Pretty Ever After (Chicago Nights Book 3) Read online

  Pretty Ever After

  A Chicago Nights Novel

  Tabatha Kiss

  Copyright © 2020 by Tabatha Kiss

  All Rights Reserved.

  Cover Design by Cover Me Timbers

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction intended for mature audiences only. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  This novel contains explicit descriptions of erotic and sexual acts that some may find offensive, including perverse adult language.

  All characters are 18+ years of age and all sexual acts are consensual.

  Reader discretion advised.

  Visit TabathaKiss.com for a FREE book!

  Also by Tabatha Kiss

  Visit TabathaKiss.com for a FREE book!

  Heartthrob Hotel

  Just a Touch

  Just a Kiss

  Just a Fling

  Just a Crush

  Just a King

  Old Habits

  The Mechanic

  The Milkman

  Chicago Nights

  Pretty Little Thing

  Pretty Dirty Trick

  Pretty Ever After

  Sweet Cravings

  Muffin Top

  Hot Sauce

  Bad Ballers

  Bump and Run

  In Too Deep

  Home Run Baby

  The Pink Diaries

  In the Pink

  Pink Christmas

  Stand-alones

  Lumberjack Boss

  The Midwest Alphas

  Writing as Tabatha Drake

  Untouched

  Unbroken

  Undying

  Killer Love

  Writing as Tabatha Drake

  Killer Love

  Secret Love

  Tainted Love

  Broken Love

  Mad Love

  Cruel Love

  Endless Love

  For more, go to TabathaKiss.com

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Epilogue: Nora

  Epilogue: Trix

  Epilogue: Melanie

  Excerpt: Just a Touch

  Also by Tabatha Kiss

  About the Author

  One

  Melanie

  What the hell was I thinking?

  Okay, sure. I’ve never had to think very hard about a Saturday night out before. I’m a writer which, typically, equates to being a loner ninety-nine percent of the time. Spending some guilt-free time away from my laptop is good for me, especially with friends like Nora Payne and Trix Argento.

  What I failed to realize is that a Saturday night out with the girls isn’t exactly a night out with the girls anymore.

  They brought dates.

  I did not.

  Fifth Wheel City. Population: Me.

  I couldn’t be happier for my friends. In fact, I’d literally sacrifice myself to the devil himself if it meant my friends could be this happy forever. While they had a rocky start, Nora and Clive are utterly perfect for each other. And Trix and Lance? I’m almost tempted to steal their story and wacky cast of side characters for my next novel, it’s that good. I adore my friends and their chosen suitors, so why do I feel like chewed up garbage right now?

  I take another sip of my rum and coke, lamenting the view of the bottom of the glass.

  “What do you think, Mel?”

  I raise my head. Trix stares at me from the loveseat next to my single chair, her eyes wide and expectant.

  “I think…” I pause. “Um…”

  Nora snorts. “You weren’t listening.”

  “No, I was!” I claim, convincing no one. I sigh and set my drink down on the table. “Okay, yeah. Not so much with the listening right now. I’m sorry, guys.”

  Her head tilts. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, just a little scattered tonight is all. Please ask for my opinion again.”

  Trix straightens up. “Do you think we should get married before or after the baby is born?”

  Lance sighs, but keeps a stiff face while Trix’s stare burrows even deeper into me.

  “Well, do you even have to get married at all?” I ask.

  “No,” Trix answers as Lance spits out an emphatic, “Yes!”

  “Ahh.” I chuckle. “I see what I missed now.”

  Trix twists in her seat toward Lance. “What’s the rush, babe?”

  “There’s no rush,” he answers. “But it’d be nice to get all of that over and done with before we have to deal with a newborn.”

  “Over and done with? That’s the language you use when referring to holy matrimony with the mother of your unborn child?”

  “Trix, come on. That’s not what I mean.”

  “That’s what you said.”

  “Just admit that you’re dragging your feet because you want your dad to be there.”

  Trix stutters a bit. “That’s… not… Okay, fine. Yes. I want my father to be at my wedding. Is that wrong?”

  “Angelo’s in prison, Trix,” he argues.

  She sets her club soda down. “Papa’s in prison because you put him there.”

  “For only three years! You’re welcome.”

  “I’m welcome?!”

  “He was looking at twenty-to-life, so yeah.”

  I look at Nora and she smiles back as Trix and Lance continue on. “So, how are things with you two?” I ask her and Clive. “Anything going on between you I can spark a fight about?”

