Chapter 93: GOOD NEWS

Two weeks later…

Lace.

Jason is behind bars! Thankfully the judge ruled that he is a danger to society while awaiting trial and ordered that he be kept in prison. I have never felt so relieved in my life. Dean called me with the news last night. My mother asked me not to move back to my apartment So I guess if Dean and I want alone time, we’re going to have to book ourselves into a hotel. I smile as I neaten up my bedroom while my mother prepares breakfast. My phone rings.

“Hi,” I greet, smiling wide.

“Hey, babe,” Dean greets me, “we still haven’t bought Alison and the baby anything.”

“Oh dear!” I forgot my best friend is due to give birth any day now.

“How about I pick you up in an hour and we can buy mom and baby some much-needed gifts?” Dean suggests.

“That’s a wonderful idea,” I reply, “I’ll see you in an hour.”

I make my way into the kitchen after Dean ends the call. “Good morning, Mom.”

“Good morning, sweetheart,” she greets and pecks my cheek, “did you sleep well?”

I smile. “Yup. I am so relieved the judge decided to keep that psychopath behind bars,” I say.

“I know you are,” my mother replies, “you can enjoy your day without having to worry about Jason stalking you and Dean.”

“Yeah. Dean is picking me up. I didn’t even plan a baby shower for Alison. According to her calculations, she is overdue.” I look at my mother ruefully. “Maybe I can throw her a party after the baby is born?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” she says, “I don’t mind baking for her party.”

“Thank you, Mom.” I hug her. “You’re the best.”

My mother is silent for a moment like she is trying to remember something. “Someone called here looking for you the other day,” she says, “you were at court with Dean.”

“Do you remember who it was?” I ask.

“Yeah. She said her name was Kaitlin Moore,” my mother replies after a few moments.

“Kaitlin! Oh my God, Mom. I forgot all about her!” I pace the kitchen frantically.

“Who is she?” Mom asks.

“Mine and Alison’s literary agent,” I say trying my best to keep calm.

“Wow. This is huge. You should call her back. I am so sorry I forgot to give you the message,” Mom apologizes.

“Mom, it’s okay.” I hug her quickly. “The last two weeks have been so hectic I wouldn’t have even answered her call myself.” I check my emails quickly. “I see she didn’t send any emails so I doubt she wanted to discuss anything about our books.”

“Books?” My mother’s eyes widen. “You have an agent representing your books and you didn’t tell me anything. Why?”

I cannot stop feeling like crap as my mother looks at me waiting for me to make an excuse. “I am so sorry, Mom. I even forgot about my books. I was so heartbroken when I came back home that I forgot all about the book series Alison and I sold.” I sit on one of the bar stools. “It’s actually amazing how it all happened. Alison sent the entire series to Kaitlin. She fell in love with our writing and sold the series to a publisher. We’re getting a decent amount for the series too.”

My mother hugs me again. “I am so proud of you.”

“Thank you, Mom.” I never believed I would hear my family say those words. Writing is such a subjective business that sometimes the rejections feel so final and make me feel so worthless. I still cannot believe that I will soon see copies of my books in stores worldwide.

“You should call Kaitlin,” my mother says.

“Yeah.” I dial her number immediately.

She picks up on the third ring. “Hello, Lace,” she says, “you’ve been pretty difficult to get hold off.”

“I am so sorry,” I tell her, “I had some stuff to attend to.”

“I know. Alison filled me in. I spoke to her yesterday.” She laughs. “Maybe the two of you should consider writing a true life series based on your friendship and the situations you two have faced.”

That sounds like a good idea but first I want to enjoy the time I am spending with my family and Dean. I don’t plan on holing myself up in my writer cave just yet to start anything new. “I will consider it for our next project,” I say.

“I wanted to congratulate you and Alison on the success of Sexing the Space Cowboys. Your story hit one million downloads a week back,” Kaitlin says like that is something that just happens every regular Tuesday.

“Oh my word!” I gush, “Thank you so much. I can’t believe it.”

“You should. You are an amazing writer. Alison told me that you did most of the work on that story and asked me to send whatever incentive we’re offering to you only,” she says.

Tears fill my eyes. “Thank you.” I don’t know what else to say.

“You should celebrate. I have already wired a transfer to your bank account for the short story.” She laughs. “You are going to have an amazing career in this industry, Lace,” she says, “and if you’re up to it, I wouldn’t mind if you write more stories as your alter ego from the book series.”

“I would love that.” She ends the call first and I burst into tears. I cannot believe that I am getting to do what I love for a living – pretty much like my mother.

“I eavesdropped and I am so proud of you.” My mother envelopes me in the longest hug. I am so happy that I feel like my heart will burst any moment now. “Honey, you need to eat fast and get dressed. Dean will be here any minute now.”

I glance at the clock. I have ten minutes to have breakfast and get dressed. “Thanks, mom.”

“I have to tell your dad to join us for a celebratory supper tonight,” she says.

I gobble a pancake and wash it down with coffee and then rush to get dressed. Dean is on time. He greets me with the most passionate kiss he’s ever given me.

“I missed you,” he murmurs against my lips.

“I missed you too,” I say. It’s been so long since we had sex that my insides jump to life when he kisses me.

He stares at my nipples which are clearly visible through the thin fabric of my blouse. “I can book us a place,” he says, his voice gruff with desire.

I want so badly to say yes. “We have to at least buy Alison something before she has the baby,” I remind him.

“Yeah,” he agrees and starts the car.

He drives to the closest shopping mall and helps me pick out the cutest baby clothes. Holding the tiny clothes and socks makes me so broody and I realize in that moment that I cannot wait to have a baby with Dean. I am so tempted to stop taking the pill. I picture us with our baby living on our own … I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with Dean but I don’t want to rush into anything just yet.

“How many kids do you think we will have?” he asks me.

I laugh. “Are you a mind reader?” I ask him.

He kisses my lips. “I can tell what you’re thinking sometimes and right now I would love nothing more than to practice my baby-making skills.”

I burst out laughing. It’s a good thing we’re out of the baby store and in the parking lot. “I can’t deny I’d love to practice too.”

“Then let’s visit Alison and practice afterward.” He winks at me.

“What will our parents think?” I ask him.

He laughs. “Do you think they will notice if we’re a little late?”

“My mother will definitely notice. And after Jason admitted to stalking me, she will call me if she feels she hasn’t heard from me in a while,” I tell him.

He holds the car door open for me. “Yeah. My mom has also been super protective of me since this entire Jason thing blew out.”

“I love your idea. Let’s see how fast we can visit Alison then we can find ourselves a room and …” I give him a naughty smile.

“Yeah.” He drives to Alison’s apartment building in record time – the roads are pretty quiet in the mid-morning.

“Hey!” Alison tries to hug us but her belly seems to have doubled in size since I last saw her. “I can’t wait to give birth.”

I pat her belly. “Yeah. I can’t imagine how you sleep.”

She sits on the couch and I help her adjust the cushions behind her so that she is comfortable. “I manage,” she says. She opens the bags of baby clothes, and is particularly taken with one of the fluffy toys Dean chose. “This is so darling. I am sure my kids will love them.”

“Kids?” I gasp.

“Yeah. We found out two days ago that we’re having twins. A boy and a girl.” She smiles. “Zane is over the moon.”

“Oh my God, Ali.” I hug her. “Are you ready for this?”

She nods. “Zane bought a house a year ago and has been secretly renovating it. He also hired two nannies so that I am able to get some sleep.”

I hug her. “I am so happy for you.”

She hugs me back. “I am living my dream. Now why don’t you and Dean go bang each other before his boner breaks?”