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“The feeling is mutual.” Max lowered his lips to mine, pressing the most perfect, tender kiss on my mouth.
Nothing had ever felt more right than this.
I’d come to Windermere for a muse.
I’d found so, so much more than that.
I had, perhaps, found my very own happily ever after.
At the very least, I’d found one that was more than worth fighting for.
EPILOGUE
MAX
All’s Well That Ends Well
One Year Later
Sasha Iris held up Ellie’s latest book, the one she’d started in Windermere a little over thirteen months ago, and smiled for the cameras and live studio audience in front of her.
Over the past few weeks, I’d seen a whole other side to Ellie. Not that the person she portrayed to the public wasn’t authentically her—it absolutely was—but there was a quiet confidence that wasn’t usually there when she was writing.
Today was one in another string of TV appearances to promote her book, and I was watching from the side with my arms crossed over my chest and the biggest grin on my face.
This was as far as I would go. I would follow her from TV station to TV station, but she’d made it excruciating clear to everyone involved in her promotional train that I was off limits.
She’d talk about our relationship. She’d talk about how we met. She’d discuss how we fell in love and got to be where we were today, but I would stay behind the scenes to retain some kind of privacy for myself.
Also, I didn’t want to be on TV. No matter how many times Grandma insisted I should show my face.
“Romance novels. The genre the industry hates to love,” Sasha Iris said, wiggling the book. “And this particular lady has taken it by storm ever since she started publishing a few years ago. She’s known for her dashing dukes and her vivacious viscounts, her clumsy, fierce heroines, and her quirky supporting characters on both two and four legs. Now, she’s ready to tackle Hollywood, as production mega-giant Paige Bros. Productions have snapped up the film rights toThe Trouble with the Duke, in a major deal. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome romance novel superstar, Ellie Aarons, toSasha!”
Ellie squeezed my hand and gave me a nervous smile before the assistant gave her the cue to go on stage. As if a mask came over her, she drew in a deep breath and stepped out onto the set, waving at the live audience before turning to Sasha and graciously hugging her in return.
Sasha motioned for her to take a seat in the plush armchair opposite hers, and they both sat down as the applause from the audience petered out. “Wow. Ellie. It’s a pleasure to have you back on the show to talk about your books.”
Ellie beamed. “Thanks, Sasha. It’s definitely been a while.”
“Yes! And so much has happened. Obviously, I know about the book as your publisher was kind enough to send me an early copy, and absolutely everyone must pick it up, by the way,” she added to the audience. “Give everyone a quick rundown about what happens in the book.”
“Of course.” Ellie turned to the audience, still smiling. “Charlotte Morgan is struggling with writer’s block and decides to rent a lakeside property in the Lake District in the hope that a big change of scenery will kick her back into gear. When she gets there, she realises the house is on an estate owned by a young duke who isn’t very happy she’s there.”
“Safe to say he’s a miserable thing,” Sasha added.
Hey.
Ellie laughed. “That’s a nice way of putting it. Her spaniel is somewhat of an escape artist, and it brings them together until they realise that they have a lot in common and find some common ground.”
“And boy do they find it,” Sasha agrees. “I have to ask the question on everyone’s lips. This is somewhat based on a true story, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Ellie replied slowly.
“Your own story.”
“Yes, it is.”
“You did what your character did, right? Writer’s block, change of scenery…”
