by Tharp, Emma
Wrapping my arms around him, I give him a huge hug. “That’s amazing, Donovan. I’m so happy for you both. Liza is going to love the ring.” I hand the box back to him.
“I hope so.” He slides the box back into his pocket. “What about you? When are you going to settle down, or at the very least introduce us to Dean?”
I sigh. We’ve had this conversation before. Donovan used to be on my side. Neither one of us were ever going to settle down. Now that he’s with Liza, he’s changed his tune. He’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him and he bought a ring and is ready to propose. I never thought I’d see the day. But I haven’t changed my mind. “You know where I stand on relationships. I don’t have time to commit to making someone else happy. What Dean and I have is exactly what I need and want.”
Dean and I met three years ago on a cruise. We had instant chemistry and ended up spending the majority of the week in bed. And we’ve been meeting up for one glorious week every summer since. The rules are simple. We have seven days to love with abandon. Seven days to live without regret. Six nights to spend together. And when the week is over, we go back to our lives. It’s the perfect arrangement.
“You should have brought Dean to the wedding. We all could have met him.”
No. Not a good idea. What we have is casual. There’s no need to get families involved. When Dean and I are together, it’s all about us. There’s no time for anything else. “I told you. I made the arrangements and can’t back out of the reservation. I had to pull strings to get in for the Fourth of July week.” It isn’t a lie. And since it was my turn this year to set up our week together, I wanted to make it special.
“All right, sis. I get it. You want to keep your mystery man all to yourself.”
Nodding, I close my suitcase and zip it up. “Good luck with the proposal. Send pictures afterward and we’ll book something to celebrate your engagement when we’re all back in the city.”
“Sounds good.” Donovan plants a kiss on the top of my head and moves to leave my room. “Have a safe flight back, and have fun with Dean.”
“Thank you, and I will.”
Flutters of anticipation build in my belly. I’ve barely been able to endure the wait to see Dean again and start our week together. Here on the island, there’s nothing but happy couples everywhere. Normally, that doesn’t bother me, but it’s been too long since I’ve been with a man—one year, to be exact. In a few short days, I’ll be back in his arms.
I pull my phone out of my purse and type out a quick text to Dean.
Can’t wait to see you.
He replies almost instantly.
The wait is killing me. Three more days, baby.
A smile spreads across my face as I gather my bags to leave Monroe Cay and head back home to New York. There’s a spring in my step thinking about all the things I have planned for Dean and me. It’s going to be one hell of a week.
…To be continued
***
Thank you for reading Indebted! I hope you enjoyed Donovan and Liza’s story. If you did, and you’re curious what happens in Giselle’s story, Book 3 of the Monroe Family Series, check out Between Us.
She’s a workaholic that’s too busy to worry about relationships. He’s an adventure seeker that hasn’t seemed to ever find the right woman. That’s why their arrangement works out so well for them.
Three years.
For three solid years they had been meeting up for one glorious week.
The rules were simple:
They had seven days to love with abandon.
Seven days to live without regret.
Six nights to spend together.
Only now, someone wanted to change the rules.
And someone wanted to see where this could go.
Still, neither one of them wanted to lose what was between them.
Click here to get your copy of Between Us.
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Acknowledgments
The Monroe Series is slightly more risqué than my other books. Or at least it felt that way as I wrote them. Now, I’m writing Giselle’s story and going along with her brothers, her story is feeling a little taboo as well. Fun fact: the scene where Liza is waitressing in the restaurant and a steak goes flying off her tray—well, that might have happened to me a million years ago when I was a server. I could write a book about all of my escapades as a waitress. Lol. I hope you guys understand how fun these books are for me to write. I love my job! And it’s all because of you guys that I get to continue writing! Thank you so much for reading my stories.
And, none of this would be possible without the support of my amazing husband and kids. All of my love and thanks to them for supporting me and being my biggest cheerleaders.
To my editor, Theresa Schultz. Thank you for helping my books become the best books they can be. I always look forward to reading your comments—they make the editing process so much more fun. To my proofreader, Julie Deaton with Deaton Author Services, thank you for being professional, fast, and efficient. I appreciate you! And the covers in the Monroe Series are smokin’ hot. Thank you, Sarah Paige with Opium House. You took these covers to the next level! They are stunning and I love them all so much. Thank you to Lisa, my critique partner extraordinaire. I wouldn’t want to release anything before you have a chance to look it over and give me your two cents. To my review team, thanks for your honest opinions on my stories. You’ve all 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:
www.emmatharp.com
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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
Winter Wonderland
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