Promise Me Forever

by Scarlett Adams

  She listened to me closely, her eyes staying latched onto mine. I continued, wanting to keep her attention as long as I could. “We had a little bit of fun, but we were completely different people. I was wrong because I led her on just to satisfy my own loneliness. But when I came here, I realized I didn’t need to satisfy any kind of loneliness. I was creating my own loneliness. And then I met you, and you turned my world upside down. Just when I thought things were perfect you would walk away for me, but I could never hold that against you. Everything you did made sense. The conversation that you heard was because, she couldn’t get the hint that I didn’t want to have anything with her. I tried to be nice about it, but I had to call her and tell her the truth, straight up. It had gone on for too long at that point.”

  From the look in her eyes I could see that she was starting to believe me, and I really hoped it stayed that way. I reached out and took her hand in mine. “Rory, you have to believe me, I did not cheat on anyone when I was with you. But I do believe that I cheated you because I couldn’t let go of my own downfalls long enough to see what you really needed from me. You didn’t need some fly by night one-night stand, or some handsome author coming in from Hollywood. You needed a leading man, and I acted like an extra. But over these months that I’ve been working and selling everything I own, you’ve been the only woman that I’ve thought about. I knew I had to be in the perfect place before I told you that because the truth is, I fell in love with you.”

  Almost instantly, Rory’s mouth dropped further open and her hand clutched tightly to mine. Tears began to well in the corners of her eyes and she shook her head. “You sir are a mess. But dammit, I really love your mess. I fell in love with you too, Christian, and a day hasn’t gone by that I haven’t stared longingly at the door hoping you would come into the Café. When I got that book in my mailbox last night, and I read it, I knew that I couldn’t stay away from you any longer.”

  With a big grin I dropped down on my knees and shuffled across the floor, coming straight up to her. Reaching up I took her face in my hands and pulled her down, kissing her deeply. “Well, I’m still here, with quite a few less assets, and basically homeless, but I’m still here.”

  She laughed, putting her arms over my shoulders. “I might have a place that you can stay, if you plan on sticking around for good.”

  I scoffed. “Please, I’m not going anywhere. I have a whole new series to start and there isn’t anybody in this world that I would rather have to read it and rip it apart with her bare hands, then you.”

  She smiled. “I look forward to every second of it.”

  Epilogue

  Rory

  Very carefully I opened the oven door and peeked inside. The warm air rolled over my face, and my cat meowed loudly. I grinned and glanced down at him. “Smells good doesn’t it? My new recipe. We’re going to be absolutely disgusted by lemons by the time I’m done with this cookbook, but I’m on the lemon section, and I’m only getting started.”

  The sound of a drill outside scared the cat, puffing up its fur and making him jump about two feet in the air. He hissed, backing up away as I shut the oven and put my hands on my hips. It had been a year since Christian had officially moved into the house, and I had to say the place was looking a lot better since he brought his power tools down from California.

  I grinned as I walked past the enormous built-in shelves on the kitchen wall holding my cookbooks, including the one I had published six months before. It had been more than a success and had prompted me to make a whole other one. Not only that, but when it hit the top charts, the bakery just wasn’t big enough to handle the orders. I was currently sitting on plans to open a second bakery, this one a little bit fancier, but still with that down-home feeling and delicious pastries.

  I stepped out the back door of the house, and walked across the patio, tilting my head at Christian who was bent down in the yard, cursing at a piece of wood. “You tell it. That wood is a big jerk.”

  He chuckled, turning to me with a grin. “Go ahead, keep making fun of me. Do you know what I’m building?”

  I wrinkled my nose. “A beautiful, majestic, amazing cat tree for my sweet needy cat.”

  Christian chuckled, walking toward me. “That is exactly what I’m making. And when I’m done, he better never attack my legs again. I’m tired of having to put on twelve pairs of socks just to walk down the hallway.”

  I laughed shaking my head. “I used to think he did it because he didn’t like someone, but I’m pretty sure he just does it because he likes the reaction he gets. He’s pretty much your best friend, yet he still finds the time to think his claws into your flesh. Cats are weird.”

  Christian lifted an eyebrow. “Cats are aliens. He’s taking the samples of my blood and sending them back to the mothership. Eventually there will be clones of me dropping from alien ships to take over the world.” He walked past me and set down his drill looking over his shoulder. “You’re welcome for that. The place will be much more beautiful when there are thousands of me running around.”

  I scoffed. “That’s terrifying, you should put that in one of your books.”

  Christian faked a laugh and then lunged toward me, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me to him. He told me lot long after he moved in that he had been trying all along to be someone he wasn’t. He told me about his revelation of Hollywood and that how it had drained him. Coming to my small town, meeting me, had reminded him of who he was.

  But it wasn’t a one-sided thing, Christian had done a lot for me too. Even during that long period of time where he was writing his book, I thought I would never talk to them again, I was miserable because I was heartbroken. But even in that misery I was able to pull through and start baking again. I realized that it wasn’t that I lost my ability to do it, it was just the fact that I put so much into my baking, my heart and soul, that my mood had affected everything that I did.

  Christian leaned back looking in my eyes. “So, have you given any thought to my proposal from the other day?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You mean cookbook number two? Actually, yes and I just announced to our cat that I will be adding a lemon section to it. But I like the idea that you have, telling stories for each of the recipes, really bringing them to life. I think it’s going to be a hit.”

  Christian smiled at me, leaning in and kissing me. I let out a long sigh of relief. He kissed my cheek and nuzzled his nose into my neck. I smacked him on the butt and grinned. “You better get back to work on that cat tree. He’s been watching you.”

  Christian reached his leg out behind him and kicked the door shut, pushing the cat back in the house. He leaned down and lifted me up, throwing me over his shoulder. As he ran toward the shed, I laughed loudly smacking him in the back. He shook his head. “We have to get away! Besides, I want some alone time with you.”

  He sat me down gently right outside of the shed and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You’ve got me for life.”

  It was probably the best written story I could’ve ever imagined. We were following our dreams together, and I had finally found that Clara kind of love.

  Thank you, friends!

  Thank you so much for reading Promise Me Forever. It’s the first book in my new Love in Lemongrove Series and I’m happy to share it with you!

  If you love romance filled with humor, spice and everything nice, you’ll love my books!

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  About the Author

  Scarlett Adams loves to create heart-warming romance stories where love triumphs over all the obstacles. She lives in beautiful Pennsylvania where they make the best chocolate! Her free time is spent gardening, reading, and collecting antique tea pots, which she never uses.

 

 

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