Page 117 of Feel My Love


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“I’m so proud of you.” Nick spun me so that I faced him. “And you look gorgeous.”

“Thank you.” I’d donned a sparkly black dress and heels for the evening.

He interlaced his fingers with mine and led me to the kitchen, where a beautiful bouquet full of red roses and dahlias sat on the counter.

“It’s beautiful,” I said, moving closer to admire the flowers.

“We need to go. You’re the guest of honor.”

The boys stood by the door looking uncomfortable in dress slacks, shoes, and white button-down shirts.

“Don’t you look handsome,” I said, kissing them on the cheek.

My heart was so full between the boys, the baby, and Nick.

When we arrived at Brooke’s store, people were milling about with glasses of champagne. Waiters walked the room with trays of hors d’oeuvres. Gia had planned the event for us, and Lily had provided the white and red flowers that covered most surfaces. It was too much, but at the same time, it was perfect.

“The guest of honor has arrived,” Ben said as he wrapped me in a warm hug.

“Are you ready for the big reveal?” Brooke asked when Ben let me go.

“You’d tell me if it’s awful, right?” Suddenly, I was panicked, knowing everyone was in the room to judge my work when I hadn’t even seen the finished product.

Brooke rolled her eyes at me and held out her arms. “Would I have planned all of this if it wasn’t?”

I laughed. “Yeah. You’re my sister.”

She scoffed. “Trust me. The book is gorgeous.”

Nick squeezed my shoulder and leaned in to whisper, “You’ve got this.”

I’d worked so hard on the project, fueled by the desire to see my work published and sitting on people’s coffee tables.

She led me over to the bar area, where she’d covered the book on the counter. There was a screen covering the shelves at the back of the bar where she’d project the pages to those who couldn’t see the book.

All my friends were there, including Gia, Lily, Sophie, Mark, and his daughter Kendall. Their being there to support me gave me the confidence to stand next to Brooke and face them.

“It’s time to see Abby’s beautiful work. She spent the last few months touring our town, capturing the wildlife, the historic buildings, all the nooks and crannies we love about Annapolis, and she’s put them in one beautiful book.” She held her hand up. “But don’t worry. I have plenty of copies for everyone, so if you want one for your coffee table, come up to the register, and we’ll get you one.

“Now, are we ready for the big reveal?” Brooke looked at me as the crowd erupted in cheers.

I nodded, a smile on my lips. My sister wouldn’t have planned it if it wasn’t right, and I’d worked hard to ensure it was my best work. I couldn’t wait to finally see it and get my hands on the final copy.

Brooke smiled at me before lifting the sheet.

I felt the flash of a camera, and Brooke leaned over to say, “The paper wanted to document it. So when you’re ready, lift it up for everyone to see.”

“Give me a minute,” I murmured, wanting to take it all in.

I heard the murmurs of my friends, the exclaims of congratulations, and the clapping, but I was focused on my book.

The cover was stunning. It was a black and white with a picture of the harbor. In gold writing, it saidTreasures of Annapolis, and at the bottom, it read “Photography by Abigail Langley.”

“It’s better than I imagined.” I hadn’t realized how satisfying it would feel to see my name on the cover.

I held up the book with two hands because it was heavy, and I smiled into the camera. I hoped people would like it enough to want copies for their tables and their friends and families. When I finally lowered the book, I was quickly engulfed in hugs and congratulations.

Brooke went to the register to check people out who wanted to look at one for themselves. The images were displayed on the overhead screen. The party carried on around us, but the line for the register was long.

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