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              Evan understood this was her father’s attempt at putting the fear of god into him before the wedding. “Sir, I love your daughter. I would never dream of doing anything to hurt her.”

              “You better keep it that way.” With the stern warning, Sara’s father exited the men’s room pretending everything was as perfect as Sara believed.

              Sucking in a deep breath, Evan braced himself for the long night of awkward conversations and secret looks of hatred. It would be something he was willing to endure for Sara, and would gladly repeat just to prove how much he loved her.

Chapter 36-Sara

              The sweet sound of violins surrounded Sara as she approached the entrance with her father’s arm wrapped around her waist. The white silk mermaid dress clung to her body with every step she took in her sparkly Jimmy Choo peep toe shoes. The bright sun bronzed her exposed shoulders as she peaked through an opening.

              “Are you sure you want to do this,” her father asked.

              The bundle of nerves in her stomach screamed for her to run the opposite way, but her heart told her not to look back. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

              They rounded the corner to the floral archway. The ivory runner was placed in the center of the stone walkway with a dozen chairs placed on both sides. Every worry and doubt she had, vanished the moment she locked eyes with Evan.

              The violinists stopped momentarily as they switched to the traditional wedding march. Slowly she walked down the aisle, moving closer to Evan. His smile gave her hope for them, hope for their future. He was everything she wanted in a man.

              Evan stepped off the small stage to greet her when she made it down the aisle. Her father turned towards her, lifting the veil from her face as he bent down to kiss her cheek. Evan extended his hand to him, but was ignored. Sara wanted to say how rude that was, but there was nothing she could do without causing a scene. Instead, she accepted Evan’s hand and stood with him overlooking the vineyard.

              It wasn’t the exact wedding she had in mind. A big part of her wanted a more traditional wedding with her friends, and all of her family there. Evan made sure her parents and Julie were there, but there wasn’t anyone in attendance representing his family. Those that did attend were friends that decided to make the trip to watch them get married, but it wasn’t the same. The wedding was non-traditional, but then again, so was her relationship with Evan.

              Joining hands in front of the small crowd, Evan and Sara declared their love for each other before being announced as husband and wife. With the ring placed around her finger, the weight of the last week had been wiped clear from her mind. She was blissfully content with her life, and couldn’t wait to return to New York as Mrs. Evan Taylor.

              Hand in hand, they walked down the aisle together. The wedding felt nearly perfect for Sara as they rounded the corner of the floral archway.

              Evan leaned in close, kissing Sara’s shoulder. “I can’t believe you are finally my wife.” His guttural growl sent a chill throughout her body. “I kinda can’t wait to get you back to the hotel room.”

              “Keep talking like that, and we won’t make it to the reception.” Her cheeks reddened as her parents rounded the corner. They greeted their daughter with glassy eyes. Her mother lingered a little longer than expected, refusing to break away from Sara.

              Her father briefly wished her congratulations with a hug and kiss on the cheek. When he moved to Evan, his expression changed.

              “Remember what I said. You do anything to hurt her, and you’ll have to answer to me.”

              Sara waited until her father was out of earshot. “Don’t worry about him. He’s just being over-protective.”

              Mr. Waters and Audrey were the next ones to greet the newlyweds. Audrey quickly embraced Sara before turning to Evan, giving her the impression Audrey didn’t care too much for her. This didn’t sit well with Sara, and needed to make a mental note to speak to Evan about it later. She continued to watch Audrey from the corner of her eye as she greeted Evan. Sara wanted to listen in, but found Mr. Waters pulling her into a hug.

              “My dear, you look absolutely breathtaking.” His hands rubbed the top of her back causing goose bumps to appear. “I’m sure you know how happy you have made Evan.” Once Audrey moved, Waters released the embrace and slid over.

              After a few more people, Kat cautiously walked over, stealing Sara away for a moment. “What happened between you and Waters?”

              “I don’t know. I guess he was incredibly happy for Evan and me. He also commented on the dress, saying I looked breathtaking.”

              Kat’s eyebrow rose with suspicion. “I don’t trust him.”

              “What are your thoughts on Audrey?”

