Page 34 of Tiger Lilies and Tight Ends

“I’m in a few, but because I self-publish, unless I become wildly popular or customers specifically ask for one of my books, most stores don’t stock it. They don’t even know about me. Most readers these days read e-books. That’s where I make my money, but I have an online shop that’s connected to my website that Morgan runs. We used to keep everything in her house, but as I completed this last series, it became too much. Now we have a storage unit that acts as a warehouse for us. She keeps everything stocked there, and once a week, she packages and ships.”

“Do you sign all the books?”

I crack a smile at him. “Yes, they are all signed. I signed everything before I headed to North Carolina.”

He looks back down in the box. “How often do you publish one?”

Boy, he’s full of questions.

“I’m lucky in that I get to do this full-time. Up until recently, it was every four months, but my last book was released in April, it’s now August, and I’m only a third of the way through it. Hopefully, I’ll be done by the end of August. Announcement and promo will start around the third week of August.”

“What are these about?”

“Small-town mountain romance set on a lake in North Carolina. Small town is a hot topic right now.”

“I don’t know what to say.” He puts the book back in the box, then runs a hand over his head. “This is amazing, and I’m really proud of you. I can’t believe Lance never told me.”

“Why would he?”

“Because I’m so proud of you, and I want to tell everyone I know, and I’m not your family. He is.”

I breathe in sharply through my nose. I don’t know what I thought his reaction would be, but it wasn’t that. My heart thumps hard against my chest wall, and I force my eyes not to well with tears.

“Am I allowed to tell people? My friends all know you’re staying here, so it’s not like me knowing your profession would come as a shock.”

I think about this. Am I ready for more people to know who I am? Am I ready to give up some of that control over my anonymity? I so desperately want to move forward with my life, and maybe this is one of those things. Morgan always thought it was stupid that I never showed my face, but I had reason not to, and I guess now I don’t.

“I suppose,” I tell him slowly. “Although, I’m not going to lie, it makes me nervous.”

His head tilts to the side a little as he studies me. “Why?”

“No one knows it’s me. It’s like the one thing I have in my life that is judgment-free. The minute you attach my face, my real name will come out, and the anonymity will vanish.”

“I guess that is something that you have to decide. But I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” he tells me.

“How would you know? You haven’t even read one.”

“Can I read one?”

“I mean, if you want to.” I laugh. “Although I don’t know if romance is your cup of tea.”

“Why not? I believe in love just like the next person.”

Hearing him talk about love has my heart flipping in my chest. I know he was in love with his college girlfriend, Marissa, and I was shocked when Lance told me they had broken up right after the draft. From the outside, they definitely looked like a couple that was going the distance. Suddenly, I’m curious to know what happened, why I’ve never heard of anyone else, and most definitely why he’s single.

“Then go for it. It’s not like I can tell you what you can or cannot do.”

“I think I will, but it’s not going to be the hockey book,” he says as if it’s personally insulting him.

“Fair enough. Are you hungry?”

“When am I not hungry?”

Hopping off the chair, I round the island and make my way into the kitchen to grab a couple of plates. Tonight I made a hearty beef stew with rice and homemade focaccia bread.

“True. But feeding you is the least I can do.”

He reaches for my elbow and stops me so I turn to face him. He’s so tall, and with the golden sun giving him backlight, I can’t help but think how unfair it is that he looks so good, and the nerve endings in my arm fire up with excitement.