Searching for Someday (excerpt)

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Transcript of Searching for Someday (excerpt)

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Gall Bks

A Divisi Sim & Schust, Ic.1230 Avu th Amicasnw yk, ny 10020

This bk is a wk cti. A cs t histical vts,al ppl, al placs a usd ctitiusl. oth ams, chaacts,placs, ad vts a pducts th auth’s imagiati, ada smblac t actual vts placs pss, livig dad,is til cicidtal.

Cpight © 2013 b Ji Pbst

All ights svd, icludig th ight t pduc this bk ptis th i a m whatsv. F imatiaddss Gall Bks Subsidia rights Dpatmt,1230 Avu th Amicas, nw yk, ny 10020.

Fist Gall Bks tad papback diti Sptmb 2013

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F imati abut spcial discuts bulk puchass,plas ctact Sim & Schust Spcial Sals at 1-866-506-1949 [email protected].

Th Sim & Schust Spaks Buau ca big auths t uliv vt. F m imati t bk a vt ctact thSim & Schust Spaks Buau at 1-866-248-3049 visit uwbsit at www.simspaks.cm.

Dsigd b Davia Mck-Maiscalc

Mauactud i th Uitd Stats Amica

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Liba Cgss Catalgig-i-Publicati Data is TK

ISBn 978-1-4767-4492-6ISBn 978-1-4767-4497-1 (bk)

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“each id psts a wld i us,

a wld pssibl t b util th aiv,

ad it is l b this mtig

that a w wld is b.”

—Aais ni

I wit stis abut lv ad mac, but withi

m bks u will alwas d tu idship.

Withut m tight kit gup I’v kw sic

high schl, I wuld t b th sam ps.

W ma t s ach th as much as t,

but c w d, tim mlts awa

ad th is distac.

Jdi Pada, Lisa Haml Slda,

Malai Sctt, Cll LaPi,

Kimbl Cma, nac Chaudh,thaks alwas big th.

F th lat ight pk ights, thugh gd m

ad bad, thugh amil cisis ad hatachs, ad

duig sm th uist laugh ut lud mmts

m li—I ad u.

Women rock.

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  prologue

I T waS officiaL.

Sh was th dat m hll.

Kat Smu achd h wi, cd a bight

smil, ad tid v had t t sta at th lump chs

hagig m h cmpai’s chi. oka, s h was a bit

sciall awkwad. Still did’t mak it ight t t tic

chick pam was stuck his ac.Sh pattd h chi i a silt pla him t gab his

apki. Sigals w th uivsal gstu wm usd

wh tilt pap was stuck t thi sh a pic tag was

hagig m thi skit, but this gu had’t gtt th

mm.

H kpt talkig abut his maktig busiss, which

was kid itstig, but hw culd sh cus wh sh

stad at a lump mzzalla?

“Umm, Badl? yu’v gt smthig, umm, ---

ight th u—”

H swipd at it ba-hadd lik a ba gabbig a sh,

ad th chs ll t th plat. “Thaks. S, I’m all

glad w all gt t d this i ps. I jd talkig

with u v th ph.”

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2 JENNifER PRoBST

Suddl t hug am, Kat pushd th last  

h salm aud th plat ad ddd. “M, t. Big a

busiss w, I’m alwas asciatd b Pr ad th bst

was t bad. What tp s-s-s-svics d u at

u cmpa?”

Stupid stutt. It alwas slippd ut wh sh was -

vus abut makig a gd impssi. nt that h dat

smd t ca abut h thughtul qusti. I act, h

smd m itstd i th busb, givig him a bight

smil ad spctul silc wh h swpd i t cla

up th mss at th tabl.

Badl plwd thugh th spaghtti ad suckd th

lp stads thugh his tth with a hiss. Wh h allmaagd t swallw, h lkd up. A dd xpssi

cssd his ac. “Wll, I’m t xactl mpld i that

dpatmt. I will b s, thugh, ad I kw m tha

mst th mpls.”

Huh. H’d isiuatd that h a a ti dpatmt.

odd. “yu titl is scial latis, ight? What dpatmt

is that?”

“Dma.”

Kat blikd. “oh. Ww, I bt u mt a lt it-

stig ppl.”

Sauc staid his lips. Sh kpt h gaz cusdslightl t th lt.

“ys, I gud I’d stat with a t psiti ad

mak m wa up th ladd.”

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SEaRcHiNG foR SoMEDaY 3

This culd still wk. Sh admid ambiti i a ma.

