Page 109 of One More Chapter

She nods. “If my schedule allows it.”

She leaves out the unsaid—her teaching job and her reluctance to leave.

“Baby steps,” I say, taking the piece of popcorn in my hand and turning it toward her between my thumb and index finger. She opens her mouth, and I toss it up in the air, chuckling when she catches it and smiles. “See how this event goes. If it’s successful, and it’s something that you want to keep doing to further your career, you cross that bridge when you come to it.”

She nods and finishes chewing the piece of popcorn.

“I figure that if this one goes well, I’ll probably look into a couple of summer dates to promote my next book.”

“When does this one come out?”

“Early April.”

“Spring break?”

“I did that on purpose,” she grins.

“Smart woman.”

“I try,” she winks. “Honestly, all of my releases are scheduled around breaks for a reason—I get time to enjoy my release week without the stresses of school to follow.”

I lick my lips and swallow my question, because we’re having such a nice night and I don’t want to ruin it. The one about whatit will take for her to leave teaching altogether and finally pursue the thing she’s brilliant at—but more importantly, the one that makes her happiest.

Instead, I go to refill our hot cocoa to give us both some space. As I’m leaving the kitchen, my eyes catch on the matching invitations stuck behind magnets on our fridge. Aaron and Lucy’s wedding is on Valentine’s Day—his choice. I’m attending as a guest. I didn’t sign for a plus one, mainly because the woman I want on my arm is standing up as a bridesmaid.

“Hey, so, a lighter proposition,” I say, sliding her mug into her awaiting hand.

“Are you going to ask me to marry you and have your babies?” she asks with that same sarcastic brow raise.

I chuckle, taking a sip from my steaming mug.

“Not yet.” Before she can read into that subtext, I continue, “Will you be attending Lucy and Aaron’s wedding in February?”

“You mean the one I’m standing up in? Yeah, I think I might make an appearance.”

“Good,” I nod, licking hot chocolate off my upper lip. “And were you planning on utilizing the dance floor at said wedding?”

“I could probably be persuaded.”

“Excellent. Would you be interested in having a partner?”

“Gosh, Isupposeit might be easier to dance to all of those cheesy slow songs if I had someone else to do it with.”

It’s hersomeone else to do it withthat stops the charade for me. We fall into these bits so easily. Making breakfast in the morning. Watching TV after dinner. Lying on opposite pillows while our feet flirt beneath the covers. It’s one of my favorite things to do with her. But even better would besomeone else to do lifewith for all the days I have left. Starting with a dance at Aaron and Lucy’s wedding, and ending as the ground beneath her feet so she can go and live out her dreams.

I nod, watching the cogs in her brain turn behind her sparkling eyes.

“I guess I’ll see you on the dance floor.”

forty-two

penelope

Winter break started earlydue to a sudden December storm. The roads were too icy, and I’ll be one hundred percent honest, I’m sure the superintendent knew a ton of parents were going to take advantage and start their vacations early anyway, with or without the official call. Either way, we have been blessed with one extra day of our break, which for me means one extra day to prepare for my event.

I am hands down freaking out.

The rest of the world has absolutely no idea who PJ Layne is. I don’t put any identifying information in my bio—for all they know, I could be writing somewhere in Australia. My face has never been on my socials; I use my author logo for everything. New York is a central enough location that I’m hoping to keep most of those things under wraps. I won’t be revealing my real name as it is. But still. Eventually, the secret will get out. Won’t it?

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