Kelly's Quest (NYC LOVE Book 2) (29 page)

Davis rubs the palms of his hands along his faded jeans at my side. Since he’s an artist, I figured he’d hit it off with Chloe, but the two haven’t shown any interest in each other. He’s so tall that his ear-length, sandy blond hair brushes the limo’s roof. He reminds me of a misplaced surfer the way he’s always so relaxed, both in the way he dresses and acts. It’s the only thing that keeps me from thinking of Erik each time I look into the intriguing blues of his eyes, or the succulent curve of his lips. All the Murphy boys were blessed with the same handsome genes.

“So this is killer, right?” he asks, most likely trying to break the awkward tension. “I was here five years back with some artists who had made the big time. Turns out they were high on some messed up weed, so I wandered away from them and brought in the new year with a group of beautiful blondes from Norway.” He flashes his perfect teeth in a bright smile. “Best night of my life, bro.”

“Okay, how many times have you
been
here?” I ask, amazed. “You could almost one up Theo with epic stories of New York, and we all know how nearly impossible
that
can be.”

His long shoulders lift. “Dunno. Lost count a year or two back.”

“Why don’t you just move here already?” I ask when no one else jumps in. I keep hoping Adam or Jewels will snap out of it since they’re both close with Adam’s cousin.

“Easy. If I stuck my inheritance into a place out here, I wouldn’t be able to afford traveling around the world on a regular basis, and I don’t think I was meant to stay in one place for too long. Guess it’s why I never put much effort into finding a girl as good as Jewels, either. My cousin is one lucky S-O-B.”

Adam leans down to kiss the top of Jewels’s head. “You got that right.”

The sad smile she gives him in return makes me want to jump across the limo and shake them both, reminding them how good they have it together.

The limo door finally reopens. Theo leans in, holding his hand out to Jewels. “C’mon. I got us into the party at Marriott.”

Chloe nudges me as we watch Jewels, Adam, and Davis pile out. “How’s it feel to know you’re marrying someone with so much influence? ‘You want a ride in a helicopter? No worries, I know a pilot. How about a pass into the biggest party on New Year’s? Sure, go right ahead.’ The way the guy snaps his fingers to get what he wants you’d think
he
was a celebrity, or some kind of fucking prince.”

“Hey. He’s
my
fucking prince.”

I slip out after her. Theo stands outside the door, holding out his hand and flashing me his million dollar smile. “Hi, my beautiful fiancé.”

“Hi.” My insides turn to mush with the sight of his dark gaze. He makes me immensely proud with all he’s accomplished, and all he does for his friends and family. It doesn’t hurt that he’s crazy hot in his knit hat with snow melting into it.

I take his hand and he brings me into his arms for a long, slow kiss. I dissolve against his hard body, wishing we were alone in his brownstone so I could do so much more than just kiss him back. When we part, he takes my hand, winking. “Get ready, Cavenaugh. You’re going to like this.”

Inside the hotel, the six of us squeeze into the already cramped elevator. With my bestie looking so hopelessly crushed, it’s hard to get excited about Theo’s puzzling comment. Part of it’s probably due to the fact that she’s not very fond of heights, however. I worry that she’ll come apart once we’re high up, looking over the crowd.

Cold air blasts into us when we step outside onto the balcony, making it hard to catch our breaths for a moment. Once the oxygen returns to my brain, I look from the crowd gathered back to Theo with my jaw dropped.

“Uh...what’s going on?” Jewels asks quietly.

Her mom and dad stand next to the people I recognize from pictures as Adam’s parents. The two moms, bundled in stylish winter gear, hold hands like they’re lifelong best friends. Jewels’s mom, looking no older than thirty-five, has tears in her large blue eyes. Adam’s mom, standing with perfect posture, beams at her son and Jewels.

When Jewels spins around, Adam bends down on one knee. Chloe and I gasp along with Jewels, who holds a hand to her chest as if she can’t catch her breath.

“
Hole. E. Shit
,” I say quietly.

Theo wraps his arms around my waist from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder, chuckling quietly. “This is why I promised you that everything would be okay,” he whispers.

“Baby, I’m so sorry that I’ve been moody lately,” Adam tells Jewels, his eyes intense. “I’ve been so nervous for this moment that I haven’t been able to sleep. For the longest time, I wasn’t sure this is what you wanted, knowing I may never be able to give you children, or that I can’t promise you a happily ever after. But then I realized you wouldn’t have fought so hard for me to have the transplant if you thought you could one day walk away. After all you’ve done for me, I owe you my life. I’m probably not the man you dreamed of marrying when you were little, but I promise to love you with all I’ve got, and take care of you for however long the rest of my life will be.” He reaches for the inside pocket of his winter coat, pulling out a ring. Then he takes Jewels’s hand. “Jewels Elizabeth Peterson, will you be my wife?”

Jewels breaks down sobbing. Adam quickly rises up to hold her. She throws her arms around his neck, saying “yes” a dozen times into his chest. The rest of us laugh and cheer, exchanging hugs and high-fives. We all hoot and holler when Adam dips Jewels backwards in the middle of a long kiss. She breaks away to throw an arm around each of her parents, huddling with them in a tearful display.

Theo spins me around, grinning madly. He was obviously privy to Adam’s plan this entire time. “Are you disappointed I didn’t make more of a grand gesture like this when I proposed?”

“Are you kidding?” I brush my finger against his jaw. “Proposing in the nude was just my style. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Holding his face in my hands, I stand on my tiptoes to give him a deep, surging kiss.

“Okay, we get it, you’re in love,” a familiar voice nags at my side. “Do you
have
to rub it in our faces like that?”

