever. But life would force them apart. Years later, the lines they had drawn between past and present are about to slip. Called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter when they needed it most, they are faced with each other once again and forced to confront the paths they chose. Can true love ever rewrite the past?
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