Private Show (The Private Series) (34 page)

Thanksgiving has just passed by. Ben and I had dinner at his Dad’s house and I got to invite my mom, Erin and James. We all gushed about the upcoming wedding. We haven’t set a date yet, but we don’t want to wait too long. Maybe a summer wedding.

Ben and I want something not so traditional. We are anything but traditional. Jack suggested we go back to Ben’s first home and get married in London. They still have a lot of family there, apparently. I jumped to the offer and said yes! To go and marry my love back to his home is a brilliant idea.

Everyone on my end said they would happily make the trip.

Caroline told me she was thrilled to get the sister she always wanted. She is leaving the first of December for her winter internship in New York City. Because the program is so rigorous, she doesn’t think she would be able to come home for Christmas. I suggested we go visit her there for few days. She appeared happy with the plan, I just couldn’t see her alone in New York during Christmas. I will see if Jack and Gwen would want to join us on the visit.

It is a few days before Christmas and Ben and I are packing to visit Caroline in the Big Apple. I am excited to see New York in the winter and to be there on a happy occasion. We may even stay to see the ball drop on New Year’s!

The bonus? No Nicole.

We booked our own room in the same hotel as Jack and Gwen, but on a different floor. There was no way we could be next door to them, not when we have become used to being a little loud and vocal in bed.

Ben’s phone rings. He ignores it. But it rings again.

“You should answer it,” I say. “Maybe it’s something important.”

Grumbling, he agrees. Ben looks at his phone and answers right away. “Hey, Caroline we were just packing…”

He scrunches his eyebrows. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” His expression scares me.

“What’s wrong, Ben?”

He rushes over to the bed and grabs both of our suitcases. “That wasn’t Caroline… I am the first person in her contact list so they called me.”

“Ben, who was it? You’re not making sense,” I ask frantically as we rush out of our bedroom.

“It was the hospital. Caroline tried to kill herself.”

Of course I want to thank my husband and family, my Mom. You all know how important you are to me. This past year has been a roller coaster. I never thought that I would write and release a book… EVER and here I am releasing my second! And it won’t be my last. This past year has also been one of the most challenging also, not just from writing, but life in general. But I am thankful for more than I can even express.

To my street team, you are all so amazing! I am honored that you or anyone would want to help spread the word about my work. I love you all from the bottom of my heart and I cannot thank you enough. You are just as crazy as I am… well, almost hehe.

My beta readers! You all kick ass and you know it! You saw Private Show in its roughest stage and helped me in so many ways. You encouraged me through to the end. Thank you, thank you! Kimberly Kimball, Sam Stettner, Elise Taylor, Samien Newcomb, Leah Sampson, Jennifer Reyes, Stacy Nickelson, Sara Fuller, Jennifer Mitchell and my best friend Katherine Potvin.

A HUGE thank you to Kimberly Kimball. You are an inspiration. Stunning, brilliant and quite possibly the most amazing woman I know. You have been through so much and still hold your head high and have so much love to share. You hold a very large space in my heart and I love you.

Jennifer Mitchell, I love you so effing much! You my dear can cheer me up any day and make me laugh! We will meet one day and it is going to be a blast! And I am very happy to introduce you to a new cover crush, hehe.

Stacy Nickelson, you have been there with me from the beginning and I am thrilled to know you! You have helped me with many things, but you also do a lot for many other authors. I am extremely thankful.

Christy Dilg, you know what it is like to release your first book and still go for another. You know the rough ride it can be, more than most and you still strive. I think you are brave and stronger than you think you are. Thank you for being my friend and supporter, you know I would do anything for you babes! And thank you for Dr. Chance Turner!

To Mesha D. White, the amazing photographer who made my cover vision come true! You nailed it! I hope to work with you again in the future and besides you are fun to party with!

Randy Potvin… what can I say? You rocked out all of my graphics for Private Message, cover and all. Now, not only did you rock out another cover for me, but posed for the cover! How many designers can say that? You made me laugh so much at the bar where we shot the cover with Mesha! I love you with all of my heart and I am so happy we are friends.

Check out Randy’s FB page for his design work: RP Designs

https://www.facebook.com/rpotvindesigns

Angela over at Fictional Formats, you rock at what you do! I love how you turn just my document into a work of art digitally and in paperback! Can’t wait to work with you more in the future.

My editor Jim Thomsen you tough bastard! I love you! I am proud to call you my editor and can’t wait to work with you on the next book.

All of my new author and author supporter friends! I love you all! There are too many to name, that I don’t think I could and would feel awful for leaving one out haha. To any blogger who has supported me and any indie author. Without you, we wouldn’t stand a chance so, thank you!

Finally thank you to Cilver! I love you guys from the bottom of my heart. I knew you when you were Me Talk Pretty and you kick ass! I wish nothing but great success for you and I cannot wait to see you in concert again. (Check Cilver out on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Cilver

Facebook author page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Danielle-Torella/396408743800429?ref=hl

Facebook personal page:

https://www.facebook.com/danielle.torella

Goodreads:

www.goodreads.com/author/show/7059361.Danielle_Torella‎

Connect on Instagram:

PushyGirl_DanielleTorella

Be looking for Christy Dilg’s sequel FORBIDDEN NO MORE the sequel to
Forbidden Forever
.

Coming summer 2014.

Turn the page for an unedited excerpt.

I stare down at the stick featuring two pink lines in my hands and for about three minutes I am deep in thought about the change that our lives are about to take. The room is completely silent but my head feels like I am standing in the middle of the mosh pit at a Hollywood Undead concert. I can hear everyone chanting BABY, BABY, BABY as loud as they can while tossing one person to another overhead. I shake my head and look at Chance as tears trickle down my cheeks when I see the sparkle in his eyes, the excitement of the news shows all over his handsome face. I know I should be happy and bursting into song but the past is all I can think of, the only thing on my mind. I have just started to love myself and to be happy with the person I am, no matter the size. I am afraid that the karma from my infidelity is finally coming back to haunt me and until I pay the price for the affair I had with Chance it will always be there waiting in the wings to destroy my happiness. It is not something I regret and that makes the karma that much more worse in my eyes. I should feel guilty for cheating on my husband, for wrecking not one but two marriages but I don’t. I don’t ever think about the part I played in this whole relationship. I am the one that barged in and threw myself at Chance in his office almost a year ago.

“Sapphire, what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Chance interrupts my thoughts.

Stuttering to find the words but they won’t come out so I simply smile up at him and pull myself into his hard chest. I can’t let him in on the fact that I am scared that I will gain weight and he will end up hating me. I certainly can’t ruin a moment that should be filled with joy so he can comfort me. I know I am being utterly insane for thinking Chance would be anything like Michael but there is always the tiniest fear I will make him that way. I pull away and walk to the bathroom and wrap the pregnancy test in toilet paper and place it in the garbage can. When I stand up I see my reflection in the mirror. I look like I aged ten years since I walked in this very room to take the test. My heart is heavy and the confusion of my emotions are making my heart ache. Michael should not have this hold on me still now after everything and Chance deserves more from me. He deserves for me to be glowing with joy and ecstatic that I could possibly be having his first child. I need to break away from the hold that the past has on me and let the future take me to a calmer place full of love.