Maybe Someday (1)

"I've read everything Colleen Hoover has ever written, and each new book becomes my instant favorite. Her pacing is perfect and her characters leap off the page. I devour her words like candy." -- Tracey Garvis Graves ― New York Times bestselling author of On the Island and Covet "Hoover is one of the freshest voices in new-adult fiction, and [ Maybe Someday ] resonates with true emotion, unforgettable characters and just the right amount of sexual tension." -- Kirkus“How can I even begin to discuss a book that has shot to the top of my list of favorite books ever…another magical, perfect story that will grab your heartstrings and will not let go until the very end… Maybe Someday is SO much more than just a book…[it] is an unforgettable reading and listening experience.” -- The Book Bellas, blog review“Colleen has really taken this book to a whole new level. It’s also fair to say… BEST COLLEEN HOOVER BOOK!!!” -- Emily-Jane’s Book Corner, blog review“Maybe Someday couldn't have been any more agonizing , beautiful, and INSPIRING! It was pure perfection. Every time I read a book by Colleen, her words and characters steal a little piece of my heart. But with Maybe Someday, I think a part of my soul was taken as well.” -- Bookworm Betties, blog review“I actually went and pre-ordered the audio book as soon as I finished reading, because to hear two narrators tell me the story and sing the songs for me will make the experience even better!” -- Unconventional Book Views, blog review“The whole experience—the words, the music—spoke to me in ways that no other book has.” -- Schmexy Girl Book Blog, blog review“ Maybe Someday is new adult gold, destined to become a classic in the genre.” -- Addicted 2 Heroines, blog review“Every now and then a book comes along that just leaves me breathless. “ -- USA TODAY, Happy Ever After, blog review“If one can be in love with a book then Maybe Someday has done that for me. I fell head over heels in love with this novel and I know who ever else reads it will be just as affected as I was.” -- Once Upon a Twilight, blog review“Ms. Hoover never fails to impress me with the beauty of her stories. Maybe Someday is special, and has been added to my favorites list!” -- A Bookish Escape, blog review“There are not enough stars in the sky to even rate Maybe Someday appropriately, but I hope my review gives this novel the justice and acknowledgement that it deserves...most importantly, I hope after reading this review you will decide to purchase the novel. I promise that Maybe Someday is unlike anything that you have already read or will read in the future.” -- Confessions of a Bibliophile, blog review“After the trio of amazing novels Colleen put out last year (Hopeless, Losing Hope, and Finding Cinderella) I didn't think she could create anything that brilliant again. I knew Maybe Someday would be good, but I had NO idea it would be this good. And by "this good" I mean to say it's taken over the position of my FAVORITE COLLEEN HOOVER BOOK YET!” -- Alphas Authors Book Oh My, blog review“What can I say about Maybe Someday other than it is COMPLETE PERFECTION! Never has a book left me with complete book hangover for weeks where the story and characters have left such an impression on my heart, mind and soul that they completely consumed my every waking thought.” -- Shh Mom’s Reading, blog review“A beautiful, emotional, heart wrenching story full of desire, music and most importantly love. Maybe Someday is a true testament to just how masterful of a story teller Colleen Hoover truly is. She expertly weaves magic into her stories ensuring that even though the last page has been turned you're still going to be thinking about the story while creating characters you won't ever be able to forget.” -- Romance Rewind, Review“Maybe Someday brightened my life, lightened my heart and had me smiling like a love sick fool. This is one book that deserve to be read over and over again.” -- A Book Lover’s Review, Release day countdowns“[Colleen Hoover] has such a way of creating unique, interesting characters and perfect original plots. Her writing is so entertaining and the humor in this story is typical Hoover style. I fell in love with Ridge and Sydney's story from the very first page and it had me hooked until the last.” -- Book Obsession, Review“A captivating, passionate, touching, and unique journey that gripped and enthralled me until the very last word. Hoover weaves a thoughtful tale that pushes boundaries of the heart beautifully. …a beautifully written gift from Colleen Hoover.” -- Book Sojourner, Review“I want everyone to experience this book with fresh eyes and an open heart. It is just that amazing and wonderful. Colleen has the greatest knack for ripping your heart out and making you laugh all at the same time. Her writing is so relatable and lovable. Again, perfection…If you love Colleen’s books, love books in general or just have feelings, you’ll adore this book.” -- Tar Heel Biblio Babe, Review“I truly LOVED LOVED LOVED everything about Maybe Someday …[it] is the book you will stay up all night reading and you won’t even miss the sleep because your mind will be so consumed with this emotional love story." -- Rude Girl Book Blog, blog review Maybe Someday is more than just a story. xa0It's more than just a book. xa0It's an experience, and one that we are excited and grateful to share with you.xa0I had the pleasure of collaborating with musician Griffin Peterson in order to provide an original soundtrack to accompany this novel. xa0Griffin and I worked closely together to bring these characters and their lyrics to life so that you will be provided with the ultimate reading experience.xa0In the ebook version, you will find eight direct links embedded within the story. xa0If you choose to hear the song, the link will take you to the soundtrack website where you will be able to hear the music for free. xa0In the paperback version you will find a QR code that, when scanned, will direct you to the music.xa0xa0Thank you for being a part of our project. xa0It has been incredible for us to create and we hope it will be just as incredible for you to experience. Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-three novels, including It Starts with Us , It Ends with Us , All Your Perfects , Ugly Love , and Verity . In 2015, Colleen and her family founded a nonprofit called The Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly book subscription service. Colleen lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. For more information, please visit ColleenHoover.com. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Chapter 1 1. TWO WEEKS EARLIER Sydney I slide open my balcony door and step outside, thankful that the sun has already dipped behind the building next door, cooling the air to what could pass as a perfect fall temperature. Almost on cue, the sound of his guitar floats across the courtyard as I take a seat and lean back into the patio lounger. I tell Tori I come out here to get homework done, because I don’t want to admit that the guitar is the only reason I’m outside every night at eight, like clockwork. For weeks now, the guy in the apartment across the courtyard has sat on his balcony and played for at least an hour. Every night, I sit outside and listen. I’ve noticed a few other neighbors come out to their balconies when he’s playing, but no one is as loyal as I am. I don’t understand how someone could hear these songs and not crave them day after day. Then again, music has always been a passion of mine, so maybe I’m just a little more infatuated with his sound than other people are. I’ve played the piano for as long as I can remember, and although I’ve never shared it with anyone, I love writing music. I even switched my major to music education two years ago. My plan is to be an elementary music teacher, although if my father had his way, I’d still be prelaw. “A life of mediocrity is a waste of a life,” he said when I informed him that I was changing my major. A life of mediocrity. I find that more amusing than insulting, since he seems to be the most dissatisfied person I’ve ever known. And he’s a lawyer. Go figure. One of the familiar songs ends and the guy with the guitar begins to play something he’s never played before. I’ve grown accustomed to his unofficial playlist since he seems to practice the same songs in the same order night after night. However, I’ve never heard him play this particular song before. The way he’s repeating the same chords makes me think he’s creating the song right here on the spot. I like that I’m witnessing this, especially since after only a few chords, it’s already my new favorite. All his songs sound like originals. I wonder if he performs them locally or if he just writes them for fun. I lean forward in the chair, rest my arms on the edge of the balcony, and watch him. His balcony is directly across the courtyard, far enough away that I don’t feel weird when I watch him but close enough that I make sure I’m never watching him when Hunter’s around. I don’t think Hunter would like the fact that I’ve developed a tiny crush on this guy’s talent. I can’t deny it, though. Anyone who watches how passionately this guy plays would crush on his talent. The way he keeps his eyes closed the entire time, focusing intently on every stroke against every guitar string. I like it best when he sits cross-legged with the guitar upright between his legs. He pulls it against his chest and plays it like a stand-up bass, keeping his eyes closed the whole time. It’s so mesmerizing to watch him that sometimes I catch myself holding my breath, and I don’t even realize I’m doing it until I’m gasping for air. It also doesn’t help that he’s cute. At least, he seems cute from here. His light brown hair is unruly and moves with him, falling across his forehead every time he looks down at his guitar. He’s too far away to distinguish eye color or distinct features, but the details don’t matter when coupled with the passion he has for his music. There’s a confidence to him that I find compelling. I’ve always admired musicians who are able to tune out everyone and everything around them and pour all of their focus into their music. To be able to shut the world off and allow yourself to be completely swept away is something I’ve always wanted the confidence to do, but I just don’t have it. This guy has it. He’s confident and talented. I’ve always been a sucker for musicians, but more in a fantasy way. They’re a different breed. A breed that rarely makes for good boyfriends. He glances at me as if he can hear my thoughts, and then a slow grin appears across his face. He never once pauses the song while he continues to watch me. The eye contact makes me blush, so I drop my arms and pull my notebook back onto my lap and look down at it. I hate that he just caught me staring so hard. Not that I was doing anything wrong; it just feels odd for him to know I was watching him. I glance up again, and he’s still watching me, but he’s not smiling anymore. The way he’s staring causes my heart to speed up, so I look away and focus on my notebook. Way to be a creeper, Sydney. “There’s my girl,” a comforting voice says from behind me. I lean my head back and tilt my eyes upward to watch Hunter as he makes his way onto the balcony. I try to hide the fact that I’m shocked to see him, because I’m pretty sure I was supposed to remember he was coming. On the off chance that Guitar Boy is still watching, I make it a point to seem really into Hunter’s hello kiss so that maybe I’ll seem