Page 117 of Rewrite the Rules

“How’d you get this?”

“Quinn told me to give it to you once you pulled your head out of your ass.”

I examine the worn pages. “You read this didn’t you?”

“Course I did. I’m not working, I’m bored—and nosey as fuck.”

I let out a guttural groan. “She wrote about our sex life in here…I can’t read this. Not after everything.” Honestly, I’m scared. I asked a virgin to just fuck like it meant nothing. I don’t want to know how awful that must’ve been from her side.

“Give me back the kitten. I want to enjoy her company until she becomes the size of a dinosaur.”

I acquiesce, mostly because Cody still has about twenty pounds of muscle on me.

He takes Kitty and slaps the book against my chest. “Read it. You might be surprised.”

Cody walks out of the kitchen cooing over Kitty. He really is getting weird. I make a mental note to start helping him job hunt next week. I settle into my couch with the book that weighs a hundred pounds in my hands. I try to remember when she finished the manuscript. I think…before we broke up? Did she have time to go back and make changes out of anger?

I skip the front matter and open to the first page of chapter one. Hope knocks. My heart stops when I read the opening:I’ll admit I was a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to love…but he was worth the wait. He still is.

thirty-nine

Adler

february

The paperback in my hands feels so much lighter than I imagined. The color is exactly one shade off from the cover ofToy With Me.When the publishers are finished exploiting this series, all the books neatly lined will make a perfect pink gradient.

I got my way with the title at least. I was not going to allowMy Pretty Kittyto be on the cover of my first romance book whether or not it was the publisher’s suggestion. I put my foot down and shovedPretend With Meright down their throats.

“Not a bad turnout for your first book launch party.” Tessa beams at me.

“Tessa, this is over the top.”

“It would’ve been bigger if we had done this in L.A. like Ted and I suggested,” she complains. She wasn’t thrilled about catching a flight to the Midwest. ButPretend With Meis my baby. I wanted to be at home for this.

“Which is why Denver is perfect. I think this is plenty big. It’s a little overwhelming actually.”

The party is hosted at a local Denver bookstore that Tessa and Ted graciously rented out in my honor. The entire floor is decorated in, of course, pink. Valentine’s Day is next week so at the very least the bookstore can recycle some of these decorations. There are foot-wide hot-pink satin streamers lining every surface. There is balloon garland in the colors of champagne and dusty rose draped over every door. The floral table decorations are a combination of spray-painted pink daisies and pale-pink roses. The champagne fountain is spewing out rosé and the bar is backlit with hot-pink flashing neon lights. This party looks more like Barbie’s dream wedding than a book launch and signing.

It reminds me of the party my best friends threw me six months ago. Only tonight, there’s no hiding. It’smyname on the banner…on the cover. And on the pens and the bookmarks and the totes and all the other over-the-top swag that Ted insisted on ordering.

“Your friends seem to be having fun.” Tessa nods over her shoulder, but I have no clue what she’s gesturing to. My girls are scattered in the crowd enjoying themselves.

“Why don’t you go stretch your legs—enjoy yourself. Let’s get drunk.” Tessa bobs her head to the music. She holds out her hands for me, trying to coax me out of my chair behind the author booth.

“Do you remember the last time we got drunk together?”

“I sure do. And from it came the birth of a beautiful book. I have zero regrets.”I have a few. Like that three-day hangover.

“I have ten more minutes of signings.” Then, I’m free. As soon as the clock strikes nine, I have every intention of finding the exit to this party. It’s been a grueling few weeks between final edits, the promo, and marketing obligations. I just want some peace and quiet before the book tours start.

“I’ll go grab you something from the bar,” Tessa offers. “Whatcha want?”

“A beer would be great. Coors?”

“Absolutely! Tequila shooters coming right up.” Tessa winks and then leaves me to my little pink table covered in ruffles with a giant sign that says‘Meet the Author’right next to my headshot on display.There’s no cowering behind the cover this time. This book screams Adler Haley.

A young woman in a high ponytail smacks her copy of the book down on my table a bit aggressively. She smells like a walking bottle of Tuaca. “Hey,oh my god, I just love your book. I was one of the ones who won an advance copy in that contest. I binged it in one night.”

---