“I don’t know what to say.” No one has ever done anything like this for me before.
He smiles and takes a step closer. The fingers of his free hand slide under the fall of my hair to my neck, and his thumb tenderly brushes along the edge of my jaw. “Shelby, I don’t ever want you to think that I’m using you. Never. I want to help make your dreams come true. I want to support you, encourage you, and stand on the sidelines to cheer for you. That’s what you do for people you love.”
“You love me?”
He chuckles. “I do. I’m pretty sure I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you months ago.”
“Zach . . .” I step forward, and snuggle into his chest. His arm wraps around my back to pull me flush against him and then, one by one, the rest of my self-induced expectations of my life break free. The weighted chains clatter around my feet and my heart soars. Bending down, his face brushes against mine as he tucks it into my neck with his warm lips resting against my skin. For years I’ve said “career first, guys later,” but what I’ve realized, with the right guy I can do both. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, and I know I’ve found the person who’s meant just for me.
“So, what happens next?” I ask and he pulls back a little to look down at me.
“We go inside and mingle with our guests, drink some wine, and the rest we’ll figure out together, later.”
“And here I was hoping you’d have a plan,” I say playfully.
His lips twitch, and he holds back the smile I know is there. “The only plan I had was do whatever it takes to make you mine.”
“Well, I guess that makes you two and oh.”
“No, that makes us two and oh. Together, remember? If I win, you win. If you win, I win. Going forward, you and me . . . always,” he says as if he’s never been more convinced of anything in his life.
Tears fill my eyes and linger. He frowns as he notices the change and bends down to kiss my eyelids.
“These better be happy tears,” he says, and a laugh bursts out of me.
“They are.” I want to crawl inside him and be surrounded by him and his warmth, energy, and thoughtfulness.
His hands cup my face, and his thumbs swipe back and forth along my cheekbones affectionately. Blue eyes shine down at me with happiness and the corners crinkle as he smiles softly at me.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“That’s good, because I love you, too.”
Needing to be closer, I raise up on my toes and his lips lightly brush across mine, before moving to the corner and pressing down more firmly. A rush of heat floods through me and makes me weak in the knees. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to him and his delicious corner kisses, not that I’m complaining, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
Hearing a click to our left, Zach drops his hands to my waist as both of us turn to see the photographer grinning.
He shrugs and slings his camera up on it. “Seems like a nice photo to end the assignment with.” He tilts his head toward the tasting room where the others are hanging, and I couldn’t agree with him more.
“No.” Zach cuts his eyes from the photographer to me.
A lot can be said in a look, and right now, Zach’s crystal blue eyes are speaking volumes to me. There’s hope in the transparency of his intentions, there’s excitement for what’s to come, and most of all, there’s his love that he has for me and only me.
His heartbeat falls in sync with mine as it beats against his chest. And even though there’s a mixture of people talking and laughing all around us, it blurs into a buzz that reminds me of the bees, and right this moment I can’t imagine life being any sweeter.
Letting out a slow breath, Zach’s smile tips up on one side, and just like that, I know. No matter what he says next, he’s going to own me indefinitely, and I think that’s the best plan of all.
“No, not the end . . . just the beginning.”
Blackberry Cobbler
The end.
To my husband and my boys, none of this would be possible without you. Thank you for the endless amounts of love and support you give everyday to help me pursue my dreams. I am the luckiest girl and I love you more than all the words on all the pages, in all the books, in the whole world.
Elle, thank you for always holding my hand and continuing to be my voice of reason.
Megan, line by line you’ve helped me build this story to what it is today. Thank you for the time you’ve given and for your friendship, I appreciate you more than you know.
Tribe, they say stick with the people who pull the magic out of you and not the madness, well, the world better watch out, we’re so magical we sparkle. I love you hard. Thanks to each of you for being who you are.
To my beta readers: Andee, Maritza, Erin, Brandy, Brenna, Jodie, Julie . . . thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading The Sweetness of Life in all it’s phases, for all of your suggestions, and for making the story be the best it can be.
To the team of people who brought this story life: Ashley the grammar guru from Adept Edits, Virginia and Karla my proofreader extrodinaires, Braadyn from ByBraadyn photography for the beautiful cover shoot of Julia and Mike, Julie Burke for the gorgeous cover design and teasers, and Elaine from Allusion Graphics for the perfect formatting . . . Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
To the readers, thank you for your patience. I may not be the fastest at releasing stories, but know that one is always headed your way. I hope you enjoyed this first book in the Starving for Southern series, but be on the lookout for book two, Last Slice of Pie. It’s coming soon!
As food is love, from me to you, I hope you enjoy the blog. Try a few recipes, I promise you won’t be disappointed and remember . . . always slow down and enjoy the sweetness of life.
Kathryn Andrews loves stories that end with a happily ever after. She started writing at age seven and never stopped. Kathryn is an Amazon Bestseller for her much loved Hale Brothers Series and is a chi-lit, contemporary romance, and new adult writer.
Kathryn graduated from the University of South Florida with degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and currently lives in Tampa, Florida. She spends her days as a sales director for a medical device company and her nights lost in her love of fictional characters.
When Kathryn is not crafting beautiful worlds that incorporate some of her most favorite real life places, she can be found hanging out with her husband and two young sons, while drinking iced coffee and enjoying the sun. To find out more about Kathryn and her novels, visit:
www.kandrewsauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kandrewsauthor/
Instagram: @kandrewsauthor
Twitter: @kandrewsauthor
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The Sweetness of Life (Starving for Southern Book 1) Page 30