by Kennedy Fox
“I love you too,” she tells me, smiling so big. Our lips crash together, and I know exactly where this is leading—celebratory sex.
Epilogue
Savannah
One Year Later
Waking up with a smile, I stretch out my arms and realize Hayden isn’t next to me. Peeling my eyes open, I see his side of the bed is empty and frown.
I hate work trips.
Even though it’s the middle of June and high schools have let out for the year, he had to return to California for a business meeting. While it’s only for the weekend, I still miss him anytime he’s gone. It’s just not the same without him.
Hayden: Good morning, beautiful! Hope you slept well. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
A smile splits my cheeks as soon as I read his text message. The absolute best way to wake up is with him on my mind.
Savannah: Morning! I miss you! Come home now!
Hayden: I miss you too, baby. I’ll be home ASAP! What are your plans today?
Savannah: I’m supposed to meet Donny in Times Square at two. But I’m thinking about canceling. It’ll be full of tourists anyway. Maybe I’ll just play with myself in bed all day until you come back to me…
Hayden: Well I wasn’t planning to walk into my meeting hard, but thanks to you now I am…
I can hear his groan in my mind and laugh as I think about him adjusting himself.
Savannah: Ha! Sorry about that ;)
Hayden: I’m sure you are.
Savannah: Text me after your meeting! I’m gonna hop into the shower. I’ll be thinking of you…
Hayden: Goddammit, Sav.
I chuckle, throwing the blankets off and walking to the bathroom. It’s only ten, which means I have time to take a long, hot shower. Times Square on a Saturday in the middle of June is going to be tourist central, but Donny has some street performing gig he wants me to watch. He does it for extra cash with a few other people we’ve done shows with before.
Donny: You still coming today?
I read his message after I wrap a towel around my body and contemplate my answer before responding. I’m off today, which is a miracle, and another reason I’m bummed Hayden’s traveling this weekend. There’s nothing else to do, but I could spend the entire day in bed binging Netflix for once.
Savannah: I don’t know… I’m feeling sad and lazy.
Donny: You can be sad and lazy on the sidelines watching me. Plus, I need you to record it for my Instagram.
Savannah: Can’t William do that for you?
Donny: He’s in Cali this week, remember? He comes home Monday, though :)
I laugh at his smiley face, knowing exactly what that implies. They’re so sickly in love, and I’m actually really happy for him.
With a groan, I type out a response.
Savannah: Fine! You’re buying me dinner then.
Donny: Meat on a stick?
Savannah: Funny. Keep your meat to yourself. I want real food.
Donny: Fine, 2pm in front of the Ernst & Young building. Don’t be late.
I send him back a middle-finger emoji.
Luckily, that’s not a far walk from me. Living close to the Theater District means I’m never too far from anything in the city.
I have a small lunch, finish getting ready, then leave my apartment at 1:30. The sidewalks are packed as usual, but people stop in front of me every twelve seconds to take pictures of the buildings and screen displays, causing me to nearly collide into them.
Deciding I’ve had enough, I walk on the street to bypass the crowd and then get back on the sidewalk. Once I’ve reached where Donny told me to go, I look around and search for him. I see him in front of Starbucks, and he waves me over.
“I want you to get a good view, so stand around here and wait a few minutes.”
Narrowing my eyes, I look around in confusion.
“Wait for what? I thought you were doing a street performance?”
“I am…” he simply answers. “Is your phone all charged?”
“Yes,” I say, sliding it out from my back pocket. “You want me to record the whole thing or just focus in on you?”
“The whole thing.” Donny pauses. “Well, maybe a little of just me.” He snickers.
Laughing, I shake my head at him and adjust my purse, pulling it back up on my shoulder. Being a New Yorker means wearing comfortable shoes and a shoulder-strap bag or purse.
“Alright, see you in a sec.” Donny leans in to kiss my cheek, then flashes me a wink before he takes off. I suck in a deep breath, wondering what he has planned.
A few minutes go by when I hear a bass beat thump and vibrate against my feet. Figuring something’s about to happen now, I get my phone ready. Someone starts breakdancing on the sidewalk, and people form a half circle around him. The guy a foot away from me jumps in and starts dancing right as the song “Uptown Funk” begins playing. Just as Bruno Mars talks about Michelle Pfeiffer in the lyrics, three more people around me pop out, and it’s then I know exactly what’s happening. Flash mob.
