The Goodbye Guy (The Men of Lakeside)

by Natasha Moore

  Beckett’s mom had made a pot of her famous chili, and Rachel’s parents brought the champagne and ginger ale. She’d been spending more time with her family since she’d been back, and she was glad they were finally getting a chance to know one another better.

  Donna and a very pregnant Katie sat on one of the new loveseats. Rachel’s parents sat on the other. Rachel squeezed onto the long sofa with Anita, Suz, Ginny, and Helen. She was enjoying getting to know all the bright, beautiful women in the group.

  They set up kitchen chairs behind the sofa for the guys to sit in. Pop joined them in his own chair. Sean joined Holly and Emmie on the floor around the coffee table, hogging all the popcorn. Mocha was happily cleaning the floor of any spilled kernels.

  The Salvage Station had become even more popular than they could have imagined. It had almost become a second home. With all the space upstairs, they were able to make an office for Rachel, too. Bud was right, there was plenty of room for both places in Lakeside. She and Beckett and Holly had dinner at Bud’s the other night, and it was clear his business hadn’t slowed down at all.

  Watching The Rachel Touch episode now was almost like watching somebody else. Rachel was so busy with her new YouTube channel, freelance design work, and new mentoring program that she couldn’t imagine working for the network. It was fun to see her and Beckett at the beginning of their relationship, though, back when they never imagined they could actually have a relationship. Much less fall in love.

  When it was over, everyone agreed it turned out great and would be awesome advertisement for all the businesses. Pop spoke up. “We need to be prepared for a boost in business.” He started to throw out ideas, but Donna told him tomorrow was soon enough.

  “More chili? Drinks?” Rachel started to stand.

  “Wait,” Holly said and popped to her feet. She glanced at her dad and then grinned at Rachel. “Can I say something first?”

  She sat back down, slightly suspicious. “Of course.”

  Holly cleared her throat. “Rachel, we are so glad you came to Lakeside to help design my dad’s building. We were so lucky to have someone so talented like you to make it perfect. But that’s not what I want to talk about right now.”

  Chuckles rippled around the room.

  “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

  “I just want to say that Dad and I are so happy we fell in love with you, and that you fell in love with us, too, and that you want to stay in Lakeside so I didn’t have to move away, and that you live with us now.” She cleared her throat again. “So all I have left to say is that we want to ask you if you’d marry us.” Holly looked at Beckett. “Dad, you have to get on your knee now and show her the ring.”

  Rachel’s heart raced as Beckett smiled sheepishly. At least, she thought he did, but the tears in her eyes made it hard for her to see clearly. Her face grew warm and she knew her cheeks must be getting pink. All the people they cared about most were sitting around them, watching, grinning. Sean pushed the coffee table out of the way, and then Beck got down on one knee in front of her. He held a small box in his large hand.

  “Truth or Dare?”

  Rachel burst out laughing while everyone else in the room shot him an incredulous expression. There wasn’t anything she was afraid to tell him now. “Truth.”

  “Rachel, you told me more than once that you couldn’t have it all. That you had to choose between a successful career and having a family. I hope in the past few months you’ve changed your mind about what we can make room for in our lives.” He opened the box and took out a ring, an emerald-cut diamond set in an Art Deco band. “Will you marry me and I will do everything I can to prove to you that we can have it all?”

  Her hand shook as she held it out for him to place the ring on her finger. “Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.” She held out her arms to Holly and she joined them. Her own little family, and who knew, it might even grow someday. “Don’t you know? I already have it all.”

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  Acknowledgments

  First of all, thank you to Wendy Chen, awesome and patient editor, who stuck with me through uncounted versions of what this story could be, then pushed me even further to deepen and expand Beckett’s story into what it is today.

  Thanks to my guys, Amanda Usen, Jessica Topper, and Alison Stone, for their unwavering support while I worked on this book and all the ones that came before. Extra kudos to Jess for the perfect title!

  To all the friends I’ve met through the Seasoned Romance FB group, who support romances with main characters over the age of 40 and the authors who write them. Love can happen at any age and we’re happy to prove it day after day.

  Last but definitely not least, to all my readers, new and old, the ones who have followed me since my erotic romance days, and those who found me more recently. You are the reason I stare out the window dreaming up new characters, dictate hopefully-brilliant ideas into my phone while I’m out walking, and hole up in my office for hours trying to pull it all together. Here’s to love at any age.

  About the Author

  Natasha Moore fell in love with the written word as soon as she could read. She’s the author of more than twenty romances, and believes that stories of love and hope are important. Love can happen at any age and she often writes about vibrant and passionate characters finding love later in life. She’s a snowbird, spending the winters in sunny Florida, and the rest of the year in beautiful western New York with her real life hero who is happy to tell everyone that he’s her inspiration.

  Don’t miss the Men of Lakeside series…

  The July Guy

  The Standby Guy

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