It had been a few days since the incident with Michael, and things were going better. So much better.
Everyone had pitched in to clean up at Teas’d, and she hadn’t actually lost as much merchandise as she had feared. Insurance would take care of the rest, and because she paid a ton for insurance, they were going to help. Call it a holiday miracle, but the claim was actually going well.
She knocked on wood, ignoring Ryan’s stare as she did. She didn’t want to tempt fate, especially not during the holidays.
“What was that?”
“Just thinking.”
“I don’t know, you thinking can lead to dangerous things.”
She elbowed him in the gut, and Ryan laughed. Julia ran up to them, and he picked her up, putting her on his hip as easily as if he’d done it a million times before. Ryan and Julia already knew each other, so introducing them wasn’t that difficult. Plus, Julia was young enough that Abby didn’t have to introduce him as a special friend where things could get awkward. But they were taking it slow. Yes, they were sleeping together. Yes, they were dating. Yes, she knew she was falling in love with him. And, yes, he was falling in love with her, but they were still new. They were going to wait until everything was just right before they took any next steps.
Because this was their relationship, their happily ever after.
Abby had a good feeling about this. She had a good feeling about a lot of things.
She was going to hire another of Thea’s part-time workers for her other part-time shift. She’d had a sale right after the incident at the store and had already made her money back. Ryan and the others at Montgomery Ink Too had helped with everything, to the point where she hadn’t really had to even lift a finger. She might get spoiled with that.
Her baby girl was smiling and grinning and playing with Ryan’s beard.
Julia wasn’t going to get confused when it came to Max or Ryan. Because Max was Daddy, and Ryan was Mommy’s new friend. Maybe in the future, it would be something more, but it was okay that they were taking things slowly. It was okay that they had taken the first steps and trusted each other.
Because they’d taken long enough for this to happen, they could take as long as they wanted to get where they were going.
“Okay, time for the white elephant part of the party.” Adrienne bounced to her feet, and Mace rolled his eyes.
Then he leaned forward. “Remember, there are children in the room. So this game better end PG or G. What’s the one that’s for their age?”
“Good to know you have this whole father thing going on.” Shep rolled his eyes and brought his daughter Livvy into the living room upside down. Soon, the whole room was packed. The elder Montgomerys were sitting in an armchair, cuddling as if they were newlyweds rather than having been married for over thirty years. Mace and Adrienne were sitting on the floor, playing with Daisy as she told them about her brand-new ribbons that she had gotten already that were under the tree.
Thea and Dimitri were also cuddled on the floor, their big golden retriever, Captain, snoring lazily by the fire. The fact that he wasn’t trying to rummage under the Christmas tree or tear at the wrapping paper told them just how tired the pup was. Apparently, he had gone on a hike the day before, even in the snow, and needed his old-doggie sleep.
Carter and Roxie weren’t there, but then again, Carter was still healing, and the family acted as if everything were fine. Everything would be fine.
At least Abby hoped it would be.
Kaylee and Landon were in the room as well, but pointedly not sitting next to each other. Abby had a feeling they were going to figure out exactly what was going on with the pair of them soon. But finally, all Abby had eyes for was Ryan and her Julia.
“I got you something,” Ryan whispered.
“Really? Which one is it? I’ll try to get it from the white elephant.”
He shook his head before giving her a box. “No, this one’s just for you. I got something silly for the rest of them.”
“No fair, you can’t just hand over gifts like that,” Adrienne said, her eyes dancing with laughter.
“Hey, you play your own game; this is just for Abby, thank you very much.”
Abby knew her cheeks were red, but she just smiled at Ryan and took the box.
“Can I open it now?”
“Of course.”
“Help?” Julia asked, and Abby nodded.
“Okay, baby girl, you help your mommy open this gift.”
Abby opened her gift slowly, Julia helping with her tiny little hands while sitting on Ryan’s lap. They looked such like a family, and she was really okay with that. Because they had been friends first, and that would never change.
And she was happy.
So happy.
As she looked at the new teapot Ryan had gotten her, one she knew had been made by Jake Gallagher, she just grinned up at the man she knew she was already in love with.
“I love it.”
Ryan leaned forward and kissed her cheek before whispering in her year. “And I love you,” he whispered.
She knew it was too soon, but she didn’t care. “I love you, too.”
Julia patted each of their cheeks and then kissed them both.
Ryan laughed and kissed her little girl, and then kissed her on the lips, softly.