              Kat seemed taken aback by Sara’s question. Her hands darted to her hips while anger filled her eyes. “That bitch is a snake in the grass. Do not trust her under any circumstance.”

              That summed up exactly how Sara felt. She was already weary around Audrey, but Kat’s reaction just confirmed her trustworthiness.

              “Well thankfully he’s coming back home for a while.”

              “Just keep an eye on her, and don’t let your guard down.”

              Sara excused herself and stood by Evan’s side as they said hello to the final few guests. The staff at the vineyard directed them to go inside as the cocktail hour was about to begin.

              It wasn’t a large venue, but then again, there wasn’t many people in attendance. It felt more like a social gathering than a wedding, which made it increasingly difficult for Sara to enjoy herself. Kat thankfully ensured there would be a D.J. and room for the guests to dance. Sara was quick to grab Julie and kicked off the party. Soon they dragged Evan and Kat to the dance floor, which made her feel better.

              The hours ticked away, letting the night sky hover over the vineyard. It was time for everyone to leave, including the bride and groom. Sara approached the limo as her parents entered, but felt Evan’s hand hold her back.

              “We have our own ride,” he informed her.

              Kat appeared next to them, watching as Waters and Audrey entered the limo and looked back with confused expressions. After they pulled away, a Town car pulled in. “I believe your ride is here.” Kat took a few steps to the rear of the vehicle and held the door open for Evan and Sara.

              “I don’t understand,” Sara said. “Why aren’t we going back with the others to the hotel?”

              “Because we’re not going back to that hotel. Kat and I arranged a little getaway before we leave for our honeymoon.”

              This was the guy Sara fell in love with. This was the Evan she decided to go out with after he put his phone number in her signed copy of his book. Maybe now with the tour behind him, Sara was going to get her Evan back and things would finally settle down.

Chapter 37-Evan

              Nearly two months of sitting at home was driving Evan Taylor stir crazy. He had not tried to seek employment, but remained at the apartment, pouring his every thought into his new book. It wasn’t the life he was used to living. For the better half of a year, he was on the road touring the east and west coast. It was thrilling to visit a new city every day, meeting new or potential fans, and dining at some of the nicest restaurants the country had to offer. However, all that changed two months ago. All of it changed the day he got married.

              His wife Sara was a huge supporter of his work. In fact, she was a huge fan of his first book before she ever met him. Some would say she was his biggest fan. That’s when Evan made his first mistake. He broke the cardinal rule of being on the road;
Don’t Fall in Love
.

              It was hard for him not to. Sara was gorgeous. Her long silky smooth legs drew his attention. Her warm smile made him forget all his troubles. Her slender body had curves in all the right places, which made every guy stop and stare. She was also more than just a pretty face. Sara was a highly intelligent woman who had aspirations of being a doctor. How someone like Evan wound up with her baffled him, but never complained.

              Part of him felt his time at home would be beneficial. He would spend all day together, finally getting the alone time they both coveted. One week of bliss was all they were granted. One week where it was just them and no one else. It was everything they dreamed their lives should be.

              Their returned to New York brought them back to the harsh reality. Evan was contacted by his agent Mr. Waters, demanding the first draft of the new book. He dove back in without hesitation while Sara spent all day working.

              When the front door slammed shut, Evan knew the war at home would continue. He would try to ignore Sara’s sighs of frustration by focusing on the chapter he was writing, but that never lasted long.

              “How was your day,” Sara asked.

              “Still trying to figure out this chapter.”

              Sara entered the office and sat in Evan’s lap while looking at the screen. She read the chapter twice before typing several changes and deleting a sentence. “Try this and see how it works.”

              He was grateful for her help. Seeing her perched on his lap felt like it did when he first came home from the tours. She would sit with him and help him write his chapters. After a few weeks, she had grown tired of sitting in a dark room talking about Evan’s writing after working for eight hours only to come home and cook dinner.

              “Thanks babe,” he said while nuzzling his scruffy beard against the crook of Sara’s neck. Her body arched back against his body.
We haven’t done this in a while
, he thought. His hands grabbed the hem of her work shirt, wrapping it around his left fist as his fingers slowly walked up her stomach.

