“Yes, that’s all I want. It’s amazing I entered this competition thinking that winning and everything that came with it was what I wanted. But then I found you and realized I want you. I want to be with you more than I’m scared of being without you, of losing you. It’s more. I want this part where we’re together, and whatever comes after that. You deserve to have someone who can tell you they love you every day and make you as happy as you make them. Someone who can share the craziness and the inspiration. I want to do that. I want that someone to be me. I know you had that before with Catherine, but maybe you could give me a chance to pick up where she left off.”
I reached out and touched her face awed by the beauty in her words.
“Jada… you are everything. You don’t need to ask me for a chance. It’s me who is lucky to have you. Just give me a chance to love you and make you happy. Can you do that?” That was the right thing to say.
That was what she needed, and I would love her and make her happy. I wanted to make it so that when she looked back on her past, it would be a blur. I didn’t want her to remember the pain, or how she must have suffered. I wanted her to look forward with happiness. Look forward and move forward with me.
“I can. I will.” Her smile reached her eyes. I swooped her up in my arms and held her close.
She clung to me and finally, she felt like mine. My girl.
“I love you, Ivan St. James,” she whispered into my ear.”
“I love you too, Jada Dane.” I released her and pulled back to look at her beautiful face. “Let’s go home.”
“Home… we never really established where home was. It feels like both our houses are.” She giggled.
“Because they are.”
I took her hand and turned toward the door to lead her out, but we both stopped short as we saw Bob and Cynthia ahead of us. They were standing by the stairs that led back to the stage. It was where we’d just come from.
Bob had a tight hold on Cynthia’s hand. They looked at us. Bob gave us a nod of appreciation, and Cynthia wiped away a tear as Bob slipped his arm around her.
She smiled as she looked at Jada and mouthed, “Thank You.”
Then they walked away.
We looked at them and then back to each other.
“You did that,” I told her.
“Oh my gosh,” she breathed.
“Well done, Goddess.” I tugged on her hand and led her away.
Business over. Time to focus on us.
Chapter 32
Jada
* * *
I rested back against the sofa with my notebook in hand, looking at the fireplace.
It was one of the things I loved about Ivan’s house. Like most of the houses in this area of Long Beach, his place was one of the old-style houses that dated back to the 1920s. It was sturdy and came with a real fireplace. Mine was more of a new-built without the fireplace.
Growing up, I’d always loved sitting by the fire on a Sunday after dinner with my parents, and sometimes my aunts and uncles would come around with my cousins.
Being here reminded me of home.
Being with Ivan was home for me. It was wherever he was, and I thanked God I hadn’t been too late. I was grateful I’d been able to tell him and show him how I truly felt, and more so that he gave me a chance.
I meant every word I’d said, that I wanted him, and being with him was all I was focused on now.
It was Wednesday, and except for the short stop back to my place on Saturday morning to pick up a few things, I’d been mostly here.
Ivan and I had agreed to shutting out the outside world, and the only contact we’d made was to immediate family and friends. For him, that was Patterson, and for me, it was Olivia, with an extension to Sam and Joe.
Anyone else would have to contact us by email, which we’d look at Friday morning. Neither of us wanted to hear anything about the show or the media storm I’d caused by stepping down, although Ivan was encouraging me to rethink my decision because he was now refusing to take something from me that I’d previously wanted.
It was a catch-22 situation, and if we kept on like this, it was looking like the show would have no love doctor.
Instead of being taken up by that, we focused our attention on something else.
Something that came up over the weekend, and we just flew with the idea.
A book.
Our book.
My next book was actually being finalized, but I was pulling it.
I decided to pull it because I was a new person. I was a new person with a different perspective on what she wanted, and what I wanted to share with others.
This whole journey had been a learning curve, and boy, did I ever learn a lot.
Instead of me publishing my book, Ivan and I decided to write a book together.
The idea we’d come up with so far for a title was:
The Love Doctors: a 101 guide to relationships.
We thought it would be neat to combine our methods and principles.
He’d outlined his section, which was focused on forming lasting relationships.
Mine was a reboot of my Go with the Flow method. My section was called exactly that, and I was going to focus on avoiding mistakes and potential pitfalls, but also on how to believe in love again when you’ve been hurt.
In that section I’d bullet pointed a number of things that I was going to go into depth with. It was all that I’d been through, and instead of making up the reason for my inspiration like I’d previously done, I was going to make sure people knew my inspiration came from my own experience. I planned to cover everything I could think of, but have the core based on what happened to me. I planned to cover things like trust issues, domestic violence, infidelity, miscarriage, being on the receiving end of a lie, and any other topics surrounding that.
I wanted to be real with people and not cover up the ugly side of what happened in life. I wanted them to see that I wasn’t always about the glamorous lifestyle I’d lived over the last few years. I was excited to see what would happen.
Ivan came into the room with his phone in his hand. There was a very curious expression on his face. I feigned annoyance since I thought he was going to the kitchen to make snacks.
“Is that a phone I see in your hands?” I teased.
He came over and sat next to me.
