Epilogue
SARAH
Nine months later.
‘It’s live!’ Ben shouted as he raced into the library with his laptop.
‘Really?’ I jumped up from the comfy sofa where I’d been eagerly awaiting the announcement.
Ben thrust the laptop in front of me and there it was in black and white.
Debut novelist Sarah Jeffries secures six-figure publication deal.
‘Bloody hell! It’s real!’ I jumped up and down screaming.
‘But of course it is!’ Ben smiled. ‘You already signed the contract. After ten publishers entered a bidding war no less! I told you, you’re going to be huge!’
It still hadn’t sunk in.
I’d finished my book. It was about a woman who enlists the help of her co-worker to be her fake date at a family wedding when she discovers her ex will be there with her sister and follows the hilarious antics they get up to whilst seeking revenge on the cheaters.
And of course, how the unlikely couple end up falling in love along the way.
Thanks to my new friend D.D. Desire, I also had an agent!
When Ben came back, I thought things couldn’t get any better. I’d finally found my real-life hero. And he loved me as much as I loved him. No convincing required.
As you’d expect, once we got back to our flat (still not tired of saying that), we made up for lost time. Not just with our bodies reconnecting (although somehow when we made love it was even better than it was before, which was saying a lot), but also catching up on everything.
We stayed up until the early hours just chatting and laughing. Ben told me about his travels with his brother and then he gave me his feedback for the book, which was spot on.
I spent the next three months working almost every night on the novel and once I was sure it was ready, I gave it to Ben and Jess and asked for their honest feedback.
Thankfully they loved it and they were convinced everyone else would too. But I still needed more reassurance. So I also gave it to Jane, Jackson, Theo and Celeste. And when they also gave it the thumbs-up, I thought it was time to take D.D. Desire up on her offer.
It took a while for her to get back to me (that was the most nerve-wracking two weeks of my life), but when she did, she also said it had massive potential and asked if I’d mind if she sent it to her agent.
Mind?
I was ready to bite her freaking hand off.
And when her agent got back to me a week later, asking if I’d like her to represent me, I screamed so loud I thought I’d burst my eardrums.
Everything after that was like a whirlwind. The next thing I knew she was telling me she had one publisher who was interested. Then two, then when it went into double figures, I was sure I was dreaming. I kept asking Ben, ‘How is this my life?’
The publishers battled it out and eventually we decided on a deal that gave me an amazing advance and would get my book lots of exposure.
I was smart enough to know this wasn’t normal.
Obviously, I believed in my novel, but I knew a lot of credit also had to go to Shonda, my agent (I had an agent!).
She had great connections and when she called or emailed, people answered.
There were loads of brilliant books that didn’t get the recognition they deserved.
But I was one of the lucky few who’d hit the jackpot.
The book wouldn’t be out for several months because apparently the traditional publishing world moved a lot slower than self-publishing, but I was so excited. My book was going to be in stores all over the country and I’d even be doing book signings.
My phone pinged and it was a message from Adrian congratulating me on the announcement. I was surprised he even got to see it considering how little sleep he and Debbie had been getting since they became parents.
Yep. I was now an auntie! My little niece, Rochelle, was doing brilliantly and Ben and I would be going up to visit her next weekend to spend time with her.
At least I wouldn’t be bumping into Trent or Esme anytime soon. They’d broken up after Esme caught Trent shagging her best friend. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Last I heard, Esme was living with a new boyfriend in Manchester and hardly ever visited Mum, Dad or Adrian.
Even if she did, I wouldn’t care. I was too busy living my best life to worry about hers.
‘We just saw the announcement!’ Jess came racing in with Theo, Jane and Jackson.
‘We’re so proud of you!’ Jane said as they all took it in turns to give me hugs.
‘It’s really amazing!’ Theo said. ‘Congrats!’
‘We always knew you’d go far!’ Jackson added.
‘Thanks so much, guys. I couldn’t have done it without you. And I owe so much to this incredible man.’ I turned to face Ben and kissed him.
‘And to think how much you hated him before!’ Jess teased. ‘Now look at you. You’re all over him like a rash!’
‘I know, I know. It’s embarrassing.’ I laughed.
‘I think the exact phrase she used was: “If you were the last man on earth, I wouldn’t touch you with a hundred-foot bargepole.”’ Ben grinned.
‘And now I can’t get enough of your bargepole!’ I giggled.
‘Ewww, TMI!’ Jess cringed.
‘Don’t act all innocent! I know what you get up to with your husband! Anyway, I don’t care if I act obsessed around my incredible man. I’ve never been one of the cool kids.’
‘You’re not just one of the cool kids now. You’re set to be the UK’s coolest author. Just don’t forget about us when you hit the big time!’ Theo said.
‘As if! My biggest signing is going to be right here. And you’ll be getting all the special editions before anyone else.’
‘We’d better!’ Jess laughed.
‘And of course I’ll still be working here. You can’t get rid of me that easily.’
‘Thank God for that,’ Ben teased. ‘Imagine if I’d come all the way back to Sunshine Bay and you buggered off.’
‘No way. You’re the one that’ll be doing more travelling than me with your new role.’
Ben was now in charge of looking for a new site for a second Romance Library.
Yep. Thanks to the success of our amazing library here in Sunshine Bay, Jess and Theo were considering the possibility of opening another Romance Library. We didn’t know where yet, but I was sure that Ben would find the perfect location.
They also dreamt of creating a romance festival and organising huge romance signing events. The sky really was the limit for the library.
And for me and Ben.
Whilst I’d been busy writing, Ben had also taken up a new hobby: making bespoke handcrafted bookcases.
He’d made the first one as a surprise for me because he knew how much I missed having my personal collection of books at home.
It was so stunning that I mentioned that it’d be a real shame if other booklovers didn’t have the chance to have something that beautiful in their homes too.
Thankfully Ben agreed and was now selling them through the library’s website. Despite the high price tag (which was worth every penny), he’d already got dozens of orders.
I loved seeing him at work in the studio he’d had built behind the library. He always came back with a big smile on his face.
It was great that we’d both finally got to follow our passions.
‘You haven’t forgotten that you agreed to travel with me to find the perfect location, have you? Surely the beauty of being promoted to social media director means that you can work from anywhere.’
I beamed with pride. I was really chuffed when Jess said she was so happy with my work and how much the social media had boosted the library’s revenue that she was promoting me.
Theo had also set aside a budget for me to hire an assistant, which was a godsend now that I was juggling work with my writing.
‘Oh, dear. It’s going to be torture, travelling to pretty locations with my amazing boyfriend and trying to find somewhere as beautiful as Sunshine Bay.
What a hardship!’ I laughed. ‘Of course I’ll be coming with you!
You can’t get rid of me, remember? You’re my happily-ever-everything, Benjamin Benchmark,’ I said, using one of my latest nicknames for him.
It was very appropriate, because Ben really was the gold standard. Not even the greatest book boyfriends could compare to my man.
Turned out that real-life heroes did exist.
‘Glad to hear it. It’s you and me forever, Supreme Sarah.’ Ben dipped his head and planted a kiss on my lips. ‘And I wouldn’t have it any other way.’
Happy reading! x