by Vicki Green
“Let me get you some more ice for that,” I say apologetically.
He walks over to me, grasps my arms and turns me to face him. My skin breaks out in goosebumps. “Thanks, but I’m really okay. I hate to cut this short….” Yes, because everything was going so well. “I need to head out.” He leans down, kissing me before I realize it, and once again, I melt. “I’m glad you took a chance and met me at the park,” he says against my lips. I smile, not able to help it. He does that to me.
“It was amazing,” I say breathing embarrassingly heavy.
He shows that dimple and I melt even more. Damn dimple. He kisses me again, this time longer. “Can I see you again?”
“See me again,” I whisper in a catatonic gaze.
He chuckles and the sound moves right through me, down to my toes. “I mean – I know I’ll see you at your shop but I’d like to do this again. Maybe take you out to a movie or dinner?”
Dinner. The phone call. Suddenly, I look up and wonder what all this means. Maybe we should talk more? Find out what – this is exactly? Maybe I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. It’s not like guys are knocking down my door.
I smile, trying to play it cool. “Yes. Maybe?” His brows lower in confusion. Get in line, buddy! I’m confused enough for both of us. “I mean – let’s chat at the shop?” He nods as he lowers his head again, finding my lips with his. Gentle. Then harder. My toes curl.
We say goodbye and I watch him walk out the door then I go back into my kitchen and make four batches of muffins. I cook when I’m stressed or upset or just bored. Willy had gone back to his castle, snoring loudly enough to rock his castle walls but seems to be fine now. Once I’ve cleaned up my mess and put all the muffins in storage containers, enough to feed a small army, I’m stressed over his conversation. Time to make my condo sparkle!
“I’m sure it’s nothing, Ry.” Molly scrunches her nose, not being very convincing. I’d come to my shop later that evening, hoping to tell her of my concerns. Luckily, the crowd had died down by then. I’m not sure if I’m happy or sad to find Jax not here. “Not all guys are assholes, Rylie.” I raise my eyebrows at her and tilt my head. Like she’s had the best luck finding Mr. Right. I snort internally. She stops rolling out dough long enough to cross her arms over her more than ample breasts and smirks. “It’s not like I’ve been looking for that perfect someone, Ry.” She shrugs and goes back to pushing the rolling pin across the dough yet somewhat roughly now. “I’m sure there’s someone out there for me. He just hasn’t made an appearance, yet.”
I look over at her, standing at the work table and scrunch up my nose. “I could pretend to be going out with Duncan, you know make him jealous. Just in case he’s going out with other women.” What a great idea! This could totally work!
She looks at me and frowns. “You know Duncan is gay, right?”
No! He is? Crap! Guess I should get to know Duncan a little better. Sigh. I suck!
Molly and I were those girls, growing up, that would lay on my bed talking about all things guys and our perfect wedding. We’d go into detail about the ceremony, what we’d be wearing, what he’d be wearing. Hell, what everyone there would be wearing. I’d have on the perfect dress. Lilacs would be all over the place, the aroma filling the air around us. We’d serve the perfect food at the reception. He’d say the most perfect words to me during the ceremony. I’d cry. Shit, everyone would cry. Molly would have to walk me down the aisle, as I’d originally planned on Gram doing that. Shit, now I’m sad.
Standing from my desk chair, I walk the few steps to her, put my arm around her shoulders as she’d lay her head against my shoulder. “You’re right. I’m being silly. And of course, he’s out there for you.” I pat her shoulder and she nods. “I’m gonna go out and get in a little reading time. I’m so close to the end of Chasing Dreams and at a HUGE exciting part of the story.” I release her and grab my book from my desk, heading toward the doorway. “Too bad the third book still hasn’t been released yet.” I let out a sigh as I walk out of the room and toward the reading area. Story of my life!
Stopping to make a mocha latte, I smile at Addie and Duncan, feeling weird and bad about my thoughts about him. I’m such an idiot! Taking my cup over to a comfy chair in my reading section, I set the cup down on the glass end table, on a coaster of course, and open my book. I settle in for some amazing reading time.
