Happy New You

by St John Brown, Brenda

  She waves away my comment. “I was included, but I told Benson he’d have to talk to me Monday because I had someplace to be.”

  What. The. Hell.

  The spark of hope I’m trying to extinguish is burning me alive. “Say that again.”

  “I told him I couldn’t meet with him right now, to make an appointment on Monday. But that’s not important. What’s important—”

  “Shut up, Al.” I claim her mouth in a kiss that I’ve only been able to dream about for the last four weeks. With every slide of our lips and every swipe of our tongues I hear the pieces of my life click into place. Her fingers tangled in my hair are the anchor that holds me to her, grounding me, and I never want to leave. She pulls away, and it causes a physical ache I feel through my whole body.

  “Wait, Matty.” She sucks in a shuddering breath. “I have to tell you.”

  There’s no controlling my smile. “Tell me.”

  Her warm palms cup my face and I know I’m home. “I love you, Mateo Ramirez. So much.”

  “I know.”

  Her coffee eyes shimmer with more tears and uncertainty. “How…”

  I brush the hair from her forehead. “You walked away from that VIP tent.”

  “I did.” She throws her arms around my neck, looks up into my eyes, and gives me a challenging grin. “So you better make it worth my while, Mr. Ramirez.”

  “Oh, I plan to, Ms. Gottlieb. Many, many times.”

  Her squeals draw attention when I sweep her into my arms and carry her toward my dad’s car. “Congratulations, by the way.”

  Chills skate down my spine as she toys with the hair at the back of my neck. “I don’t have the partnership yet, Matty. We’ll see what happens Monday.”

  I set her down next to the vehicle. “Not for that, for completing your resolution list. All ten in less than twelve months. I don’t know why I’m surprised. You’ve always been an overachiever.”

  The confusion on her face is adorable. “Ten? I’ve only been nine. I don’t even know what the tenth one was.”

  I reach for my wallet and withdraw a mangled shred of napkin.

  “What’s that?”

  “Your tenth resolution, the one I wrote for you.”

  Her cheeks swell with a grin, and her eyes light with excitement. “Give me that.” She snatches it from my hand and reads it. “Fall in love with Mateo Ramirez.” Tears spill over her lashes again as she glances from the paper to me and back to the paper. I stumble backward when she launches herself into my arms. “Oh, Matty, I did. I really, really did.” Our lips meet in a gentle collision. This woman owns me body and soul, but then again, she always has.

  She pulls away and whispers, “Best year ever.”

  Epilogue

  Allison

  One year later - New Year’s Eve

  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us today. It is my pleasure to celebrate the opening of Resolution Fitness.” Joseph Fuller, the Queens Borough President, waits a moment while the audience applauds. “This is a great day for the Jackson Heights neighborhood. This gym was designed to cater to many different walks of life. Since our borough is one of the most diverse areas in this country, I think we can all appreciate how important that is. I’m going to turn it over to the owner, Mateo Ramirez, to say a few words now.” Mr. Fuller shakes Matty’s hand before stepping aside.

  Mateo clears his throat. “A few years ago, I had a dream. Gym memberships shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Everyone should be able to focus on living a healthier life, no matter their economic status. Today, we see that dream come into fruition. Words can’t express how excited I am about the possibilities to come.” Mr. Fuller hands him the giant ceremonial scissors. “I’m supposed to cut this ribbon now and it’s really cold out here, so without further ado, welcome to Resolution Fitness!”

  I blink back tears as Mateo cuts the red ribbon and steps out of the way so people can head indoors. Despite the chilly temperatures, there’s a great turnout. Matty’s been spreading the word within the community over the last several months, and that’s clearly paid off. Before he even opened the doors, he had three times as many memberships as he’d anticipated.

  Seth comes up to Mateo with Hillary tucked into his side. Much to everyone’s surprise, they’ve been in a committed relationship for over a year now.

  “Good job, buddy,” Seth says, giving Matty one of those manly slaps on the back.

  Mateo takes my gloved hand. “Thanks, man. Let’s get inside. It’s cold as hell out here.”

  Seth laughs as he holds the door open for the three of us. “I’m not going to argue with you on that one.”

  Once we’re soaking in the warmth from inside the building, I place a kiss on Matty’s cheek. “Congratulations, Mr. Entrepreneur.”

  He smiles. “Thank you.” He gestures to the large crowd walking through the open space, checking out the equipment. “Can you believe this? I never expected to have so many people show up. Especially not in late December when it’s freezing out there.”

  I shrug. “Cold schmold. New Yorkers are a tough bunch.”

  “True.” He removes his coat and offers to take mine before setting them behind the check-in counter. “I couldn’t have done this without you, Al.”

