I Almost Do

I Almost Do Trust & Tequila Book One Evangeline Williams Copyright Copyright © 2023 by Evangeline Williams Published by Evangeline Williams All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is solely coincidental. Names, businesses, characters, places, locales, and events are either used in a fictitious manner or the sole product of the author's imagination. They are intended solely for the purpose of entertainment and are in no way based on real events. Edited by Kristin Scearce and Jamee Thumm/ Hot Tree Editing cover by Getcovers Contents Dedication Content Notes Playlist 1. That's My Girl 2. Cruel Summer 3. Hurricane 4. Easy On Me 5. Stand By Me 6. Raise Your Glass 7. Kiss Me 8. Say You Won't Let Go 9. How Do I Say Goodbye 10. Carry You 11. Safe Place 12. When the Party's Over 13. Good as Hell 14. This Is Me Trying 15. Brave 16. Fall Into Me 17. Dangerous Woman 18. Don't Blame Me 19. Say You Love Me 20. Lost Without You 21. Peer Pressure 22. I See Red 23. Waking up Slow 24. Falling Like the Stars 25. Incomplete 26. Naked 27. If You Need Me 28. I Don't Want to Lose You 29. Only Love Can Hurt Like This 30. Hurts Like Hell 31. If the World Was Ending 32. I Will Be 33. Roots 34. River Epilogue Afterword Acknowledgments Dedication F or Kurt. You taught me what a real happily ever after feels like. Content Notes INCLUDES SPOILERS This work of fiction contains adult themes and language that may be disturbing to some readers. They are as follows: *Swearing *On-page consensual sexual intimacy using graphic language *Alcohol consumption and intoxication *Emesis *Terminal illness and on-page death of a parent due to cancer *Grief/mourning *Reference to past domestic violence, murder of a parent, and child abuse *PTSD, codependence, and mental health issues *Sexual Assault/Sexual Violence (does not occur between main characters) *Depiction of violence, blood, and injury *Off-page kidnapping of a child *Off-page gun violence *Medical emergency/surgery/hospitalization Playlist Dear Reader, Did you guess the chapter titles for this novel came directly from my playlist? Then you're absolutely right. Every chapter title is also a song title.Music has always helped me connect to characters and emotion, and I'm really excited about the songs I've included in this playlist. They provided the soundtrack to Clarissa and James's story as I wrote it. Listening to the playlist is not a requirement to enjoy the novel. However, if you're like me and enjoy music as an additional emotional connection, you can access an expanded playlist directly by logging into your Spotify account and entering "I Almost Do" into the search feature. Or you can enter each song title/artist individually into whatever music streaming service you prefer. You can listen to the playlist songs at any time: before, during, or after reading.Lyrics should not be taken literally. Instead, they're about emotion. The playlist is a vibe. Enjoy. PlaylistThat's My Girl | Fifth HarmonyCruel Summer | Taylor SwiftHurricane | Tommee Profitt/FleurieEasy On Me | AdeleStand by Me | Ben E. KingRaise Your Glass | P!nkKiss Me | Sixpence None The RicherSay You Won't Let Go | James ArthurHow Do I Say Goodbye | Dean LewisCarry You | Ruelle/FleurieSafe Place | RuthAnneWhen The Party's Over | Billie EilishGood as Hell | LizzoThis Is Me Trying | Taylor SwiftBrave | Sara BareillesFall Into Me | Forest BlakkDangerous Woman | Ariana GrandeDon't Blame Me | Taylor SwiftSay You Love Me | Jessie WareLost Without You | Freya RidingsPeer Pressure | James Bay/Julia MichaelsI See Red | MymTaletoWaking Up Slow | Gabrielle AplinFalling Like the Stars | James ArthurIncomplete | James BayNaked | James ArthurIf You Need Me | Julia MichaelsI Don't Want to Lose You | Luca FogaleOnly Love Can Hurt Like This | Paloma FaithHurts Like Hell | Fleurie/Tommee ProfittIf the World Was Ending | JP Saxe/Julia MichaelsI Will Be | Florence + The MachineRoots | Grace DaviesRiver | Bishop BriggsYou Make My Dreams | Tim Halperin That's My GirlClarissa Present DayIn almost two and a half years of marriage, I’ve never been to my husband’s apartment here in the city. And I have never been inside James’s office in the gleaming high-rise that boasts my maiden name in polished letters twenty feet tall.I stand on the sidewalk, craning my neck to look up, and up. As if I can somehow peer through concrete and steel to see what kind of reception I’ll get. I rub sweaty palms on my pencil skirt and let the sea of pedestrians flow around me. I’m a boulder in a current, but I vibrate with a combination of nerves and hopeful excitement.I wonder how he’ll react when he sees the paperwork I’ve brought with me. I wonder if he’ll smile and hold his arms out for a hug or if he’ll give me that cold, hard stare he reserves for people he wants to step back in line. Maybe he’ll just give me that slow shake of his head and flat-out refuse. James has never been afraid to let “No” act as a complete sentence.Maybe he won’t be here at all, off on one of his international business meetings.Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants after all my planning? To have simply forgotten to confirm that he’d be here today?I didn’t try to go to his penthouse first. Security would never have let me in. They don’t know me from Eve.But I’m counting on some of the same security officers being here at the office from before. Before I married my dad’s CFO.