Page 61 of Forbidden

I hugged him tight as tears filled my eyes. After everything that happened with my mother, I knew how lucky I was to have my dad. I blinked back my tears and sat beside him as my agent, Mena, came over.

Mena was very New York with her fancy clothes and perfect appearance. Underneath the façade, she was a fierce negotiator and one of the smartest people I knew.

“Shane,” she said as she extended her hand to him. “I’m so glad to finally meet you. How do you feel about Rosalie naming the hero after you?”

“It’s great. Rosalie has a great imagination.” He laughed then cocked his brow at me.

“And how about you? Rosalie tells me you’re an up-and-coming artist,” Mena said.

“She exaggerates,” he said modestly.

“I’m not exaggerating,” I said. “You’ve been in magazines, won two awards, and there’s a wait list of people demanding new pieces from you.”

He shrugged. “I am working on some new things and have another exhibit in a few months. But today isn’t about me, it’s about Rosalie.”

Shane slipped his arm around my waist and brought his lips close to my ear.

“How are you feeling? Still nauseous?” he whispered.

I shook my head, not wanting anyone to hear.

“Good. I hope you didn’t mind what I told Noelle about being late.”

“It’s okay, I thought it was funny,” I said. “Plus I’m not ready to tell everyone just yet. Not until my dad knows.”

“I’m having a hard time keeping it secret.”

“I know, me too. You know I can’t keep secrets. I want to tell my dad in person, but not here in the middle of all of this. We can tell him and your mom tonight at dinner.”

“You are going to be a wonderful mom,” he said, pulling me tight against him.

“Shhh, you talk too much.”

Shane kissed me and we smiled at each other. I couldn’t stop smiling if I tried. We were starting a family and we couldn’t be happier. I looked at the display table with my book as the centerpiece. That was my story, our story. Whether it was fact or fiction, that didn’t matter. I got my happily ever after.

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