Page 120 of Family Bonds- Emma & Warren

“And he got spoiled there,” she said. “The Retreat isn’t just a wedding destination. It’s a great place to vacation.”

“Spoiled in a lot of ways,” Stacy said. “He got to meet you.”

“One of those fate things on the island. Not that I’ve said that to your brother.”

Emma was laughing. She hadn’t said it to anyone.

She didn’t need her family busting on her about it, but she knew they were all thinking it anyway.

Funny how it took so long to hit her when she was the romance writer in the family.

Though no one thought of her as romantic just because she wrote it.

“The gang is all here,” Roark said, coming into the room followed by the rest of her family. “Do you have the food ordered?”

“It’s all ordered,” she said. “Come in and I’ll introduce everyone, you can all eat, and then we get to watch my boyfriend kick some ass.”

Emma stopped herself from adding that she’d take care of him later tonight when he was sore and tired.

Her family would think she’d grown two heads, but Stacy was right—Warren needed a break.

34

GOOD HANDLE ON IT

“In world news today,New York Timesbestselling author and one of the most popular writers in the thriller genre has finally revealedheridentity.”

There was a round of laughter in the living room of Melissa and Noah French’s home in Boston. Everyone wanted to be together when the news broke, and since Emma was the only one that lived on the island, she came here.

Actually, last minute, she had stayed at Warren’s house after the game on Sunday and they both drove here. She’d go home from her parents in the morning, and he’d return home in a few hours since he had to report for practice tomorrow.

“Shhhhh,” Emma said. “We need to hear this all.”

Melissa’s picture popped up on the screen. “The world has always wondered who Steve Spencer was. As verified by her agent, publishers, and attorney, we now find out he has been a woman behind the scenes. It almost feels like a novel in itself,” the news anchor said. “Everyone, meet Melissa French.”

Emma turned to her mother and smiled. “You wrote about that in a book.”

“I know,” Melissa said, laughing. “Let’s see how long it takes for them to put it together. There wasn’t much time for them to research for this.”

Warren knew Melissa had the news breaking less than an hour ago on purpose. He found it hilarious she had that much pull to hit the news nationwide and on her schedule.

They broke for a commercial after saying there would be more to come at the end of the show.

“Are they going to mention your interview coming out?” Emma asked.

“I think so,” Melissa said. “That is the hope. We also wanted it known that I donated the money for the interview to Aunt Melanie’s agency. Might as well bring the whole family into this.”

“Are you ready for it?” Warren said, turning to Emma. She was sitting next to him on the couch.

“I am,” she said. “But areyou?”

“I’ve already been in the news a lot,” he said, laughing.

But his phone vibrated in his pocket. Not just a few times. As if it was ringing, but he knew it was texts. Roark’s was going off too.

Emma probably didn’t even have hers with her, but no one texted her but family and the entire Bond family knew this was coming out today. They’d all been warned ahead of time.

Warren liked how close her whole family was to be considerate of that.