What was meant to be, p.27
What Was Meant To Be,
p.27
I smile at him, knowing that he’s really going to want to get out of here the second I give him the news I’ve been sitting on since yesterday. I’m actually surprised he didn’t figure out when I had forgone champagne on the flight over but I think he was so exhausted from three consecutive eighty-hour workweeks and also so desperate to get inside of me that he didn’t realize that I hadn’t had a sip of alcohol since we got here.
“Dr. and Mrs. Price, good evening. I’m Victor, the sommelier. Can I interest you in some wine pairings? Dr. Price called ahead so I know your tastes, ma’am. Care to try one?”
“Oh!” I smile, not wanting Victor, no matter how lovely he is to be a part of this moment when I tell Jacob he’s going to be a father. “Can you just give us a second?”
“Of course, ma’am. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Do you not want wine? We can get something else,” he says, turning over the menu. I grab his hand and lace it with mine.
“JP.” I bite my bottom lip.
“Yes, beautiful.” He pulls my hand to his lips and kisses it gently.
“I… can’t drink.”
His eyes widen and a large grin spreads across his perfect mouth. “No.”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“You’re… pregnant?”
I nod again, the tears falling down my cheeks as he looks at my stomach and then back up at me. “We’re having a baby, JP.”
“Oh my God.” He pulls me into his arms and drops his forehead to mine. “Whitney,” he whispers before he kisses me gently. “I want to do so much more than that, but I don’t think the restaurant would appreciate me fucking you on this table.”
I giggle in response.
“We’re going to have a baby.”
“Are you happy?” I ask through my tears.
“Baby, I’m so happy.” He kisses me again. “We’re going to order in.” He gets out of the booth and holds his hand out for me.
“Wait, really!”
“Yes, really.” He gives me a look that sets my whole body on fire and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip as I think about what he’s got in store for me tonight.
“Okay, daddy. I’m ready.”
Eleven Months Later
“And that little one is how I became your daddy.” I watch as my husband walks our little girl, Sophia, around the room, having given her a very detailed synopsis of mine and her father’s relationship.
“Now that you’ve thoroughly scarred our child for life, can I feed her now?” I’m rocking back and forth on a chair, my eyes struggling to stay open after JP kept me up half the night talking my ear off about the pros of having Irish twins. Meaning I’d be getting pregnant next month.
His eyes dart to mine. “Listen, I am just setting all the boundaries now because you know…” He sighs before dropping a gentle kiss on our daughter’s forehead before putting her in my arms. “I hate to say this, and if you tell your father, I’ll deny it, but I will murder any of my friends that even THINK about it.”
I shake my head at my husband hearing him reject the very thing that we begged my parents to accept. “Mmm mm mmm. Well that’s a shame.”
“I’m a hypocrite and I own it. I don’t care. No. No. Hell no.” He rubs a hand over his eyes. “How didn’t your dad kill me?” I roll my eyes as I begin to nurse her and he kneels next to me. “I love you.” He turns my head to kiss my lips gently. “I love our daughter and our life and… I’m really glad your dad didn’t kill me,” he jokes before he gets up. “I’ll be right back,” he tells me as he kisses my forehead.
“Sorry, sweetie.” I kiss her forehead as her sweet brown eyes that look exactly like mine flutter shut. “Unfortunately, I think Daddy is serious. But don’t worry, Grandma and Grandpa will probably take your side out of spite.”
The End
In the mood for another sexy and emotional taboo romance?
Check out Love Unexpected,
a stepfather/stepdaughter romance!
Preview of Love Unexpected
* * *
The first time I saw him, it was love at first sight. At least my ten-year-old brain, that had watched too many romance movies with my incurable romantic mother wanted to believe. He was standing across the playground talking to the Social Studies teacher whose name I could never remember. He was new from just a few towns over, I later learned, after his wife died in a fatal car accident leaving him widowed and devastated.
It was a warm Spring day, one of the first of the season and I found myself getting hot under my sweater that my mother made me promise not to take off. I pulled at it, wishing I had the courage to disobey just this once, and sighed.
Mark Erickson, this stupid bully that my mother told me only picked on me because he was sweet on me, ran past me, knocking me over and breaking my line of sight with my new love. I hit the mulch, but I didn’t get up. I just stared up at this beautiful man willing him to look at me. He looked like Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid, with jet black hair and tanned skin. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I bet they were blue just like his. I cocked my head to the side briefly wondering what it would be like to be part of his world.
The second time was later that week. He entered my math class just as we began a test. I set down my pencil, watching him move towards the front to quietly talk to my teacher. I tried to angle my ear towards them just to hear his voice. What did he sound like? I got up and moved towards the sharpener as it was in the front of the room. My heart pounded with every step, knowing that I’d get to hear his voice any second now. And I did.
Soft. Smooth. Rich.
I imagined it was what my father would sound like, if I had one.
The third, and perhaps the most pertinent time, he spoke to me. He told me he liked my pink overalls that I begged my mother not to make me wear. He gave me a grin, baring all his teeth and I almost melted. My heart slammed against my little ribcage and I couldn’t help but feel like I was floating.
