Preston Book Novels & Stories

Sebastian said, matter-of-factly. Mrs. Preston stood up as Daniel cowered behind her. “You seem to forget who you’re talking to, Mr. Adams! The Preston family built the movie industry in this country that you’re benefiting from!” Their family was originally the biggest entertainment group in the ’40s to ’50s, the time when films boomed in Castrana. The Prestons also produced numerous celebrities from their family such as actors, singers, and socialites. This included Selma Preston, a pageant queen in her younger years who won the Miss Universe title.

'Since when did this guy get so close to our baby sister? When Gloria heard them, she turned to Nicole and asked, "Nicole, you've already met Preston in school?" Nicole had a resigned look on her face. 'I've not only met him; I've even helped him resolve a problem.' "Yes, I've met him a few times. Preston is easy enough to get along with," She said. Stanley, however, thought that his little sister must have been deceived as Preston looked even more unreliable than Samuel! Preston, not realizing that he was being looked down upon, said innocently to Gloria. "Aunt Gloria, Nicole's my cousin, so I'd, of course, take care of her in school."

I can almost hear her whis‍per my name the way she used⁠ to, when we tho‌ug⁠ht the world was still kind. Th‌e ache in m‌y chest deepe‌n‍s. This isn’t ju⁠st a game an⁠ymor‍e. It’s a declaratio‌n. Preston isn’t⁠ t⁠r⁠ying‍ to win‌; he’s trying to destroy us both from the i‍nsi⁠de‍ out. I rise slowly,‍ forcing my breath to steady. The build‍ing creaks‌, threaten‍ing colla‍pse. My body screams for‌ rest‌, but my⁠ min‍d won’t let me stop.

I shook my head to clear the dreamy, light-headed sensation. I forced myself to recognize the abrupt rise in my core temperature for what it was; a hormone rush—God, a hormone avalanche! God, this is making me insane! I struggled hard to inject a note of humor into my response. “Your concern for your fellow man does you credit, but I promise to behave and never wear pink lipstick again.” “I have no concern for them.” Preston dismissed the mental well-being of one-half of the population with an expressive sneer. “And,” he added, gritting out the words with force, “I don’t want you to behave.”

Prеѕtоn, іn a dіѕрlау оf wіѕdоm bеуоnd hіѕ уеаrѕ, took hеr іntо hіѕ аrmѕ and lеt her cry hеrѕеlf оut. It wаѕ more thаn hаlf аn hоur bеfоrе ѕhе ѕеttlеd еnоugh fоr him tо tаlk tо. For the vеrу first tіmе the twо оf them spoke аѕ friends. Hе was саlmіng аnd ԛuіеtеd hеr аѕ bеѕt hе соuld. Whеn she wаѕ calm, Preston wеnt to the break room аnd саmе back with a trench coat ѕоmеоnе hаd lеft thеrе.

Preston said, reaching over to pat my hand. In the short drive, Preston had become my unofficial biographer. He knew I was seventeen, that I’d spent six years rotting in the West Coast sun, and that I had a visceral, burning hatred for silver-maple trees. In return, I knew he was a Christmas Eve baby, a Miami transplant, and that he’d once been nearly kidnapped by a rogue pack in the Everglades. We just worked. It was the first time since landing back in D.C. that I didn't feel like I was carrying a dagger between my teeth.

"Oh, it was Nathan, he was showing me his restaurant, he just got back in Bhorma." Preston took a pack of cigarettes, pulled one with his teeth. He looked at her without saying a word and twirled his cig with his tongue. "What?" He lit up his cigarette, "Nothing," took a long drag, and took her hand. "Let's get you back inside." With Preston joining the group, it was definitely going to be a long night. He was there for an obvious reason, The Ladies Night at the club. They went inside and get more drinks, when the clock struck twelve, they hopped to their car and drove to the club.

But she… didn’t flinch. Lena walked over to a little table display and picked up a thin, cloth-bound book. She walked over to him, holding it out like an offering. *The Quiet Between Lightning Strikes.* A poetry book. The cover was old and nubbly, the title scribbled in fine silver ink. Julian stared at it like it was an alien thing. "What's this?" "A book," she said, smiling. "I told you. I don't—"

“No. I’ve been working on the rewrites of Legal Briefs all day. I’m not even dressed, why?” “Well, you can forget the rewrite. Peter Williams, the main man from Prelude Press just called and he loves the book.” “Prelude? I’ve never heard of them.” “They’re a small, very exclusive New York House. Started publishing poetry back in the early seventies, expanded to political non-fiction, then opened their fiction department about a year ago. Peter said he mailed your contracts express overnight, so throw some clothes on, or go in your underwear, I don’t care, but get your little ass over to that little post office of yours and pick up your mail.”