  I place a soft kiss on his lips. “Now that’s not true. This is all you, Matty.”

  “And a little me,” Dakota adds with a chuckle as she joins us. “Nice turnout, Mateo. I’m looking forward to seeing all of the good that’s going to come from this place.”

  Mateo grins. “Thank you. I am, too. And I can’t thank you enough for having faith in me.”

  Dani joins her wife. “She’s pretty awesome like that.”

  “How’ve you been, Dani?” I ask.

  She shrugs. “Oh you know, busy, busy. No rest for the wicked at Benson, Hyatt, and Menski.”

  I laugh. “I certainly don’t miss that.”

  Dani grabs Dakota’s hand. “That’s because you get to work with my hot wife all day.”

  I wrap my arm around Mateo’s waist. “And see this guy a lot more.”

  Dakota smiles. “I’m not complaining. You’re the best attorney we have on staff. I’ve never seen such efficiency or attention to detail.”

  After running the obstacle course last year, I decided to make even more changes in my life. I was offered the promotion that I had been so desperately vying for, but I respectfully declined. I knew accepting the job would mean even more hours each week, and I wasn’t willing to make the necessary sacrifices. Not only in my relationship with Mateo, but in taking care of myself. Needless to say, Mr. Benson was not pleased.

  Dani happened to mention that Dakota’s venture capitalist firm was looking for a new attorney who specializes in contract negotiations. I applied for the position the very next day and was hired the following week. Since then, I’ve worked Monday through Friday, nine to five. Practically every evening and weekend over the last year has been spent with my amazing boyfriend. I couldn’t have imagined I’d be so happy and stress-free, but here I am all the same. I’ve even managed to get my overbearing mother off my back for the most part.

  “Would you ladies mind if I steal a moment with my beautiful girlfriend?” Matty asks.

  Dakota makes a shooing gesture. “Go right ahead. I’ll keep an eye on things out here.”

  He winks. “Thanks, Kota.”

  “Where are we going?” I ask Matty as he leads me down a narrow hallway.

  “To my office. I just need a few minutes with you all to myself.”

  I offer him a grin. “Matty, I’m all for a quickie, but do you really think this is the best time?”

  He laughs as he opens the door to his office and pulls me inside. “Anytime is a good time for a quickie, but that’s not what I’m going for here.”

  “Well, then what are you going for, Mr. Ramirez?”

  Mateo shuts the door behind me and pulls me to the center of the room. I gasp when he produces a sparkly ring fro
m his pocket and drops to one knee.

  “Al, two years ago today, you stumbled back into my life, with your sexy red dress and stolen champagne. Since then, we’ve had some ups and downs, but I couldn’t be happier with where we are. No, that’s not exactly true; there is one more thing I want.”

  My eyes are blurry with tears and my heart pounds. With a shaky voice, I ask, “What’s that?” I’m pretty sure I already know the answer but I need to hear him say it.

  Mateo takes my left hand. “Allison Gottlieb, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I can’t promise that life will be smooth sailing all the time, but I can promise I will love you with everything that I am.” He gulps. “What do you say?”

  Now the tears are streaming down my face. “Yes, Matty. Of course I’ll marry you!”

  He sighs in relief and slides a gorgeous emerald cut solitaire onto my finger. When he stands and takes my mouth in a searing kiss, I think about how grateful I am for this man. He came back into my life when I needed him most. He makes me want to be a better person. He’s shown me what a life of true happiness and selflessness is.

  Loving Mateo Ramirez is the best resolution I’ve ever made.

  Acknowledgments

  Eleven authors have A LOT of people to thank, but first and foremost we all want to thank you, the reader, for taking a chance on our quirky rom com. This project was so much fun to write and we hope Al and Matty steal your hearts the way they’ve stolen ours.

  Thank you to Najla Qamber Designs for taking our initial cover concept and making it so much better! And thank you, too, to Ashley Martin at Twin Tweaks Editing for your painstaking attention to detail. It turns out, eleven authors have quite a few opinions about comma usage.

  A collective thanks to all of our families and friends who didn’t laugh when we said we were writing a collaborative novel. And to Alessandra Torre's author Facebook group, Alessandra Torre's Inkers, for bringing us all together in the first place.

  Speaking of Facebook, you can find out more about each of the individual authors on the following pages or find us collectively on Facebook over at A RomComKind of Love. We look forward to seeing you there!

