At First Sight

At First Sight Book Three By: Melody Anne Dedication This is dedicated to Emmy, my friend, my motivator, my hero. You’re so much stronger than any other person I know. Copyright © 2023 Melody Anne All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. Printed and published in the United States of America. Published by Falling Star Publications Editing by Karen Lawson, and Janet Hitchcock Books by Melody Anne Romance FIRST SERIES He Saw Me First She Saw Me At First Sight The Andersons Wins The Game The Dance The Fall The Proposal The Blackmail The Runaway The Final Stand Unexpected Treasure Hidden Treasure Holiday Treasure Priceless Treasure The Ultimate Treasure The Anderson Heirs Book One: Sweet Noel Book Two: Jacob’s story Book Three: Jasmine’s Homecoming ANDERSON SPECIAL OPS Shadows Rising Barriers Shattered Reborn THE ANDERSON BILLIONAIRES Finn Noah Brandon Hudson Crew TWELVE HORIZONS OF CHARLIE Diamond Sapphire Opal Emerald SURRENDER SERIES Surrender Seduced Scorched Saved UNDERCOVER BILLIONAIRES Kian Arden Owen Declan TRUTH IN LIES One too Many Two Secrets Kept Three Outs Four Seconds Gone BILLIONAIRE AVIATORS Turbulent Intentions – Book One (Cooper) Turbulent Desires – Book Two (Maverick) Turbulent Waters – Book Three (Nick) Turbulent Intrigue – Book Four (Ace) The Titans The Tycoon’s Revenge The Tycoon’s Vacation The Tycoon’s Proposal The Tycoon’s Secret The Lost Tycoon Rescue Me HEROES SERIES Safe in his arms – Novella Baby it’s Cold Outside Her Unexpected Hero – Book One Who I am with you – Book Two – Novella Her Hometown Hero – Book Three Following Her – Book Four – Novella Her Forever Hero – Book Five Her Found Hero – Book Six TAKEN BY THE TRILLIONAIRE #1 Xander – Ruth Cardello #2 Bryan – J.S. Scott #3 Chris – Melody Anne #4 Virgin for the Trillionaire – Ruth Cardello #5 Virgin for the Prince – J.S. Scott #6 Virgin to Conquer – Melody Anne Table of Contents Dedication Books by Melody Anne Prelude Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter six Chapter Seven Chapter eight Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter twelve Chapter thirteen Chapter fourteen Chapter fifteen Chapter seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Twenty Chapter twenty-two Chapter twenty-three Chapter twenty-Five Chapter twenty-six Chapter twenty-eight Chapter twenty-nine Chapter thirty Chapter thirty-one Chapter thirty-two Chapter thirty-three Chapter thirty-four Chapter thirty-five Chapter thirty-six Chapter thirty-seven Chapter thirty-eight Chapter thirty-nine Chapter Forty epilogue Prelude I’m doing a prelude in my books now instead of an author note because our devices skip straight to the book, and this is important for the story. This book is incredibly special for me as it’s how this entire series came about. My very good friend, who works with me, is the basis for this story. Of course it’s fiction, but several of the events in this book are true. We’ve talked about the journey she’s gone through, and her husband’s journey. Again, I’ve fictionalized it, and I’ve changed the ages, but Derek did have this upbringing in his life, did lose his fiancée in a tragic accident, and did find Emmy when he was a very broken man. She stood by his side as he struggled with the guilt and heartbreak of losing someone far too young to such a tragic accident. Emmy has a core group of friends who have unique stories of their own. I included one of those friends in this book and it makes me want to tell her story as well. I might do that someday. I changed names to protect people, of course. There’s a chapter in this book about a school shooting, and Emmy was at that school, utterly heartbroken at the loss from that shooting. Her life was shaped a lot from that event. I didn’t want that event in any form glorified. Ravish is a fictional town, but it’s in Oregon, and it’s close to Thurston. I lived thirty minutes away from that school myself, and was utterly horrified at what had happened, but this story is about showing the heartache that these two exceptional people went through in their own journey. The Epilogue of this book is also true. Emmy trained me for years, that’s how I met her, and I remember this time well. I remember how excited and nervous her husband was at this amazing opportunity that was coming his way. I don’t want to give it away here. But this chapter is almost word for word what happened. I didn’t need to fictionalize it since it was great all on its own. Most books are based on some sort of reality. This is the closest book I’ve ever written that’s as true to reality as it gets. It’s been incredibly hard for me to write because I love these two people so much and I hurt for what they’ve gone through. The fiction of the book is the town they live in, the friends they have in the book, and several of the experiences they go through. There’s a lot of events in this book they did go through as well. The trauma and events are very much true, though maybe out of order. And the true Derek and Emmy never thought of leaving one another, no matter how much trauma they went through. A few other things have been changed, because this is fiction, of course. I hope I did them justice, and I hope they live happily ever after for the rest of their lives, because they’ve both suffered enough