Faking Forever (First Wives #4)(93)
She couldn’t stop crying. “Look what we made,” she quietly said to her husband.
Victor’s big hand brushed back his son’s puff of hair, all clean after the nurses returned him from his first bath. “He is one big link in the chain shackling you to me.”
They’d made jokes about balls and chains every single step of the way since Barcelona.
“Isn’t he beautiful?”
Victor looked up at her. “You’re beautiful.”
He kissed her tired cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Simon wiggled in his sleep.
“I think we need to let the masses in so you can get some rest.”
Shannon nodded, and Victor left the room, only to return with a parade of their friends. The babies had been left at home with a nanny, since the hospital didn’t allow infants other than those just born in the ward.
Simon was passed around and pictures were taken.
Avery was holding Simon and talking in a high-pitched voice. “You and Max are gonna cause lots of trouble, aren’t you?”
Wade leaned in and whispered, “And look out for my daughter.”
“Max is going to want to date your daughter,” Liam said.
“Bite your tongue.” Wade was serious.
They laughed.
“No, really . . . that’s not funny.”
“It’s kinda funny,” Trina said.
Lori rubbed her stomach. “You never did tell us why you decided on the name Simon.”
Victor took Shannon’s hand, and they both looked at each other and smiled.
“Because Garfunkel is a lousy first name.”
Acknowledgments
The minute I type the words The End when finishing a manuscript, I have the pleasure of adding my thanks to the back pages of what will become a novel. With the fact that this is the thirtieth time I’ve had the pleasure of writing these acknowledgments, I realize they often sound like a repeat. However, thank-yous need to be given, and this is where I do it.
In each stage of the writing process, there are people who take center stage. In the case of this series, it starts with my agent, Jane Dystel. I say it in every book and mean it with all my heart. Thank you for being a cornerstone in my career, and even more for being my friend.
To Maria Gomez, my acquisitions editor at Montlake, and the entire Amazon Publishing team, thank you all so much for making me feel like a queen . . . tiara and all. Cheers to the next five million copies sold.
To Kelli Martin . . . lady, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again . . . I love you. Your years of working with me on developmental edits have made me a stronger writer. I appreciate all that you do!
Now back to Kayce and Libby. Celebrating my fiftieth birthday on the shores of Tulum started out as a party but ended up deeply rooted in the pages of this book. From salsa dancing, bathing in insect repellant, and drinking mezcal (I don’t recommend, dear reader) to flesh-eating fish in the cenotes and bats in water-filled caves, I had the best birthday ever.
However, the absolutely most fantastic part of the entire trip was being there with the two of you. I love you both!
Oh, wait . . . the skinny-dipping in our private pool was kinda badass, too. Except when the staff arrived with a surprise birthday cake and champagne . . . but we’ll leave that for another story.
Cheers,
Catherine