by J. L. Berg
There was a knock at the door, and Maddie entered, proudly displaying the “Big Sister” shirt Grandma Cece had bought her. My parents hung back in the hallway, giving Maddie a few minutes with us before entering. I knew the wait must be killing them. Seeing the blue bundle in Logan’s arms, she stopped short and frowned.
“It’s a boy?”
I winced, knowing she had really been hoping for a girl. Well, there’s always next time I guess.
“Yes, you have a brother. Is that okay?” I asked
She was silent for second, before she said “Yeah, I guess so. Boys can dance, right Daddy?”
As soon as we told Maddie we were getting married, her first question was whether she could call Logan “Daddy.” He’d broken down in tears, pulling her into his arms. It brought a smile to his face to this day to hear her say it.
“Uh. Sure, princess. But he might want to do something else. Like play guitar like me. Or football like Uncle Colin,” Logan suggested.
“Hmmm, well I don’t know about football, but he could play the guitar! He can play music, and I can dance!” she exclaimed with excitement.
Problem solved. No problem was ever too great for a child.
“Hey, does my baby brother have a name?” she asked.
Logan and I smiled, looking at each other. It was a name we both decided on a long time ago.
“We thought we’d name him Ethan. Ethan Oliver Matthews.”
“I like that name. Daddy would like that name.”
“We think so, too.”
Ethan knew me better than I knew myself. He gave me the push I needed when I was scared to take a risk. But with love, the risk is always worth it.
Some love stories begin with a chance encounter in an emergency room.
Others start in a crowded bar, with a heated gaze and a one-night stand.
Never Been Ready
The Second Novel in The Ready Series.
Coming Soon...
Acknowledgements
A while back, I had this crazy idea to write a book. Many months later, after pouring my heart and soul into this novel, there are so many to thank. It may have been my crazy idea to start with, but without the support of my family, friends and special people I met along the way, it would have never been ready.
First of all, I have to thank my husband, Chris. He’s always there for me, whether it’s taking care of the kids so I can write, or being my sounding board for new ideas. You are my rock, babe. I also have to thank my children and official cheerleaders. They are so proud of Mommy, even though they have no idea what it is that I wrote. All they know is “Mommy wrote a book!” If they only knew.
Words cannot express how grateful I am for the family I have. I am so incredibly thankful for my parents, big brother and sister in-law, and huge extended family. A very special thank you goes to my BFF Leslie. I don’t need to say why, she knows. Thank you to Megan Peterman for taking the time to offer wisdom and support.
One huge thank you to my editor, Lisa Shalek for never blowing smoke up my ass and always keeping it real. Your expertise is golden. A big thanks to my cover designer, Literra Designs for putting up with my constant emails. Thanks to all of my beta readers who gave such wonderful feedback. Lisa Filipe - you are amazing and go above and beyond always. I have been so lucky to be surrounded by such amazing bloggers, especially Jenny and Gitte from TotallyBooked - thank you for your awesome support.
And lastly, thanks to the fans, who have supported me from the very beginning.
About the Author
J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She’s married to her high school sweetheart and they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she’s not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate.
Connect with Me Online:
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My Website
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
