"Ready or Not" is the follow-up book to "Take Two".
Olivia Bowsher stumbled upon the truth after twenty five years- life as she knows it has been distorted and carefully planned by her family and late husband Jakob.
Revelations of Jakob's clandesti...
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"Hey, time to wake up," I murmur.
The other passengers have begun to shift in their seats and stretch stiff limbs.
"Hmm?" She mumbles back.
"We're here."
"We're here!" Lily scrambles to stand in her seat and shouts, and thankfully most people find her charming.
"Lily!" Her dad chuckles from the next row over.
I scoop her up into my arms, and she wraps them around my neck. "We're excited, okay?" I say to Alex.
Lindsey holds her arms out to Lily, and she willingly goes. The two of them busy themselves getting ready to exit the plane, and I feel fingers brush mine and a voice in my ear.
I laugh and shrug my shoulder up to my ear as it tickles, and he laces his fingers through mine and pulls me back to him with the other arm. "And you?"
"I'm excited, too."
Chris and I are the last two passengers to exit the plane, and when we are back on solid ground at the airport, he offers to hold my carry-on bag. "I've got it, babe," I reassure, pulling the strap over my head.
He smiles down at me, his face inches from mine. "I know, but I'm happy to help," he says, then kisses the tip of my nose.
*************
It has been a few months since Snuggles and I moved into our place. I bought a condominium in the heart of town and threw myself into making my new home cozy.
My condo is mere blocks from the family deli, where I've been steadily working. I've loved getting to know my family these past few months. I even have a smile for Rodrigo when he comes in once a week.
The first time Rodrigo came in, nearly a month after the confrontation in the alley, he looked anxious, like I would go after him with a cleaver.
I prepared his sandwich, and instead of calling out his name, I headed around the counter to deliver. "Rodri," I murmured. "As long as I have known you, I've thought the world of you. For weeks, I've thought about what I wished to tell you. So, thank you for giving me space."
He swallowed and listened, his throat bobbing with emotion. He wet his lips but just waited for me to finish, and I waved him over to a table, placing his order down and sitting across the table.
I reached for his hand, and he looked down at them intertwined. "I've lost my parents and Jakob and lived a peculiar life. I don't wish you harm, and I sincerely want you to be happy and enjoy life."
He smiled at me and squeezed my fingers. "I don't want to spend my time hating anybody. I know this is an enormous ordeal, but, Rodrigo, let's just, let's just—try to move on with our lives."
I know Will considered firing Rodrigo from his payroll, and I told him to forget it. He was important to my brother, and he holds a special place in my heart.
