Page 121 of Second-Rate Superstar

“Pinch me.” I offered up my arm. When he eyed me, I shook it. “Seriously.”

Skeptically, he reached out, pulling my skin between his forefinger and thumb. I hissed, drawing back at the bite of pain.

“Are you okay?” Braxton eyed me carefully.

“Uh-huh.” I rubbed the sore spot on my forearm. “Just making sure I’m not inside one of my books. Your little group has a thing for grand gestures, don’t they?”

He twisted his lips. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It’s not,” I agreed. “I guess I’m not used to seeing men go out of their way to romance women in real life.”

Braxton knelt before me, taking my hands in his. “Get used to it. Because I will always go out of my way to make sure the whole world knows how much I love you.”

Butterflies filled my belly. This man was so damn sweet most days that it made my teeth ache. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Brown eyes filled with hope stared up at me. “Please come with me? Be my wedding date?”

I sighed. “I want to, baby, I do. But I’m on deadline.”

“You finished writing weeks ago. What more is there to do?”

“It’s cute that you think after getting the words on paper, it magically turns into a book,” I teased.

“Then tell me about it. How does it go from finished manuscript to published for distribution?”

“Ooh. Look at all those technical words.” I patted one of his cheeks.

“Seriously. I want to know about your job.”

His words were sincere, and I relented. “Okay, well, it’s currently being passed from my editor to my proofreader. Then it’s up to me to accept all the changes and make a final pass of the manuscript.” Grumbling, I explained, “I swear, no matter how many eyes are on it, some tiny typo slips through, and it drives me bonkers.” I took a deep breath and continued, “Next, I have to format it to look good for both paperback and e-book versions. After that, I send it to my advanced readers for review before the official release. The final step is submission to the online booksellers so it’s ready on release day. And don’t forget marketing. That’s the most crucial part. If you write a book and no one knows it exists or ever reads it, did you even write it?”

Braxton gazed at me in awe. “I think it’s incredible how hard you work to make your dreams come true. How can I support you?”

I’d never been asked that question before and didn’t know how to respond. How did he always render me speechless?

“Um.” I struggled to find the words. “You can’t help in the physical process, but what you’re doing now, being an emotional support, is amazing. You send food when I’m working late while you’re on the road, you are content to sit beside me in bed as I type away, and you are always willing to take me out when I need a brain break. Honestly, I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Good.” He beamed back at me. “I’m thrilled I have a front-row seat to your career taking off.”

I shoved at his shoulder, blushing. “Don’t get ahead of yourself just yet. I’ve got a long way to go.”

“Aw, come on, Firefly. You said it yourself. Hockey is all the rage right now in romance, right? I know that with your brilliant mind, you’re gonna catch a spark, and then nothing will be able to stop you from lighting up the literary world.”

His belief in me was more valuable than any physical gift he could give. And I had no idea what I’d done to deserve this incredible man.

“Thank you,” I whispered, pressing my lips to his softly.

“Now, about that trip.” Braxton smiled against my mouth. I groaned at his persistence, and he cupped my face, keeping me close. “Tell me what you need to make it happen. What’s left on the list? The release date is at the end of the month, right? Three weeks?”

I nodded. “Accepting edits and final pass will take most of next week. Then, I have to format it before sending it to my early readers and working on marketing graphics. When is the trip?”

Sensing I was close to caving, he replied, “We leave on Thursday after practice. Private plane is set for takeoff at 3 PM.”

Chewing my lip, I ran it through my head. If I got the final file back sometime this weekend, I could run through most of the edits by Thursday.

“Wi-Fi on the boat?” I asked. That point was vital.

A brilliant smile lit up Braxton’s face. “You bet. Does that mean you’re in?” The parts of his body touching mine vibrated with excitement.

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