Laughing, I back up to get them all on video, waiting for Donny’s appearance. I look around, wondering when he’s going to pop out. The dancers clap to the rhythm and get the crowd excited and involved. I’ve seen him do a few mob flash acts in the past ten years, but I recognize more faces than usual. All the dancers are from past shows Donny and I have done, and everything is choreographed so well.
Right after the chorus of the song, it blends into another one, but slower. “All of Me” plays and more performers appear, rocking together in slow movements. It’s hypnotic to see the girls I personally know twirl around, and the guys lift and swing them in circles. The smile on my face feels permanent as I watch them.
Donny finally pops out when John Legend starts singing the chorus. He looks so focused, yet he’s grinning like a fool. I shout his name and add a few hoots and hollers, so he can hear me over the music.
Right before the second verse, the song fades out once again and is replaced with a faster beat. The crowd is so large at this point, and I look around to see how everyone is admiring my friends. Donny’s front and center and marches toward me as soon as the chorus of “Marry Me” plays. The group huddles behind him as he reaches for my hand and pulls me into the circle.
“What are you doing?” I shout at him, furrowing my brows. Looking around, confused and slightly freaking out that everyone is recording this, I finally notice the performers fanned out. I shove my phone into my front pocket when I see a chair for me on the side right before Donny pushes me into it.
Just as Jason Derulo sings about being forever in love, I spot Hayden in line.
“Oh my God!” I shout, though neither of them can hear me, and giddily stomp my feet on the ground.
As soon as Donny joins him, they move together, doing the same choreography. My hands cover my mouth in complete shock as I watch the man I love move and dance with the group as if he’d been practicing it for weeks.
Amazement, stunned, disbelief. Tears pour down my cheeks as a mix of emotions roll through me. Hayden smiles at me with so much love in his eyes. I cannot believe he did this.
Toward the end of the song, Hayden walks toward me, reaching for my hand. He takes it, then pulls me up until I’m standing.
“What are you doing?” I ask with tears. The dancers kneel behind him with their arms up, and as the song descends into the final chords, he brings me into the center.
“You look so beautiful,” he mouths. “I love you.”
Then he drops to one knee, and my heart stops.
Both hands cover my face as I tremble; my entire body won’t stop shaking as the music fades and all I hear are cheers from the crowd.
“Savannah, baby,” he begins and reaches into his pocket, revealing a black velvet box. “I hope you know how much I love you. I hope you know that my world starts and ends with you every damn day. I hope you know you’re the most important person in my entire life, and if you’d give me the chance,
I’d prove that to you every single day for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me and be my wife?”
Hayden pops open the box, and even though my vision is hazy with tears, I already know it’s the most stunning ring I’ve ever seen.
I nod frantically, trying to swallow down the lump that’s lodged in my throat and finally get the words out. “Yes! Yes, of course!”
Donny shouts behind him, “She said yes!” I didn’t even realize he was there, but as cheers from the huge crowd erupt, Hayden wraps me in his arms, and it’s just the two of us as we promise to love each other the rest of our lives.
I throw myself at my future husband, bawling and laughing as he spins me around. When he finally sets me on my feet, he grabs my left hand and slides on the ring. Cupping his cheeks, I pull his lips to mine and give him a heart-stopping kiss.
“I can’t believe you did that,” I tell him as people walk around us. Some stop to mutter congratulations as others stroll by. “I thought you were in Sacramento!”
Hayden smirks then flashes me a wink. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“You more than surprised me,” I tell him, pressing my mouth to his again.
Donny appears and quickly steals me away for a hug.
“You jerk!” I playfully swat at his chest. “All those ‘rehearsals’ huh?”
“Teaching your man to dance was no easy feat, so you’re welcome,” he says smugly, causing me to burst into laughter. “You two. I don’t even know what to say.”
I glance down at the ring and finally look at the diamond Hayden picked out for me. “You never cease to amaze me, Hayden Manning.”
He grabs my hand, then presses a kiss to my knuckle. “Get used to it, babe. You just signed up for a whole lifetime worth.”
“Sounds like the best deal of my life.”
Hayden cradles my face and kisses all the oxygen out of my lungs. “I think we should spend the rest of the weekend celebrating.”
“You know I’m still here, right?” Donny asks with fake annoyance.
I chuckle against Hayden’s lips. “Bye, Donny!” We wave him off as Hayden deepens our kiss, not caring where we are or who’s watching because at this moment, it’s just me and him.
Forever.
* * *
Wanna see the wedding for Hayden & Savannah? Wondering about Hayden’s brother, Hunter? Will he ever get over the girl he can’t have?
Does he get his HEA?
Find out more in Baby Mine & Baby Yours!