              “Wait,” she said as Evan’s hand cupped her breast. “Let me freshen up a bit while you put dinner on the side for later.” Evan let an uncomfortable silence fall between them. “You made something for dinner, didn’t you?” Another moment of silence let loose the tidal wave of anger and frustration. She ripped Evan’s hand away and stood up. “I thought you were going to make dinner for once.”

              “I was going to but…”

              “But what?” The anger in her voice let Evan know this was going to bubble over into a fight that would end in bitter silence until the next day.

              “I’m sorry. I got caught up with the writing and wasn’t looking at the time.” He reached for her hands. “I’m sorry, let me make it up to you by buying dinner. What are you in the mood for?”

              “Mexican or Thai.”

              Evan stood up and moved toward her. Planting a soft kiss on her lips, Evan wrapped his hands around Sara’s waist and pulling her deeper into the embrace.

              “I’ll order in a bit. I think we need to work up an appetite first.” He left a trail of kisses down Sara’s neck, but felt her hands pushing him away.

              “Is that all you care about?” Sara backed away. “You spend all day locked inside the house, supposedly writing that whole time. I come home, you haven’t done anything around the apartment including making dinner. You waste the rest of the night hiding in your office again, and only come out when you’re ready for bed or want sex.”

              Internally, Evan wouldn’t deny how much he enjoyed having sex with Sara, but he would never consider that to be the only reason to be with her.

              “That’s not it at all. I just have Waters and Audrey breathing down my neck to get the book done. I’m doing this so we don’t have to work.”

              “No, you’re doing it so you don’t have to work. I still get up and go to work every day.”

              “You know it’s not going to be like that for long. I just have to get this book done. Waters and Audrey will market the hell out of it, and…”

              “And what? You’ll go on tour again?”

              “What’s wrong with that?”

              “I can’t stand it when you go on tour. You go all around the country, having fun, meeting new people, eating at fancy restaurants, and sightseeing. Where am I? That’s right; I’m sitting home all alone wondering where you are and who you’re with.”

              “So what am I supposed to do; give up my dream and work a regular nine to five job that barely pays the bills?”

              “I’m not telling you to give up on your dream. I would never tell you that. I love you, and I want you to be happy doing what you love. I just don’t wanna be the one left behind every time.”

              It was finally starting to click in his head, that Sara never cared about the money, or if she had to work, or even the sharing in the household chores. She just wanted to be with him.

              “I hear you. I mean, I think for once I finally hear you.” Evan collapsed in his chair. “Maybe I should take a break from the writing for a while.”

              “Evan, I’m not telling you to stop writing.”

              “No, I mean take a break. We have two weeks until Christmas. So from now until the end of the year, I won’t do any writing when you’re home.” He watched Sara’s lips twitch into a smile. “And I’ll try to write less when I’m home during the day so I can help out around here.”

              Sara launched herself into Evan’s arms. “You really mean it?”

              “Yeah. I’ll deal with Audrey and Waters at the meeting tomorrow.” He saved the day’s work on his computer. “Tonight, it’s just you and me.”

              Evan turned off the computer and led Sara into the living room. Curling up on the couch with her that night, was one of the smartest decisions Evan had made.

              Sara had left before Evan woke the next morning. It was a feeling he became used to since coming home from his book tour, but that morning was different. It was the first time he was physically meeting with his agent, Mr. Waters, and his publicist, Audrey Stone, since seeing them at his wedding. They were calling him in to discuss the current standings of his book, how close he was to finishing the new book, and another important business matter. Evan wanted to blow off the meeting, but Waters had stressed the importance of the meeting.

              With complete reluctance, Evan tore himself from his comfortable bed and readied himself for the train ride into Manhattan. Arriving at Penn Station, taking a cab to the office and staring up at the large building, it was as if Evan was experiencing deja-vu.

              Heading up to the office, Evan was greeted by the new flavor of the month. She was a tall, skinny, brunette, unlike the typical women Waters hired as his secretary.

