I shook my head and cried as he pulled me onto his lap, too stunned to say a word. I’d never been a big believer of fate and serendipity. Happy coincidences did not exist as far as I was concerned.
Everything happened for a reason.
My eyes drifted over to the carved slab of granite.
Mom and Dad had taken care of me when I used the money they had set aside for my education to buy the lottery ticket almost a year ago. In a roundabout way, they had put me on the yacht for the winner’s cruise. And right in Ryan’s path. I’d always believed that my parents were watching over me, but never entertained the idea of them directly influencing my life from beyond the grave.
Until now.
Ryan cradled me against his chest as the sky darkened with clouds and the sun dropped below the horizon off in the distance. His cheeks were damp and splotchy when I climbed off of him. He tucked the book into the basket and looped an arm through the handle. I folded the blanket and handed it to him, along with my car keys.
He gazed at my parents’ gravesite with reverence. “Take as much time as you want.” He squeezed my hand and walked to where I had parked at the bottom of the hill, giving me privacy to say goodbye to my parents.
Moonbeams slanted down through a break in the clouds, making the silvery flecks on the tombstone’s surface sparkle. “I’ll be back to check on you soon. Try not to get on each other’s nerves too much. Henri refereed enough fights when she was alive. Let her enjoy Heaven in peace, you hear me?” I patted the little cherub on top of the neighboring stone.
When I turned to head down the slope to where Ryan waited, a snowflake spiraled down and landed on the tip of my nose.
“I love you guys, too,” I whispered.
EPILOGUE
“Hey, sweetheart, could you please do me a favor and get the sunscreen?”
Collette set down her book and got up from the lounger. She stumbled for a moment before steadying herself as my sailboat–Fate’s Fortune–rocked from the waves created by a passing speedboat. The warm July lake breeze blew her hair off her shoulders, exposing the thin red straps of her bikini top.
I gripped the wheel and watched as she rummaged through the deck box.
“Uh-oh.” A grin pulled up the corners of her mouth as she straightened and eyed me over the rims of her sunglasses. “We have a stowaway.” She held up a stuffed monkey. “I thought we agreed about where these do and don’t belong.” Extending an arm, she dangled it over the railing. “Do you think it can swim to the zoo?”
“No!” I shouted, bolting toward the bow. If she threw it overboard, I’d have a heart attack.
“Gotcha! Just kidding.” She laughed and brought Precious’s doppelganger back into the safety of the deck. “He’s quiet, so he can…Oh my God!”
The diamond ring on a ribbon around its plush neck glinted in the sunlight. I unfastened the piece of black satin and let the two-carat cushion cut solitaire set in a platinum band fall to my palm. Pushing my aviators on top of my head, I dropped to one knee and took her by the left hand.
“Oh my God,” Collette shakily repeated, removing her sunglasses with her free hand.
I kissed her knuckles and squinted up at her. The words I had so carefully rehearsed dozens of times in my head since pulling away from the mooring lodged in my throat while admiring her tanned skin and the golden streaks in her wavy tresses. The weekends we had spent on the water since I bought the boat with part of the money I received from the sale of my condo had turned her into a bronzed goddess. She took my breath away and left me speechless during one of the most pivotal moments of my life.
Say something! my brain screamed. “Collette,” I blurted, “I love you. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Will you marry me?”
Damn it, I had botched my speech. Big time. Only a small fraction of what I had originally planned to say actually made it into the stripped-down, condensed version. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe I could tack those sentiments on and still pull off a half-decent proposal.
Collette sank to her knees and exhaled a shuddery breath. Her dark eyes met mine. “Yes.”
My mouth dropped open. “Yes? Just like that? I meant to say more, but–”
“Yes.” She smiled and wiped her eyes. “You said it all, Ryan. Save the rest for the wedding.”
I slid the ring on her finger. As I kissed my fiancée, a phrase often used in wedding vows came to mind.
For richer or poorer.
