Page 88 of Wandering Closer

“It’s okay, baby. I’m not upset about it. I would sell it all to take care of you. Sleep now, you still need to rest. We don’t have anything to worry about.”

I close my eyes, breathing in his warm skin beneath me, feeling Shadow stretch out near my legs, and I truly feel it.

This is happiness.

This is home.

Everything is going to be okay.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

lily

Six Weeks Later

The Karma Crew group chat

Michele:

Bags are packed, mission is a go.

Jake:

We’re wearing black, right? Because we’re going to bury them.

Thoren:

Clever, I like it. I’m in.

River:

I like the crew name. Can we name Tyler something too? Tiny dick Tyler?

Michele:

Tyler the twat?

Jake:

Tyler the taint.

Thoren:

Terrible Tyler the tool?

River:

We’ll keep thinking.

Lily:

I love you guys. See you soon.

The last month and a half has flown by. I spent that first week at home hiding out from the world, much to Shadow’s pleasure. Michele finally showed up the next Saturday and dragged me out to get dinner and drinks with her and Amber. It’s a small town, and word travels fast, so I had a lot of stares, but it was worth it. We laughed until we cried as they caught me up on their lives.

It was the jumpstart I needed to get my act together. I focused on starting my next novel while Andrea and my team worked on marketing for the first one. Even though everything on my end was complete, the book release wasn’t until the middle of December. I decided against a signing tour, despite Andrea’s begging. Once the series is complete, I will do one.

For now, I want to focus on the next novel and spend my time doing things I love. I have spent so much of my life doing things for others that it almost feels selfish living for myself. Thoren tries to shut down those thoughts, asking me every morning ‘What would make your heart happy today?’ and encouraging me to do exactly that. I have spent so much time with Amber and Michele that I now have a writing station at the boutique and Michele’s office. I’m living my dream every day and crawling into Thoren’s waiting arms every night.

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