Everybody clapped, teasing them before they went into opening up their white elephant gifts and joining in on all the other jazz that came with a Montgomery party. Abby knew that she and Ryan and Julia were on their own path, but she was falling in love with everything around her. Not just Ryan. But she loved him. And he loved her. Yes, everything had changed, but that was fine with her.
She looked over at the tree, a smaller one next to the larger one. That one only had ornaments made for Thea’s friends, or ornaments that were made for everyone important in their lives.
There was one for each Montgomery, and one for each of the workers that had become part of the Montgomery family. There was one for Landon, Kaylee, Abby, Julia, and Ryan. And there were two more that brought tears to Abby’s eyes when she first saw them.
One was for Michael, because there had to be hope in the darkness.
And one was for Max, because there had to be love in that hope.
And as she leaned into Ryan and blew a kiss at the ornament made for the other man that she loved, Abby knew that life might have thrown her for a loop more than once, but she always found her feet. She always found that hope, that love, and that peace.
The holidays were here, and her family was holding her close.
And she had been born once again from the ashes.
This was her life now.
New beginnings and all.
* * * *
Also from 1001 Dark Nights and Carrie Ann Ryan, discover Inked Nights, Wicked Wolf, Hidden Ink, and Adoring Ink.
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DRAGON CLAIMED by Donna Grant
A Dark Kings Novella
ASHES TO INK by Carrie Ann Ryan
A Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs Novella
ENSNARED by Elisabeth Naughton
An Eternal Guardians Novella
EVERMORE by Corinne Michaels
A Salvation Series Novella
VENGEANCE by Rebecca Zanetti
A Dark Protectors/Rebels Novella
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A Reapers MC Novella
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RESCUING MACIE by Susan Stoker
A Delta Force Heroes Novella
ENCHANTED by Lexi Blake
A Masters and Mercenaries Novella
TAKE THE BRIDE by Carly Phillips
A Knight Brothers Novella
INDULGE ME by J. Kenner
A Stark Ever After Novella
THE KING by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A Wicked Novella
QUIET MAN by Kristen Ashley
A Dream Man Novella
ABANDON by Rachel Van Dyken
A Seaside Pictures Novella
THE OPEN DOOR by Laurelin Paige
A Found Duet Novella
CLOSER by Kylie Scott
A Stage Dive Novella
SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS by Jennifer Probst
A Stay Novella
BLOOD NIGHT by Heather Graham
A Krewe of Hunters Novella
TWIST OF FATE by Jill Shalvis
A Heartbreaker Bay Novella
MORE THAN PLEASURE YOU by Shayla Black
A More Than Words Novella
WONDER WITH ME by Kristen Proby
A With Me In Seattle Novella
THE DARKEST ASSASSIN by Gena Showalter
A Lords of the Underworld Novella
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DAMIEN by J. Kenner
A Stark Novel
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Discover More Carrie Ann Ryan
Inked Nights
A Montgomery Ink Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
Click here to purchase.
Tattoo artist, Derek Hawkins knows the rules:
One night a month.
No last names.
No promises.
Olivia Madison has her own rules:
Don’t fall in love.
No commitment.
Never tell Derek the truth.
When their worlds crash into each other however, Derek and Olivia will have to face what they fought to ignore as well as the connection they tried to forget.
* * * *
Adoring Ink
A Montgomery Ink Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
Click here to purchase.
Holly Rose fell in love with a Montgomery, but left him when he couldn’t love her back. She might have been the one to break the ties and ensure her ex’s happy ending, but now Holly’s afraid she’s missed out on more than a chance at forever. Though she’s always been the dependable good girl, she’s ready to take a leap of faith and embark on the journey of a lifetime.
Brody Deacon loves ink, women, fast cars, and living life like there’s no tomorrow. The thing is, he doesn’t know if he has a tomorrow at all. When he sees Holly, he’s not only intrigued, he also hears the warnings of danger in his head. She’s too sweet, too innocent, and way too special for him. But when Holly asks him to help her grab the bull by the horns, he can’t help but go all in.
As they explore Holly’s bucket list and their own desires, Brody will have to make sure he doesn’t fall too hard and too fast. Sometimes, people think happily ever afters don’t happen for everyone, and Brody will have to face his demons and tell Holly the truth of what it means to truly live life to the fullest…even when they’re both running out of time.
* * * *
Hidden Ink
A Montgomery Ink Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
Click here to purchase.
The Montgomery Ink series continues with the long-awaited romance between the café owner next door and the tattoo artist who’s loved her from afar.
Hailey Monroe knows the world isn’t always fair, but she’s picked herself up from the ashes once before and if she needs to, she’ll do it again. It’s been years since she first spotted the tattoo artist with a scowl that made her heart skip a beat, but now she’s finally gained the courage to approach him. Only it won’t be about what their future could bring, but how to finish healing the scars from her past.
