Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Reverse FORWARD
Note to Reader
Part I
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
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
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
PART II
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Five
Chapter Sixty-Six
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Chapter Sixty–Eight
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Chapter Seventy
Chapter Seventy-One
Chapter Seventy-Two
Chapter Seventy-Three
Chapter Seventy-Four
Chapter Seventy-Five
Chapter Seventy-Six
Chapter Seventy-Seven
Epilogue
About the Author
Thank You
For my dear friend, Autumn Gantz. I can’t imagine what life would be like if you hadn’t picked up the phone five years ago and taken a chance on a writer who was struggling to realize her dream. A frank conversation about a music-based book I had yet to release started our inevitable 11:11 journey, and I’m so incredibly grateful for every step.
And for all those creatives who we declared heroes before we spotlighted their flaws and exploited their demons. Forgive us, for we know not what we did.
You were only human.
HA! See what happened there? I can’t take pun credit, it occurred naturally.
Welcome to my first forward. I’m pretty sure I will be terrible at this, but alas, I must because I need to preface the setting for this book.
Picture this, Sicily, 2035, wait…this isn’t a Golden Girl’s episode.
Let’s try this then…
Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene—year, 2035…Nope, that doesn’t really work either.
Okay, so here goes. Years ago, I decided Drive would never, ever, ever, ever, have a sequel and swore as much vehemently over the years that followed.
In January of this year, I made myself a liar.
So, nearly five years of “I’m not doing it” later, inspiration hit. I would love to apologize for the direction this one took, bearing in mind the requests from readers for a different take, but alas, I cannot because I fell passionately in love with this story and the characters.
Why all this gibberish, Kate? This book takes place thirteen years into the future, in the year 2035, which gave me a few liberties, that I did not take to the crazy extent. There are no flying cars in this book, nor do the characters materialize in a “Beam me up, Scotty” way. This isn’t that kind of book.
That said, I spruced up a few things technologically to suit this story—and I mean very few—to the point they’ll probably go unnoticed by some or many. Other things noted in the book have been aged well beyond our current year of 2022.
While I did my absolute best to keep up with the timeline from the previous book, the age progressions, and the love story timelines of all characters, I may have fumbled a little with the ball. I’m not saying I did, but it happens.
So, my request to you, dear reader, is…go with it and just enjoy this tale of woe from that of Juliet and her Romeo. Kind of. No spoilers here.
**Clears throat.**
As was the case with DRIVE, book #1, the chapter headings in REVERSE are clickable, so you can listen while you read to further enhance your experience. If nothing else, I implore you to listen to the songs during the most crucial chapters as they really do elevate the story. Music is both the muse and basis for this series.
If you have not read Drive, I strongly urge you to stop and grab it here before proceeding to this story. Is it necessary? Absolutely. If you want to experience and feel this book as I intended while writing, it’s a must.
Once again, I must thank you, dear reader, for giving my books a try with all my heart. I hope you enjoy it.
XO
Kate
To experience this book in its entirety, like Drive, we have made this an interactive e-book. Each chapter heading is a clickable link to the song so you can listen while you read. And because this duet is my personal ode to my driving force—music—I couldn’t resist incorporating the soundtrack through Spotify.
Download Spotify for free. Listen to the Reverse Playlist.
Listen to The Bittersweet Symphony Duet Playlist.
“With the lights out, it’s less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us”
Nirvana
“Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Someone Like You
Adele
Natalie
2035
Glancing over my monitor to his office across the bustling newsroom, I see him typing a mile a minute. Rolling my chair closer to my desk, I duck out of his line of sight in an effort to shield my guilty conscience.
Nate Butler
Subject: Decisions
June 7, 2005, 2:23 a.m.
Salutations post countless beers,
I find it amusing that you work at a place called The Plate Bar. Did those idiot owners even research the name? I’m sitting on the patio at my best friend’s place, staring at the city lights, and I’m wondering where you are. I swore I wouldn’t bother you after beer one, and then decided on a formal email after beer three. But I still can’t afford you. It’s sad, really. So, the countdown begins, Miss Emerson. And though it’s just a few short months away, I find myself wanting to make one last effort to persuade you to go out with me (for research purposes of course). I have two tickets for the Ritz this Saturday.
GET. IN. MY. TAHOE.
Nate Butler
Editor in Chief, Austin Speak
Sent via Blackberry
“Natalie, line four,” Elena, our office receptionist, chimes in as I damn near jump out of my skin. “It’s Jack with The Dallas Morning News.”