Page 155 of Unrivaled Love
“We’d be honored.” Felix says.
“Shirts on or off?” Duncan asks as he flexes and flicks his gaze to Elle. I laugh because she actually blushes.
The room returns to life and I gently wake Crosby as Elle’s brother, Austin Thorne, comes in followed by two blondes. One is his fiancè, Maggie, who I have met a few times through Felix, and the other is new to me but she has a camera slung around her neck.
She organizes us into a line and sets up a mini backdrop near the window. The staff members fix little shamrock bandanas on the puppies. We take our turns smiling with the pups and she snaps picture after picture. Lydia is here with The Renegades social media team taking videos. There will be lots of evidence for Jo to pick from.
I step up and the photographer extends her hand. “Liz Collins-Sutherland.”
“Nice to meet you, Bryson Svoboda.”
“Hi Bryson. You’ve got Peanut here for your photo and I’d love it if you could hoist him up so your eyes are at the same level and hold him there.”
“Okie dokie.”
I bring Peanut up to my face and smile. The brown spotted mutt turns and starts licking my cheek so I duck back and laugh and I hear the camera shutter going off in quick succession.
“Ohmigod. Perfect!” Liz cheers as she quickly glances through the shots.
“Got it?” I ask.
“All set, you can give Peanut back to Wes and the team.”
“Will do.”
I set Peanut down in the pen and grab my things to get ready to leave. As I do, I see Elle slide on a long-sleeved t-shirt with a book cover on the front.
Timeless Treasure.
The first pirate and princess time travel novel Jo and I read.
And role played.
“Umm, excuse me. Where did you get that shirt?” I ask her.
“My company. Why?”
“Your company?”
“Yes, I own GirlFox Publishing and we published this book last fall.”
“No way.” I am meeting a hero. I reach out and start shaking her hand up and down aggressively. “Thank you! I loved it. My girlfriend did, too. I can’t believe I'm meeting the person responsible for getting it out there. The only thing better would be meeting the author. Bryn K. Lee is a genius.”
I’m rambling but my brain is short circuiting.
She laughs. “You’re welcome Bryson, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Wow. Just, wow.” I let go of her hand and stand there staring for a moment.
“You good?” She asks.
“So good.” I grin. “Can I take a quick selfie for my girlfriend?”
“Sure.”
I turn around and snap a picture with Elle who holds the shirt taut so it’s easier to see the book cover. I stare down at the image after taking it, reveling in the feeling of meeting a hero of mine.
“Okay, then.” She claps her hands together and takes a step backwards away from me. “Oh look, your friend is taking a friend home.”
