I like repeating it because it’s a moment I never thought I’d see again.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile like that before,” Simon says, joining me at the table.
I’m pretty sure I smile even bigger.
“Natalie and I are almost done with this book,” I say with my head high, and I puff my chest.
“Seriously? That was fast.”
“I know, but we found our groove, and it just took off.”
“That’s good. Do you think you’ll write more books together?”
“Maybe.” I like that idea. Perhaps I’ll be a co-writer from here on out. “I like that idea.”
He settles in with his computer.
“Outside of the book, how are things going with Natalie?”
“Things are good.”
Really good, actually.
“That’s good. Even if you and Natalie decide to write more books together, you should keep writing them alone too.”
I nod. “I’m starting to think she’s the only reason I’m finishing this book, so I don’t know if I’ll go back to writing alone.”
“Yeah, but what if something happens between the two of you?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. What if you break up?”
I let out a bark. “That won’t happen.”
“You’re that sure?”
“It’s Natalie, Simon.MyNatalie. I know everything about her, and she knows everything about me. She’s it for me.”
His expression gives no hint to his thoughts, but the vibe he’s giving off says he’s not sure he agrees with me.
“What if something happens with you and Greer?” I ask, and he rolls his eyes.
“Fine. I get it. I just worry.”
“Well, don’t.”
Like always, we quickly fall into a routine: work on the new location and then dive into writing for the day.
I open the document Natalie and I share, reading over her last chapter. I make a couple of notes for her and then chuckle quietly at her notes on how it’s hard to write a non-sexy scene after I’ve not only kept her up at night in person but then she has to read my dirty talk, and all she wants to do is keep going with a spicy scene.
I leave my own note that perhaps our next book could be a novella about a sex addict. That way, she can write her heart out with sex.
I read the ending to her chapter again, but for some reason the fourth time I read it, it makes me pause.
I never imagined that the three of us would be a family. This moment has always been a dream of mine, and now that I have it, I’m scared it won’t be enough. That I won’t be enough. That he’ll get tired of this small-town life and want more. I’ve never been happier, but if I’m not careful, he’s going to get bored with me and leave us behind. How do I guarantee my own happily ever after?
Natalie made a comment about me getting bored with her just before everyone arrived for the BBQ last weekend too.