  About Sylvie Stewart

  USA Today bestselling author Sylvie Stewart is addicted to Romantic Comedy and Contemporary Romance, and she’s not looking for a cure. She hails from the great state of North Carolina, so it’s no surprise that most of her books are set in the Tar Heel state. She’s a wife to a hilarious dude, and mommy to ten-year-old twin boys who tend to take after their father in every way. Sylvie often wonders if they’re actually hers, but then she remembers being a human incubator for a gazillion months. Ah, good times.

  Sylvie began publishing when her kids started elementary school, and she loves sharing her stories with readers and hopefully making them laugh and swoon a bit along the way. If she’s not in her comfy green writing chair, she’s probably camping or kayaking with her family or having a glass of wine while binge-watching Hulu. Or she’s been kidnapped—so what are you doing just sitting there?!!

  Find out more here: http://sylviestewartauthor.com

  About Nikky Kaye

  Nikky Kaye is the author of sexy, sassy books like No Excuses and the Billionaire Book Club series. Her work experiences--including the United Nations and the adult film industry--inform her quest for happy endings. When not writing, she is a procrastinating perfectionist--someday, she's going to be awesome.

  To find out more visit: www.nikkykaye.com

  About Mya Martin

  Mya Martin was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She spent many years climbing mountains, shipping cargo for a major airline, and helping people as a 911 dispatcher before leaving it all behind to pursue her passion. Life is full of moments that make you laugh till you cry. Mya loves to write stories that make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and blush when the pages get too hot.

  Learn more about Mya at www.myamartin.com or follow her on social media.

  About Marika Ray

  Marika Ray spends her time behind a computer crafting stories, walking the beaches of southern California, and making healthy food for her kids and husband whether they like it or not. Prior to writing novels, Marika held various jobs in the finance industry, with private start-up companies, and then in health & fitness. Cats may have nine lives, but Marika believes everyone should have nine careers to keep things spicy. Marika enjoys writing all types of fiction novels, based on what inspires her. Right now she's working on a new steamy RomCom series along with sweet romances to make your heart explode. All her books come with a money-back guarantee that you’ll smile at least once with every book.

  More information can be found at https://www.marikaray.com

  About Laura Lee

  Laura Lee is the bestselling author of the Pixie Dust Chronicles and Dealing With Love series. She has spent most of her life with her nose in a book thinking of alternate endings or continuations to the story. She won her first writing contest at the ripe old age of nine, earning a trip to the state capital to showcase her manuscript. Thankfully for her, those early works will never see the light of day again!

  Find out more here: https://www.lauraleebooks.com

  About Julia Wolf

  Julia writes romance that's sweet in the streets, steamy in the sheets. She likes to mix a healthy dose of humor into her love stories. She firmly believes in laughing her way through life, and so do her characters.

  Find out more at: http://juliawolfwrites.com/

  About Jami Albright

  Jami Albright is a born and raised Texas girl and is the multiple award-winning author of The Brides on the Run series--a fun, sexy, snarky, laugh-out-loud good time. If you don't snort with laughter, then she hasn't done her job.

  For more info, visit: www.jamialbright.com

  About Elizabeth Lynx

  Elizabeth Lynx writes romantic comedy with steam. She's a recovering comedian. Wife and mother of the two little boys. Believer in love and laughter. Her life consists of preventing small catastrophes and wondering if a day will exist when she doesn't have to fold laundry. When she's not doing that, Elizabeth loves to write about characters that get themselves into ridiculous situations and have the hots for each other.

  To find out more visit: https://www.elizabeth-lynx.com/

  About Ceri Grenelle

  Ceri is the author of quirky and sexy contemporary romance novels. She has a major weakness for sappy cuddle moments as much as hot and steamy sex scenes, and a penchant for writing snappy and sarcastic dialogue. She loves romance that isn't afraid to be awkward and uncouth, and thrives on flawed characters with big hearts. Ceri is a New York native living in California with her two cats, Mercy and Eugene Fitzherbert, who should be very thankful she didn't name him frying pan.

  For more information visit: www.cerigrenelle.com

  About Cassie-Ann L. Miller

  Cassie-Ann L. Miller is an Amazon Top 100 Bestselling Romance Author. She writes steamy contemporary romance with a dash of angst and a sprinkle of humor. And if her toddler weren't rebelling against his bedtime right now, she'd have a minute to write her author biography, too ;)

  For more information about her books visit her Amazon author page here.

  About Brenda St John Brown

  Brenda St John Brown started writing while on a conference call for her day job - and hasn’t stopped. The day job now IS writing and she lives by the motto “why call if you can text?” She’s a displaced New Yorker living in the UK and, even after eleven years, still has to consciously remember to drive on the left.

  For more info about Brenda and her books, visit http://brendastjohnbrown.com.

 

 

 
yscale(100%); -o-filter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share