Forever After All - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,94
me off my feet, and we’d live happily ever after.” She pauses to collect herself. “When I came home from college, and these two and Corbin convinced us to reenact that moment all those years ago, I thought they were crazy. Little did I know that was the path to our future.
“Two years ago, our lives took a turn.” Her eyes flash to Gemma, where she sleeps in my arms. “It was unexpected and wonderful. Life has been good to me. I have the two of you,” she says to her grandparents. “My best friend, who is now my sister.” She smiles at Laramie. “A niece I adore, a brother-in-law and in-laws that I couldn’t love more if they were my own,” she says, glancing at my parents.
Everyone murmurs how much they love her and that they’re the lucky ones, and then her eyes land on me. “And my husband and our beautiful baby girl. Rip, you fought for our family. You didn’t let me push you away, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for you. For your love, for Gemma.” She smiles, blinking hard to keep her tears at bay. “I actually have something for you.” She hands me the small gift bag.
“Let me,” Dad says, taking a sleeping Gemma from my arms.
“What is this?” I ask my wife.
“Just open it.”
Knowing she’s not going to tell me, I reach into the bag and pull out a picture frame. It’s a picture of Gemma standing in what appears to be the hallway of our house just off the kitchen. Beside her is a chalkboard. I read the writing and then read it again to make sure I’m reading it correctly.
My role as an only child is coming to an end. Mommy is due with my new best friend.
“Kenna?” I look at my wife, and she nods.
I stand and pull her into my arms, kissing her tenderly. “We’re having a baby?”
She nods. “We are.”
“When?”
“In about seven months.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I hold her close, unable to contain my smile. “I knew it would happen,” I tell her.
“How? We weren’t even trying.”
“Oh, yeah, that too, we have a house to fill.” I wink. “But that’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?”
“Us. I knew we’d live our ‘forever after all.’”
Tears spill over her cheeks. “You remember that?”
“Yeah, baby. I remember. That was our first wedding.” I wink at her.
“At least we remember that one,” she says, and the room erupts in laughter.
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to read Forever After All.
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Acknowledgments
To my readers:
With each new release, you continue to humble me. I cannot thank you enough for taking the time out of your lives to read my words, leave reviews, and tell your friends. Your support means the world to me.
To my family:
I love you. You hold me up and support me every day. I can’t imagine my life without you as my support system. Thank you for believing in me, and being there to celebrate my success.
Wander Aguiar
Thank you for another cover worthy image. I didn’t have a story for this one, but I loved it and with the image the story began to unfold. Thank you for doing what you do.
Jersey Girl Designs:
Thank you for making the paperback so beautiful. I absolutely love it!
Hang Le:
I gave you very little to go on but you somehow nailed my vision for this cover. Thank you so much!
My beta team:
Jamie, Stacy, Lauren, Erica, and Franci I would be lost without you. You read my words as much as I do, and I can’t tell you what your input and all the time you give means to me. Countless messages and bouncing idea, you ladies keep me sane with the characters are being anything but. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking this wild ride with me.
Give Me Books:
With every release, your team works diligently to get my book in the hands of bloggers. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for your services.
Tempting Illustrations:
Thank you for everything. I would be lost without you.
Graphics by Stacy:
Thank you for all that you do!
Julie Deaton:
Thank you for giving this book a set of fresh final eyes.
Becky Johnson:
I could not do this without you. Thank you for pushing me, and making me work for it.
Marisa Corvisiero:
Thank you for all that you do. I know I’m not the easiest client. I’m blessed to have you on this journey with me.
Kimberly Ann:
Thank you for organizing and tracking the ARC team. I couldn’t do it without you.
Leanne, Heather, and Andrea:
Thank you ladies for always being my cheerleaders.
Lacey & Molly:
You both helped so much with this one. Thank you for listening to my ten million different plot twists until I found one that felt right. Love you, ladies!
The Blurb Whisperer:
Thank you for all of your help!
Bloggers:
Thank you, doesn’t seem like enough. You don’t get paid to do what you do. It’s from the kindness of your heart and your love of reading that fuels you. Without you, without your pages, your voice, your reviews, spreading the word it would be so much harder if not impossible to get my words in reader’s hands. I can’t tell you how much your never-ending support means to me. Thank you for being you, thank you for all that you do.
To my Kaylee’s Crew Members:
I’m honored to have you on this journey with me. Thank you for reading, sharing, commenting, suggesting, the teasers, the messages all of it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do. Your support is everything!
With Love,
Kaylee Ryan