The New Normal
Page 26
“I hope so, because I’m not going anywhere.” He sighed and moved his hands to her hips, pulling her closer.
“You mean you’re not going anywhere because we’re neighbors?”
“No, I’m not going anywhere because I’m crazy about you. Don’t you think it’s time you considered falling in love with me? I think it’s time.” His smile was sexy-sweet.
Laughter bubbled up inside her like champagne. His words and his smile and the feel of him in her arms made her senses tingle and her pulse race. “Oh, you do, do you?”
He nodded. “Yep, but I’m patient, and I’m willing to work for it. Think there’s any chance I’ll succeed?”
“In making me fall in love with you?”
“Yes.” His tone was light, but his gaze was intense, and her heart filled with hope.
“I think so. I’d say you’re off to a pretty good start.” Such a good start!
And then she kissed him.
Epilogue
It was a beautiful sunny day in May as the neighbors gathered for the One and Only Monroe Circle Epic Ethan and Magnificent Mia Graduation Party in the yard space between houses.
“You two have the strangest arrangement,” Renee said from her spot on a reclining lawn chair. “Why don’t you sell one of these houses?”
“Because I like my house, and Ben likes his house, and the kids have their own rooms and it just works for us. We like bouncing back and forth. It’s our normal,” Carli answered.
“Any whispers of marriage?” DeeDee asked.
“Whispers,” Carli laughed. “Only whispers, and that’s just fine by me. I like our current routine, and honestly, I just love him so much. It’s stupid how much I love him.”
Erin’s smile was bright. “I think it’s wonderful how much you love him, and it’s obvious he feels the same way. You guys practically sparkle every time you’re together. I’m so happy for you. You deserve this. You found your unicorn.”
“I guess I have. I’m so lucky.”
“He’s so lucky,” Renee said.
Carli chuckled. “Damn right. He’s so lucky.” They clinked their glasses together to toast as Ben smiled at her from across the lawn, where he was cooking burgers on his big, fancy-ass grill. Her heart did that clumsy tumble that it did every time their eyes met. Yep, she was stupid in love. She blew him a kiss. He blew one back.
“Actually, you’re kind of nauseating,” DeeDee said. “But I like it.”
“Yep,” Carli said, laughing. “I like it, too.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, thank you to my devoted readers, who ask for more stories, who send notes of appreciation, and who keep me at the keyboard well into the night. I will always have more stories, so if you keep reading, I’ll keep writing.
Thank you to Nalini Akolekar, who continues to support me in ways too numerous to list. I’d buy you a puppy, but you already have too many. Thank you to Melody Guy for trusting me and trusting the process, and for always, always helping me make the sausage. Thank you to Anh Schluep for giving me just one more week and the entire team at Montlake Publishing for continually turning my words into real books.
A heartfelt thanks to my writing sisters at Fiction From the Heart—Jamie Beck, Sonali Dev, Kwana Jackson, Donna Kauffman, Sally Kilpatrick, Falguni Kothari, Priscilla Oliveras, Barbara Samuel, Hope Ramsey, and Liz Talley—for teaching me things (and for making me laugh) every single day. I am better for knowing you.
To the friends and writers who have inspired me, challenged me, and occasionally talked me off a ledge: Catherine Bybee, Marina Adair, Kimberly Kincaid, Alyssa Alexander, and Elizabeth Essex. Hugs and smooches to you.
Thank you to Jane for your virtual red pen and for always being willing to talk over plot points. I’m sure I owe you more coffee.
Thank you to Terri DeBoer for the friendship and for all the great details about life at a TV station.
And finally, thank you to Webster Girl and Tenacious D, who make everything more fun, even the stuff that isn’t. Without you, none of the rest matters.
AUTHOR NOTE
To learn more about the love story of meteorologist-turned–morning show cohost Allie Winters, look for my novella Weather or Knot.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2017 Kristy Berands Photography
Tracy Brogan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Trillium Bay series, the Bell Harbor series, and the stand-alone novels Hold on My Heart and Highland Surrender. She is a three-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award and a two-time recipient of the Amazon Publishing Diamond Award for sales exceeding one million copies and has won several Booksellers’ Best awards. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and have hit number one on Amazon in both the United States and Germany. She lives in Michigan with her daughters, Webster Girl and Tenacious D, who credit her DNA for their inherent gifts of sarcasm and irony and her questionable parenting choices for their well-developed ability to adapt to other people’s mood swings. She is a clumsy dancer, an obsessive organizer, and terrible at house-breaking puppies. For more information, visit www.tracybrogan.com.