“Hmm . . . I can’t wait to see this dress,” Zack says, interrupting my diabolical plotting.
I groan. “Oh, yes, you can.”
“But, aside from her choice in bridesmaid dresses, she’s the best friend any girl could ask for,” I add.
“I can see that,” he agrees. “Your family is great. I was a little worried that I would make a bad impression by being three hours late.”
I smile to myself. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. Your dramatic entrance definitely impressed them, my mother especially.”
Zack and I talk for a while, mostly about our families. It’s strange, but even though we aren’t together, I’m thankful for this distance. It really gives us a chance to get to know each other without the physical attraction getting in the way. And it makes the reunions even more special.
~*~*~
When I start falling asleep, I know it’s time to get off the phone. After a trip to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I crawl back into bed. I lie still for a while and stare at the ceiling. I sure have come a long way, and it hasn’t always been easy, but I don’t think I’ve been happier than I am right now. And with all the opportunities ahead of me, I feel like I’m in a dream come true. I’ve thought a lot about what Liv said the night of the party. Yes, I may have given up my dream of being on Broadway (for now) but the possibility of my songs being there is almost as good.
I reach into the drawer of my nightstand and pull out my grandmother’s journal. Tucked safely inside is my letter from Beatrice. I smile to myself as I think about these two friends and the example they’ve been to me. Once again, I open to Grandma’s last entry and read it out loud.
“I have learned that true joy will come if you . . . follow your heart.”
I close the journal and hug it tightly to my chest. “I’m learning this, too, Grandma. Thank you.”
The End
Dear Reader:
I hope you enjoyed See You Later Broadway. Please take a few minutes to leave a review on Amazon and don’t forget to visit my website for updates. Stay tuned for my next book coming soon.
Authormelissabaldwin.com
Now available for FREE! Fall Into Magic: A Novella
Here’s a sneak peek at the first book in the Seasons of Summer Novella Series.
I look out over the crashing waves as I enjoy my last few hours of vacation. Why do these hours always go by so quickly? I’m trying to soak up every last second, even though this summer coming to an end is somewhat bittersweet for me.
What should have been one of the best summers of my life definitely changed a few weeks ago when my boyfriend, Jake—insert: now ex-boyfriend—decided to end things. Who ends things in the middle of a fantastic vacation anyway? I could go into detail about his explanation, but I’d rather not relive those horrible fifteen minutes again. And to be honest, his explanation was rather vague. Let’s just say “I’m not sure I’m ready to be in such a serious relationship” came into play. It was bad enough having to explain to my friends why Jake decided to head back to Connecticut early. My friend Angie’s aunt has a place at Gurney’s Inn and we’ve enjoyed summers here for several years. This is by far the worst one, at least for me.
Anyway, it took Jake all of fifteen minutes to wrap up an amazing eighteen months together. Following his quick breakup, I spent several hours doing the usual things women do after being dumped. I cried as I poured over photos and listened to sad love songs. And my friend Angie bought me three boxes of Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls, which I devoured over the following two days.
As devastating as it has been, there is light at the end of the tunnel and I’m trying my hardest to focus on that light. Fall is around the corner and that gives me something to concentrate on and look forward to. At least I still have my job, and first thing on Monday morning, I begin work with a new client, which will give me an opportunity to immerse myself into someone else’s home (i.e. life). Thankfully, I’m one of those people who enjoys my career as an interior decorator. So, as sad as it is watching the summer roll away with the waves, I’m ready to begin the next new chapter in my life . . . I think.
“Are you thinking about Jake?” Angie asks as she sits down and crosses her legs on the lounge chair next to me. She rips open a package of Chocolate Twizzlers, holding it out to me. Typical Angie, she eats more junk food than anyone I’ve ever met but you would never know it. She’s a marathon runner so that definitely helps to balance out her love of all things sweet and fattening. I take three pieces because—well, you know, when in Rome.
“No, I’m not,” I lie. “Well, not entirely.”
She sighs as she looks out over the ocean. “Another summer comes to an end.”
I nod. “That’s actually what I was thinking about.” I pause. “It’s okay, though. I’m ready to get back. I have plenty of work to keep me busy.”
She chews on a piece of Twizzlers. “Did Jake already pick up his stuff?”
I roll my eyes. “Yep. He texted to tell me that he left his key with nosy Mrs. Rothera, who lives downstairs. Now I’m going to have to give her an explanation, too, because you know how she lives for all the gossip.”
