Page 58 of Undeniably Unexpected (Boston’s Irresistible Billionaires #6)

“ W ell, that didn’t go as expected,” I say, finishing off the last of my champagne.

Sorel went into labor in the middle of her shower when all the guys arrived and scared the crap out of her.

She and Mason are on their way to the hospital now, and I’m kind of dying to be there for it. I miss work. I miss being a doctor.

“So now that you’re a famous author, do you plan to finish your residency?” my uncle Carter asks, swirling his glass of bourbon around in his hand.

“Are you adding mind reader to your list of talents?”

His gaze flickers up to mine, his brows pinched. “How’s that?”

“I was just thinking about how seeing Sorel go into labor made me want to get back to work. But I also love being an author, and I want that to happen too.”

“Can’t you do both? You have been for years.”

I glance across the room to where Loomis is talking with my uncle Kaplan, likely thanking him for letting us crash at their house and on the island.

A smile hits my lips. So much has changed in the last few weeks that it’s hard to believe that’s all it’s been.

The day after the press conference, Loomis and I filed charges against Tommy Hardgrave, including requesting a restraining order.

It’s tricky, considering how we got the information, but we couldn’t let it go. Tommy is a liability. He’s angry. His career and reputation are falling apart around him, and with the lengths he’s already gone to try to hurt Loomis, there’s no telling what he’d do now that he’s desperate.

The police are taking it seriously, especially with a minor involved, and have presented Tommy with our restraining order. I’m not sure how far we’ll go with the charges, but for now, they’re out there, and Vander is keeping a close watch. It’s all we can do.

I turn back to Carter. “I’d like to. I don’t know how many hours I’ll be able to put in after I finish my residency. But I don’t want to give up medicine. I still want to practice.”

He shrugs when my father comes in and interrupts us. “I’m positive Carter will let you work per diem.”

Carter throws my dad a look. “So now you’re answering for me, little brother?”

“It wasn’t me answering for you. It was me telling you that’s what you’ll do.”

Carter rolls his eyes at my dad. “Yes, Keegan, ignoring your father, I was going to say the same thing. No reason why you can’t work per diem and pick up shifts, though I will say—and I’m sure you already know this—in order to maintain your skills and not lose them, you’ll need a certain number of hours a week. ”

“I figured that,” I admit. “I have to work all of that out.”

“Whatever you decide, you’ve got our support. All of ours.” My dad throws Carter a meaningful look that Carter completely ignores. “If he doesn’t, I’ll get Grace to divorce him.”

Carter scoffs. “Nice try, but that’ll never happen. Grace is obsessed with me.”

“She’s my best friend and my ride-or-die.”

“She’s my wife,” Carter counters.

“How about you not throw me in the middle of this?” Grace chimes in, coming in beside me. “Loomis is such a great guy,” she says to me. “Damn good-looking and seriously charming. Plus, he’s totally in love with you. I can see why you gave in to him.”

“Yes. Him being in love with you as much as he claims to be is the only reason we haven’t removed one of his kidneys,” my father states.

“You told me you liked him!” I protest.

“That was when I thought he was only a single dad. Not the guy getting my daughter to move in with him and dragging her into the spotlight of the press.”

I snort. “Oh, please. Like you didn’t do that to Mom?”

“That was different,” he defends.

“Was not,” both Carter and Grace say in unison.

“Whatever,” my father grumbles. “I said one kidney, not both. He can live with one kidney.”

“Behave,” I warn him. “And be nice to him. He doesn’t have a father in his life.”

“Fine. I’ll be nice.” My father holds up a hand in surrender. “If he’s good to you, then I’ll love him too.”

I give my dad a hug, and when I do, I lock eyes with my grandmother across the room, where she’s talking to my mom and a few of my other aunts.

She winks at me, and I bob my head to the right toward the library.

With all the festivities and then the baby action happening, I haven’t had a chance to talk to her.

She nods, and I pull back to give my dad a kiss. “I’ll see you for brunch tomorrow,” I promise him.

“Fine. Go. But remember, you’re still my little girl. I don’t care how old, mature, or successful you are.”

“I know, Dad. I love you too.”

I say bye to Carter and Grace and head toward the library. I’ve been in this room countless times, so I have no idea how I missed my books being on the shelves other than there are hundreds of others on them.

