I had almost completed my hair and makeup routine when Chase knocked. As I opened the door, his eyes bulged.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. You look dashing yourself.” I peeled my eyes away from his sleek black tux. “I’m just about ready. I only need to put on the finishing touches.”
“I’m a bit early. Sorry. I guess I’m excited.”
No one would have to guess. His excitement was evident. His blue eyes danced. I stepped back into the bathroom for a little more hairspray and a touch of lip gloss. I raised my voice so Chase could hear me in the other room.
“I’m excited, too. This will be a great night.”
I emerged from the bathroom to find Chase perched on the side of the bed with two of my journals in his hands. I froze.
He held the books up. “These aren’t your grandmother’s, are they?”
I shook my head and swallowed at the lump that suddenly rose in my throat. “No.”
He rose from the bed. “These are good. The story of your grandmother’s life would be the absolute grandest finale to her writing career. And, this.” He held up one of the red journals containing the fiction I had been working on. “This is amazing. You must have gotten that writing gene from your granny after all.”
“Do you really think so? You’re not just saying that?” I bit at my thumbnail.
“No, I’m not just saying that. These are incredible.” He dropped the books on the bed and took me in his arms. His face was mere centimeters from mine. “I think you might have found your calling. Will you let me take them to read?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” My stomach tightened. The thought of someone reading my thoughts made me feel so vulnerable. I had written in journals all my life, but never had I given them over to another person to read through. My heart and soul were in those books. But, if there was anyone I was close enough to, it would be Chase. “Okay, you can read them.”
“Thanks. Now, let’s go enjoy the party.”
I smiled. Before he released me, he pulled me into a kiss and an excited spark shot through me.
As we stepped from the car, Chase handed his key to the valet. He joined me on the sidewalk where I was admiring the fancy hotel entrance. He offered his arm, and I slid my hand through, resting it on his forearm. He patted my hand and gazed into my eyes. “Ready.” I took a deep breath, let it out, and nodded. Walking into the hotel, I felt like a princess attending her first ball.
At first sight of the banquet hall, I gasped, and my eyes clouded with tears. “It’s beautiful.” Round tables were decked with white cloths and floral centerpieces. Two giant posters of Granny Olivia’s book cover flanked a small raised podium.
“Mr. Carson,” a female voice said. I tore my gaze from the décor and looked into the eyes of a tall slender blonde in a long green dress. Her brows rose.
“Lisa, this is Miss Lyndon. Lisa is one of our acquisition editors.”
Lisa smiled, extended her hand, and we shook. When she disappeared into the growing crowd, Chase leaned close to my ear and whispered. “I thought it safer to introduce you as Miss Lyndon since Alex and Alexa are so similar.” I nodded. I appreciated his forethought and consideration. As Chase led me through the minglers to the front table, he introduced me to other attendees. I recognized some of the names as other Christian authors. I was honored and thrilled to be in their company.
“Here’s where we’ll be.” He gestured toward a table at the front. He took my hand and pulled gently. “You have to meet my mother.”
My stomach fluttered. As we neared the table, a woman stood, looking regal in a long red dress. Her gray-white hair was shoulder length, coifed to perfection. She smiled as she noticed our approach.
“Alex, this is my mother, Angela Carson. Mom, this is Alex Lyndon.”
I extended my hand, but Mrs. Carson bypassed it and pulled me into an embrace. She pulled back and gazed into my eyes. “It’s so wonderful to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Carson.” I could see where Chase had gotten his beautiful blue eyes.
“Come, sit here.”
“Thank you.”
Chase made his way to the podium and asked everyone to take their seats. After about fifteen minutes, he addressed the crowd.
“I want to thank all of you who are in attendance this evening to launch a very special book.” Chase’s voice broke, and he looked down. He cleared his throat and lifted his head again. “I’m sorry for the emotions, but this book launch will be quite different from any you may have attended before.” He gripped the sides of the podium. “Alexa Livingston has always embodied the very mission of Carson Publishing Company. It was never about her, but all for God’s glory. This is why Ms. Livingston never revealed her identity. She wrote for her precious readers, not for fame or money.” Chase paused.
My bottom lip began to quiver.
Chase stole a quick glance my way and then looked back across the audience. He gestured toward the book cover. “This book is the last in a series, and Alexa Livingston’s last.”
A concerted gasp emitted from the crowd.
“Mrs. Livingston surely heard well done when she entered heaven.”
Several people sniffed and then fumbled for tissues to catch tears.
I wished that Granny Olivia could just have a glimpse of this. All these people she had touched. On second thought, I chuckled at that wish. As grand as this banquet was, I knew she had to be enjoying a much grander feast in Heaven. That most certainly paled compared to our feeble attempts to honor her.
Chase completed his remarks and joined his mother and me for the dinner. The food was delicious, and the conversation was savory as well.