Su, h had kid sttchd th tuth abut his jb, but

mab h was mbaassd t tll h v th ph. nt

that sh judgd: Kat culd’t ca lss what titl a ma b

as lg as h likd his wk. ev his lks w’t bad,

m th avag J, which sh cutd. Sht dak hai,

bw s, ud ac. A bit vwight but thig ut  

th dia i a wld lld with ast d ad istat gat-

icati. Kat dspisd th chamig, gd-lkig tps

that lkd at wm l as a wa t sv thi gs.

“Smat. yu wt t nyU, ight?” sh askd. “I gadu-

atd m th, t, i busiss maagmt. What did

u stud?”“I tk a class th c. Did’t gt t ish, sic I

had t g tak ca m mm.”

Istat smpath ad hp fickd. A ma wh -

spctd amil was k t a gd match. “I’m s, is sh ill?”

Cumbs Italia bad clug t th dg his muth.

ys, atig with him wuld b a ch, but a ma wh

hlpd his mth must hav a hat gld. “Sh’s gt a-

thitis. Tld h I’d mv i ad hlp h ut.”

Wh did th sm m t th st? “Ds sh hav

tubl mvig aud? I’v had sv cditis

that ca b v paiul.”Badl pausd t slup his wat, which addd t th

ti mal h w w his ac. “H gs hut

smtims s I ca hlp h p jas ad stu. I kp h

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4 JENNifER PRoBST

cmpa, ad sh cks ad clas m. It wks ut

ptt wll.”

Th Titanic had thig this dat, but sh ught  

th icbg lik a wma cligig t suvival. Kat dsp-

atl dd Badl t b the one. o hudd was a

luck umb, was’t it? o hudd dats spk pa-

tic. Sh’d waitd, ivstd h tim wisl, ad blivd

i th pcss. As th succssul w Kictis

matchmakig agc, sh livd ad bathd h busiss.

Sh blivd, dammit. Ad it was gttig a littl wid

th w t still b sigl with pspct i sight.

Sh fxd h gs ad ught th impuls t tuch

him. I th was v a slight tigl ccti, sh’ddal with th jb ad his mth. H git ssig stg

g btw tw ppl mat t b tgth was als

a cus. Hw ma tims had sh gtt a lctical shck

m a cupl wh w sul-mats? Hw ma m had

sh sudd t th wm bcaus sh alizd h

dat blgd with th waitss custm svic p-

stativ st clk? It svd h wll as a match-

mak but was pu hll h psal li. Th touch a

thugh th gatis wm i h amil, but

had dcidd t us it busiss. Still, sh pd usig

scic ad skill t mak h matchs i Kictis, adtid had t t lt th tuch it with h mai busi-

ss pla. It was m a wa t cm th had mad

th ight match c a cupl gt sius. nt that sh was

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SEaRcHiNG foR SoMEDaY 5

ad t tll Badl a ls abut h sct

wap.

Sh studid him m acss th tabl ad usd t

ls hp. Badl was mat t b hs, but sh was’t

ad t put h hads him t cm.

Th waitss glidd v ad placd th chck dis-

ctl i th middl th tabl. Kat hld h bath,

kwig this was th ultimat tst. A ma wh paid

di th st dat had valus. It was a mak--bak

mmt. Aticipati cut thugh h, ad sh hld h

bath.

Badl achd v ad gabbd th bill.

Giddiss spilld thugh h. Fiall. Sh had’t bwg. Su, ugh patchs dd t b wkd ut, but

Kat blivd.

Badl scad th bill ad whippd ut a pckt cal-

culat. Hat sikig, sh watchd his gs f acss th

ks. “oka, sic it’s t v, I’ll tak th high pti.

yu w $43.00 v ad I’ll pa $44.63. That’s with a -

t pct tip. Is that accptabl?”

Kat stad as h dam a sul-mat withd as

ast as th Wickd Witch’s bd, but sh did’t gt a cl

ub shs lt i th pcss. “Su.”

“Gat. Cash cdit?”Sh achd i h Cach pus ad pulld ut h

VISA. “H u g.”

“Thaks.”

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6 JENNifER PRoBST

Th busb stppd at thi tabl. “A u d, si?

Miss?”

Badl ddd, his gaz xatd th ug ma’s

bad chst ad muscld shulds llig ut his smat d

ad black uim. Paic futtd i h bll as th ai

chagd aud h. No. Not possible.

But sh had t kw.

Th busb achd th plat, givig h dat a

sidlg sductiv glac. Kat daggd i a bath ad

bushd his had with h am at th sam tim h gs

tuchd h dat’s.

A ti shck shivd acss h fsh ad vibatd

thugh h bd. Badl smild at th busb, his accavd ut with pu wat.

Ah, cap.