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Scroll to the end to read the prologue!
I saw her first.
Blonde. Gorgeous. Feisty.
I was smitten.
But it didn’t matter because she chose him and he was my best friend and roommate. I’d never be able to compete with that, so I pushed her away instead. It was easy when she lived hours away, and I didn’t have to see her every day, but then she moved in with us.
Now, I’m screwed.
To her singing in the shower every morning, dancing in the kitchen while she makes coffee, and doing yoga in our living room, I can’t stop thinking about her in all the wrong ways. She’s not mine and never will be, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to push her against a wall and claim her mouth.
She’s constantly on me for making messes, bringing chicks home every weekend, and being a smartass when their PDA gets on my nerves. Considering neither of them know how I feel, it’s not fair for the way I act toward them. I should move out so I can get over her for good; however, the selfish part of me can’t let go.
But then the unthinkable happens...
When my best friend dies in a motorcycle accident, the two of us are left to grieve our loss together. Instead of pushing her away, I pull her closer.
Just as we come to terms with our new reality, she finds out she’s pregnant with his baby.
And I’m left to make the hardest decision of my life...
**BABY MINE is an angsty, emotional, slow-burn romance wrapped up in a heartbreakingly delicious love story. It's book 1 in the Hunter & Lennon duet of the Roommate Duet Series and must be read first.
* * *
GRAB BABY MINE HERE
Brooke Cumberland and Lyra Parish are a duo of romance authors who teamed up under the USA Today pseudonym, Kennedy Fox. They share a love of Hallmark movies & overpriced coffee. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate under a pseudonym and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make you blush and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, quirky, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you! They’re looking forward to bringing you many more stories to fall in love with!
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TRAVIS & VIOLA DUET
Checkmate: This is War
Checkmate: This is Love
DREW & COURTNEY DUET
Checkmate: This is Reckless
Checkmate: This is Effortless
LOGAN & KAYLA DUET
Checkmate: This is Dangerous
Checkmate: This is Beautiful
BISHOP BROTHERS SERIES
Taming Him
Needing Him
Chasing Him
Keeping Him
BEDTIME READS SERIES
Falling for the Bad Boy
Falling for the Playboy
Falling for the Cowboy
HUNTER & LENNON DUET
Baby Mine
Baby Yours
MASON & SOPHIE DUET
Truly Mine
Truly Yours
LIAM & MADELYN DUET
Always Mine
Always Yours
CIRCLE B RANCH SERIES
Roping the Cowboy
Hitching the Cowboy
Click to read the Kennedy Fox reading order here
Free Books!
We have THREE series starters currently FREE on all platforms! Make sure to grab them!
Baby Mine
An enemies to lovers, roommate, slow burn romance
Checkmate: This is War
An enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend romance
Falling for the Bad Boy
An enemies to lovers romance
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Baby Mine Prologue
HUNTER
This place is so packed, sweat beads form along my forehead. I’ve been running around behind the bar getting people’s beers and making cocktails nonstop for four hours. It’s so crowded the bouncer stops letting people enter. However, it only gets this insanely busy during spring break, especially with California State University just ten minutes away.
“Dude, Hunter,” Brandon hollers, then I look over my shoulder at him standing at the opposite end. “Need a refill, man!” He shakes his empty beer bottle as if that’ll encourage me to hustle. Considering he doesn’t tip, his pretty boy ass can wait.
“I’ll be right over!” I reply, shaking my head. It’ll be his fifth beer in the past few hours, but I know he’s taking full advantage of our last semester in college. In just a couple of months, we’ll graduate and be in the real world—hopefully not still bartending, though. I’m getting my degree in engineering and don’t plan to use it making drinks.
Brandon Locke is my roommate and one of my best friends. Though we grew up hating each other in high school since he was the kicker for my school’s rival team, we moved past that when we were forced to play football together at CSU Sacramento. He’s one of the most dependable guys I know, and though he tries to keep up with me a
nd our other buddies, he’s more of a straight arrow. Tonight, however, he seems to be bending.
“Locke, you sure you want another?” I ask when I’m in front of him.
“Don’t make me jump over this bar and junk punch you,” he threatens, then slaps down a five dollar bill, which makes me chuckle.
“Oh, big spender. Fine.” I grab a cold beer from the cooler and slide it over to him. I take the five and put it in the drawer. “But don’t think I’m holding your hair back when you puke your guts out later.”
Brandon immediately chugs away while holding up his middle finger at me. “I don’t need a sitter, Dad. Plus, Mason and Liam are here to make sure I get home safely.”