Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
I let his news sink in, Jade’s generosity and the fact that Ben and I won’t be separated after all.
“Oh my God! That’s incredible. You’re coming with me?” I squeal in excitement. “You’re really coming with me! It’s like all my dreams wrapped up in one huge, lucky, unbelievable package. I don’t know how to thank her.”
“You’ll find a way,” he says, a smile on his face. “But you have to know something. Even if the opportunity hadn’t come up, after talking to Dan today about life being short and knowing how he lost the love of his life to cancer … I’d have found a way to make it work. To make us work.”
I bite down on my lower lip to stop its quivering. “I was talking to Ivy before you came in. And I was going to tell you the same thing. I didn’t have a solution, but I knew that I loved you.” I grasp on to his shoulders. “And I didn’t want to lose you.”
“And you never will.” Love and so much emotion flash across his handsome face. “You’re going to conquer the world, Summer Michelle. And I’m going to be by your side when you do. Because nobody but me is going to guard this body,” he says, his hands grazing down my sides, over my breasts, my nipples tightening at the slightest tease of his touch.
“You can start right now.” I grasp his hand and pull him toward the bedroom, my heart light, my spirits high, my sense of gratitude soaring.
I have the career I’ve worked so hard for with the man I love by my side. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Epilogue
Austin
The arena reverberates with music, the last song in Summer’s opening act in the final performance of a long tour. I showed up at Madison Square Garden along with the other bodyguards at Alpha Security, Dan, and Tara, our receptionist, because Ben is a close friend and we want to support him. But as the lights flash and the music pounds through my body, I feel older than my years. As much as I appreciate Summer’s talent, concerts aren’t my thing.
That’s what having a kid does, it’s aged me, I think wryly. Although I’d willingly change the painful past that brought me to this point, I’d never change a thing about the little girl I adore. Bailey is my world. I have no social life, rarely go out unless I am on the job. Tonight Bailey is home with her nanny, giving me the chance to be here for Ben.
Summer’s set ends, and I clap, whistling my approval along with the rest of the crew. Instead of being able to leave, we then sit through Jade Glow’s concert, as well, before finally meeting up with Ben and Summer backstage.
Ben leads us to a relatively quiet corner, away from the insanity of Jade and her entourage. He turns to me and slaps me on the back. “I know it wasn’t easy for you to make it tonight and I’m grateful.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” I assure my friend. That’s what my live-in nanny is for. Watching the munchkin when I have to be out.
“Hey, everyone, can I get your attention?” Ben whistles, quieting down his friends. Everyone is still hyped up from the concert.
Summer joins him, slipping beneath his arm. She’s changed from her stage costume into a pair of jeans and a tee shirt and looks up at Ben with complete adoration in her gaze.
Man, that look is enough to bring a man to his knees. Well, Ben, at least. I have been through the wringer with my ex-wife, Bailey’s mother, and I’ll never let a woman wrap me around her finger again. Not that Ben and Summer have that kind of a relationship. There is a mutual respect between them I admire. One I didn’t find in my own past marriage, and I learned a hard lesson from being used.
“It’s good to have you back,” Dan says now that Ben has quieted everyone down.
“We’re happy to be home and to settle down for a while,” Summer says. “A long while, I hope.”
I understand. Ben mentioned she’ll be doing work in a recording studio she is renting, and Ben wants to buy a house so they have a home base beyond their small apartments. They are obviously ready to combine their lives.
“Before we all get busy with work and assignments, I wanted you—my friends I consider family—here when I ask Summer a question,” Ben says, a grin on his face.
“What?” Summer swings her head around, meeting his gaze.
Even Jade, the huge pop star, has joined us, slipping into the crowd beside Ava.
Ben reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring box.
Summer gasps.
Ava claps her hands, obviously excited for her friends.
The other guys, Jared, Tate, and even Shane, who is in town, take a step back as if the upcoming engagement is contagious. Only Dan stands close, a satisfied expression on his face. Everyone knows how Dan feels about happy endings.