It was v.

Sh ught a sigh ad sudd umb hudd.

“Badl, I’ll b ight back. I d t g t th ladis’ m.”

“o cus.”

Sh gabbd h pus ad duckd dw th hallwa.

At a w miuts, th busb walkd past ad sh

achd ut t tuch his am. “excus m?”

“ys, ma’am?”

Sh glacd at his am tag. “Gab, I’m s, but I w-d i u ca la a mssag t m dat? I’m t lig wll

ad d t lav. I’m su h’d lv t sta i pssibl. Wuld

u b willig t bu him a dik u bak?”

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SEaRcHiNG foR SoMEDaY 7

Gab’s ac ddd. “A’t u tgth?”

Kat smild. “n, I’m t his tp. I’m su i u -

d, h’d b itstd.”

rcgiti spakd i his dak s, ad h ddd.

“I’d b itstd.”

“Thak u. Gd luck. I’m gig t slip ut th sid

d.”

Sh vacatd th stauat, caught btw dspai

h plight ad happiss sh had mad a match. Dam, h

gada cmpltl suckd.

Th Mach ight was bisk ad cld i Vil, ad sh

bathd i, t watig t g hm t. Th shps stad

p Satuda ight ad it was l ight thit. Hhigh- hld bts clickd th pavmt as sh walkd,

jig th ats Huds riv tw that bastd a vai-

t sts ad caés with a dg, uk l. Whit lights

glittd aud th ts that lid th sidwalk, ad

music spilld m Mugs, th ppula ba that als svd

as a ightclub. A ull m hug suspdd v th iv

li, illumiatig th Tappa Z Bidg, which glittd i

th distac. Sh wavd h wa thugh pdstias with

dgs lashs ad gigglig gups cllg studts,

ad dppd a buck i th pail th ug ma plaig a

guita ad sigig abut bk hats.Lliss hit. Sh was s tid. Wh was it h tu?

Wh wuld sh all d th ccti hsl?

Ulss . . .

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8 JENNifER PRoBST

Sh v ud it. Buisd m th csistt disap-

pitmts, sh wdd i mab givig up th dam

dig h match wuld sv h btt. Mab, just

mab, th was’t a ma wma mat v.

Mab, just mab, sh was mat t b al.

Sh ught th sudd ug t c ad wallw i a sl-

pit pat. Sh was d. I sh wt m disap-

pitig dat, sh did’t thik sh’d cv. Th hll with

lv. Sh’d bu a w bk, g hm t rbt, ad sug-

gl ud a blakt.

Kat pausd i t th usd-bk st. Tim a

chag. n m datig. n m chasig lv. Sh’d c-

ctat h busiss, h ids, ad dig thigs thatmad h happ.

With h had up ad h w sluti m, sh

stppd isid, ad th bll tikld. Scts swamd

aud h i wdul amiliait. Lath. Pap. Mth-

balls. Pcti.

Sh cssd th w capt ad stppd i t th

makd ad battd t dsk. “Gt athig m,

Hct?”

Th b bhid th cut was d thi, with a smat-

tig pimpls ad spikd pupl hai. Hct shk his

had with a gi. “B waitig u, Kat. I’m hldiga w bx usd bks i th back. I had tim t st

thm t, s u ma t d athig.”

Sh shivd with th lu th ukw. Wuld sh

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SEaRcHiNG foR SoMEDaY 9

v gt tid ippig p a w bx bks ad sit-

ig thugh th tasus? “n wis. I’ll g thugh

thm i that’s ka?”

Th t mtid twad th back th st. “Hlp

usl. It’ll sav m sm wk.”

“Thaks.” Kat walkd dw th dstd aisl ad

it th stm. Th campd spac hld a aa  

bxs, l cabits, ad paps i a xtml uga-

izd ashi. Th w shipmt was clal makd,

thugh, s sh pulld it dw m th pil ad ippd it

p with h w hads, ath tha th bx cutt. Sh’d

v b abl t kp a pct maicu awa.

Kat sat css-lggd th cld cct f adpulld thm ut b . rmac. Bigaph. Sm

ditig. Sh kpt t th sid a w that sh watd t t,

th ud a gat lv sigs that smd sval

as ut dat. Hmm, u v kw what u’d gla

m th ightis. Culd b hlpul. Sh addd it t h

gwig stack. A itstig bk hw mals lat t

dgs. Ditl culd’t pass that up. Ad th—

H gs clsd a abic cvd bk ad sh

pulld it ut. Bight vilt assaultd h visi. The Book

of Spells. Simpl titl. Small, squa, t a cti vl but

m a hw-t bk? Sh cackd th bidig a bit adglacd thugh th st pag.

