Magic Kiss (Hope Falls Book 11) by Melanie Shawn Read Free Book Online

“You look so young.”
    “Thanks.” She got that a lot, which was odd because she felt so much older than her twenty-six years. Which she guessed was because she’d gotten married and had a baby when she was sixteen and then become a widow at twenty.
    Growing up fast had kind of been a necessity.
    As Adeline began fussing again, Gabby’s hand disappeared into the diaper bag and pulled a bottle out.
    Watching the two of them brought back so many memories for Emma. She still remembered how nervous she’d been to tell Andrew that she was pregnant. He’d just returned from his first tour, and she was about to go into her junior year of high school. He’d picked her up from her part-time job at a pizzeria, and the second he’d laid eyes on her, he’d known that something was wrong. He wasn’t exactly Sherlock—her eyes were swollen and red from crying. Instead of saying anything when he asked her what was wrong, she just handed him the pregnancy test she’d taken in the employee bathroom.
    While he stared down at it, time stood still. Her world stopped spinning. They’d been together for two years, and they’d talked about getting married, but Emma had always been realistic. She knew they were just kids, and she had tried to prepare herself for the outcome if he didn’t take the news well—hence the tears.
    As it turned out, they’d been shed over nothing. After what felt like an eternity but was probably a minute or two, Andrew lifted his head, pulled her into his arms, and promised her that he’d take care of her and the baby. He said that she was his and everything was going to be okay. The next week, he’d gotten her a ring and asked her to marry him. And two months later, they were married.
    Life hadn’t been easy, but Andrew had kept his word. He’d provided for them. Being a husband and dad was what he was born to do. He’d been the first one to change Drew’s diaper. When he was home, he was so hands-on. Everything really had been okay—until the knock on her door that had taken away Emma’s entire world.
    “Are you guys going to have more?”
    “I’m sorry?” Emma blinked at Gabby and returned to the present.
    “You and your husband.” Gabby tilted her head towards Emma’s left hand. “Are you going to have any more?”
    “Oh, I’m not…” She gazed at the ring she still wore on her left hand. She knew that it was time to take it off, but she just hadn’t been able to do it. It felt wrong. “My husband was killed in Afghanistan.” She’d repeated those words so many times that saying them was like second nature.
    “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Gabby reached out and covered Emma’s hand, squeezing it.
    “It’s okay. It was years ago,” Emma assured her, suddenly feeling a little silly that she still wore her wedding ring.
    At first, she hadn’t taken it off because she hadn’t been emotionally ready to. Then, once a couple of years had passed, she’d thought about it again but never did it.
    “I’m so sorry.” Gabby shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. “My brother just got back from Iraq. He lost quite a few friends over there.”
    Emma nodded, not really sure what to say.
    The women sat in silence for a few moments before Gabby looked down at the computer on Emma’s lap with a gasp.
    “Were you working on Tina’s book!?”
    A smile spread on Emma’s face. “Yes.” She didn’t tell her new friend that she’d been working on Tina’s book for the last two years.
    Gabby leaned forward, blurting out, “Are she and Kade finally going to get together?”
    Good question. In the series, Tina had been in love and hate with Kade for years, but she was his boss. He was also kind of a jerk and also totally oblivious to her feelings.
    When Emma didn’t immediately answer, Gabby gasped.
    “No! It’s Sean, isn’t it! He’s going to come home and sweep her off her feet! I knew he loved her—he just didn’t know it. Oh my gosh, they are perfect together. But Kade