Page 82 of Rewrites of the Heart

“Yes, I was furious when I saw the two of you on the floor like that. But I’ve come to understand the situation. It’s difficult to spend time together in a six-by-nine jail cell as we did and not share some very personal, private moments.”

“You were in jail? In the same cell as Rain?” He rolled his eyes.

“That’s a story for another day. What I’m trying to say now is that your ex-girlfriend testified about your loyalty. The jealously, the insecurity I felt, that’s all part of my problem.” She paused. His chocolate-colored eyes looked down at her expectantly.

“Starting a new relationship, a new life, after all this time hasn’t been easy.” She sighed. “And it’s been scary. Very scary.”

“I understand, darling. I really do.” He approached her slowly. He gently placed his hands on her arms and gazed into her eyes. She swore her body sizzled when he touched her. If she had doubts she was making the right move, they evaporated.

“Believe me,” he said, pulling her a little closer. “Rain seriously hurt me when she left. For a while I wasted so much time trying to ‘replace’ her. Then I saw you standing there in the bookstore. I knew you were not your average woman, but I acted like such a jerk.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head as she remembered their first disastrous encounter.

“I didn’t do much to help you out.”

He pulled her closer, his eyes meeting hers. Her spine tingled as she studied his boyish face, a face she now knew so well; she knew every laugh line.

He placed his hand on her neck and pulled her even closer, their lips met, and they were lost in the moment, a very long sensual moment. Slowly their lips parted but the embrace lingered.

“I swore when I kissed you, I heard music and angels singing.”

“Of course, you did.” She nestled into his warm sensuous body. “It’s the homecoming parade. The music is the marching band, and the angels are the cheerleaders.”

The float with the homecoming king and queen was directly in front of them. On it were Alex and Blake, arms wrapped around each other, waving. “Look who made the royalty.” Kenn chuckled.

“Yay, JJ! You and Kenn got back together,” Alex shouted.

“Now that’s a happily-ever-after,” Blake said and winked.

She and Kenn waved. Alex turned to Blake and kissed him passionately. The crowd roared with delight and applauded.

“That’s our cue,” he softly told her. He tightened his embrace. She closed her eyes, soaking in the exquisite moment. When the crowd noise around them reached a crescendo, she slowly opened one eye and glanced at the café. The windows were lined with students, applauding and cheering.

“I do believe we have an ever-expanding audience,” she mumbled.

“Well, then let’s give them something they can remember.”

Chapter 54

“So exactly what happens to me at the end of my book?”

Alex sat on the couch in the study, legs crossed at the knee, her hands cupped around the top one.

JJ had finishedLove’s Surpriseand was printing it out before she sent the digital to her editor.

While she didn’t need to send the physical manuscript to her publisher, she had gotten into the habit of saving a hard copy for herself. She never hit the send button on her email until she had her copy printed and secured in a sturdy box.

She even had a section of her bookshelf dedicated to the manuscripts. It was an oddly satisfying habit.

When she didn’t answer, Alex continued her line of questioning.

“Or am I going to have to wait until the book is published to discover how my love unfolds?” Alex paused. JJ looked up from her packing and saw the sorrow in her character’s eyes.

“Am I going back home any time soon?” Her voice cracked.

Alex uncrossed her legs, scooted to the edge of the loveseat, and covered her eyes. JJ recognized the mixture of sadness and anger in her and abandoned her task to sit with her. She could see Alex’s stomach quickly rise and fall with every silent sob.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” JJ said. “You’ll get back, I’m sure.”

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