  She chuckles, their hands entwined. “Nope!” She looks at him, her little eyes round and disgustingly optimistic. “We’re perfectly happy.”

  “That’s good,” I say with a nod. “How’s the new app coming along?”

  She deflates her shoulders, her mood practically hitting the floor.

  I cringe. “That’s bad.”

  “No, not bad,” she says with a pause. “Just… nerves.”

  “What’s there to be nervous about? You’ve launched an app before.”

  “Yeah, back when I was nobody!” Pure panic fills her cheeks. “It’s easy to risk everything when you’re small potatoes in your early twenties, but now everyone is watching and if this new app is dead on release, well—”

  She makes epic explosion noises and gestures. Clive moves a discreet hand and places it on the back of her neck. I watch with interest as the tension shifts from her shoulders and she holds her breath, going quiet. She quickly smiles, her face blushing as his firm touc
h calms her down.

  The Dom and his sub.

  For a moment, my gut twinges with jealousy, but it’s soon banished and replaced with pride. They found each other because of me. Who else can claim to have played matchmaker for the ultimate matchmaker herself, Nora Payne?

  “When does the new app come out again?” I ask her.

  “Just after Christmas,” she answers. “Trying to hit the New Year’s Eve crowd, but there is so much we have to get done before that…”

  She drifts into a thousand-yard stare.

  Clive touches her back again. She exhales.

  “Well, I’m looking forward to…” I squint. “Does it have a name yet?”

  Nora nods. “PK. Pretty Kinky. It tested well. Is it okay? Do you like it? You hate it, right? Oh, god, maybe we should test it again?”

  I chuckle. “It’s great, Nora.”

  “Is it?”

  “Yes.”

  Clive nods, his thick fingers dominating the back of her neck. “You heard her, Nora. It’s great.”

  Nora looks up at him and even I feel a little second-hand heat radiating between their gazes.

  She clears her throat. “Well, it’s getting late…”

  I glance at my watch. “It’s nine-thirty.”

  She stands up, and Clive follows. “Yeah, but I was in the office all day today and I’m just… really tired.”

  I smile. “Say hi to Judy for me.”

  Clive looks down as Nora’s guilty lips twitch. “Bye, guys!”

  “Bye!” Trix and I say.

  “Yeah. See you next time,” Lance adds.

  Nora grasps Clive’s hand and pulls him toward the exit.

  Trix stands. “We should probably get home, too. I have an early meeting with my brothers tomorrow before brunch.”

  “Meeting for what?” I ask.

  “Oh, you know.” She shrugs. “Future of the family, this. Restoring our honor, that.”

  I smile. Argento Barbie is back.

  Lance steps behind her with her jacket. I die internally once again. Just the basic, gentlemanly act of him helping her put on her coat is enough to make me want to sink even deeper into my stupor.

  I pick up my glass and pour the rest of it down my throat.

  “You coming?” Trix asks. “We can give you a ride home.”

  “No, thanks,” I say. “I think I’ll stay and people-watch for a bit.”

  She nods. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I give a quick wave. “See you tomorrow.”

  “Bye, Melanie,” Lance says, hooking his arm with hers.

  I force a smile, holding it for as long as it takes for them to walk across the bar and disappear onto the cold, crowded street.

  Then, I drop it and collapse onto the cushion behind me.

  Another group swarms the now-open couches, so I hop up with my glass and wander through the crowd toward the first empty barstool I see.

  “Hey, Joel!” I shout over the fray as I sit down.

  The bartender looks at me and raises his index finger, showing that he’ll be with me soon. I nod and wait, tipping my glass back one more time to try to claim the last drops on the bottom.

  “Another refill?” Joel asks, finally appearing in front of me.

  “Yes, please,” I answer, relinquishing the glass. “And make it extra strong.”

  He nods with a smile. “Rough night?”

  “No.” I shrug. “Yeah. No? I don’t know.”

  He sets the fresh drink down in front of me. I drink it while I scan the room. Couples, old and new. Girls and boys nights out. Lonely people at the counter. Most bars in every major city look exactly the same. I used to love sitting in places like this, making up their stories, and writing idea after idea as they sprout fully formed in my brain.

  But, lately…

  None of it excites me anymore.

  Only one thing does.

  I grab my phone from the back pocket of my jeans. A fumbling swipe or two or three — make that four — and I check my text messages. A recent one from Trix letting me know they made it home all right. An old one from Nora saying that they’re saving my chair.

