“I don’t know,” Cherry mused. “It can be annoying. But there are a lot of cat videos.”
Before Rose could reply, the door to their office burst open. Again. Really, all this human contact was a bit much for one morning.
It was Louise, one of the receptionists, all pink-cheeked and wide-eyed. “Rose!” she gasped. “Cherry! Oh, you won’t believe what’s happened!”
“Calm down,” Rose frowned. “Are you alright?”
“No!” Louise shrieked. “I’m as likely to pass out as—” she broke off, her eyes narrowing. “Is that Hotel Chocolat?”
Cherry slapped the lid back onto the box. “All gone. Sorry.”
“Bugger. Anyway, listen to this!”
Cherry listened. Rose listened. Louise paused dramatically.
“Come on, then,” Rose finally snapped. She wasn’t known for her patience.
Louise relented, her tone hushed. “There’s a man.”
Cherry looked at Rose. Rose looked at Cherry. They might work in a school—sorry, educational academy—but men did appear from time to time. True, they tended to belong to senior management rather than, say, the admin team. But they were hardly a rare sighting.
“A man?” Rose prompted.
“Yes.” Louise nodded like a bobble-head. “A new man. A visitor. And he’s absolutely bloody gorgeous.”
Cherry leant forward. “Is he, now?”
“His backside is unbelievable,” Louise breathed. Her voice was reverent. Her eyes were slightly unfocused. Cherry’s interest was most firmly piqued.
“And who is this man?” Rose demanded. “What’s he doing here?”
Louise hesitated.
“Oh, for Christ’s sake. That’s all the gossip you have?”
“I’m afraid so, Rose. He’s just come in, you see, and Chris fairly whisked him away…”
“Well,” Rose sniffed. “You’d best get back to reception, before you miss anything else.”
“You’re right,” the younger woman murmured, almost to herself. “He might come out again. There might be more of them!” She disappeared without bothering to say goodbye. As the door swung shut, Cherry wondered just how handsome this man could possibly be. Perhaps she could…
Don’t even think about it. You’re a sensible adult who does not make a fool of herself at work. You are a mature woman entering the prime of her life, not to be distracted by—
“Go and investigate, will you, darling?”
Cherry stood. “If you insist.”
One-click THE PRINCESS TRAP now!
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Author’s Note
So, that’s it! The Ravenswood series is over. No, I’m not crying, you’re crying. Or something. Whatever. Let’s move on.
Writing this series has been absolutely incredible, and reader responses have been even better. Every time I get an email from someone who relates to Ruth or Laura or Hannah, I tear up and sparkle at the same time. I really hope you love Rae just as much as all the other Ravenswood outcasts—and I already know you guys adore Zach. You’ve been waiting for his story long enough!
Speaking of Zach: writing a demisexual character was a wonderful and very important experience for me. I have to thank Em Ali and Xan West again for their advice and support. Any issues with representation are entirely my own. In writing Zach, it felt especially vital that I gave him space to be angry—not just about the way people mistreat him, but also about society’s treatment of his identity. Ace-spectrum individuals are often brushed off, ignored, or have their marginalisation downplayed, so I wanted to decimate that. I hope Zach’s perspective will help any allosexual readers to remember that we all have different experiences, and nothing should ever be assumed.
And now, I suppose, this is goodbye. I’m so sorry to leave this small town behind, but excited for what’s to come. Thank you for taking this rollercoaster ride with me.
Love and biscuits,
Talia
About the Author
Talia Hibbert is an award-winning, Black British author who lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate.
She writes sexy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. She also rambles intermittently about the romance genre online. Her interests include makeup, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm.
Talia loves hearing from readers. Follow her social media to connect, or email her directly at [email protected].
Also by Talia Hibbert
The Brown Sisters
Get a Life, Chloe Brown
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The Ravenswood Series
A Girl Like Her
Damaged Goods
Untouchable
That Kind of Guy
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The Dirty British Romance Duet
The Princess Trap
Wanna Bet?
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The Just for Him Series
Bad for the Boss
Undone by the Ex-Con
Sweet on the Greek
The Complete Series: A Boxed Set
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Standalones
Mating the Huntress
Operation Atonement
Merry Inkmas
That Kind of Guy Page 22