by Tharp, Emma
My heart starts to melt in my chest and warmth spreads through me. “Really?”
“Yes. The only thing that I ask is that we keep an open line of communication at all times. I need to know how you feel, and in turn I’m going to do better sharing that, too.”
“I can do that.”
He lays a gentle kiss on my lips. “You make me so happy, Camille. I’m going to do my best to make you feel the same.”
Laying my hand on his cheek, I look him squarely in the eye. “You do, Garrett.”
When he rests his hand on my lower back and rubs it, I see the heat in his eyes and my body pulses to life. “I missed you, Camille.”
“It’s been less than twenty-four hours, but I missed you, too,” I admit.
“I don’t want to be without you again. Move in with me.”
I look at him and around the room and think of how much has changed between us these last six weeks. “Are we ready for that?”
He nods and cups the back of my neck. “I think we are. It worked before your surgery. Why wouldn’t it now?”
It doesn’t make sense to pretend that this isn’t exactly what I want. Will it be perfect? No. I know that, but I can’t wait to try. “Let’s do it.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say.
He gives me the sexy smile I love so much and pulls me in for a kiss, one that proves to me he’s ready to take the next step with me and toward our future.
Epilogue
Donovan
“This is good scotch,” my brother Garrett says, swirling the ice around in his glass.
“Agreed,” I say. “That’s why I love this restaurant. They only serve the best.”
My siblings and I have all found success as adults. Garrett with his company, my sister as an attorney, and myself as an investment banker. It’s a far cry from where we came from. My mother was a stay-at-home mother who did childcare on the side, and my dad worked his ass off for peanuts. We had nothing growing up, but they loved us and raised us right. Now we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor. It’s too bad our parents didn’t get a chance to see our success.
“I’ve got something to show you,” Garrett says, fishing around in his jacket pocket. He pulls out a little teal box and hands it to me with a huge grin on his face.
“What’s this?” I open the box and my jaw goes slack when I lay my eyes on the massive diamond ring inside. “No way, bro. You’re going to pop the question?”
He nods. “Yes. I just don’t know when. We’ve only been dating for a few months, but when you know, you know. I want her in my life forever. I thought I knew with Adriana, but it never felt like this.”
Holy shit. This will be marriage number two for my big brother. The thought of even doing it once makes my throat feel swollen and itchy. “Congrats, man.” I hand him the ring back as quickly as I can without being rude.
“You have any ideas for me? I’m not very creative and I want to make the proposal special.”
I take a bite of my sirloin and enjoy the juicy, peppery taste. “I’ll think of something. Give me a little time. And, hey, get a load of this. When I was going through possible investments, I came across one with the name Liza Dooley on it. Do you remember her from high school?”
“Oh, yeah. Pretty, popular. You had a massive crush on her and she friend-zoned you, right?”
The image of her gorgeous smile flashes through my mind, and I’m suddenly transported back to all those times I stared at her and wished she’d want me like I wanted her. My heart twists up inside my chest like it always used to with the rejection I felt around her. “Yup. That’s her. She wants to open a catering business,” I tell him.
“She always did throw the best parties. Makes sense that it’s the type of business she’s interested in.” Garrett wipes the corner of his mouth with his napkin. “You thinking of bankrolling her?”
“I think I might. It’ll serve a purpose.”
“And what’s that?” Garrett asks.
I cross my legs and contemplate how much I want to share with my brother. “Well, it’ll show her what she passed up. I’m no longer the skinny teenager with acne and only three pairs of sweatpants. The guy she used to spill her guts to about other guys. Nope. Now I’m fit, successful, and have so much more to offer. It’ll be like vindication to see the look on her face when she sees me now. The guy she could’ve had, but passed up.”
He nods, a contemplative look on his face. “Why not? You both get something out of the deal. Her, the money for her business, and you get to rub her face in what she could have had.”
“Yeah. I’m doing it. I’ll get in touch with her and set up a meeting.”
And how the meeting goes will depend on just how far I’m going to take this little revenge game of mine.
…To be continued
***
Thank you for reading The Trade! I hope you enjoyed Garrett and Camille’s story. If you did, and you’re curious what happens in Donovan’s story, Book 2 of the Monroe Family Series, check out Indebted.
Donovan Monroe is successful, handsome and single. And he intends on keeping it that way. There’s only been one woman in his life that wouldn’t give him the time of day—and it still bothers him.
Liza Dooley was the most popular girl in high school. She’s beautiful with a magnetic personality. Now, fifteen years later, she needs Donovan more than ever.
When Liza’s loan application passes Donovan’s desk, he sees it as a way to finally prove to Liza what she missed out on all those years ago. And when they come face to face, he knows what he’s got to do…Make her fall for him. Not because he wants a relationship. No, he wants revenge.
This should be easy, and maybe, he’ll have fun in the process. Getting involved with Liza again brings back all the feelings he had for her in high school, except now, she’s reciprocating them. But he knows what he’s doing is all in good fun…Or is it?
One-Click HERE to buy Indebted.
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Acknowledgments
You guys, I have had the best time writing this story. The topic is a little risqué, but the characters kept talking to me. Their story had to be written! I hope you enjoyed reading Garrett and Camille’s story.
Every day, I’m grateful for my family. I couldn’t follow my dreams without the support of my amazing husband and kids. All of my love and thanks to them for supporting me and cheering me on.
A big thank you goes out to my Love Kissed peeps. You guys all rock! You’re my tribe and I appreciate you all for what you bring to the table. Thanks for being you.
To my editor, Theresa Schultz. You’ve been an integral part of making all of my books better. Thank you for everything. It’s very much appreciated. And to my proofreader, Julie Deaton with Deaton Author Services, I thank you and your eagle eye for making sure all my books turn out, oh so pretty! And this cover! Thank you, Sarah Paige, for creating one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t love it more. Thank you to Lisa, my loan critique partner on this project. You are the best. To my review team, you know who you are. Thanks for your honest opinions on my stories. Every one of you has helped me in some way.
To my readers, a massive from the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking a chance on me and picking up my books. Your reviews, messages, emails, and kind words are what I do this for.
About the Author
Emma Tharp is the USA Today Bestselling Author of The Bluff Harbor Series, The Next Verse, The Rules of the Game Series and the McLoughlin Brother Series. She was raised in upstate New York. Being an only child, she spent a great deal of time alone, dreaming up characters who would keep her company on long family road trips. Putting her writing on the back burner, she went to college and became a chiropractor. After spending twelve years healing patients, Emma decided—
with the help of her amazingly supportive husband—to use the creative side of her brain and let her characters come to the page.
If she’s not writing, Emma can be found at the gym, one of her kids sporting events, Starbucks, or a live music event.
A perfect day for Emma would be spent at her lake house with her husband, two ginger-haired children, and Vizsla, reading a book and drinking a large cup of coffee (or wine) with music playing in the background.
Contact Emma Tharp at:
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Also by Emma Tharp
What About Her (Book One of the Bluff Harbor Series)
What About Us (Book Two of the Bluff Harbor Series)
The McLoughlin Brothers Series Boxed Set
Scoring Chance (Rules of the Game Book One)
Crashing Christmas