UPDATE: The winner is…Mary Ann!
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Carry Me Home by Kelly Violet
Down on her luck, a city girl travels back to Kansas and the boy she left behind

Although the first half of my life was spent in New York City, I’ve always had a fascination for wide-open spaces. And the quiet of nature. For me, I think it’s about a slower pace and a different way of life.

Since going away to college, I’ve lived and visited several places, in the States and abroad. Those experiences have made me appreciate the idea of “home.” Is it a specific place or person? A group of people? I believe it can be a combination of all those things.

For my character, Shayna Pruitt, her idea of home has always included memories of Jacob Davidson and the time they spent together as children on his family farm. Kansas became her home away from home. And when life took several unexpected turns, it was those memories that called her back.

Snippet from “Carry Me Home”…

A tall, dark figure suddenly appeared from behind the house. The man wiped a cloth along his hands as he ate up the distance with long strides. That fresh, crisp evening air betrayed me, lodging in my throat, and I halted. The man’s head turned in my direction, and his eyes locked on me. Eyes that I knew were a cornflower blue.

My heart raced as my gaze dropped to his dusty work boots. They looked strong and sturdy, like the man himself. He was no longer the beanpole who’d shot up several inches before our last summer together. That gangly boy from my memories had filled out in ways I hadn’t let myself imagine but couldn’t ignore now with him standing right in front of me. He was all man now. Hell, he looked like all my cowboy fantasies rolled into one attractive and vaguely familiar specimen.

Jacob Davidson.

We’d spent almost every waking moment together during my visits to his family’s farm. It had taken a while for him to warm up to me, but after it happened, we’d been practically inseparable.

I’d hoped he’d still be here, working the land just like we’d talked about as children. He belonged here. Once upon a time, I’d fantasized about belonging here, too. With him. But reality had a funny way of sucking the air out of dreams. And real-world responsibilities had come flooding back once my bags had been packed and I’d had to return to New York and my dad.

“Can I help you, miss?” His voice sounded thick and sweet like warm honey. I swooned. His question zapped my brain back into action, and my feet started moving again. I took several steps before stopping, keeping a few yards between myself and the porch steps where he stood. My gaze fixed on the way his muscles bunched in the long-sleeved shirt he wore. Although it had been years since I’d last seen him, I’d have known him anywhere.

He’d made sure I could never forget.

“Hi, Jake.”

The soft-spoken and hardworking boy who’d stolen my heart all those years ago stood before me in all his glory. Tall and rugged.

Although I hadn’t expected to run into him so soon, I was over the moon. He snatched the breath right out of my chest, just like when we were kids.

Fate seemed to have a plan of her own for this little reunion.

I sent a quick prayer up to the heavens for a heads-up next time. Surprises were becoming my least favorite thing nowadays.

Squaring my shoulders, I waited for Jake to say something. Anything to get this ball rolling. Because I missed my friend.

I missed him more than he’d ever know.