Chase escorted me to my hotel room door after the festivities, unlocking and opening it for me. We stepped inside. I looked into his eyes. “This evening was so wonderful. Thank you for bringing me here to share in it.”
Chase’s hands rested on my waist, and he pulled me near. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” He touched my cheek with his hand. “I liked having you on my arm and by my side.” He leaned near, and our lips met. My whole body felt electrified, tingling from head to toe. His warm lips lingered on mine, and his arms tugged me closer. A rush of warmth spread through me, and I relaxed in his arms. Suddenly, he stopped the kiss and leaned his head back. I opened my eyes to find him looking at me. His mouth broke into a grin. “I better go before I...” He breathed in and let the air out slowly.
Slipping by me, he scooped up the journals I had promised he could read.
“I’ll see you in the morning, not too early.” He kissed my cheek lightly and met my eyes when he pulled back. He let out a low moan and backed toward the door.
“Goodnight.”
“Night, Chase.”
I leaned my back on the closed door, missing him already. His honorable restraint made Chase Carson even more attractive.
* * *
Chase hurried back to his apartment, barely pausing to shuck his tuxedo. Halfway through Alex’s fiction story, he punched the number for Lisa, one of his acquisitions editors.
“Chase?” A panic rang in her voice. “It’s got to be—”
“Lisa, sorry I’m calling so late. I thought you’d probably still be up after the debut.”
“Yeah. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Something’s really right. Or, that is, someone.”
“Chase, are you okay? Does this have anything to do with the woman I saw on your arm tonight?”
“Everything to do with her.”
“Miss Lyndon, right?”
“Right. Alex. Could you meet me for coffee?”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
Chase raced to the coffee house with Alex’s journals in hand. When Lisa arrived, he offered her a cup of her favorite java. She sipped and then leveled her eyes at him.
He pushed the journals across the table. “Skim a few pages of these.”
She opened the top book. As she turned the first page, she leaned closer with interest. After a few more pages, she looked up, mouth agape. “Who is this?”
Chase grinned.
Lisa’s eyes widened and she bent her head across the table and lowered her voice. “Alex? Your Alex?”
Chase nodded.
“Where did she learn...?” She waved the journals.
“Let’s just say she’s sat under a master for years.”
Lisa sat back, folding her arms. “Can we sign her?”
“I’ll ask her.”
On the way back to his apartment, he called his mother.
“Mom, I’m sorry it’s so late. I was hoping you might still be awake.”
“It just so happens I am still up. I felt compelled to pray.”
Chase chuckled. “I think I know why. I believe God’s leading me to make some changes.”
* * *
Early the next morning, there was a banging on my hotel door. I moaned and proceeded to peer through the peep hole. It was Chase. I looked down at my mussed appearance. Quite different from the polished look of last night. He knocked again. I cracked the door. “What’s wrong?” my voice squeaked out.
He pushed open the door and barged in. “Nothing is wrong. Everything is right.”
“What?”
“Good morning, by the way.” He put his arm briefly around my waist and kissed my forehead. Then he pulled out the desk chair and plopped into it. “We need to talk.”
My stomach tightened. What was this all about?
“I have hardly slept.”
He did appear disheveled as well. “Were you ill?” I sat on the edge of the bed.
He turned until his knees were against mine. “No, I’m not ill. Far from it. Alex, these are terrific.” He held up my journals.
“Thank you. I’m flattered you would find them terrific.”
“I showed them to Lisa, the acquisitions editor at Carson you met, and she is ready to sign you today.”
I felt my eyes widen. “What? Publish my stuff?”
“Yes. What do you say? Will you become one of Carson’s up and coming authors?”
“I don’t know what to say.” I stood and paced for a moment, letting the shock wear off. “If I do this I want to stay anonymous, like Granny Olivia did. I’m just a small town girl.”
“I can arrange that.” He nodded.
I smiled. “I can’t believe this.” I paced a small path in front of him, rubbing my hands down my face. “You’re not just being nice?”
“No. Alex, your writing is amazing.”
I bit my lip and stared into his eyes.
Chase caught my hand and stopped me. “If you’re going to stay anonymous, we’ll have to come up with a pen name for you.” He stroked his chin. “How about your middle name and maiden name just like your grandmother?—Michelle Lyndon.”
“I can’t do that. I took my maiden name back after the divorce. Lyndon is my name.”
Chase rose to his feet and embraced me. “Not if I give you a married name.”
My pulse quickened. Could he really mean what I thought he meant?
“Will you marry me? Will you become a Carson?”
“Oh, Chase, I do love you and would love to be your wife, but I’m not sure how well I’d fit in around here.” My insides trembled.
“You don’t have to. I much prefer the incognito life back in Tennessee at your house. That is, if you’ll have me? I mean, I need to be there to look out for my new author personally, just like I did for Miss Olivia. I don’t do that for just anybody, you know.”
I flung my arms around his neck. “Yes, yes!”