Page 23 of Whisper Sweet Nothings
“Well, I only have two books out right now. The third is written and releasing in a few months, and I’m writing book four now. So I’m still very much a newbie author,” I said, clearing my throat because for whatever reason, talking about my writing career still made me nervous.
My ex-husband had deemed me a failure, and that negative voice still found its way in my head sometimes, even after I’d achieved success.
“So how do we find the first two?” Lulu pressed.
“Lu, maybe she doesn’t want you to read her books,” Henley said, giving me an apologetic smile. “There’s no pressure to tell us anything you aren’t comfortable with.”
“No. It’s not a big deal. I just still get a little nervous because it’s new. I write under a pen name.” I blew out a breath. “Hannah Chase.”
“Shut the motherfucking front door!” Lulu whisper-hissed, keeping her voice low so no one would hear her but making no attempt to hide her surprise. Eloise and Emilia squealed, Henley gasped, and Wren stared at me with her mouth hanging open.
My gaze moved around the table, taking them in. “What am I missing?”
“We’re superfans!” Lulu threw her hands in the air. “We’re anxiously waiting forWhisper Sweet Nothingsto release.”
“It’s Hunter’s book, and I cannot wait for it,” Wren said. “I just reread the first two books again. That’s how obsessed I am.”
“Same.” Eloise used her hand to fan her face. “I cannot believe we’re eating brunch with Hannah Chase.”
“You don’t put your face on your social media,” Henley said. “We’ve been stalking you, and here you are at the Honey Biscuit Café?”
My mind was blown. Truly blown. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that people were actually reading my books.
“Are you okay?” Henley put a hand on Emilia’s shoulders as she just sat there gaping at me.
“I’m speechless. I was searching your website for any upcoming events because we wanted to meet you,” she said.
“Well, now I’m speechless.” I chuckled. “And if you want, I’ll have my publisher send you an early copy to your Kindles.”
Lulu leaned forward on the table. “I’m a vault. We all are. Please, send the book. We’re dying for it.”
I could feel my cheeks heat. I couldn’t believe they knew who I was.
This was beyond surreal.
“And that title,” Henley said. “Whisper Sweet Nothings. I cannot even wait.”
“It’s perfection. And we get to read it early.” Emilia fell back in the booth and shook her head with disbelief.
“I am so here for a single-dad romance with Hunter. Let’s go,” Lulu said, holding up her mimosa and waiting for us to join her.
“Cheers to meeting our favorite author and new book bestie,” Wren said.
“I’ll drink to that,” Eloise squealed as we all clinked our glasses together.
I’ll drink to that, too.
This fresh start was feeling better every day.
seven
. . .
Archer
My cousin Bridgerhad chartered a private jet large enough to accommodate our entire family to fly to Paris for the wedding. He owned his own plane, but it wasn’t the type of aircraft that could travel this far.
Melody had started out seated beside me and moved to sit in the seat across from me, beside Winnie, for the second half of the flight, and they’d both fallen asleep. After we’d all grabbed our bags, a car service was waiting to take us to the hotel.