less like a creepy stalker and more like someone just casually relaxing on her balcony. I run my hand up Hunter’s neck as he leans over the back of my chair and kisses me upside down. “Scoot up,” Hunter says, pushing on my shoulders. I do what he asks and slide forward in the seat as he lifts his leg over the chair and slips in behind me. He pulls my back against his chest and wraps his arms around me. My eyes betray me when the sound of the guitar stops abruptly, and I glance across the courtyard once more. Guitar Boy is eyeing us hard as he stands, then goes back inside his apartment. His expression is odd. Almost angry. “How was school?” Hunter asks. “Too boring to talk about. What about you? How was work?” “Interesting,” he says, brushing my hair away from my neck with his hand. He presses his lips to my neck and kisses his way down my collarbone. “What was so interesting?” He tightens his hold on me, then rests his chin on my shoulder and pulls me back in the chair with him. “The oddest thing happened at lunch,” he says. “I was with one of the guys at this Italian restaurant. We were eating out on the patio, and I had just asked the waiter what he recommended for dessert, when a police car rounded the corner. They stopped right in front of the restaurant, and two officers jumped out with their guns drawn. They began barking orders toward us when our waiter mumbled, ‘Shit.’ He slowly raised his hands, and the police jumped the barrier to the patio, rushed toward him, threw him to the ground, and cuffed him right at our feet. After they read him his rights, they pulled him to his feet and escorted him toward the cop car. The waiter glanced back at me and yelled, ‘The tiramisu is really good!’ Then they put him in the car and drove away.” I tilt my head back and look up at him. “Seriously? That really happened?” He nods, laughing. “I swear, Syd. It was crazy.” “Well? Did you try the tiramisu?” “Hell, yeah, we did. It was the best tiramisu I’ve ever had.” He kisses me on the cheek and pushes me forward. “Speaking of food, I’m starving.” He stands up and holds out his hand to me. “Did you cook tonight?” I take his hand and let him pull me up. “We just had salad, but I can make you one.” Once we’re inside, Hunter takes a seat on the couch next to Tori. She’s got a textbook spread open across her lap as she halfheartedly focuses on both homework and TV at the same time. I take out the containers from the fridge and make his salad. I feel a little guilty that I forgot tonight was one of the nights he said he was coming. I usually have something cooked when I know he’ll be here. We’ve been dating for almost two years now. I met him during my sophomore year in college, when he was a senior. He and Tori had been friends for years. After she moved into my dorm and we became friends, she insisted I meet him. She said we’d hit it off, and she was right. We made it official after only two dates, and things have been wonderful since. Of course, we have our ups and downs, especially since he moved more than an hour away. When he landed the job in the accounting firm last semester, he suggested I move with him. I told him no, that I really wanted to finish my undergrad before taking such a huge step. In all honesty, I’m just scared. The thought of moving in with him seems so final, as if I would be sealing my fate. I know that once we take that step, the next step is marriage, and then I’d be looking at never having the chance to live alone. I’ve always had a roommate, and until I can afford my own place, I’ll be sharing an apartment with Tori. I haven’t told Hunter yet, but I really want to live alone for a year. It’s something I promised myself I would do before I got married. I don’t even turn twenty-two for a couple of weeks, so it’s not as if I’m in any hurry. I take Hunter’s food to him in the living room. “Why do you watch this?” he says to Tori. “All these women do is talk shit about each other and flip tables.” “That’s exactly why I watch it,” Tori says, without taking her eyes off the TV. Hunter winks at me and takes his food, then props his feet up on the coffee table. “Thanks, babe.” He turns toward the TV and begins eating. “Can you grab me a beer?” I nod and walk back into the kitchen. I open the refrigerator door and look on the shelf where he always keeps his extra beer. I realize as I’m staring at “his” shelf that this is probably how it begins. First, he has a shelf in the refrigerator. Then he’ll have a toothbrush in the bathroom, a drawer in my dresser, and eventually, his stuff will infiltrate mine in so many ways it’ll be impossible for me ever to be on my own. I run my hands up my arms, rubbing away the sudden onset of discomfort washing over me. I feel as if I’m watching my future play out in front of me. I’m not so sure I like what I’m imagining. Am I ready for this? Am I ready for this guy to be the guy I bring dinner to every night when he gets home from work? Am I ready to fall into this comfortable life with him? One where I teach all day and he does people’s taxes, and then we come home and I cook dinner and I “grab him beers” while he props his feet up and calls me babe , and then we go to our bed and make love at approximately nine P.M. so we won’t be tired the next day, in order to wake up and get dressed and go to work and do it all over again? “Earth to Sydney,” Hunter says. I hear him snap his fingers twice. “Beer? Please, babe?” I quickly grab his beer, give it to him, then head straight to my bathroom. I turn the water on in the shower, but I don’t get in. Instead, I lock the door and sink to the floor. We have a good relationship. He’s good to me, and I know he loves me. I just don’t understand why every time I think about a future with him, it’s not an exciting thought. Read more