The beautiful man noticed me.
Maybe he’d love me one day.
Maybe he’d kiss me like they do at the end of the movies.
But I was wrong.
So, fucking wrong.
Because although I saw him first and told myself at the young age of ten that I was madly in love with this beautiful man, said beautiful man fell in love with someone else.
My mother.
I was ten years old when I fell in love.
Two years later, I fell in hate.
Get Love Unexpected here
This book couldn’t have come together without some really amazing people that are always there when I need them. People that come when I call/cry/beg for help and I love you all so deeply for it.
First and foremost, to my betas who read the rawest version of this book. Tanya Baker, for not only helping me get through this book but also through life. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I love you to the moon and back and I can’t thank you enough for your friendship. Deciding to be besties has been one of the highlights of this year. Thank you for showing up for me. Thank you for being you. Melissa Spence, this is what twelve for twelve of books you’ve helped me with? It’s been a journey and I’m so grateful you’ve been on it with me since the beginning. Thank you for always being in my corner and one of my biggest cheerleaders. I love you!
Erica Marselas, thank you for always wanting to read my book as soon as it’s done. I can always count on you to be the first to read the finished (unedited) version and then tell me you need every version that comes after. Thank you for everything, always.
Ari Basulto, thank you for everything you do and keeping me organized! You’re the best right hand a girl could ask for. I mean I’m an author, a right hand is kind of crucial. Thank you for running all my teams, my reader group and overall Q.B.’s life better than I could. I’d be lost without you. Never leave me, okay?
To the lovely babes on my street team and my ARC team, thank you for your excitement! Thank you for your love for me and my books and that you’re always willing to let me take you over a cliff. The reason I can do what I do is because of people like you. I have so much love for you all. Thank you for everything.
Pang Thao, as always thank you for the gorgeous graphics and always being able to whip up something for me on a moment’s notice. Like a literal moment and with a time difference?! When do you sleep, seriously?
Emily Wittig, thank you for always understanding my vision and creating the most perfect covers for me. You rock!
Stacey Blake, thank you for making my books sparkle and keeping me even though I’m notoriously running late. I’ll get it together one day, maybe?
Ellie McLove, thank you for coming through for me amidst a very chaotic month and editing this for me. I appreciate you immensely.
To the ladies at Wildfire Marketing, thank you for always helping me with promo and all the marketing things! You guys are the best!
To Jenika Snow, thank you for inviting me to do this! This was the perfect thing I needed to get me back into the groove and it worked perfectly. I heart you big! Also, to all of the other Blurred Lines authors, I’m honored to have been a part of this project with you all!
There are so many women that are so incredibly important to me that I couldn’t possibly name everyone. I’m tearing up at the moment thinking about how many of you have touched my life not only in the past six months but throughout my entire author career. How lucky am I to know such beautiful, intelligent and kind women? Logan, Rachel B, Jess W, Alexandra, Ofa, Maya, Milina, Kilyn, Katie L, Julia, Chelé, Anna M, Salma, Suzan, Andrea, Thalia, Michae, Shelby, Yessy, Ariel, Aby, Keeana, I know my books brought you to me, but thank you for staying for me. I love you ladies. Thank you for always clapping the loudest for me. I’m lucky to know you.
To all of the amazing and talented women in this industry that I look up to who have also been so amazing to me. I love you always. Carmel Rhodes, Kelsey Cheyenne, Harlow Layne, Dylan Allen, Sierra Simone, Lucia Franco, Kandi Steiner, SE Rose, Giana Darling, Brittainy Cherry, Danielle James, Kennedy Ryan, Anne Malcolm, Alexa Riley, thank you for your friendship and your support and just everything. I love you guys.
To all of the bloggers and bookstagrammers and TikTok babes, thank you for your edits and your reels and your videos and always sharing my books! For still talking about books I wrote two and three years ago and loving them so much. For sharing with your friends (and sometimes your family? Lol). Thank you for everything you do. I appreciate you all so much.
And finally and most importantly to YOU, to the readers, thank you for letting me into your minds and your hearts again with another book that might have tested your limits just a bit! I love you all. Let’s do this again soon, k?
STANDALONES
My Best Friend’s Sister
Unconditional
Forget Me Not
Love Unexpected
Always Been You
BITTERSWEET UNIVERSE
Bittersweet Surrender
Bittersweet Addiction
Bittersweet Love
CAMPUS TALES SERIES
First Semester
Second Semester
Spring Semester
Available through the Read Me Romance Audio Podcast
Fantasy with a Felon
Bestselling author and lover of forbidden romances, tacos, coffee, and wine. Q.B. Tyler gives readers sometimes angsty, sometimes emotional but always deliciously steamy romances featuring sassy heroines and the heroes that worship them. She’s known for writing forbidden (and sometimes taboo) romances, so if that’s your thing, you’ve come to the right place. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her on Instagram (definitely procrastinating), shopping or at brunch.
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Q.B. Tyler, What Was Meant To Be