Sloane Gordon lived through the worst kinds of hell yet the temptation next door sends him to another level. He’s kept his distance because he knows what kind of man he is versus what kind of man Hailey needs. When she comes to him with a proposition that sends his mind whirling and his soul shattering, he’ll do everything in his power to protect the woman he cares for and the secrets he’s been forced to keep.
* * * *
Wicked Wolf
A Redwood Pack Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
Click here to purchase.
The war between the Redwood Pack and the Centrals is one of wolf legend. Gina Eaton lost both of her parents when a member of their Pack betrayed them. Adopted by the Alpha of the Pack as a child, Gina grew up within the royal family to become an enforcer and protector of her den. She’s always known fate can be a tricky and deceitful entity, but when she finds the one man that could be her mate, she might throw caution to the wind and follow the path set out for her, rather than forging one of her own.
Quinn Weston’s mate walked out on him five years ago, severing their bond in the most brutal fashion. She not only left him a shattered shadow of himself, but their newborn son as well. Now, as the lieutenant of the Talon Pack’s Alpha, he puts his whole being into two things: the safety of his Pack and his son.
When the two Alphas put Gina and Quinn together to find a way to ensure their treaties remain strong, fate has a plan of its own. Neither knows what will come of the Pack’s alliance, let alone one between the two of them. The past paved their paths in blood and heartache, but it will take the strength of a promise and iron will to find their future.
Hidden Ink
A Montgomery Ink Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
Click here to purchase
The Montgomery Ink series continues with the long-awaited romance between the café owner next door and the tattoo artist who’s loved her from afar.
Hailey Monroe knows the world isn’t always fair, but she’s picked herself up from the ashes once before and if she needs to, she’ll do it again. It’s been years since she first spotted the tattoo artist with a scowl that made her heart skip a beat, but now she’s finally gained the courage to approach him. Only it won’t be about what their future could bring, but how to finish healing the scars from her past.
Sloane Gordon lived through the worst kinds of hell yet the temptation next door sends him to another level. He’s kept his distance because he knows what kind of man he is versus what kind of man Hailey needs. When she comes to him with a proposition that sends his mind whirling and his soul shattering, he’ll do everything in his power to protect the woman he cares for and the secrets he’s been forced to keep.
* * * *
Hailey was still a blank canvas, but knew she eventually wanted ink of her own.
One day she would be brave enough to ask for it.
It wasn’t the ink she was afraid of, wasn’t the needles. God knew she’d seen enough of those in her life thanks to chemo, radiation, and the countless tests and treatments.
No, it was the person she wanted to do her ink.
While Maya, Austin, and Callie would bend over backward to help her with her tattoo and the nerves that came with it, she didn’t want them to do it. She had someone else in mind.
Someone she was afraid to talk to for fear of what would spill out.
Someone who didn’t care for her as she cared for him.
Hailey’s phone buzzed and she sighed. Today was a day for melancholy thoughts, apparently. She turned off the timer on her phone then went to the front of the café to flip the sign to Open while unlocking the door. Two of her morning regulars, men in business suits, who had the courtesy to get off their phones before they wal
ked into the shop, smiled at her.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” she said with a smile. “Your usuals?”
“You know it,” one said.
“Of course,” the other one added in.
She smiled widely then went back to her counter to get their drinks and pastries. Soon her help would be there to work the register so she wouldn’t be alone. The crisp morning air had filtered in with the brief opening and closing of the door, and as she worked quickly, she knew today would be a good day.
Any day she could do what she loved would be a better day than the last.
By the time Corrine came in and took over the front station, Hailey was already buzzing with the adrenaline of a morning rush. There was nothing like earning a living doing something she loved. The brownies were a hit, and the first batch she’d set out was soon gone. Normally, she would have saved them for the afternoon crowd so customers would eat her bagels and other morning delights, but she didn’t have the heart to hide them in the back. Nor did she have the will.
She’d have eaten the whole batch and gained all that weight Callie had joked about. Lying on the kitchen floor in a sugar coma wasn’t the best way to run a bakery.
The morning passed by quickly, and soon, Hailey found herself in a slight lull. After talking to Corrine, she made a tray of pastries and to-go cups of coffee—each one individualized for someone special. She wasn’t sure exactly who was working today over at Montgomery Ink, but she knew at least the main people would be there, and she was familiar with their drink of choice. Even if she made extra, nothing would go to waste. Austin and Maya would make sure of that.
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