Makenna and Gayle swept Delilah into congratulatory hugs as her father shook my hand. Colt offered me a beer and held a champagne glass for Delilah. “Welcome to the family,” Colt said.
“You’re finally coming around.”
He shrugged. “It’d be easier to come around if you had some tickets for your future brother-in-law.”
I chuckled, clapping him on the back. “They’re yours any time you want ’em.”
Foster and Ridge approached with beers in their hands. “Great game today,” Ridge said.
I nodded my appreciation. It had been a great game. The team had played like a well-oiled machine from the jump. It was one game down and a 161 to go.
“Woah,” Foster said, staring into the restaurant. I followed his gaze and my muscles tensed. Zoe Boswell. I hadn’t seen her since the night of the fire. I knew she’d been in the hospital too, and then she’d disappeared. I’d never heard a thing about her, but I had known her my entire life.
She had fallen off the face of the Earth even more than I had.
“That’s Zoe,” I said.
“She completely disappeared after the fire. She changed her number. She and her aunt picked up and moved. I tried to get in touch with her for years, but never heard from her again,” Makenna said as we stared at Zoe, approaching the counter at the front of the restaurant.
“Zoe,” Ridge whispered.
“Do you know her?” I asked. He hadn’t grown up with us, but I wasn’t sure when he had moved to town.
“Something like that,” he said.
“Gunner,” Delilah called, and I excused myself from the group. When I looked again, Zoe was gone. I walked up to Delilah and wrapped an arm around her. I hadn’t been able to keep my hands off of her. I wanted her more and more with each passing day.
“What’s this?” I asked. She was holding a rendering of a modern barn. It was a white-and-gray wash with windows, right in front of a lake.
“My parents are building this on the property to start hosting weddings. They wanted to know if we wanted to be the first to be married there.”
I smiled and kissed her neck. “It’s perfect. A view and you, it’s all I need on that day.”
Thank you for reading! 100% of the profits from this anthology will be given to the Live A Thousand Lives charity.
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Bonus Scene
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Acknowledgments
Thank you so much for reading Ember! The concept for Ember and the Burn series has been rolling around in my brain for a long time, but it took a while for it to come completely to fruition.
If you are struggling through grief, my heart is with you.
If you are struggling through addiction or are in recovery, my heart is with you.
There are never the perfect words to help someone through something we feel so personally, but sometimes we’re lucky enough to meet a person who simply understands. That’s Delilah and Gunner for me. They are whole people by themselves, but together they create a love and understanding that is unique and special. I hope every one of you finds at least one person like that in your life.
My amazing husband, you are that person for me. I’ve never felt more understood than when you’re wrapping me in a hug and letting me be me. Thank you for all that you do for me. Right now, as I write this, we’re under quarantine. Thank you for braving the stores so we’ll have something to eat. Thank you for caring for me and easing my anxiety. If I had to be trapped in a house with anyone—I’d choose you! Thank you for introducing me to the game of baseball. It’s one of my greatest loves.
Mom, Dad, Sestra, y’all are the greatest family a gal could have. I love y’all so very much.
A huge Thank You goes to: Catherine, Grahame, Alex, Steph, Susan, Hang, Stacey, Nina, Kelley, Brittany, Julie, Janice, Carisa and every other person that contributed to this book. It all means so much, and each of you deserves so much more than a thank you. I could fill an entire book expressing my gratitude for each of you. I will always sing your praises from the rooftops!
Bloggers, thank you so much for all the love and support. I’ve loved connecting with so many of you and hope to meet more of you in the future. Whether I’ve chatted with you or never spoken to you, I’m incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication you give to the book community. Thank you so much! I wish I could hug all of you.
The ladies of Emma Renshaw’s Books, y’all are freaking wonderful! Thank you so much for the love and support! Y’all are my favorite to hang out with! Thanks for making me smile and laugh.
Lastly, thank YOU! I wish I could thank every reader in person and give them a big hug and a slice of cake! Every time a reader like you picks up my book, my dreams come true. You’re magnificent! THANK YOU!
Also By Emma Renshaw
The Vow Series
Vow of Retribution
Vow of Atonement
Vow of Honor
Vow of Devotion
Vow of Sacrifice
Vow of Worth
The Burn Series
Ember
Ignite
About Emma Renshaw
Emma loves to write, just don't ask her to write about herself. If she isn't writing, you can find her lost in a book or trying to get her doggo to take a selfie with her. He usually refuses. At the end of the day, you can find Emma at the closest Mexican restaurant eating queso and sipping on a Diet Coke. She lives in Texas with her husband and dog.
You can find Emma in all the usual places!
Website
Facebook Page
Emma Renshaw Reader Group
Goodreads
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About Live A Thousand Lives
Thank you so, so much for purchasing a copy of Love Me Like I Love You!