Suddenly thinking back to what she had said about my love for Zach, I ask, “Mrs. Neverly? How do you know so much about the loss of a love like ours?”
I know she had lost her husband years ago, and I know that somehow she understands about a love lost way before its time.
“Because,” Mrs. Neverly states, “George wasn’t my first love. I had a fiancé before him whom I lost in a car accident. What we had was much like what you and my dear Zachery shared. I recognized it right away. This is how I know that even now you miss Zach and he will forever remain in your heart. But I also know that you and Evan will be able to live happily together for the rest of your lives.”
Those words have so much truth in them. Mrs. Neverly had been through what I had been through.
I know I’ll love Zach for the rest of my days, but I also know that what I now have with my husband is just as special and enough to get me through this lifetime.
* * *
THE END
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THANK YOU
Thank you so much for taking the time to read Beneath a Starlit Sky!
If you enjoyed Zac & Rae’s love story, please keep an eye out for book 2,
Beneath an Iridescent Sky, coming later this year!
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Bella Emy is a USA Today Bestselling Author.
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She loves all books, but her favorite genre to read, as well as write, is romance. Bella loves creating heartbreaking stories that will deeply touch her readers, but in the end, a good HEA is usually the turnout.
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Whenever Bella is not typing away on her computer with a nice hot cup of coffee, she loves spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite places to go are the movies, the beach, or just on a good plain old road trip. Some of her must haves are coffee, chocolate, pizza, music, & movies.
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THE DANGER WITH LOVE
AMANDA SIEGRIST
Copyright © 2017 Amanda Siegrist
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The Danger with Love
He knew going undercover wouldn’t be easy. He just never knew he’d fall in love.
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Special Agent Dax Delcroy never wanted this assignment. Being old college roommates with the groom meant the case was his anyway. Get in and get out. Get the information to take down the bride’s father, the most ruthless mobster in the city. It should all be so easy. Except nothing is easy the minute he meets her.
1
Ugh, not again.
Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.
That saying got so old. Why did people insist on saying that to her? Because she might actually freak out one of these times.
“Doesn’t that hurt your feelings, dear?” Lily’s Aunt Zenda said as Sarafina stared at her with a smile. Having no smile would just bring more disastrous questions.
“When are you going to find yourself a handsome man?” Aunt Zenda said without waiting for a reply.
Darnation. Maybe her smile wasn’t bright enough. Here was her chance to freak out. She had enough.
“I’m waiting for the perfect man like you found with Henry.” She couldn’t freak out on Lily’s aunt. Definitely, the wrong person to do that to, but she could switch the conversation with ease. Butter her up with compliments about her marriage, or anything that had to do with her in general, and she changed course as fast as a NASCAR pit crew changed tires.
“Oh, you are so right, dear. Why Henry, just the other day, he did the sweetest thing...”
Did she care what Henry did? No. Absolutely not. That simply reinforced all the good ones were taken. When are you going to find yourself a handsome man? Jeepers, if only she could’ve answered with, “As soon as all the men stop acting like bottom-feeding tadpoles and act like a true gentleman.”
Of course, that would’ve opened a series of questions she didn’t want to answer. What did she mean by that? Oh, you poor thing, did some man break your heart?
You poor thing. Goodness, she hated hearing that as much as the other dratted saying—always a bridesmaid. Maybe she wasn’t as lucky as she could be in the man department. Sure, she had her heart broken a time or two. But all the good ones were snatched away before she had a chance to throw a sweet smile their way.
“…and then he came home with flowers. Isn’t that the sweetest thing? The entire day was wonderful,” Aunt Zenda said with a laugh.
Sarafina nodded with the same permanent smile because she had no clue what story aunt Zenda delivered. Her mind derailed like it always did when she talked to her. “Henry’s something else. You know—”
“I do know, dear. I was hoping you’d bring him up. Travis is perfect for you. You’re walking down the aisle with him, aren’t you?”
Her smile dipped. Just a fraction. She had a lifetime how to perfect acting with Lily’s family. But this question threw her off a little. Travis? Lily’s brother? A big fat no. He was nothing more than a big brother to her.
“I’m not. I’m walking down with…ah…one of Ryan’s friends. I haven’t met him yet. I should go check on Lily. It was so nice to catch up, Aunt Zenda. Let’s talk more later.”
“Yes, dear, always a pleasure. Chin up. Your day’s coming.” Aunt Zenda frowned and patted her shoulder in reassurance.
One nod and a smile. Horrible conversation over.
Sometimes it didn’t pay to respond. Especially when she hadn’t been feeling down about this wedding. Heavens, no. Lily was her best friend. Nothing but excitement raced through her veins. Until she ran into someone like aunt Zenda. She wouldn’t be the only one to say that dreaded saying either. There was nothing wrong with being a bridesmaid—All. The. Time. Nothing wrong whatsoever.
Aunt Zenda was right, of course. She was always the bridesmaid. Half of her friends were already married, with nearly the other half engaged. Because she was close with everyone, always the friendly one, the generous one, the go-to gal if you needed anything, she was always asked to be a bridesmaid.
Any time a friend asked, she gladly accepted with the humble responsibility, never taking a moment of it for granted. She considered it an honor to be asked. A true honor. She cherished each moment, each wedding as if it were the first time she was asked.
But a girl could only take so much, especially with the constant chatter and annoying statements thrown at her recently.