A lw hum vibatd t th tips h gs. H bll

wbbld, as i sh’d just s a ht mal pspct ath

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10 JENNifER PRoBST

tha a simpl bk. Th hum gw stg as sh fippd

thugh, makig ts a acit lv spll ad a chat

t eath Mth. Fasciatig. Sh’d v s athig

lik it; th was’t v a auth td. Hw was that

pssibl?

Ditl a kp. Mab smthig u h cli-

tl.

Kat dppd th bk h pil.

A cackl lcticit sht thugh h bd lik a

wt plug i a utlt. Sh lpd ad akd back, staig

at th pupl cv. What th hll was that? Mab th ab-

ic gav sm tp shck. But dam, that hut.

“nd a hlp back th?”Hct’s vic chd thugh th st. Shakig h

had, sh pushd t h t ad st th bx back. Caul

t t tuch th pupl bk, sh scpd up h tasu

pil ad mad h wa ut th stm.

“Gt vthig I d. Hct, I tk six bks.

Chag it t m accut, plas!”

“yu gt it. Hav a gd .”

Flig a bit btt v h w puchass, Kat

hadd twad h ca ad th tpical Satuda ight with

h bks ad h dg.

Gd-b umb hudd. That dat blgd ith cd bk disasts.

It was gig t b a lg tim b sh had th

stamia t v thik abut hudd ad .

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 one

I ’M MoviNG ouT.”

Slad watchd his sist dag h vsizd fal

pics luggag dw th hallwa ad dp thm at th

t d. A stag paic ad thugh his sstm, but

h std z i th , watchig th sc uld.

Hll, . Sh was’t ad t g awh h w t,

but smhw h dd t cvic h withut lkiglik a cazd ctl-ak bth. H kpt his vic g-

tl ad m.

“Ja, I d’t thik it’s a gd ida. I kw u wat a

plac u w, but I d’t thik u’ ad. Bsids,

I’ll gt ll b msl. Giv it sm tim, ad I’ll hlp u

d a apatmt.”

Ja tud ast, hads hips, that uius mal

scwl h kw wll. Bttm li, h’d scwd up his wds

agai. “Fist , giv m a littl cdit. I’m ad. I appci-

at u lttig m liv h, but I shuld’v mvd ut a

a ag. Ad th l as u’ ll is u usal

t sta with a wma past ight.”

Slad wicd. Uai. H was alwas disct wh it

cam t wm, t dig his sist t t t bd with

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12 JENNifER PRoBST

a thm, sic lg-tm cmmitmt was dmd

m th stat. Th statistics al maiag bakups

causd a shudd.

Sh machd it th p livig m ad hadd t-

wad th bkcas t gab a w th shlvs. Cap, was

that The Chew’s w ckbk? H had’t v lkd at

th pictus t. “B asabl, Ja. yu hav wh

t g, ad I d’t wat u staig at a capp studi i

Mahatta. It’ll cst a milli dllas ad w’t b sa.

A u still upst v u bakup? W ca g slash his

tis, gt duk, ad watch chick fick mvis. That’s what

wm d, ight?”

Ja tippd h had back ad laughd. “Gd, Slad, i I did’t lv u s much I’d mud u. I hav a plac al-

ad. I td a apatmt i Vil th iv. I quit

m jb ad lid up a w at th lcal cmmuit cl-

lg th.”

Th m spu. H stad at his mall sh, lgical,

stad sist ad wdd what sh’d duk t tu it

M. Hd. “Quit u jb? yu w wkig tu!”

“Ad I hatd it th. Stu, pmpus, ad big. I

hat Mahatta, t. It’s cwdd ad huts m had mst

th tim.” Ja daggd i a bath ad walkd v,

stug th bks i h tt bag. H lg jt black haispug it a whilwid culs, ad h cca bw s

pd at him sadl m bhid thick black glasss. “I

ca’t d this am,” sh said. “I d a sh stat m

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SEaRcHiNG foR SoMEDaY 13

w tms. Vil is small ad quait, ad th cllg -

cuss usig cativit i litatu. I ca gw th.

Mab mt a ma wh w’t wig m d ad dump

m.” H laugh was ttall w, ad Slad’s hat squzd

i sh a.

H culd’t lt h g. I smthig happd, it wuld

b his ault. Agai. At last i sh w ud his , h

culd asil gaug i sh was dw-spialig. Slad swug

it law md. Big th tp divc laws i

th stat had t b gd smthig th tha m.

