#Spotlight & #Extract I Love You, Always, Forever by Charlie Dean
#OnTour with Rachels Random Resources
I Love You, Always, Forever by Charlie Dean
I Love You, Always, Forever
Life is full of highs and lows, but it’s who helps us through that counts.
Stumbling across her teenage diaries in her childhood home, Charlie is instantly transported to the 1990s.
Charlie relives all the emotions and feelings as memories come flooding back, from first kiss to first love and everything in between.
Back in the present and Charlie discovers that even in the darkest of times, light and laughter can ALWAYS be found.
A heartfelt journey through life, from teenage angst to the trials and tribulations of adulthood. Family love, friendship and romance weave throughout but who will love you, always, forever?
Pre-order Links
Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Love-You-Always-Forever-ebook/dp/B0BSYSTC2Z/
Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/I-Love-You-Always-Forever-ebook/dp/B0BSYSTC2Z/
EXTRACT
In this extract we have Charlie back in the early 90s and on holiday with her parents. I loved writing this scene, it took me back to my own childhood caravan holidays in Weymouth. Here she meets Joey and it reminded me of how much easier making friends was when you were younger. You could go from dislike to like in a matter of a seconds.
~
‘Charlotte Anne Dean!’ There it is, my full name, only to be used in times of extreme naughtiness. ‘Get out of the pool this minute.’ I can see Mum is getting a little embarrassed now, but there’s hardly anyone left by this time. It’s a well-known fact that you have to be out of the pool, showered and eaten tea so you can grab a table in the club for the evening’s entertainment. Woe betide if you turn up after seven and expect a seat, if you’re late, it’s tough luck, you’re standing up for the duration, hovering around like a hawk waiting for someone to leave so you can swoop in. ‘I’ll get your father!’ This is the other warning sign that I’ve pushed it too far.
‘One more go please?’ I beg and she reluctantly gives in.
‘One more, then out and back to the caravan.’ She wags a finger at me. ‘Your towel and flip flops are here.’ She points to a sun bed and then heads off back to our caravan.
‘Yes!’ I leap out of the pool and run up the steps that lead to the flume. We’ve been coming to Littlesea in Weymouth for years. The same two weeks, the same campsite over and over again, but it never gets boring. When I reach the top, I can see for miles. I shiver slightly at the sea breeze that I can feel on my wet skin. There’s a boy in front of me, about my age, just standing there. ‘Are you going?’ I ask.
‘In a minute.’ He’s looking at something in the distance.
‘What you looking at?’ I follow his gaze towards the caravans.
‘My mum said she’d wave from the window when dinner was ready.’ He shrugs his shoulders and then sits down at the top of the water slide. ‘Ah well, one more go.’ He pushes himself off and flies down the slide. I follow a few seconds later. There isn’t a lifeguard, so you just counted to ten and hoped the other person didn’t get stuck on the way down. Unfortunately, this time, the other person had gotten stuck. ‘Oi!’
‘Sorry.’ I say as my feet bashed into his back. ‘The water seems to have stopped.’
‘I can see that Dumbo.’ He looks over his shoulder at me. ‘Get your feet off me.’ He pushes my feet with his hands.
‘Don’t call me Dumbo. It’s not my fault, is it?’ We sit there for what felt like hours, but it was only a few seconds before the water started running again. The boy pushes himself away, sticking out his tongue as he went. ‘Boys!’ I shake my head, holding myself back for a few seconds to allow him time to get out of the way.
Even though I was expecting it, the splash into the pool comes with a shock of cold water and the slight panic when you fully submerge before kicking your way to the top. I took a deep breath as I broke the surface, but it was a little too early and I inhaled a mouthful of water and began choking.
‘You ok?’ The boy was by my side at once, gently slapping my back. ‘It’s ok, you’re safe.’ We wade to the side of the pool and hitched ourselves out, sitting on the edge, our feet dangling in the water. ‘I’m Joey, by the way.’ He holds out his hand and I shake it as firmly as I could, bearing in mind both of us were very wet.
‘Charlie.’ I say quickly off the top of my head. No one ever called me Charlie. I had previously begged my parents to call me Charlie, but they had point blank refused, saying it was a boy’s name and so Charlotte I had remained. Grandpa Dean had called me Lottie once to which my mum had frowned, pursed her lips at him in the way only she can do, and he’d never done it since. ‘Charlotte really, but my mum doesn’t like Charlie.’
‘I’m Joseph really, named after my Grandad, but I like Joey, it’s much cooler.’ He kicks his feet in the pool, making a huge splash. ‘I’ll call you Charlie if you want.’
‘Thanks.’ I splash my feet in time with his, enjoying our new companionship. ‘When did you get here?’ I took in his pale white skin compared to mine that was now developing a deep tan due to a week of being constantly exposed to the sun.
‘Just this morning.’ I nod. ‘You?’
‘Been here for a week.’ I say smugly. ‘Where are you from?’ I couldn’t detect an accent, but then I wasn’t very good at accents unless they were something like French or Scottish. I stood up and headed towards the sun bed and wrapped my towel around me before slipping my feet into my flip-flops.
‘Kent.’ He smiles. ‘You’re from Coventry, aren’t you?’ He asks.
I looked at him in astonishment. ‘How did you know that?’
‘Magic.’ He whispers, then laughs. ‘Not really, you’ve got Coventry City Football Club on your towel.’
‘It’s my brother’s.’ I secretly thanked my mum for bringing this one and not my Care Bear’s one. Although I loved it, it was a little childish for a fourteen-year-old to have a Care Bear towel. ‘I’d best get back.’ I was suddenly reluctant to leave and noticed Joey’s face seemed downcast too.
‘I can walk with you if you want.’ I nodded eagerly and felt a little flip in my stomach when he smiled at me.
‘Haven’t you got a towel?’ He shakes his head.
‘Nah.’ We walk between the sun beds. ‘My dad’s doing a BBQ, so we’ll be sitting outside anyway.’
We walked and chatted, weaving our way through row upon row of perfectly symmetrical caravans, most having a car parked outside. Some had windbreaks set up and outdoor furniture. As we walked, we could hear mums shouting at children to stop messing about, dads chatting outside as they lit BBQs and children playing football or tennis. One family even had a paddling pool set up.
‘This is me.’ We’d reached my caravan, the door wide open and Dad’s Morris Marina taking pride of place beside it.
‘Really?’ Joey sounds surprised. ‘I’m just there.’ He points to the caravan opposite. ‘How cool is that?’ He starts to walk off.
‘Are you going to the club later?’ I ask quickly.
‘Of course.’ And with that, he was gone, giving me a quick wave as he disappeared around the front of his caravan.
Follow Charlie Dean on Twitter – https://twitter.com/CharlieADean