I move away from Theo to see my sister Glori standing next to me. My parents, my other three sisters, and my brother-in-law file out behind her, surrounding us.

“Surprise, Cavenaugh,” Theo whispers in my ear.

I squeal along with my sisters, running to hug each one individually, then collecting them all for a long, group hug. Finally, I approach my dad, then my teary-eyed mom. She brushes the snow from my face, smiling sadly. “I’m so proud of you and the life you made for yourself, my baby girl. I’m so sorry I let my faith in you lapse before.”

“It’s okay, Mom,” I say, hugging her close. “I’ve already forgiven you.”

“Now let’s see that ring!” my sister Megan shrieks, tugging on my arm.

Once again, I’m swarmed by my four sisters who “ooh” and “holy shit” the hell out of my diamond. Mick and James slip into the crowd at some point, popping bottles of champagne and passing their congratulations to the four of us. Among the madness, Theo explains that his aunt and sister send their love, but didn’t want to deal with the city on such a crazy night. My dad and Jewels’s dad each make a heartfelt toast at one point, bringing everyone to tears.

After more hugging and high-fives from my sisters and parents, I finally make my way to Jewels. We laugh and fling our arms around each other, squealing. “Holy shit, this is insane!” she exclaims. “Can you believe the guys arranged all of this to surprise us? I never dreamed we’d both be engaged by the end of the year!”

“I think our adventures together are just about to begin,” I say, laughing happily.

Everyone joins in when the official countdown begins, yelling the numbers at the top of their lungs and eyeing each other with giant smiles. When the ball drops, everyone couples up as best as possible for a kiss. As I move to kiss Theo, I catch Mick bending toward Chloe and laugh when her eyes grow impossibly wide.

“Happy new year, Cavenaugh,” Theo whispers, drawing me in with his burly arms. “I can’t wait to give you a proper welcome to our new future when we get home.”

Laughing, I kiss the man I love with everything I’ve got, surrounded by my friends, family, and a billion pieces of confetti floating through the air.

I can’t believe this is my life. Half a year ago I was lost and angry with myself for playing into the image perceived of me by others. I almost let them break me down, and forever mar the strong woman I seem meant to become.

It feels necessary to pinch myself on a daily basis when I realize Theo’s all mine, and that I’m the one he chose to spend the rest of his life with even after he discovered every detail of my complicated past.

As overjoyed as I feel, I don’t allow myself to cry, even if they
are
happy tears. Because I’m Kelly Fucking Cavenaugh...at least for a little while longer.

###

Mental health is not something that can be neglected. If you’re secretly fighting your own battles and need someone to talk to, don’t ever think twice about asking for someone’s help, even if it’s from a total stranger online or through a crisis hotline. We’ve all been through hard times, and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. There’s always someone in your life who cares, even if it may not seem that way to you.

For more information on mental health disorders and ways to seek help,

visit
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/

For more information on date rape,

visit
http://www.girlshealth.gov/safety/saferelationships/daterape.html

For more information on Type 1 Diabetes and ways you can help,

visit
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-1/

For the list of songs intended to accompany
Kelly’s Quest
,

visit
www.AuthorJenniferAnn.blogspot.com

Reviews left for your books are HUGE when you’re an author, but readers don’t always take the time to leave them. If you enjoyed reading

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To each and every one of the readers and bloggers who bought
Adam’s List
,
making this series what it is, I wish I could tackle hug you! I never imagined it would have this kind of success. It truly warms my heart to know so many people fell in love with my characters, Theo especially. I hope I made everyone happy with his heartwarming story. Having come from a family with a strong military background, I have a special place in my heart for anyone who has served our country, and wish I could thank each and every one of the US soldiers in person.

Once again, a big thanks to my superstar cover designer, Najla Qamber, for knowing how to give me exactly what I had imagined, even though I can be flaky at times!

Thank you to my patient and very knowledgeable editor, Christopher Vondracek, for agreeing to stay on and help me improve my skill with each book I write. I wouldn’t be where I am today if you didn’t continue to challenge me and my motivations.

A sincere thank you to my beta readers Sydney Aaliyah, Maria Monteiro, Leesa Bow, Lilly Christine, and Corrie Hanson for your incredible support and invaluable feedback. I’m honored that all of you agreed to take the time to help me out so early on!

Thanks a million to my dear friend across the pond, Emma Meade, for helping me to perfect Mick’s Irish accent. Once again, your knowledge was priceless. Can’t wait for the day when we finally meet in person!

Again, a special shout out to my sweet cousin, Hope Domeier, for sharing with me your brutal experiences of being a Type I, brittle diabetic. I love you, and hope life continues on the upswing for you.

Special thanks to my lifelong friend, Heidi Schiltz, for letting me pick inside the head of a psychologist to properly treat poor, confused Kelly. Looking forward to our next “session” for book #3…this time I’m buying all the drinks! You’re the best!

To all my friends who continue to buy my books and support this crazy adventure of mine: you guys rock! Seriously, you’re what keeps me going. Having friends like you to let loose with on my down time keep me sane. Sorry to those who are weirded out by my sex scenes, but just remember, IT’S FICTION!

To my family who puts up with my career and the rumors that you’re related to someone who “writes porn”, a million apologies. It’s far past time to educate the public on the different between the erotica involved in books like
Fifty Shades of Grey
and healthy sexual activity between consenting adults. Like someone recently told me, “Everyone does it. If they didn’t, we all wouldn’t be here.”

To my dear husband: I know I wouldn’t be able to do what I love if it weren’t for your hard work and support. Thank you for all you do for our family, and thanks for putting up with my odd work hours/moods. You’re truly one in a million.