“It is, but it’s not what you think. The studio just sent someone to ask me to take a phone call. They went to your house too.”
I laughed. “What?”
“Yes.”
“Why would they do that? We just want to be left alone in our blissful bubble of bliss.” I’d set my voicemail to say something along those lines.
He chuckled. “I told them, baby, but they have an idea I thought I’d share with you since I strongly believe you should be The Love Doctor.”
“And I strongly believe it should be you.”
“Right, well, it seems that the public agrees with us.”
“What do you mean?” I wasn’t following.
“Both of us. The show on Friday caused a massive social media storm, and two million people signed a petition of sorts to change the way the show’s set up. They like us both.”
My lips parted. “Both of us?”
“Yes. Apparently, they do. That was Andy on the phone. He wants to know if we’ll consider it. You and me. The Love Doctors.”
I laughed. “Like our book?”
He brushed the underside of my jaw and smiled. “Like our book.”
I thought for a moment. “What do you think? Should we do it? Would you want to?”
“I think I’d want to if you do.” His smile widened. “I think we’re a good team. Five years on the show, then who knows, we could have our own show.”
I nodded excitedly at that. “You’d do that. We could be like Oprah and Dr. Phil.”
We both started laughing.
“Yes, Goddess. That could be us. Also, I forgot to mention they’re offering us each two
million for every year on the show.”
Now, my jaw dropped. “What! How could you forget to mention that?” I squealed and jumped into his lap.
He laughed and pressed his forehead to mine. “On your word, I’ll agree. No point having all that money if that isn’t what we want. I’m thinking of the part where we get to work together.”
I nodded. “I love that. Dr. St. James and Dr. Dane.”
“For now.” He cupped my face.
“What does that mean, Ivan? For now?”
“So, here’s my plan. The show and the book means business done and dusted. Since I was so successful in my last mission, as the evidence shows me sitting here with my girl in my lap, I’ve decided I’m working on my next mission.” His blue gaze sparkled.
“What is that?”
“Making you Mrs. St. James.”
I pressed my hand against his chest, feeling the strength of his heart. I smiled, and I didn’t think anyone could be happier than me right now.
“I absolutely love the sound of that. I’m going to love being Mrs. St. James.”
He cupped my face and pulled me in for a kiss that spoke of forever.
Epilogue
Ivan
* * *
Six months later …
The crowd in the studio audience went wild.
When they got like this they always reminded me of the crowds that used to fill the stadium back when I played football.
I would never forget those games and those memories would always be sealed to my mind. It was a way of me keeping that part of my past alive. Not wishing it could be like that again, just holding on to something special.
The same way I remembered Catherine.
My life now was a turn on a path that would lead down a road to more. More adventure.
I was grateful that I’d been able to do so many wonderful things.
Tonight I felt proud and honored as I looked at the woman who stood next to me.
Jada and I just walked out on to the stage. It was our thing we did. Walk out when our names were announced. Hand in hand, showing the power in the connection we had.
Not only were we the love doctors, we’d become the power couple who people from all over the world admired.
Tonight was the first time that we’d stepped on the show as Mr. and Mrs. St. James.
We got married last week on the beach in Maui.
We’d had a beautiful wedding and were surrounded by our friends and family.
I was honored and proud of my beautiful wife. Honored and proud to have her in my life. Eternally grateful that she chose me.
We’d done great things together. That book of ours took off like a hurricane. It hit New York Times and stayed there for weeks.
In the short space of time we’d been together so much had happened that I had to remind myself that we hadn’t even had a full year together yet. But then I remembered we’d never needed time.
We’d become the couple that were the essence of chemistry and attraction.
The end result was always going to be love.
On the stage cheering for us too was our first real mission.
Terry and Vanessa Parker. They were another Bob and Cynthia. Possibly worse. Both of them were cheating and we’d found secret children outside of their marriage.
We were given a couple to work with every month since the show started. They were the most difficult so far because of all the background issues they’d had.
They weren’t however people I’d lost faith in and what was great was Jada felt the same way too.
When Jada looked over to them she leaned in close and whispered to me. “Ready to save our couple?”
“You know I am.” I smirked and walked with her over to take our seats.
She did that habitual smile she gave at the start of every show. To our couples it meant time to start. For me it was more.
That smile meant it was time to share our inspiration with others. Time to share our combined experiences and create something magical.
Just like us.
The love doctors.
* * *
Thank you so much for reading and allowing me to share my stories with you.
If you loved Jada and Ivan’s story you’ll love Patterson and Georgie’s story in
It’s Complicated.
Click here to grab your copy .
Acknowledgments
As always this is for my readers.
Thank you always for your support xxx
About the Author
Bella Fontaine is the multicultural and interracial romance pen name of USA Today Bestselling bestselling author Khardine Gray.
The name is to honor the strong, super talented, and courageous women in her family who inspired her to write and do what she loves most.
As with her other books expect hot, steamy, contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Expect drool-worthy heroes and sassy heroines. People falling in love and the wild, sexy fun they have on their journey.
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Happy reading xx
The Love Doctors Page 24