I get here first and glance around, searching for them, when I hear my grandmother enter behind me. “They’re on the right, second shelf beside the Hemingways.”

“You put my books beside first edition Hemingways?”

She laughs. “My darling girl, of course I did. Why do you sound so surprised?”

I turn to face her. “Are you mad I didn’t tell you?”

She crosses the room and stands before me, her small, cold hand taking mine.

“Mad? No. It’s not easy being a Fritz, Keegan, as you well know.

We have large reputations to uphold, but when I discovered your pen name, I felt sad you believed you had to hide such an important piece of yourself, not only from me but from the world. ”

“That wasn’t only because I’m a Fritz. That came from other places as well.”

She frowns. “Happiness and living our best lives on our own terms is the best revenge to anyone who ever tried to steal our light for themselves. You’re doing that now, and I’m so proud of you.

And you’ve found a partner who not only supports you but wants you to shine.

It’s all I’ve ever wanted for my grandchildren. ”

I give her a hug. “Thank you, Grandma. For everything. You truly are the most amazing person I know.”

A light tap on the doorframe pulls us apart. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Loomis has a look on his face. A smile he doesn’t often get. He likes being with my family, and it warms my heart that they’ve taken him in as his—even my dad, despite his grumblings.

“You’re not,” my grandmother assures him. “I was just about to have Keegan sign my books. Then she’s all yours.”

“I’ve never done that,” I admit. “I’ve never signed books for someone.”

My grandmother beams. “Then I’m honored I get to be your first. But we all know I won’t be the last.”

Six months later

My hand scribbles across the inside cover, writing my pen name, which is annoyingly long for how many times I’ve written it today. I should have come up with something shorter than Victoria Nightshade. Then again, I had no clue I’d be here when I first started.

“Thank you so much!” Shaina, one of the readers who waited in line to see me, effuses. “This is my absolute favorite of all your books so far. I’m just loving this new series.”

That shit never gets old or fails to make me smile like a kindergartner. “Thank you! That means so much to me.”

I stand to hand her the book and give her a hug.

We snap a selfie, and she heads on her way.

Thankfully, Shaina was the last because I am exhausted.

Happy. Glowing. But exhausted. This was my sixth signing in as many days, and right now, all I want is to go back to my hotel, have a glass of wine, some food, and call my boys.

Loomis leaves for Colorado at the end of the month, and between his schedule and this book tour, I feel like I’ve barely gotten to see him. It doesn’t help that everything with us has been going a mile a minute.

The police ended up arresting Tommy Hardgrave on a slew of charges, including child endangerment.

That came after more evidence from his phone and computer were “leaked” to the press, but that included a bunch of notes and thoughts on how to make Loomis look like a negligent father, which would ruin his career.

Well, those things included ways poor Fen would get hurt and make it look like Loomis’s fault.

Evidently, Tommy’s hatred for Loomis goes back a long way to the beginning of both their careers.

Tommy had been passed over on seven films for Loomis, including several that Loomis starred in with Tinsley that set box office records.

I think it’s clear Tommy was ready to do anything to get rid of Loomis, but it’s terrifying to think of the lengths he was willing to go to do that.

Tommy ended up agreeing to a plea deal because the evidence was just too great against him. He’s never allowed within a hundred feet of Loomis, Fen, or me and has been staying in LA, not doing a whole lot.

I moved in with Loomis a few weeks after he closed on the place and after his mom went back to London.

I didn’t want to intrude on her time with them, though I certainly got to know her very well and absolutely love her.

Loomis did hire a manny for Fen, and so far, it’s working out nicely with all of our schedules.

My hand and wrist healed, I finished my residency, and I am now a board-certified obstetrician.

My publisher has also released the first book in my new series with plans for the release of the second in three months.

It’s been a whirlwind, and I’m excited to go home next week from this book tour and get my butt back in the hospital.

It’s not easy juggling both, but so far, it’s been incredible, and I haven’t burned out yet.

The hotel room door closes behind me with a heavy click, and I collapse on the bed. Room service has already been ordered, and I close my eyes, absorbing the silence, when the hotel room phone rings.

“Ugh. What?” I groan, rolling over and crawling my way toward the phone. “Hello?”

“Dr. Fritz, this is Caroline from the front desk. I’m so sorry to bother you, but we have a package here that requires your signature.”