“I udstad u wat t b u w. I ag it’s

tim, but quittig u jb ad uig t a tw u

d’t kw is dagus. I’ll g with u t Vil thiswkd. I’ll hlp u lk, mab mt sm ppl

th s u’ t al, ad w’ll gu it ut tgth.”

H vic s t a dagus lvl. “I d’t wat t

gu it ut tgth! I wat t gu thigs ut msl.

oh, Gd’s sak, lk at this plac.” Sh fug ut h

am ad gstud t his xpsiv lt apatmt situatd

i th cvtd lcati Tibca. Th hug p spac

was split it tw lvls with a slk glass staicas c-

ctig thm tgth. Widws lid th walls ad v-

lkd th cit Mahatta. Pic at, bamb fs,

dg glass tabls, gait cuts, ad hug lath cli-s cmpltd th lk bachl i th cit.

“What’s wg with it? W hav plt m h.”

“This is u plac! I hav’t had athig msl i

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14 JENNifER PRoBST

th past th as. I’m twt-ight as ld. It’s tim I

d thigs m tms withut a wig i I’m

gig t mtiall ls it wh smthig gs wg.”

H wicd. Ja was xtml ssitiv ad had al-

was stuggld i such a butal scit. H watchd a lg

li m cush h lik a gtl fw ud thi hls

util th was thig lt but a w sta ptals. H’d

sw v t lt a hut h agai. H had t mak

h sta.

“Swthat, I kw u’ much stg w. D’t

v thik I’m waitig u t impld. I just thik it

wuld b btt t wait.”

“I d’t.” Ja pd th clst d, gabbd hblack wl cat, ad stud h ams i th slvs. “Wh

I gt sttld, u ca big th st m stu ad visit. I

thik u’ll lik it i Vil. Ad I w’t b ll lg.

I’v dcidd t sig up with a matchmakig agc.”

yp. Sh’d ditl sluggd th M. Hd puch. “A

u kiddig m? D u kw hw ma ths gt

clsd dw aud? Th’s such thig as th pct

match, ad u kw it. What is gig with u?”

Sh stuck h chi ut. “I’m tid big aaid ad

mtig th wg m. Kictis is a wll-spctd

cmpa. I lik th wm I mt th, ad I tust thm. Sd’t w abut m hlig up i m apatmt ad gt-

tig dpssd. I’m gig ut th ad mtig ppl.

I’m dit this tim.”

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SEaRcHiNG foR SoMEDaY 15

“This plac is gig t tak u m ad giv u

als xpctatis. What i it ds’t wk ut ad u

cash? I’m t gig t stad aud hlplssl whil

u’ dstd agai b sm uthlss ppl ut

u m.”

Sh lt ut a utagd squal. “A u listig t

usl? Gd, stp ptctig m. I’m a dit ps

tha I was th as ag ad u’ stifig m! Mm ad

Dad wuld’t wat m t liv tuckd awa i u ma

cav whil I watch li happ t th ppl.”

“Mm ad Dad v ud u a bathm f

vdsd pills. Mm ad Dad did’t hld u i thi

ams, paig u w’t di!”Th silc shattd aud thm. Slad clsd his

s bif, gi cuttig ut pics him. Th wds -

twid with a blam ad a pla that twistd his stmach.

Th mm dig h suicid attmpt chagd him.

H watd h sa. Culd’t sh udstad?

His vic bk. “I’m s s, Ja. I did’t ma t

big that up.”

Hut cavd ut th lis h ac, ad h lw

lip tmbld. “ys. yu did. I’m s I put u thugh

that. But I’m t th sam ps am. I dsv

happiss ad I’m gig t tak it. ys, I ma gt hutalg th wa, but I ca hadl it w, Slad. I’m st-

g.” Sh tssd h tt v h shuld ad gabbd

th hadl h suitcas. “I d’t blam u t

7/27/2019 Searching for Someday (excerpt)

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/searching-for-someday-excerpt 20/21

16 JENNifER PRoBST

tustig m. But I’m gig t pv msl. yu’ t -

spsibl m a lg.”

“F Gd’s sak, lt m hlp u. I’ll bu u di

ad w’ll talk m abut this.”

Sh thw p th d. “n. Th dma is mtig

m dwstais.”

“But I d a umb, a addss, smthig.”

“I’ll call wh I gt sttld. Lv u.”

Sh lt. This tim, h did’t stp h. Pat him cg-

izd it was imptat sh cav h w wa. Th th

hal dcidd h’d ip apat athig that tid t hut h.

o a.

With a lw cus, h stalkd t his cmput ad tpdi th wds.

Kinnections. Matchmaking. Verily.

H stad at th sc a whil ad mad his dci-

si.