Beyond Affection (27 page)

Not all of it was bad, though.  She was now married to the most wonderful man in the world.  Her brother Brian was home safe.  She and Rinn were closer than ever, not to mention she now had several more women who had become like sisters, too.

There was Taryn, of course.  She was keeping her promise, teaching Lacie how to ride a motorcycle on the sly.  And Lexi, Ian’s wife, who was patiently showing Lacie how to make all of Shane’s favorite dishes.  Maggie, whom she had known casually before, but who now invited Lacie up to her farm for coffee several times a week.  Nicki, Sean’s wife, and she were working on several new children’s programs for the local shelter together.  And Rebecca, who had been (and continued to be) so very kind.

“Don’t be nervous,” Patrick told her, his face holding all the confidence and mischief of his father.  Familiar blue eyes, far too deep and knowing for a five-year old, glanced up at her.  Someday, when she and Shane decided the time was right, would their little boy or girl have the trademark Callaghan hair and eyes?

“Aren’t you?” she asked.

“A little,” he admitted quietly with a discreet glance toward his cousin, and Lacie knew the boy had entrusted her with his deepest secret.  “But we have each other, right?”

“Right,” she smiled, squeezing her hand.

Patrick’s eyes grew wide as he and Riley helped her prepare the room for the first day of school, officially proclaiming that she had some of the coolest stuff
ever
.  By the time the other students started arriving, Patrick was welcoming them in, excitedly tugging them over to show them around the room and pointing out some of the “wicked” things they had. 

Lacie looked on.  Patrick was a Callaghan, alright.  Already the little girls were eyeing him appreciatively with his jet black hair, blue eyes, and disarming smile.  The boys flocked to him as well, instinctively drawn to him. 

Riley, it seemed, had already made quite a few friends, too.  She was outgoing and friendly, but had clearly inherited her mother’s strong spirit.  Lacie couldn’t help but smile when she saw a couple of them giggling and pointing at Patrick, though Riley was much more interested in the toys than she was in her cousin.

Lacie let them get comfortable with their new surroundings while easing the fears of first-time parents and welcoming new students with a friendly smile. 

“Good morning,” Lacie said a bit later, once everyone was seated and staring at her in rapt attention.  She glanced over at the exquisite ruby crystal rose on her desk that had been waiting for her that morning.  “My name is Mrs. Callaghan, and we are going to have a great year...”

T
his book is fiction, but unfortunately, pathological obsession and stalking is all too real.  According to SafeHorizon (
www.safehorizon.org/stalking
):

• An estimated 3.4 million people become stalking victims in the United States each year. 
  
• Only 10% of stalking victims are stalked by a stranger.
  
• 3 in 4 stalking victims know their stalkers as either a current or former spouse or partner, roommate, co-worker, family member, or social acquaintance.
  

These are just a few of some of the troubling statistics I found in researching this story.  For more information on stalking – including how to recognize the signs and get help, visit the Stalking Resource Center (
http://www.victimsofcrime.org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center/stalking-information
).

Y
ou didn’t have to pick this book, but you did.  Thank you!

If you liked this story, then please consider posting a review online!  It’s really easy, only takes a few minutes, and makes a huge difference to independent authors who don’t have the mega-budgets of the big-time publishers behind them. 

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As always, I welcome feedback.  Email me at
[email protected]
.

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Thanks again, and may all of your ever-afters be happy ones!

Abbie

A
bbie Zanders loves to read and write romance in all forms; she is quite obsessive, really.  Her ultimate fantasy is to spend all of her free time doing both, preferably in a secluded mountain cabin overlooking a pristine lake, though a private beach on a lush tropical island works, too.  Sharing her work with others of similar mind is a dream come true.  She promises her readers two things:  no cliffhangers, and there will always be a happy ending.  Beyond that, you never know...

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