“Good, I have a present for you.” Regina’s bright green eyes sparkled and her ponytail shifted to the side as she moved. She’d allowed her white blonde hair to grow longer, and it suited her a lot. It made her seem a good ten years or so younger, and whenever she and Taylor were together they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. Regina had always had a youthful appearance, anyway, but the hair just enhanced that now.
“Regina, we have so much that you’ve given us.” Chloe giggled.
“This is more of a present for you.”
“Me?” Chloe pointed to herself and Regina nodded.
Chloe watched her keenly as she got up and moved towards her handbag. She took out a small but long box, the kind that those fancy pens came in, and brought it over to her.
“It’s a pen isn’t it? Because I’m always losing mine.” Chloe laughed.
“Although that is true, it’s not a pen.” Regina handed it to her and sat back down.
Chloe opened the box. There was a key with a little pink ribbon tied through the loop and a piece of paper that had been wrapped around to look like a tube. The paper looked like parchment.
“I love it. Thanks so much.” She had no idea what this was, or meant, but she’d go back to the Closet and figure it out. The key clearly opened a door somewhere, or maybe it was a fashion heirloom. The pink ribbon was silky and shiny, so perhaps it was, indeed, a fashion thing.
Regina started to laugh. “You are so funny, sweet girl. Read the paper.”
Chloe chuckled, rested the box on her lap, under her bump, and unfolded the paper.
Congratulations, Chloe Vanderville, you are now the new owner of Runway Magazine.
Chloe stared at the paper for a few good seconds, reading the words over and over again, trying to understand it.
She looked at it and knew what it said, but it wouldn’t sink in. Her brain couldn’t process this at all.
She was the new owner of Runway. Her? Chloe.
But what about Regina?
“Regina, I don’t understand.”
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. It’s time for Brian and I to settle down in Italy. Instead of coming back here every month, it needs to be a little less than that. Of course, I will be on that plane if either you or Wade need me.” She nodded and gave her a heartwarming smile. “I knew Runway and I would have to part some day, and I can’t sell it. No way. You were the first person that came to my mind. Even before you and Wade got married. I’ve always looked at you as my own, and it’s fitting that you’re my daughter-in-law. But you’re so much more than that to me.”
“I don’t know what to say.” It was shock, complete shock that had taken over her body.
“You said once that you enjoyed working here. You said you want what I want for the place. Chloe, you remind me of the version of myself that I was when I started Runway. But there’s one thing you have that I don’t have.”
“What could that possibly be, Regina?” Chloe couldn’t even begin to think about what that could be. Regina was her mentor, the woman she’d idolized since she knew what fashion was.
“You have a deep, genuine love for fashion that takes you beyond being creative director. Your vision is everything, the level of your skills and abilities are that of an owner of a successful magazine, like Runway. So, the place is all yours if you want it. But please bear in mind that your health comes first, so you do whatever you want, but make sure you take care of you and that precious baby you have inside you.”
“I can’t believe this.” Tears ran down her cheeks. This was the most amazing present she’d ever had, aside from Wade and their baby. This was different.
“Does that mean you want it?” Regina looked hopeful.
“Of course. Oh Regina. Thank you. Thank you so much.” She threw her arms around her and hugged her. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me. Thank you for taking care of me.”
There were at least a million more things to thank her for. At least.
When they pulled apart, Regina had tears in her eyes. She cupped Chloe’s face and kissed her forehead. “You’re more than welcome, little Chloe.” Her eyes then moved towards the door and her smile amplified. “Your husband is here. I’ll catch up with you two later.”
Chloe looked at the door to see Wade standing there, resting against the door frame wearing his black biker jacket and looking like the total, completely handsome hunk he was.
He smiled at Regina, acknowledging her, and then he put out his hand to Chloe.
She went to him, taking his hand. He brought hers up to his lips to kiss.
“Baby, you ready to go?” He did this every day. Asked her the same question. She wasn’t supposed to be going anywhere for at least another two hours, but when he came to pick her up it was time to go home. It didn’t matter how long she’d been at work.
“Where are we going, Wade?” She smiled.
“First to your office to eat ice cream, and then home so I can give you a back rub.”
She loved the sound of that. He lowered to kiss her, and she thought of how lucky she was indeed.
Joy and contentment surged throughout her body. Chloe had everything she’d ever wanted.
Thank you for reading
Hope you enjoyed the Vandervilles xx
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Description
So this is what happens when you fall out of the frying pan and into the fire.
When Allyson Summers lost her job at The Bay News as a prestigious investigative journalist she thought things were bad. Her world and life she had created for herself had literally crumbled beneath her.
Never could she imagine that life could actually get worse when she's asked to work on her best friend's wedding with her childhood nemesis Zack Collins, a retired marine.
Zack Collins couldn't imagine anything worse than working on this wedding with Allyson, especially since he retired from the marines to recover from a terrible experience in Afghanistan.
As life throws them together in the most bizarre situations they realize that they've both changed from the people they used to be when they were younger. They couldn't be more surprised when they find themselves attracted to each other. Find out where that attraction leads in The Objection To Affection…
Books by Khardine Gray
I Only Have Eyes For You
The Objection To Affection
Complete Me
Hearts Entwined
Shape of My Heart
One Wild Night
I Love You again
Never and Always
Vandervilles Series
Book 1- When Beauty Met the Beast
Book 2- Secrets and Lies
Book 3- Into the Rabbit Hole
To check out these titles please visit
https://www.amazon.com/author/khardinegraynovels
About the Author
Khardine Gray is the author of such acclaimed romances as Shape of My Heart, Complete Me and Hearts Entwined.
She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense.
Her books have drool worthy heroes who will make you melt, and sassy, fun loving, ambitious heroines.
She loves writing and simply adore her readers.
She’s from the Caribbean but currently lives in England with her husband and two kids.
When not writing you can catch her ice skating or dancing at a Samba class.
Keep up with all the new releases by signing up to her readers list at http://www.subscribepage.com/f4u3v9
Connect with Khardine in her Reader Group The Bliss Romance Hideaway
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www.khardinegraybooks.com
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Khardine Gray, Into The Rabbit Hole
Into The Rabbit Hole Page 21