              “Hi, I’m Evan Taylor; here to see Mr. Waters.” Based on the confused look on the woman’s face as she stared at the phone system, she must have been brand new. Seeing his secretaries do it a bunch of times before, Evan reached over the desk, pressed a button and the extension before handing the phone over to the new girl.

              Within moments, Waters strutted down the hall in a new suit. His sly grin and overly welcoming arms suggested he had big news that would greatly benefit himself more than Evan.

              “There he is, the groom.” His tone was nicer than the demanding voice he used the last time he and Evan spoke. “Come on over to the office. We have lots to discuss.”

              They entered the office, which of course had been updated since the last time Evan was there. The TV had been upgraded to a 4K flat screen. All of the chairs were replaced with soft leather ones. His desk seemed to have grown in size and adopted a smaller glass desk which sat in the middle of the room.

              Audrey sat perched atop the mahogany desk in a short skirt. Evan’s eyes darted to her golden tanned legs, traveling up her body as she fixed her skirt and hopped off the desk.

              “Good morning, Evan. Shall we get down to business?” She took a seat across from him at the glass table.

              Waters grabbed the folder with the final numbers from the tour, as well as the current sales on his book. “We were pleasantly surprised by the outcome of your west coast tour. Although it didn’t pull in the numbers we were hoping for, it was better than our initial projections.” He placed the next page in front of Evan. “As you can see, you are still maintaining a steady stream of book sales, but are starting to lose ground on the east coast.”

              Audrey folded her hands on the table. “We believe this is due to the amount of books you have available for purchase. Since you only have the one book out, it makes the potential for additional sales very limited. Those that know your name have already purchased this book and are waiting for more.”

              This was it, the conversation Evan expected them to strangle him with. It was the one thing they continuously got on his case for when he was on tour, and they were still harping on it after the tour. He couldn’t blame them. Their reasoning for wanting another book was understandable. They needed him to put out another book, another book means keeping Evan’s name relevant. Evan’s name being relevant meant more money, and more money meant keeping Audrey and Mr. Waters happy to promote Evan.

              “Where are we on this book,” Mr. Waters asked.

              “I keep running into writers block on a few spots, but I’m nearing the end of the first draft.”

              “When can we expect it?”

              “After the new year.” Reading the expressions on their faces, Evan could tell they weren’t happy. It wasn’t like he wasn’t trying to finish it. He poured every bit of himself into the story. It just happened to be a story that didn’t go very far.

              Waters paced around the table. “Okay, I guess we’ll have to wait until the start of the new year.” He stopped in front of Evan and leaned over him. “But I’m telling you right now, we better have it soon or else we will be forced to pull back our resources.”

              “What does that mean,” Evan asked.

              “It means, you will no longer have Audrey to assist with the guidance of your career. There will be no more book tours around the country. And you will be solely responsible for your car and apartment payments.”

              “Now this is not something we want to do,” Audrey said. “But we cannot continue to pimp, promote, and pay for a client that is unwilling to cooperate with our goals and vision.”

              Hearing how much he would lose, Evan went rigid in his chair. “Okay, I promise to get you the book by the new year.”

              “For your sake, I hope you stay true to your word.”

              Evan hoped for the same thing. “You said you have big news to share. What is it?”

              “I happened to run in to a producer friend of mine. We decided to play a little catch up over dinner a few weeks ago. I mentioned you and your book.” Knowing Audrey alerted a producer about his book had the potential to be a huge deal for him. “He texted me the other day telling me how much he liked it and wanted to meet with you.”

              “Are you serious right now?” Evan was in complete shock. This was his chance at making it big, bigger than he ever dreamed possible. “Absolutely. When can I meet him?”

              “That’s where things get a bit dicey. He is heading up to Albany tonight for the next couple of days before flying out to London for the holidays. He won’t be back until late January.”

              “So we can setup a meeting when he gets back, right?”

              “That in itself is the problem,” Mr. Waters said. “You have small windows of opportunity with producers. They may like you one minute, and the next your idea is complete garbage. If he likes your book, you need to meet with him before he changes his mind.”

              “So what am I supposed to do; go to Albany?”

              “That would be your best option. If you could meet with him before he leaves for holiday, you may have a shot of him getting on board for a deal.”