Katie McGarry captivated readers with her âriveting, emotionalâ* Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes itâs worth crossing the line for love....
Lila McCormick first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging lettersâor that sheâd fall for the boy sheâs only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.
Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only things getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line heâs never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lilaâs forgivenessâand finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.
Look for more contemporary YA by Katie McGarry with Pushing the Limits and Dare You To from Mira Ink.
*Simone Elkeles, New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series
âBrimming with dark memories, veiled secrets, and steamy moments.â âPublishers Weekly on Pushing the Limits
Dear Lincoln,
I saw this card today and thought of you. I know that I wasnât who you came to meet, but Iâm glad we had a chance to talk. Even though I was just his little sisterâs best friend, Aires still felt like a brother to me.
Between you and me, I keep smiling when I think of the look on your face when we decided to sneak out of the wake without being caught. That was a strange, messed-up night, and Iâm grateful you were there to help me through it.
I know how I miss Aires so I can only imagine how you miss Josh. Just remember that Iâm thinking of you.
Can I write you again? Will you write back? I hope you do. I sort of feel like we were meant to meet.
~ Lila
Dear Lila,
Thank you for the card. Iâm going to admit, Iâm not much of a kitten guy, but I appreciate the thought. Mostly, I appreciate your note.
Yeah, I agree, the night of Airesâs funeral was messed up, but messed up in a good way. Mom and Dad thought if we met Airesâs family that it would help us with losing Josh. I thought Mom and Dad had it all jacked up, and in a way, they did. It wasnât meeting Airesâs family that helped, it was talking to youâso thanks.
And no, I donât mind if you want to write me again. Even if you do it in one of those kitten-hanging-from-a-tree cards.
~ Lincoln
Lincoln
Is it weird that I feel close to you even though youâre hundreds of miles away and weâve only met once? I hope not. Iâm glad that youâre in my life.
~ Lila
On the computer screen, the question âWhy?â glares at me like the correct accusation it is. This dialogue between Lila and me, it breaks every unsaid rule about our relationship. We never plug in like this. Never. Not that part of me hasnât wanted a faster connection to her. A link beyond the letters, but there was something about the written word that made our relationship safe.
And now weâre crossing lines. The one relationship I need, the one relationship I depend on...Iâve jacked it up. Fitting since I have a natural inclination toward destroying anything good. Itâs genetic, my sister tells me. Anyone sharing our bloodline is inherently doomed.
âYou should have talked to me before buying it,â my father shouts at my mother in the kitchen. âI made a budget.â
My home is a volcano, a constant gurgle of hot lava on the verge of explosion. I try to ignore my parents, but itâs difficult. We have one computer in the house, and it sits wide open in the family room. From the corner of my eye, I have a clear shot of how Dadâs hands shake with anger and how Momâs frustration paints her cheeks a frightening scarlet.
âWhy should I have to ask your permission for anything?â A chair slams into the wooden kitchen table and Momâs high heels stomp against the tile floor. âItâs my money too. And as for the budgetâyou never asked me what I wanted.â
I asked you why. Lilaâs words appear on our direct message conversation.
I rub at the lines on my forehead, and a tense uneasiness paralyzes my fingers over the keyboard. I donât know why I did it. Thatâs a lie, I do know, but I donât know how to tell her. I donât know how to salvage this.
Iâm sorry, I reply.
I didnât ask for an apology, she rapid-fires back, I asked WHY!
Because I love you. Itâs as if someone places two hands around my heart and chokes it. I love her. Iâve fallen for a girl I met only once, a girl Iâve exchanged letters with for two years. Thereâs no way she can feel the same about me. Those words would push her over the edge.
I want to keep her, but what do I say? What can I do?