  But nothing from him.

  Joel refills my drink again. I drink it down. I get another one.

  It has been over a week since the last text. I told him I was thinking about him. A man I’ve never met in person. A man whose voice I’ve never heard before. I don’t even know his name and I can’t stop thinking about him.

  It started with roses. I got the first bouquet in May. A dozen roses tied together with a silver ribbon. No name, no card. Just a random gesture from a stranger.

  Then I got another the next month. And another a month after that. But now, with notes!

  For you, beautiful.

  Is that smile for me?

  You’re perfect. Just thought I’d let you know.

  Harmless? Sure. Potentially dangerous stalker? I suppose so, but it’s not like anyone else was lining up to show me affection. I couldn’t help the way my gut leapt the moment I saw the flower delivery guy. I wanted to know more about my secret admirer. I needed to know if it was a potential soulmate or a horrible serial killer.

  I gave the delivery service my phone number, at Trix’s suggestion, and asked that they pass it on the next time someone ordered flowers for me.

  And it worked.

  For a month, we texted non-stop. We talked long into the night. No face-to-face. No awkward silences. It was just words on a screen, but I can’t say I’ve felt so close to another person in so long.

  But then… it stopped.

  Radio silence.

  Why?

  What did I do wrong this time?

  The crowd thins out and the live music gets replaced by the corner jukebox. I draw pictures through the water rings on the bar as I wonder whether I should text him right now.

  “Hey, Melanie.”

  I raise my head and smile. “Hey, Joely.”

  “Time to tab-out?” he asks. “Get a cab?”

  I chuckle. “I don’t need a cab.”

  “You don’t need another drink, either.”

  “Pfft.” I push my empty glass in his direction. “One more.”

  “Mel…”

  “Joel, I’m fine.”

  He raises a brow.

  I sigh. “Whatever, just…” I push my hair back behind my ears. “Where’s my happy ending?”

  Joel squints. “Your what?”

  “Nora has Clive and their kinky sex stuff,” I say, slurring slightly. “Trix has Lance and their probably adorable fetus.” I point at my face. “What about me, Joel? What do I get?”

  He stares in confusion. “You get a cab.”

  “No— jeez— you don’t get it. What I’m trying to say is—”

  Joel turns away from me and walks to the other end of the bar.

  “Um...” I glare at his back. “Hello? Rude!”

  “Wow, so this is what it’s like on the other side.”

  I deflate at the sound of the deep, amused voice behind me. “No,” I say, clenching my eyes closed. “No, no, no—”

  “You know, I never thought I’d have to come down to the bar to take you home. Usually the other way around…”

  My head rolls back and I come face-to-face with Robbie Wheeler.

  My ex-husband.

  The biggest pain my ass ever did see.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” I ask.

  He shakes his head with great amusement as he slowly slinks his fingers around my arm. “Now, Melanie...”

  “Go away,” I tell him as I yank my elbow from his hand. “Why are you even here?”

  “Got a phone call,” he says. “Hey, Rob. Melanie’s wasted. You should probably come and get her.”

  My jaw drops. I spin around to yell at Joel’s back. “You called him?!”

  Joel looks at me and shrugs.

  “Guess he never heard about the divorce,” Robbie muses. “Which is fine. I would hate t
o have missed this.”

  “Et tu, Joely?!” I shout across the bar.

  Robbie pulls out his wallet. “Close out her tab, will you?” he asks Joel as he hands off his credit card. “On me tonight.”

  Joel takes it. “Will do.”

  I scoff. “Yeah, right. You know your card can only get declined so many times before the bank deactivates your broke ass, right?”

  Robbie sighs, bright and happy, as he leans an elbow on the bar. “Melanie...”

  “Don’t Melanie me, you stupid sack of sh—”

  “What’s up?” he asks, his voice flush with the patience of a second grade teacher.

  “My foot in your balls. That’s what’s up.”

  He laughs. “Where is Nora and Trix?”

  “They went home.”

  “And they left you here?”

  “No, I stayed behind to drank.”

  “Drink.”

  “I know what the word is! Don’t correct my grammar!” I reach for my glass. “Who do you think you are? My editor?”

  “I used to be.”

  “Shut up.”

  Robbie pushes the glass an inch away from my hand before I can get it.

  Joel returns with the card. “She’s all set, Rob.”