I would love this woman even if both of us had never won the lottery and were dirt poor because love is the only thing worth more than money.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We’ve all heard the saying “It takes a village” to raise a child. It also applies to publishing a novel. This book wouldn’t exist without the encouragement, support, and assistance of many people.
My husband and daughter picked up the slack when laundry and dirty dishes piled up while I wrote. They endured numerous emotional outbursts and repeatedly persuaded me to keep going whenever I hit a speedbump. Thank you for believing in me. I hope I’ve made both of you proud.
There aren’t enough words in the English language for me to properly thank Ami Waters, my copy editor. Her attention to detail and patience made the editing process less painful. I am incredibly lucky to have her in my corner, even when she wants to beat me over the head with a hyphen after I become obsessed with proper punctuation. Thank you for putting up with my neuroses and drama. You are a saint and a class act.
Trenda London of It’s Your Story Content Editing provided useful advice on smoothing out the transitions between some of the chapters. Thank you for all of your hard work and for your insight on grief and empathy.
A dear friend of mine stood in the middle of a forest preserve on a muggy afternoon as mosquitos tried to make a meal out of her and her daughter, Madison, to shoot the cover photo. Thank you, Renee, for turning my concept into a stunning photo full of intrigue and symbolism. Your talent knows no boundaries. I cried when I saw the final image-that was not a lie.
Renee at RE Creatives took the stunning photo I just mentioned and produced a gorgeous book cover. Her creativity and knowledge of graphic design are astounding. Thank you for your sharp eyes and good taste. Your work is beautiful.
Dawn Altieri, Sandy Ferrara, Lisa Myers, Cheryl Reyes, Catherine Scott, Kathi Shambaugh, and Jennifer Van Wyk are the best beta readers an author could ask for. They found errors and caught inconsistencies that helped me polish the rough edges of this story. Thank you, ladies, for your time and your feedback. I enjoyed our conversations and look forward to working with you again on future projects.
Word of mouth is crucial to a new author who is trying to get her name out in the open. I’m still stunned and touched by the amount of bloggers and book friends who offered to help when I contacted them. That being said, I’d like to give shout-outs to Bookaholic Confessions, Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog, Kez’s Korner, Reading Is Our Passion, Real Talk Book Talk, The Never Ending Book Basket, and TK’s Book Club for sharing my page and offering to promote this novel. Christi Bissett, Alison Dolbeer, Jessica Connors, Kris Couris, Christina Guzman, Anna Paige, Beth Rinyu, Jamie Schlosser, and Toshia Slade also deserve special recognition for their recruiting efforts. Nicole at IndieSage PR coordinated a cover reveal, release day blitz, blog tour, and ad campaign that I never could have managed on my own. Thank you for answering all of my questions and providing guidance with every step in the process.
With so many great books to choose from, I must thank YOU, the reader who took a chance on a new author and read a story about an average guy whose mundane life becomes extraordinary after winning the lottery. I hope you enjoyed this book. Other stories are floating around in my head, just waiting to come out. I can’t wait to share them with you.
Ryan is named after one of my oldest and dearest friends. The real Ryan enthusiastically shook a proverbial pom-pom and has been a pillar of support from Day One of my publishing adventure. He trul
y is one of a kind, and I consider myself damn fortunate to know him. In Chapter Two, fictitious Ryan makes a comment about how the world needs more Lukes.
I know for a fact that the world needs more Ryans.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allison Michaels enjoys combining heart, humor, and heat in her stories. When she isn’t writing or attempting to put a dent in her daunting to-be-read list, she can be found watching a movie with her family or sharing a meal with her friends. Allison lives in a southwestern Chicago suburb with her husband and daughter.
She loves to hear from her readers! Please visit her website at www.allisonmichaels.com or her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/allisonmichaels2 for information about future releases. You can also follow her at www.instagram.com/authorallisonmichaels on Instagram.
More than Money (Found in Chicago Book 1) Page 27