The Offer

I’ve gone back to just working nights at the Lion. I did the assistant manager thing for long enough but the more I worked, the less time I had to take my designs to the next level. Bram saw my frustration and said that if I made it my goal to concentrate 100% on my clothing line, that I could quit the bar and he’d take care of me. Naturally my pride didn’t like that very much, so we compromised. I still work there as a bartender but I only do nights three times a week. The rest of the time, I’m working on my career.

I think my next leap is happening soon. It involves me renting a space in a warehouse for a week, but Stephanie guaranteed that if I could get a line of t-shirts out, she’d carry them in her online store and help me find other distributors as well.

It’s all baby steps for us, but it’s happening.

In due time, as Bram would say.

Bram would also say, it’s Bramtastic.

“You guys are the slowest couple I’ve ever met,” Taylor yells at us, waving for us to get our legs moving and hurry up. We’re walking down the fake Hollywood street in California Adventure and Ava and Matthew have spotted Mike and Sully from Disney’s Monster’s Inc. walking around. Though there are two years between Ava and Matthew, they get along great and their one love in common is dinosaurs (well, actually now it’s monsters, which is why they’re going apeshit for the poor hot people trapped in the costumes).

We all take pictures and Irving, Taylor’s new boyfriend, gets a good one of this crazy, mixed family. While the kids still fawn over the characters like they’re celebrities, fun-loving screams draw my attention to the rest of the park.

Every time we come here we always end up on the kiddie rides and we never seem to have the time or the opportunity to go on the big kid ones. You know, the ones that are actually fun.

“You know what?” I say to Bram. “I’m not leaving this park until—”

“We shag behind the Hollywood backlot,” he quickly suggests, and I know he’s completely serious.

“No,” I tell him, elbowing him in the side. “For the last time, IKEA sex was the limit for me. At least we traumatized an old couple, I’m not going to do that to children.” He seems to pout. I roll my eyes. “What I was going to say was, I’m not leaving this park until I go on a ride that will have me screaming my face off.”

He tilts his head and gives me that infamous smirk. “I know just the ride.”

“Bram, if you say it’s your cock, I’m going to murder you,” I hiss at him, glad we’re out of ear reach from the kids. And Taylor and Irving too. I’m sure they don’t want to hear any of our cock talk either.

Bram is still smirking at me so I fill in. “I mean it. An actual ride that you do with people. Like the Tower of Terror. Or California Screaming.”

“I reckon California Screaming,” he says. “Because of the word screaming.”

“Then it’s on.” I squeeze his hand and then wave at the gang. “Hey everyone, I thought I would let you all know that Bram and I are going on the rollercoaster and you can’t do a thing about it.”

Matthew stomps his foot. “I want to go on the rollercoaster!”

He’s tall like his dad probably was at his age, so there’s a chance he actually might be able to ride the coaster. But not this time. This time it’s just for us.

“Oh, Matthew,” Taylor admonishes him. “Let them have their fun.”

So the six of us wind our way through Cars Land and the fake San Francisco until we’re at the perpetually cheery Paradise Pier. We stand there for a bit, watching the coaster cars zoom past on the epic California Screaming, a ride that seems to do what the name suggests – make you scream.

“You sure about this?” Bram asks before we get into the line-up.

“Don’t tell me you’re a pussy,” I tease him.

He pulls me to him, burying his warm lips into my neck. “Speaking of pussy, how about we send Ava off with Matthew and Taylor after we get back to the hotel?”

“Oh, it would be so obvious why.”

He shrugs, not caring. “So? I think it’s too late for us to pretend we don’t have sex.” We both look over at Ava and Matthew who are chasing each other on the faux boardwalk. He’s right about that.

So we get in line for the ride, passing the time by playing games on our iPhones and finding out who can tell the stupidest jokes (Bram wins at that, obviously). It’s nice though, just to be with him and him alone. Even though we’re surrounded by people – and both insanely jealous of the couple in front of us who had the smarts to bring two margaritas along for the wait – it feels like we’re in our own little world. I’m reminded of just why I love this sexy Scot so much.

Finally it’s time to get in. I’m giddy and Bram looks a tad u

Happy, tinkling music comes on from the speakers and we slowly move forward, rounding the corner until we come to our holding spot where we wait with building anticipation until we will be shot forward and straight up the first hill.

“Mommy!” I look up to see Ava waving at me. Everyone has gathered along the railing above the tracks, ready for us to take off.

“Have fun!” yells Matthew.

My heart speeds up and I’m suddenly nervous. Just that sweet, intense anticipation. Kind of like sex. I grip the bar lowered across me as the chirpy countdown goes on, starting at three.

“No regrets, right?” Bram asks me with a disarming grin.

Two.

“No regrets.” I smile right back at him. “Not in this life.”

One.

We take off into the future.

Acknowledgements

As usual, quite a few people to thank. I wrote this book after a lengthy and much-needed break. Unfortunately by the time I went back into the swing of things, my husband and I just moved into our new house. First-time homeowners, yay! But moving and writing are hard to do at the same time. Actually anything plus writing is hard to do and the same could be said for moving. Somehow it got done though, it always does.

But I think it went so easily because of Bram “the man” McGregor. He was such a joy to write that I rarely felt myself stressing over this book, even when I was down to the wire, even when I didn’t have an office to write in because it was piled high with boxes that I just couldn’t deal with because all my energy had to go into writing. Bram helped me by being so Bramtastic! (yeah I know, stop with the Bram puns).

Of course Bram wasn’t the only one who helped. Ali “Claimed Bram” Hymer was a great help, especially in making sure the “mom” scenes were working. Dya

Props also go to everyone on InstaBram – I mean, Instagram, for your teasers and raunchiness and genuine love of books and book boyfriends. My Instagram account feels like family – no wonder I’m on there all the damn time (@authorhalle). All the ladies at #TeamPerv (hasthtag dicks) and dem Whores (who are also pervs, just more subdued) and all the hard-working bloggers for reading and reviewing ARCS and just being so damn fabulous. Dani Sanchez for being the best Girl Friday.

Here’s a shoutout to everyone in their thirties and beyond who feel they’re expected to grow up – don’t. Don’t worry if you still feel like you’re not where you’re “supposed” to be and you don’t have a total handle on life. Being an adult is hard for everyone, you might as well have some fun while you’re at it. Embrace your i