“At least your dad will be happy,” she adds. That is true; my dad never liked Jake, so this is sure to please him. He never told me why he didn’t like him, though. He would just say that he had a feeling about him. Looking back, I really wish he would have told me why. He could have saved me several months of my life and definitely some tears. It’s probably something silly like him being a Giants fan instead of a Jets fan. Football is a huge deal in my family being that my father has been a coach for years. I guess I should have known better from day one.
“Yes, he will,” I agree. “But I’m not ready to admit he was right just yet. Still, I told Jake I would get the key from him later but he clearly wanted to be free of all ties to me.”
“Oh well, it’s his loss. He couldn’t face you, what a loser,” Angie shouts. Angie is so loud, being born and raised in Staten Island and coming from a big Italian family will do that to you. I do appreciate her loyalty, though—she’s been my rock these past few weeks.
“Are you ready to get back?” I ask. She shrugs her shoulders. “I guess all good things come to an end.”
I give her a sad smile. “Yes, they do.”
~*~*~
Home sweet home. As soon as I walk into my apartment I look around to see if Jake left anything—of course, he didn’t. He really couldn’t wait to get the hell out of here. We actually didn’t live together but he was here all the time being that he has a roommate. Oh well, it’s his loss just like Angie said. I need to make myself busy so I don’t get sad again.
As much as I love traveling, I really hate this part—the unpacking and laundry is worse than a trip to the dentist. After I throw a load in the washer, I make myself a cup of peppermint tea and open my laptop. Time to get in work mode. I look over the proposal I put together for my new client, Alexander Williams. I haven’t had the opportunity to meet Alexander yet, but I did do what every normal person in the world would—I stalked his social media. I admit I almost fell off my barstool when I first searched him out—a) he looks like Clark Kent from Superman, and b) his favorite movie is Grease 2, which also happens to be my favorite movie. Not that it’s a big deal for him to like the movie, but it definitely caught my eye when he posted that he was watching Grease 2 and always dreamed of being a T-Bird. I’m sure he only cares about watching Michelle Pfeiffer, and to give credit where credit is due, she was stunning in that movie. When I was younger, I wished I looked like Michelle Pfeiffer with her blonde locks and blue eyes. My mom would always get mad when I said this; she told me to embrace my brown eyes and thick reddish-brown hair. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my hair and so does everyone else, but I think it’s pretty normal to want what we can’t have. I must get at least ten compliments a day on my hair . . . Jake always loved my hair. Crap, there I go again. How am I supposed to do this? Do I just pretend tha
t I didn’t spend all that time with him? Do I pretend that I wasn’t in love with him? Ugh.
Anyway, back to my new client. All my communication has been done through his assistant Melanie. According to her, they heard Summer Interiors is the best in Connecticut. (I may or may not have danced around my office when she said this because business has been slow this year.) So from what I can tell, Alexander’s story is that he just moved into a new home and he’s in need of a decorator. However, I get the feeling there’s more to the story than just that because, as I said, I did a little background checking. Disclaimer: I need to know what I’m walking into—you just never know what kind of crazy you might find, especially going into someone’s home. I send one last reminder invite to both Melanie and Alexander, and I close my laptop. This job really couldn’t have come at a better time with my relationship ending the way it did, and since Jake’s so ready to move on, so am I.
About the Author
Melissa Baldwin is an avid runner, planner obsessed, and has always had a love for writing. She is a wife, mother, and avid journal keeper who took her creativity to the next level by fulfilling her dream with her debut novel, An Event to Remember . . . or Forget. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women and is now a published author of seven Romantic Comedy novels and novellas.
When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multi-tasking master organizer is busy spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, running, indulging in fitness, and taking a Disney Cruise every now and then.
About the Book - See You Later Broadway
It’s finally here . . . the much-anticipated sequel to See You Soon Broadway! Maris is back!
Decisions, decisions, decisions . . .
Maris Forrester’s exciting new life is not everything she was hoping it would be. Although she’s happy in her new career, she’s plagued with the feeling that something is still missing. Imagine her surprise when an old friend presents her with an unbelievable opportunity that could change everything. This new career sounds almost too good to be true, including the upcoming trip to London. She quickly learns that even the most perfect scenarios have their drawbacks, and when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is . . .
In addition to making a life-changing career choice, Maris realizes she has other decisions to make—whom to love and where to find happiness. What if neither is what she thought they should be?
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Now available for FREE! Fall Into Magic: A Novella
About the Author
About the Book - See You Later Broadway
See You Later Broadway (Broadway Series Book 2) Page 21
