Page 91 of She’ll Steal Your Heart
Cheeks pink, Lauren accepted the copy ofMeet Me at Midnightthat Josie held out to her, and then she hopped onto a barstool. She’d practiced her reading at home with Mia last night, trying out a few scenes until she found the right one. Mia lifted her phone and took another series of photos as Lauren opened the book and began to read.
“The stars overhead were muted by the glow of the city as Isabelle lifted her gaze to the night sky. She wondered if the woman she’d met last night was looking at them too…”
Mia’s heart swelled with pride as she listened to Lauren read. She’d come so far in the last year, reclaiming her life after hitting rock bottom right here in this very bar. Now she’d realized her dream of becoming a published author. Mia felt sure Craig was here somewhere, silently cheering for her.
After her reading, Lauren signed copies of the book while Mia took more photos. Once she had plenty of pictures of Lauren signing, Mia got drinks for them at the bar. Josie had created a new signature drink just for Lauren, a pink cocktail called Love Struck, garnished with a hibiscus bloom.
“Cheers,” Mia said when Lauren was alone at last. She handed her one of the glasses, and they tapped them together.
“To the woman who inspired me to reach for the stars.” Lauren’s eyes glittered with happy tears.
“And to the woman who showed me love’s a partnership, not a competition,” Mia said.
“Aww,” Lauren whispered as her tears broke free. “I’ll drink to that.”
Mia brushed Lauren’s tears away with her fingertips. “I was a lost soul when I met you. I might have looked like I had my shit together, but as you know, I barely even remembered to feed myself.”
“You were pretty bad at self-care,” Lauren admitted with a grin.
“I was terrible. I’d never lived alone before, and I was hating it. I was so lonely, and I was trying so hard to pretend the café was all I needed to be fulfilled. Then you came along and showed me friendship and took care of me and made me laugh and cooked me the best damned grilled cheese I’ve ever had.” She smiled at the memory. “You helped me realize what I truly wanted out of life.”
Lauren was crying openly now, her free hand clenched in Mia’s. “Maybe you should be an author too, because that’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Oh please. I can write a hell of a legal brief, but my talent stops there. I’m just so glad you wroteSkin Deep, because that fanfic is what first brought us together.”
“To Sam Whitaker and to Piper Sheridan for bringing her to life,” Lauren murmured, lifting her glass to Mia’s for another toast.
* * *
“Stick around for a bit, okay?”Josie said. “I’ve got a surprise for you before you leave.”
“Sure, but you didn’t have to do anything else, Josie. This party was already amazing enough.” Lauren felt a tug of discomfort, hoping Josie hadn’t gone overboard.
“We raised a ton of money for my rescue today, so I’m calling the party a success for us both.” Josie tapped her knuckles against Lauren’s before she headed down the hall to her office.
Lauren rested her elbows on the bar, watching as the remaining party guests finished up their drinks. Mia was at a table along the back wall, talking to one of her clients on the phone. There was a gleam in her eye since she’d opened her new law practice, the same one Lauren had first seen the day Mia walked into the courthouse with her.
Practicing law was in her blood. Now that she’d gone into private practice, she’d chosen to represent women almost exclusively, not unlike the character who had first brought them together. Lauren was so proud of her, she could burst.
“Will you stop by the Airbnb later?” Ashleigh asked as she came over to give Lauren a hug. “We’re going to do anIn Her Defensemarathon.”
“Absolutely,” Lauren told her. “Thanks so much for coming today.”
Before she knew it, she was enveloped in hugs from Ash, Sarah, Quinn, and Fatima. They took selfies with their newly signed books, and then they headed out with promises to meet up again later.
The door closed behind them, and Lauren was alone at the bar. Well, almost alone. Mia was on her phone at a table in back, and Eve sat at the other end of the bar, talking to Adam. She wore a sleek gray dress, looking as polished and glamorous as ever. Lauren slid off her barstool, not wanting to dampen this perfect day with another uncomfortable encounter with Eve.
“You don’t have to run away from me, you know.”
Lauren turned to find Eve watching her, and heat rose in her cheeks.Busted.“Sorry.”
“I don’t hate you.” Eve swirled the drink in her hands. It was pink—Love Struck—the drink Josie had created in Lauren’s honor, but probably a virgin version of it, given her pregnancy.
“You have every right to,” Lauren said. No matter how rosy her life was these days, that awful night would never leave her mind completely. She’d robbed this bar. She’d committed a felony. No, she’d never forget.
“I’d be a hypocrite to hold it against you now,” Eve said. “You paid for your crime, and you’ve obviously worked hard to do better. Lord knows I’ve made mistakes myself, not criminal ones, but I hurt people when I was at my lowest. I hurt Josie too, you know.”
Lauren wasn’t sure what to say, so she just listened.