My life hasn’t been easy working in the military trying to make ends meet. Being raised by foster parents and having to start working at a very early age was tough at times. But life can be that way to more people in the world than you know. So, I feel lucky. My little sister, by only a year and a half, and I had something a lot of foster kids didn’t have – love. I barely remember our parents, being killed in a car crash when I was only three and a half. Meagan wasn’t so lucky. She was far too little to remember them at all.
I feel tears brimming in my eyes and also the feeling that someone is watching me but shrug it off as I continue, not able to tear my eyes away from the page. It’s so weird how it sounds like the things that Jax told me at our picnic. Seriously so close.
“You’re leaving me.” Meagan sniffles. Pulling her into my arms, I kiss her forehead, lightly.
I smile, holding her tightly. “Only for the weekend, Munchkin.” I pull back a bit and look into her eyes. “You know I have to go to camp for the Army Reserves once a month.” She sniffles again as she nods. I pull her back into my arms. We need the extra income the Army provides. I hate leaving her though. At least she can call Mom and Pops Hopkins as they are close by, in case she needs them. Still, I’d rather do anything else than leave her alone.
“I’ll be fine,” she says, looking up at me and sniffling again. “Just do me a favor?” I nod, knowing I’d do anything in the world for her. “Be safe?”
She pulls into me this time, holding onto my shirt from behind, tightly. There’s not a lot that can happen in the reserves. A soldier gone AWOL, a stray bullet from practice, fights that might break out from the tension and stress that we could be called into active duty at any time. They happen. Not very often but they do.
“I’ll be fine, Munchkin. Don’t worry. You just take care of you and I’ll be home Sunday night.” I smile, leaning my head against hers. It gets tougher and tougher leaving her each month, even though it’s only for a short time. “Make me some of my favorite pumpkin bread for when I return?” She nods, sniffling again, but I can feel her smile.
“Good book?”
My eyes snap up and into the browns of Jax’s.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to spook you.” He grins and that damn, gorgeous dimple appears. He sits down in the chair next to me, bending down to look at the cover of my book. “Still reading Chasing Dreams, huh?” I nod, unable to speak, still so full of emotions from the story. “Must be really good.” He reaches over, rubbing some of the wetness from my cheek. “A great sign of a great story. Shows it’s giving you all the feels. Sad or happy is the question.”
“A little of both,” I respond, my voice hoarse from lack of use and all the feelings this story is leaving me with. He nods, understanding. God! He understands! Not many men would get that.
He leans back into the chair and tilts his head. “Any luck on figuring out who the author is?” I shake my head, sadly. He lifts his leg, laying his foot on top of his other leg. Relaxed. So self-assured. Not to mention, sexy as sin. Sigh. “Well, there must be a good reason why they choose to remain anonymous. Could be due to a personal reason – family, or maybe they don’t want the stardom, so to speak, to invade their private life.” Wow! He’s so insightful. “Anyway.” He leans over and pats my shoulder, his touch giving me the best goosebumps down my arm. “I’m sure if they wanted to be known, they would be. I might just have to read this series. Looks like you’re almost done with the second book. When does the next one come out?”
Setting the book down in my lap, I just about bruise my legs from slamming it down so hard. “That’s just it!” I shout with my hands in the air. “There’s no release date yet! It’s infuriating!” God, so frustrating! I’m just about done with this and I just know this author is going to leave me with not only a book hangover but a fucking major cliffhanger. Sometimes, I really hate authors. Then again, I can’t live without them. Double sigh.
“RYLIE!”
I look up at the sound of my name blasting through my shop. Molly’s really got a set of lungs on her. She comes running, dodging people, knocking her hip onto the side of a table, with her more than ample breasts getting quite the workout.
Bounce.
Bounce.
Bounce.
Jax looks at me strangely when a loud snort leaves my mouth. I feel the heat of my embarrassment spreading across my still damp cheeks. Then he winks at me. He winks! And gives me that dimpled smile.
