Page 58 of Stars Shine In Your Eyes

“All of us,” she corrected him. “We’ve created it together.” She turned to him, knowing she’d made her decision. “I’m going to stay.”

She’d never seen his smile so big. “Thank God.”

She leaned in and kissed him. A soft, sweet kiss. One that was full of trust. Trust that she hadn’t thought she was willing to give. Until now.

“I should let Mari know,” she said a few moments later.

“She’s going to be absolutely thrilled,” he said.

“It’s exciting.” She took another deep breath. “I’m nervous, but I think I’m ready for this change.”

“And I’ll be beside you every step of the way,” he said. “We all will. Let’s go tell Mari in person.”

They kissed again, and then they locked up and headed off toward the bookstore.

Though it was after closing hours, the light was still on, and Mari was behind the computer near the register. When they knocked, she let them in immediately.

“Are you here to give me your decision?” she asked as soon as they were inside.

Josie smiled. “Yes. I’m going to stay.”

Mari threw her arms around Josie. “This is the best news ever!”

Owen appeared from the back of the store. “I take it your answer is yes?” he said to Josie.

“It is.”

He joined in the celebrations, saying, “I’m very pleased to hear that. You two, you’re going to be an unstoppable team.”

Josie was so thrilled to have met Mari. And to be part of a team with her.

“We have to open a bottle of bubbly!” Mari announced.

Owen was already headed up the stairs. “That’s exactly what I’m going to get now.”

He was back shortly with four glasses and a bottle of champagne.

“My agent sent me the champagne as a gift after Mars at the Beach was published,” Mari said, “and this feels like the right time to drink it.”

Mari popped the cork and then filled four flutes, handing them out. “To our amazing new adventure together,” she said. “And to Josie moving to England.”

They clinked glasses and drank.

Then Malcolm held up his glass again. “There’s something else we have to celebrate,” he said. He looked at Josie as if to get her permission, and she nodded. “We wanted to let you know that Josie and I are together.”

She knew he’d specifically asked Alice not to tell Mari and Owen, as he and Josie wanted to tell them.

Mari’s eyes got big. “Like together together?”

Owen didn’t say anything, simply looked between the two of them as if waiting for confirmation.

“Yes,” Josie said with a smile. “Together. A proper couple,” she said, echoing the way Malcolm had put it just a short while ago.

They all clinked again and drank.

“Your head must be spinning,” Owen noted.

She couldn’t help but wonder at Owen’s slight reticence. Why he didn’t seem completely overjoyed by the news that she was dating Malcolm. Was he worried that something would happen between them that would interfere with her business relationship with Mari? That was a valid concern, actually. Still, she was intent on pushing those worries away. She’d made her decision to risk, well, everything. And now that she’d decided, she was going to stand by it. No matter what.

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