Free February Waltz (Rhythm of the Heart Book 3) by Scarlett Jade Page A

it. We can't do a thing about it more than you already have. You drew up a restraining order and if he crosses the line, we'll press charges, and I know Tim will make sure he is locked up. Don't worry about it. You just focus on growing our girl. I can't talk long, I'm supposed to be at work, but I slipped out to call you.”
    Zoe chuckled softly. “Ohhh, you're a bad boy.”
    “For you, always, baby. You rest, I'll call you later. I love you, I gotta run.”
    “I love you too.”

Chapter Twelve
     
     
     
    Zoe stared at the paperback in her hands incredulously. The cover designer had found a picture which was perfect for the story, a beach scene with a worn fence and she'd layered on a pair of handcuffs and a yellowed newspaper which helped tie in the mystery of the story. Her title was prominently spread across the cover, Broken Waves , by Lila Edward.
    She had hit publish on Kindle and Nook, and now she waited. A small self-publishing group had helped her set up a Facebook page and suggested a book tour. She paid for it under the guise of buying things for the baby. Calvin will just have to understand.
    Out of the thirty blogs signed up for her tour, she would get twenty-five reviews. The baby kicked her and she patted her stomach. Sorry, baby girl, I'm just way too excited...
    Layla ran in the room, throwing her backpack on the bed. “You got them?” She squealed.
    Zoe held one of the books up and Layla snatched it from her hand. “Oh, dear God. It is GORGEOUS !” She jumped up and down in the middle of the room.
    “Shhhh!” Zoe whispered. “Grams doesn't know.”
    Layla froze. “You haven't told anyone?”
    Zoe shook her head. “Not yet.”
    “When are you going to?” Layla palmed the paperback slowly.
    “I don't know,” Zoe admitted.
    “So the surprise thing, was it a lie?” Layla growled, her guard instantly going up.
    Zoe rubbed her forehead. “Sort of.”
    “So... you kind of used me?” Layla frowned.
    “Maybe a little, but I had no one else and I didn't want Calvin to know until it was over.” Zoe sighed.
    Layla chewed her bottom lip. “Think he'll be pissed?”
    “I don't know. Maybe he'll tell me I should have left well enough alone. That I didn't change enough of the facts...I did put a disclaimer, but...” Her voice trailed off and she sighed.
    Layla nodded. “I mean, that's true. You have opened up a whole big ass can of worms, but it's fiction. And if someone gets pissed off about it, oh well.”
    “I don't know how to tell him.”
    Layla whipped her cell phone out of her back pocket and punched numbers. “I'll do it.”
    “No!” Zoe yelled as she tried to crawl from between the covers. Layla hurried out of the room and Zoe groaned as she realized it was absolutely futile to chase after the girl. Her stomach twisted as she waited for his call. Damn it to hell. I should have just told him...
    Minutes later the phone rang and she picked it up. “Yes? If you're going to yell I'm just going to hang up.”
    Calvin chuckled. “Well, I wondered why you were so busy these past few weeks. Barely talking when I called, muttering about indents and page numbers. I mean I knew something was going on, but I had no idea it was something like this.”
    “You're not mad?”
    “Why would I be, Zoe? You wrote a book, and had the balls to publish it. Yeah, you kind of, I guess, went behind my back. I just wish you'd let me in enough so you could trust me. You'd think you'd know me by now, but I guess you don't. That's the only thing I'm upset about. I'm not mad you wrote the book, or because Layla says it's going to cause issues potentially. I am just sad you don't believe I will back you, anytime, anywhere,” he said gently.
    Zoe rubbed her eyes. “I just figured you'd say I shouldn't be writing about the town. But the story begged to be written. It started out about us and just something to keep me busy, but then it morphed into something much, much more.”
    “Layla says it's really