She stops in front of me, kicking my shoe. Ow! She leans over me, gripping the arm rests of my chair and breathing heavily onto my face. “What the heck, Molly! What’s got your panties in a bunch?” Panties in a bunch. Sometimes I crack myself up.
She swallows hard then breaths heavy again until finally she sucks in a bunch of air and slowly releases it. “I was just looking at Facebook and might have, kinda, sorta looked at J. Stearns page.” Kinda, sorta? Yeah, right. She was totally stalking. “There’s a signing that’s gonna be held at the Ridgemont Hotel – in two months!”
Awesome! I can check out who the authors are that will be attending and order a ton of their paperbacks and get them signed! I need a plan of attack – I mean action, find out their table chart and mark my moves. Hmmm, I’ll need to find the events Facebook page and group so I can see if I can lasso myself a VIP ticket. Gotta get in there early to conquer all the tables. Maybe Molly can go with me and we can divide and conquer. That means I’ll need to scour two VIP tickets and….
“Earth to Rylie! Come in, Rylie!” My eyes move back into focus on hers as she pats my face. Ow! Dammit! “Quit planning out your attack at the event and listen to me.” She knows me too well. Wench! “Anyway, guess who one of the authors will be? Go on. Guess!”
Tilting my head, my mind starts moving through the list of my favorite authors. Oh! I wonder if Aleatha Romig will be there. I might just have to hold myself back from tackle hugging her. Or – OH! Mia Sheridan and AL Jackson! Oh. My. God! I’m would be so in heaven! My eyes scan the list internally, my heart beating against my chest. My throat closes off as I pray my all-time favorite Pepper Winters will be there! I hope I don’t have a panic attack when I see them all in person. God, I hope I can contain myself and not tackle hug one of them. Or all. Then again….
“Oh, my God! See what I go through?” I focus in again and see her smirking at Jax, who just laughs and shrugs his shoulders. She looks back at me and grabs my chin, shaking me a little. What the hell? “Now. Pay very close attention, Ry. You paying attention?” I nod, moving her hand with the motion. “Good. Now. Keep calm.” Now, she’s scaring me. A little. She takes a deep breath, keeping a firm hold on my chin. “J. Stearns is going to be there. The J. Stearns, who you’ve been stalking like mad and making yourself crazy trying to find out the sex of this author. You know, the one that wrote the series you’re reading right now? The one that you’ve been investigating to no end. J. Stearns.” Did she just say, J. Stearns? I freeze, my heart beating wildly in my chest, the soft buzz of its sound filling my ears. I feel cold, numb. If I could move, I’d kiss her! God, I love her! If I was into women, I’d totally go after her. “Ry? You okay there?” Suddenly, I can’t breathe, can’t take a breath. Am I having a heart attack? “This isn’t good. Ry! Ry! Rylie!” My head is shaking but I’m pretty sure I’m not the one doing that. I look up at Molly and let out a breath.
“I’m okay,” I whisper. I’m so lying. I’m totally not okay.
“You’re so lying.” Fuck! I can never hide anything from her. “Should I get you a bottled water? A paper sack to breathe into? What?”
“Nope,” I reply, making a popping sound with the “p”. “I’m just gonna….” I try to stand but her grip on my chin makes it difficult to move. Grabbing her wrist, I pull on it, looking up at her with raised brows. She releases me, and I stand quickly, then start toward the back room. “I’m just gonna use the restroom. I’ll be right back.” I’ve never power walked so fast in all my young life, straight through my shop into the back room and directly into the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind me. I’m breathing pretty heavily, and my heart is still slamming against my chest when I look at myself in the mirror. My death grip on the sides of the sink are turning my knuckles white as I try to calm my breathing. The excitement of an author signing in our little town is overwhelming but the thought I’ll finally not only know the sex of my – quickly becoming favorite author but getting to also meet them in person? Okay, so the Ridgemont is in the next town but that’s close enough to be my home town.
