Though the divorce is old news and she and Blake’s dad have moved on in their separate ways, Angelica and Kevin never ended up moving away. In fact, they moved to a modest house closer to us and even Fluffy is allowed back home. The four of us (minus Fluffy) spend a lot of time together when Angelica isn’t working and we bond over our love of Benedict Cumberbatch. At least, everyone but Blake does.
Speaking of moving on, Blake’s dad is also here, putting his disdain for smut aside to watch the money roll in. And let’s face it, I know he’s proud of his son. But he’s not alone. Ana is with him.
Yeah. I guess sparks were flying that day at the LARPing event because when it was Kevin’s turn to get made-over by Ana, she and his father started talking. Next thing everyone knew, the two divorcees were dating. They can’t be more different and I have no idea what they have in common but somehow they make it work. They’re both happy, that’s the important thing.
“I didn’t know your parents would be here,” Blake says to me as I’m signing another book.
I look up to see my mom next in the line-up, my dad hovering in the background, talking to Blake’s dad. My mom gives me a sheepish wave.
“Mom,” I say, not expecting them to be here either. My parents and I have gotten closer over the last year, even though it took a good three months of keeping our distance before we could start again. Now they treat me like an adult (mostly) and I try and act like one (mostly). It’s not always easy but it’s working so far.
My mom has a copy of our latest erotica, Sex Bomb, in her hands and shyly slides it toward me. “It’s for your Aunt Sylvia,” she explains. She leans in closer and lowers her voice. “You two don’t have anything female on female do you?”
“Mom,” I admonish her. This so sweet, incredibly touching and also majorly embarrassing.
“I had to check,” she explains with a shrug.
I sign it to Aunt Sylvia and hand it over to Blake to sign.
She hovers at the table. “How about you two come over for a celebratory dinner tomorrow night?”
“If crazy Aunt Sylvia is there, I’m in,” Blake says. He looks at me and explains, “I feel she might have some good stories for our next book.”
I wrinkle my nose and he gives her the book back.
“We’ll be there,” I tell my mom. “I’ll call you about it later.”
She walks off to join my dad and they both wave at us.
“Well, that went well,” Blake says with a sigh after the last of the attendees have been pushed through. “Better than I expected.”
“Yeah, well you got that one woman crying over meeting you,” I joke. “And then you had to sign that pair of underwear. And the condoms. And that other lady’s breasts. So yeah, it went quite well for you.”
“Don’t be jealous,” he says to me, giving me a cocky smile as we get up and slowly make our way across the store, stretching our cramped hands, arms, and legs. “The time will come when you get to sign breasts too.”
We pause among the stacks of books and that thrill goes through me that our own books are in the store here. It never gets old.
But neither does being in love with Blake.
He grabs my arm and spins me around until I’m pinned back against the bookshelf. He brushes his fingers through my hair before placing a soft kiss on my lips.
“What next, peach?” he asks me softly.
“You mean story idea-wise, or about life?”
“Both. What’s our next chapter?”
I link my hands behind his neck and gaze up at him, the love of my life.
“I guess we’ll have to keep writing and see,” I tell him.
He grins, grabbing my hand, and we walk out of the store and into the sunshine.
THE END