‘Now?’ Zack raised an eyebrow. ‘I set up a romantic dinner and you want me to speak to my parents?’
Life changes.
Zack rang them and told them to get on the computer and they did.
‘Here’s the reason I didn’t think I could come home in April,’ Zack said, and he pulled Freya onto his knee.
‘Hi, Freya!’ they both shouted.
‘They know about me?’
‘I told them that there was someone special in my life,’ Zack said.
That he had told them about her told Freya that this was real.
‘Freya and I shall be home for Christmas, and hopefully with twins.’
‘Zack!’
Oh, there was an exclamation mark at the end of his name for a reason.
Freya held up the ultrasound and watched his father put his glasses on, and it was such a precious moment.
‘He’s having twins,’ Zack’s father said to his wife and then recovered. ‘I mean you are, Freya. I just don’t know what to say.’
‘We thought he was gay,’ Judy confessed.
‘Well, I’m pleased to say he’s not.’ Freya laughed and realised that must have been his mother’s reaction when he’d told them about her.
It was a very nice meet-the-parents and after a few moments Zack told them that, unlike in Australia, it was still Valentine’s Day in LA, and he was getting back to his.
‘Thanks for that,’ Zack said, and as he closed the laptop she remained on his knee. ‘Well, I guess we’ve both made it a special Valentine’s Day, even if you forgot.’
‘I didn’t,’ Freya lied. ‘And I do have something for you.’
She opened up her phone and found a photo and they both smiled as they looked upon the night their world had changed.
A perfect shot.
Almost.
Save a man coming down the stairs and walking over everyone just to be by her side.
‘I’m going to love you for ever,’ Zack said, and it wasn’t a revelation.
They knew.
‘I’m going to be busy doing the same,’ Freya said.
This was love.
* * * * *
This is my second involvement in an eight-book series, and while in some ways it’s much, much harder than writing solo in other ways it’s so much fun. Writing is normally such a solitary occupation—a bit like being an only child—whereas being part of a series is like being part of a large family. Not only do the other authors become my family, but our characters develop and grow together on the pages and form relationships that carry across all the stories.
I cannot wait to read the completed series and revisit my characters to see if they have managed to keep hold of their HEA :).
I really hope you enjoy a taste of LA glamour!
Happy reading,
Emily
EMILY FORBES is an award-winning author of Medical Romances for Mills & Boon. She has written over 25 books and has twice been a finalist in the Australian Romantic Book of the Year Award, which she won in 2013 for her novel Sydney Harbour Hospital: Bella’s Wishlist. You can get in touch with Emily at [email protected] or visit her website at emily-forbesauthor.com.
For Amanda, Ali and Sarah.
Thank you all for an amazing thirty-plus years of friendship. Together we somehow survived our teenage years, the fashions of the eighties, cross-country moves, marriages, babies and now our own teenagers! As we begin to celebrate another round of milestone birthdays I’ve been thinking about the incredible memories we’ve created along the way and how lucky I am to have such ‘old’ friends.
With love xx
THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN flashed intermittently into Abi’s peripheral vision as she wound her way up into the Hollywood Hills. Her heart rate accelerated as she drew closer to her destination and she felt her palms go clammy as her nervousness increased a notch or two. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, not wanting her hands to slip as she fought back the wave of panic that threatened to overwhelm her. She hadn’t expected to feel quite so terrified today. She’d rehearsed this, she’d prepared for this. She could do this.
She had debated about catching a cab for her first day but had decided that if she could drum up the courage to drive that would give her the freedom that waiting for a taxi wouldn’t, and in order to prepare she’d done a trial run yesterday with Jonty. She’d needed to know where she was going and she’d needed to make sure it was safe. Bringing Jonty yesterday had given her courage and confidence but today she was travelling solo.
One more corner to go and then she was able to turn off the steep, winding road into the staff parking area for The Hollywood Hills Clinic. The iconic Hollywood sign loomed large above her again, its fresh white paint stark against the dull green and brown of the hillside and the shrubby flora that sprouted there. She swiped her card at the gate and waited nervously for it to open. The staff car park was secure, fenced and gated, and she was relieved to see the addition of good lighting and CCTV cameras. She breathed a sigh of relief as she squeezed her second-hand, two-door, soft-top 4x4 between two immaculately shiny sports cars.
She took a moment to sit quietly in her car as she summoned up the nerve to get out of the vehicle. It had taken all her courage to get into her car this morning and now that she was here she needed to find some more. Starting a new job and meeting new colleagues was going to test her limits. She was in the rebuilding phase, trying to cope with the stress of life, and anything unexpected could, and often still did, unsettle her. She needed to find the strength to get out of her car. She closed her eyes and rehearsed the process her psychologist had taught her. She imagined herself walking—no, not walking, striding—confidently into the building and introducing herself to her new colleagues. It would be fine. She could do this. This was a safe environment. She had a plan and she had to believe things would go accordingly.
She gathered her bag, took a deep breath and opened her