“OH. MY. GOD! SQUEEEEEEEE!” I scream, vibrating my entire body and making my voice scratchy. Knowing my luck, I’ll get VIP tickets and then the day of the signing I’ll come down with the cold or the flu – or malaria.
Chapter 11
Once I’d calmed down and Molly had me breathe several times into a paper sack, I was finally able to leave the bathroom. Of course, I went right over to the computer, sat down, and started scouring any and all information about the signing. How is it I’m just hearing about a signing, close to my own town, and in only two months from now? I thought the gossip in my shop was better than that. I’m highly disappointed. I might have to give blood or promise my first born child in order to get two VIP tickets at this point. But I’m willing to do that, if necessary. I shriek when I find the events Facebook page. I let out a loud squeal when I find the events readers group. I sit patiently as I click on join and wait to be accepted. Oh! Who am I kidding? I’m totally not being patient. My knee is bouncing and I’m almost ready to hyperventilate – again. I decide to go back to the event page while I wait and pull up the banner to check out all the authors attending. Bad move. Now I am hyperventilating as I read down the list. Oh, my God! This is HUGE! So many of my favorites are attending!
I press against the screen, my finger landing on each name until….
J. Stearns
It’s true! Holy mother of all authors! It’s true!
Then looking down the page I read that, of course, all VIP tickets are sold out. Dammit! I knew it! I look at the screen as soon as a notification dings and click on it, seeing I’ve been accepted into the attendee’s reader group. Woot! Quickly, I go to the group and look for anyone who has posted about either having extra tickets so they are selling them or suddenly they can’t go so they are looking for a buyer. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing! My heart plummets. I lean back in the chair and let out a long sigh. Oh well, I guess general admission is better than nothing but seriously, this close to my town? Why, why, why hadn’t I heard anything about this before now? Suddenly, a new post appears. Someone giving away two free VIP tickets to the first person that comments. Seriously? That’s odd but I almost fall out of my chair as I reach for my mouse, commenting I would take them. They reply saying they are mine and they’ll message me for my address. WHAT? How does that even happen, at the exact time I’m on here? Like – never! Then, a message pops up and I hold my breath as I go to answer it.
Hi, Rylie Clark!
Please provide me with your address and I’ll get your two VIP tickets into the mail tomorrow! I’m so happy to give them to you. I hope you have the best time at the Ridgemont Author Event!
Sincerely,
Lydia Baker
J. Stearns Agent
Wow! Just wow! J. Stearns agent? OMG! Of course, I reply immediately, thanking her immensely and give her my address. I lean back
into the chair, blowing out a big breath, shaking my head at what just happened. Suddenly, I jump out of the chair, and jog – yes, I can jog when I want to, out the doorway and bump right into Molly. I grab her arms, completely out of breath. Okay, so I don’t jog that often. “Molly,” I pant.
Tilting her head she laughs. “Are you reading again, getting all hot and bothered?”
I shake my head, wildly, trying to get some air. “The list of authors is AMAZING and I found the event page and of course, VIP tickets are sold out, just like I thought they would be, but then I joined the readers group and of course, no one was selling any – so….” I take a deep breath. “I was disappointed and frustrated but I knew better to think I could get any and suddenly, someone posted at the exact minute I was sitting there, they’re giving away two free VIP tickets! Giving away! So, I commented and guess what? I won them! Oh, my God! So, I messaged them and gave them my address and I should have them in a few days! A few days!” Now, I can’t breathe again.
“Ry, good grief, calm the hell down.” Molly squeezes my arms and I nod, quickly.
“Are you talking about the Ridgemont Author Event?”
Both of our eyes snap to Addie, leaning against the counter and munching on almonds. She smiles and pops another one in her mouth. “You know about the author event?” I ask, still out of breath. Breathing is so overrated.
She stands up from the counter. “Are you kidding?” Her eyes roam around the shop then back at me. “Um, yes.” She rolls her eyes but I see hesitation.