Page 97 of Devotion: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ihad finally called Callen and took him up on the offer to connect me with a publishing house in Edinburgh. My book was done. Turned out it was Callen’s publishing house but he had a partner that was a harsh critic and very selective about the work they published.

I shared it only with Elise and she cried and laughed as she read it. She was convinced it was my best work yet. I hoped it was, because I had put parts of my heart and soul into it. It wasn’t anything remotely like my past works so I was nervous to hear whether this book would pass Callen’s partner’s critique and if they’d be interested in publishing.

“Hello,” my cell rang and I immediately picked up.

“Eve,” it was Callen’s voice. “Are you sitting down?”

“No,” I told him. “I’m too nervous to sit still. Is it bad news?”

There was silence on the other line, and finally he spoke up. “He fucking loved it. We want to sign you this week.”

I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, my heart sped up from excitement.

And then I squealed, taking a page out of Ainslee’s book. She and her mother were on the other side of the room along with Bram, and they all looked up. Smiles spread across their faces.

“I knew it,” Ainslee bragged. “Didn’t I tell you?”

“I can’t believe it,” I mumbled. “It is so different from everything else I’ve done.”

“The book is amazing,” he responded. “You know it is. We want to snatch you up right away. Can you meet us in four days?”

“Nothing will stop me,” I told him

“Wonderful, because we want to put it into print within the next two weeks. We want it to catch on before Christmas,” he spoke excitedly, which matched my enthusiasm.

“Wow,” I exclaimed. “That is a pretty aggressive and tight deadline.”

“My partner and I talked it over and discussed the timeline,” he added. “It will be intense but it is doable. We’ll need you in the spotlight so we can use your name to promote it all over. Leave it to us.”

“I trust you,” I told him. After all, he didn’t have a successful publishing company by making bad decisions.

After a few more exchanges, I hung up the phone and started jumping. Ainslee and Bram joined in, and Margaret hugged us all. Ainslee went to pour us all champagne and gave sparkling cider to her son.

“This is the best Christmas present,” Ainslee cheered on. I smiled and nodded.

Lachlan is the best Christmas present but I’ll settle for this.

“To the writer in our family,” Margaret toasted and we all clink our glasses.

“They want to publish it in two weeks,” I passed on the information he gave me.

“Get the hell out,” Margaret was beaming. “I get to read it before Christmas.”

“I’ll have to stay in the city next week through the publishing date. Probably a couple of days after that.”

“We’ll be here,” Margaret assured me and gave me a big hug.

I didn’t want to spoil the moment but I needed to let them know I decided to move out. I couldn’t stay here while Lachlan kept away. This was his home, and as much as I loved being here and his family, it wasn’t right.

The next morning I left for Edinburgh, with the decision to stay in my city apartment permanently and not go back to McLaren’s. Ainslee, Margaret, and Colin all complained but my mind was made up and I wouldn’t change it. So they came to visit me in the city. They’d give me hints each day that Lachlan still hadn’t come back to the castle and I’d just smile.

I had left my old necklace with mine and Hunter’s wedding rings in the soapdish in his bathroom alongside his watches, and Lachlan’s beautiful sapphire necklace in his safe.

It was hard to leave his necklace behind. I wanted to keep it, not because of its value but because it reminded me of his love and desire. I had never had a man look at me, or make love to me, the way he had.

The one piece I couldn’t bear to separate from was his wedding ring. I just couldn’t tear it off my finger. Maybe it was a stupid hope I held onto; the hope I’d see him one more time or that he still wanted to be married to me that made it hard to leave it behind. So I kept it.

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