Текст книги "Some Sort of Happy"
Автор книги: Melanie Harlow
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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 17 страниц)
“Are you ready?”
“I think so.” His face told me what a lie that was, but I’d budgeted plenty of time for his nerves into today’s itinerary. After living with him for the past two months, I knew to allot extra time for pretty much anything we did outside the house. He was getting much better about checking, but today was new ground for him.
“Come on. You’ve got this.” I tugged on his hand, but he didn’t move. “It’s not like we’re getting on the plane yet, Sebastian. This is the airport entrance.” As I talked, I took his elbow and ushered him gently through the automatic doors. “There are nice people in there who are going to look at our boarding passes and tell us what gate to sit at, and some other nice people are going to overcharge us for coffee and tell us to have a nice flight, and then some more nice people are going to show us how to use a seat belt and thank us for flying with them today.”
By the time I’d finished my soothing little speech, we were inside the terminal.
“See? You’re here, and you’re fine,” I said triumphantly.
“Now what?” he asked shakily.
“Now we’ll check in and find our gate. We don’t even have any luggage to check, so it will be nice and easy. OK?”
He took a deep breath. “OK.”
“Good. Because this little Valentine’s weekend jaunt was your idea and you paid for it, so it would be a damn shame if I had to give your ticket to someone else.”
“Don’t you dare.” He caught me around the waist and squeezed. “How long is the flight again?”
I kissed his cheek. “One hour and ten minutes, and I will talk to you the entire time.”
Some color returned to his face as he smiled. “I have no doubt.”
I pulled out our boarding passes, which I’d printed at work, and we got in line to check in. Sebastian seemed more relaxed until we were told that the flight was leaving from gate three.
“Stop worrying,” I told him, taking his hand again. “The gate number does not matter.”
We located gate three, grabbed five dollar cups of coffee, and chose seats near the window. The weather was bleak and dreary, and I was so looking forward to getting away. Not that the Chicago weather would be any better, but it would be fun to stay in a luxury hotel together, shop the Magnificent Mile, have dinner in a gourmet French restaurant or maybe a cozy little Italian place. Honestly, I didn’t care what we did—what mattered most was that we’d be there together. Our first vacation.
“Hey.” I tipped my head onto his shoulder. “Thanks for this. I know you don’t really want to do it.”
“That plane looks small. Are you sure it’s regulation size?” He squinted out the window, his right knee bouncing continuously.
I sighed. “Yes, dear.”
“Let me see the boarding passes again.”
“No,” I said, lovingly but firmly. “You’ve looked at them a hundred times. You already know we’re in an even row. Row two, first class.”
His brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”
“You booked the tickets, Sebastian. Now let’s talk about what we’re going to do this weekend. How about massages?” I tried my best to distract him from his own thoughts, but he didn’t make it easy.
When he tried to retrace his steps down the tarmac because it hadn’t felt right the first time, I grabbed his hand and refused to let go.
When he took out the pamphlet explaining how a water landing works, I took it away from him and shoved it back in my seat pocket.
When he gingerly eyed the arm rest where our tray tables were tucked away, I brandished a package of antibacterial wipes. “Come at me, babe. I’ve already thought of everything.”
He looked around. “There’s eleven people sitting in this section. Someone needs to sit in that empty chair.”
From my bag I pulled out a Barbie doll I’d dug out of a trunk in my mom’s attic. “Now there’s twelve in here. A nice even dozen.” I stuck her legs in the seat back pocket in from of him.
“Oh for fuck’s sake.” He grabbed the doll and shoved her back in my bag. “I’m not that desperate.” Cracking a smile, he leaned back in his seat, although he kept flexing and fisting his fingers in his lap.
“Hey. It’s going to be fine.” I stilled one of his hands by placing mine over it. “Say it.”
“It’s going to be fine,” he repeated quietly, eyes closing.
I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Now let’s say it together eight times.”
He opened his eyes and smiled at me for real. “God, you’re adorable. We don’t have to do that.”
“You sure? I don’t mind, if it will make you feel better. I know you’re doing this for me.”
“I’m doing this for us.” He lifted my hand to his lips. “And the only thing I need to feel good is you next to me.”
My stomach fluttered. “You’ll always have me.”
“Say it again, quick.” He grinned sheepishly. “Two is still better than one.”
“You’ll always have me.” I poked his leg. “Jeez, Sebastian, if we ever have kids, you’re going to want twins every time,” I teased.
“It’s funny you say that.” He took my hand in his, and suddenly I was very aware of him playing with my ring finger. “I’ve been thinking about it. About a family.”
“Yeah?” I swallowed hard. “Me too.” Being around the happy Fournier family had gotten to me over the last few months. I wanted that with Sebastian, and I thought I might be ready for the next step, but I didn’t want to rush him.
