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Relaxing because no one has called me out on being a ‘daddy’s girl’, I tell her, “Yep, and he’s going to put the car in your name. It will be yours.”
She squeals, jumping in Cole’s arms. “Oh, my God. This is amazing. My mum is going to lose her shit when I tell her.”
I laugh at her enthusiasm. “Which reminds me… He asked if we were okay with them being together.”
She scrunches her face up. “Yeah, Mum did too. I’m okay as long as she’s happy, though I never want to witness what we did again, and I do have a few reservations about their relationship. But she assures me it’s fine and she’s happy, so I’m happy.”
I nod, agreeing. “I told him pretty much the same thing. I told him I was worried he would ruin our friendship if he treated her the way he treated Mum.”
“What did he say?” she asks, seeming way to eager for the answer.
“He promised it was different, that things with Mum were complicated. He wouldn’t have treated her so badly if they were in love with each other. He said he’d explain things the next time he pops down.”
She relaxes. “I’m glad you told me. It was what I was worried about.”
“You two really should communicate more,” CJ blurts out, and we all turn his way. He holds his hands up. “Sorry. Just saying. Couple goals and all that.”
We all laugh, shaking our heads at him.
“Come on. Let’s go out for coffee before he starts telling us what it entails to keep the relationship blissful,” Cole states dryly.
He grins. “That’s easy—”
I slap my hand over his mouth, muffling the rest of what he was going to say. “Nope. Let’s go.”
Still laughing, I grab my bag and coat and head out with the others, ready to spend the rest of my birthday with them.
CHAPTER SIX
I’ve never been more excited in my life than I am right now, travelling to London to meet some of my favourite authors.
Yesterday, I called Milly, and together, we went shopping for a new trolley crate to put my books in, so I won’t have to carry them around. The plan is to take the books I have and get them signed by their authors at the event, and maybe buy a few new ones while I’m there. I’m so hyped up about it I can barely keep still in my seat.
“You really are excited, aren’t you?”
I turn to CJ, whose eyes are still on the road, and he’s smiling wide. “I am.Alanea Alderis going to be there. She’s from America, I think—I’m not sure. But her books are freaking amazing. Her one character, Meryn, is a massiveDoctor Whofan and is hilarious. In this one book, she flies a drone into a detention cell which has a spell cast to it. They let the spell go inside the room with him. The next day, any time he tries to say his name, douchebag comes out instead. It was so funny I had to keep re-reading it over and over. She does loads of funny stuff like that in her books though. Her writing is really amazing. AndKC Lynnis going to be there, too. She’s lovely. I follow her posts on Facebook and she has the most adorable family ever. Oh, andE. A. Western, Kirsty Mosely, andNicola C. Priestis signing there, too. I can’t wait to meet them. Did you know…” I stop when I realise I’m rambling, but in my peripheral vision, CJ’s smiling big.
Hearing I’ve stopped, he turns to me, a twinkle in his eye. “You really love this shit, don’t you?”
I sigh, falling back in my seat. “I do. I love reading. I love how authors can take something so ordinary and make it extraordinary. I like how they can create their own world and make it thrive. I love books. I’m just excited about meeting them tomorrow. It’s going to be awesome. I’ve only been to a small book signing before. This one is going to be huge, with thousands of guests.”
“Thousands?” he asks, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.
“Oh, yeah. Not only will authors from all over the world be there, but people also travel from across the globe to attend. It’s incredible.”
“No shit?”
I laugh at his shocked expression. “Yep. It’ll be like being in a room full of celebrities, because to us book nerds, authors are like our famous actors and actresses.”
“I never thought of it like that. Are you going to go all squealy again when you meet them? You got all crazy-eyed when I mentioned some of the authors attending.”
“I did not go crazy-eyed,” I defend.
“Cupcake, you did. Even Cole took a step back, and Willow already had the incentive to give you room. You nearly took out my balls.”
I pout because I hadn’t meant to get that excited. I’d started jumping around again, flapping my arms like a lunatic, and nearly hit CJ in the balls. Luckily for him, I only hit his lower stomach.
“I said I was sorry.”
