Page 49 of Keeping Happily Ever After

Jeremy jumped up from the sofa, and the daydream he’d fallen into. “Sir?”

“Next Saturday,” Ed announced. “We’re going to have a little ceremony for you and me. Good?”

Was he asking or telling? Jeremy couldn’t be sure.

“Sounds great,” he said.

“Good. The wife is insisting on a retirement thing, and I wanted you to have a formal welcoming. So, we’ll just do it all at once. Okay?”

Jeremy couldn’t help his smile. “It sounds fantastic. I’ll let my family know.”

Ed nodded and the smile slipped into a look of concern. “Your sister…she’s good?”

Good wasn’t the word Jeremy would use. Not yet. But she would be. It would take a little time to undo the damage that Billy had done in only a few months, but she’d get there.Theywould get there. Together.

“She’ll be fine, sir. Thank you so much for all your help with that situation. I don’t know if I could have done it without you.”

Ed put his hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. “You would have. Absolutely. But it’s always nice to have a little help from time to time. And family is family. I’m glad we could do something for her.”

He slapped Jeremy’s back, signifying the end of the moment, and said, “Great. So Saturday it is. And maybe see if that girlfriend of yours can sing a little something, too. Her voice…damn. It’s something else.”

Jeremy swallowed hard. “Sure is, sir. It sure is.”

“Maybe something modern,” Ed continued. “Or maybe—”

“Well, I don’t know if she’ll be able to.” Jeremy interrupted him before he could get too carried away. “She’s pretty busy rehearsing for her new movie. She may have to rest her voice. I’ll see what I can do.”

He didn’t bother telling the other man that he didn’t even know whether Bella would be at the ceremony. More than anything, he wanted her for his big moment. To be able to see her sitting in the audience supporting him, and loving him…it would mean so much.But would she?

If he asked, would she come? Where had they even left their relationship?

So many questions. And there was only one way to get answers.

Jeremy picked up the phone.

It had been a long week.

But despite Bella’s bone-deep exhaustion, she could honestly say that she’d never had so much fun. Rehearsing and performing the songs for theBombshellsoundtrack had been amazing. Working with a professional band in a soundstage with real producers…it had been an incredible experience.

“You did awesome.”

Bryan, one of her producers, sat across from her at the restaurant. A crew of them had gone out to celebrate the first week of recording. “Steph here,” Bryan added, pointing to the superstar, “well, her voice is...”

“Careful,” Steph threatened. “Not all of us can have voices like Bella’s.”

“I was going to say, your voice is secondonlyto Bella’s.”

They all laughed because for all the talents that Steph did have, singing wasn’t on the top of her list. She’d done great, that was true. But it had definitely been a lot harder for her.

“I’m just glad my part’s over,” Steph said. “How are you feeling about the showcase, Bella? It’s in a few days already.”

Bella groaned. It was coming up quickly. Saturday would be upon them before she knew it. And she’d be ready. She said as much. “It’s all happening pretty fast, but I’m excited. The songs are amazing. I can’t wait to share them.”

“And you’ll be sharing them with the world,” Bryan reminded her. “This is going to be huge.”

“You’re ready for this?”

Bella nodded and smiled at Steph’s question. “I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time. I’m ready.”

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