“Maybe we can talk about the future a little bit this weekend?” he asked.
I nodded, awestruck by the turn this conversation had taken. “I’d like that.”
He played with all my fingers. “You know, this is the first time in my life that thinking about the future doesn’t mean dreading it. We’re going to be happy together, aren’t we?”
I smiled, squeezing his hand. “Say it again, quick.”
Leaning toward me, he pressed his lips to mine before whispering softly against them. “Marry me.”
Read more about Skylar and Sebastian in SOME SORT OF CRAZY, book 2 in the Happy Crazy Love series, coming this November!
SOME SORT OF CRAZY (Natalie and Miles)
When a psychic tells Natalie Nixon her life is about to be upended by a mysterious stranger, she laughs it off. After all, she has everything she’s ever wanted—the dream job running her own business, the dream boyfriend about to propose, and she just bought her dream house, complete with dream picket fence. Who could possibly make her want to throw all that away?
Miles Haas. That’s who.
But he’s no stranger—they’ve been good friends since high school. Plus, he’s only around for the summer, he’s still a shameless playboy, and he makes a living writing articles for a men’s magazine with titles like “Should You Bang the Boss’s Daughter? A Flowchart” and “Butt Stuff for Beginners: A Field Guide.”
He’s not the man of her dreams, and she’s not about to abandon everything she’s worked so hard for just to run away with him…or is she?
Preorder now for Kindle at the discounted price!
This book and the character of Sebastian were inspired by several things: the heartbreakingly raw and moving performance of “OCD” by poet/writer Neil Hilborn (please look him up, watch the live performance, like him on Facebook…I’m in awe of him), the song “Creep” by Radiohead (listen to the original and the cover by Hailey Reinhart of Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox), and my own life experience loving someone who struggles with anxiety. But how does a writer of romantic comedy take on something like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, especially in the male love interest, do justice to its sufferers, and yet still write a lighthearted romance? I tried very hard to be true to the harsh realities of OCD, which is nothing like what I thought it was, and still write a compelling, sexy character, who is so much more than his anxiety. My heart goes out to anyone who suffers from OCD. Love cannot cure you, but I hope you find it with someone wonderful, and it brings you peace, hope, and happiness—you deserve it.
For more information on OCD, visit https://iocdf.org/
To my family, I am so lucky to have the forever things with you. I love you so much.
To the team that makes it possible for me to put pretty books into the world: Tom Barnes, Cait Greer, Tamara Mataya, Angie Owens. I’m so grateful.
To Paula Erwin, for reading and sharing thoughts with me, especially for getting into Sebastian’s head. This book is so much better because of you!
To Danielle, whose gorgeous poetry always inspires me. THANK YOU for letting me pilfer words and riff off your ideas.
To Linda Russell, for making me come out of the cave and talk about my books. You’re awesome.
To Melissa Gaston, I don’t know how I did anything without you! Never leave me.
To Kayti and Sierra and Laurelin, without whom there would be no Melanie Harlow, because you have talked me off the ledge so many times. Thank you for believing, even when I don’t.
To the authors who have been so generous with their time and advice and experience, especially Laurelin Paige, Lauren Blakely, Geneva Lee, Corinne Michaels, M. Pierce, and Claire Contreras. I’ve learned so much from you, and I’m so lucky to call you my friends.
To the ladies of TWS, The NAturals, The Order, FYW and especially Melanie Harlow Books, thanks for never letting me feel alone in this endeavor! You make me smile every day.
Finally, thank you readers and bloggers for reading and talking about books you love, especially The Dirty Laundry girls, The Literary Gossip, Fiction Fangirls, The Rock Stars of Romance, True Story Book Blog, Vilma’s Vixens, Schmexy Girls, Aestas Book Blog, Shameless Book Club, Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads, Short and Sassy Book Blurbs… None of this would be possible without you!
Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. She’s the author of the Speak Easy historical duet as well as the Frenched series. Find her sipping cocktails at cool places in Detroit, or look for her online…
Website: www.melanieharlow.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieHarlow
Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/351191341756563/
Twitter: @MelanieHarlow2
Email: [email protected]
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/melanieharlow2/
Tumblr: melanieharlow.tumblr.com/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/melanieharlow
The Frenched Series…
FRENCHED: http://amzn.to/1CtP5yr
YANKED: http://amzn.to/1CtO1dQ
FORKED: http://amzn.to/1GP5GCI
FLOORED:http://amzn.to/1ygqtht
Series Bundle: http://amzn.to/1GHVwQR
Mia and Lucas: The Wedding Night (Series Extras)
http://amzn.to/1FLnNVS
The Speak Easy Duet…
http://amzn.to/1aqhU8v
Table of Contents
Title Page
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
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Epilogue
Coming Soon
Author's Note
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Melanie Harlow
