What The Valley Knows
Heather Christie
Publication date: January 25th 2018
Genres: Romance, Young Adult
Millington Valley is a quintessential small Pennsylvania town: families go back generations. Football rules. Kids drink while adults look the other way. High school is a whirlwind of aspiration and rivalry, friendship and jealousy.
When smart and pretty Molly Hanover moves to town and attracts the attention of the football team’s hero, Wade Thornton—a nice guy with a bad drinking habit—longtime friendships are threatened and a popular cheerleader tries to turn the school against Molly.
The young couple’s future is shattered when Wade, drunk, wrecks his truck and Molly is thrown through the windshield. She wakes from a coma to find her beauty marred and her memory full of holes. As she struggles to heal, she becomes sure that something terrible happened before the accident. And there is somebody in the valley who doesn’t want her to remember.
EXCERPT
Molly smiled, blushing, tongue-tied. She felt stupid because she could see that they were the cool kids, and she wanted them to like her.“What’s your name?” Legs casually hooked his hands together and straightened his elbows so that his triceps contracted.
“I’m Molly.” Her cheeks flushed again as she tucked her book into her pack and stood.
“Pretty name—” Legs nodded towards her book. “And smart. AP English? My sister has to read the same book.”
“We’re having a party Friday night at the quarry,” Tank said. “There might not be much to drink,” Shady said.
Legs smiled—the kind of smile that was used to getting whatever it wanted—and said, “I’d be happy to take you. Introduce you to everybody. Everybody who’s anybody, that is.”
She hesitated, her fingers tightening around the railing. They watched her.
“What’s your number?” Legs reached for the phone that was tucked into his white compression pants. “I’ll text you about the party.”
“Um . . . I have to ask my mom.” Oh my god! What a stupid thing to say!
“She has to ask her mom,” Legs said, perplexed. They all looked dumfounded for a moment. But Legs said, “Sure. Okay. So can I have your number?”
“Sure,” said Molly, and then she told him.
Shady dropped his sunglasses over his eyes. “We’re meeting in the stadium parking lot around eight to ride up together.”
Tank pointed across the street. “Behind the school, that’s where the stadium is.”
“No shit, Sherlock.” Legs winked at her. “Don’t mind these dummies!” He laughed and ran his hand through his spiky hair. “Move it.” He whacked Shady on the back.
“Hope you can come.” Tank smiled.
“I’ll try.”
“Keep the booze part on the down low,” Shady said. “I mean, don’t tell your mom.”
“No. No, I won’t.” Molly couldn’t help but grin.
They picked up their gear and walked away, their voices fading. Halfway across the fairgrounds, Legs turned around and waved with a big smile. Molly waved in return. The guys passed through the shade of the trees and back into the sunlight. They stopped on the curb, their silhouettes distinct against the school.
She was invited to a party.
Maybe she should go. Stop being the shy girl.
Maybe she’d make some friends, then she wouldn’t have to lie to her mom anymore.
Molly picked up her bag and stepped into the sun. She raised her hand over her brow and squinted into the brightness. The school’s plywood windows looked as if they had double-winked at her. The eyes seemed frozen mid-wink, uncertain whether to open all the way or shut completely.
People reinvented themselves all the time, right?
Maybe she could be somebody different here.
Maybe she could even forgive herself about what happened to her dad.
Maybe.
Author Bio:
Heather Christie grew up in rural Pennsylvania and, at age seventeen, took off for New York City in hopes of becoming a movie star. Flash forward several decades, a couple degrees, a bunch of cats, two kids and one husband later, she's back in Pennsylvania writing her heart out and chasing dreams again. She loves to read, run, drink tea, and make Sunday dinner. Follow her blog at www.HeatherChristieBooks.com and say “hello” on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
I'm so excited to read it. I love the cover.
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