The end.
Two silly little three letter words that somehow feel magnificent when strung together. Two days ago, I had the pleasure of jotting this beautiful phrase for the sixth time.
I raced through the final chapters of this book like a woman on speed. (I’ll let the irony of that statement fall where it may). The story started off slow for me. Not because it’s not good, because it is – truly, it’s a fantastic story – but just because I wasn’t sure where it was going to go.
When I wrote “The end” on Pretty Reckless, I meant it. I hadn’t planned on continuing Kat and Chase’s story. Kat said yes, it was sweet and adorable and everyone cheered the victory that was their HEA, but it wasn’t finished. Not by a long shot. Chase had so much he still needed to say. Kat had so much growing left to do. They just weren’t done.
The idea came to me while I was washing my hair. Trite, I know. The apple shampoo I keep in my shower awakened thoughts of Kat’s crisp autumn scent and the way Chase just went crazy for it every time she came close to him. Little things, ya know? It wasn’t her ass, her hair, her face, her smile … it was her smell that drove him nuts. Her ass came second. ;)
But lathering up one random September morning, I started wondering how Kat would react to an engagement ring on her finger. The girl who spent her life stifled by self-doubt finally had everything she ever wanted. A happy ending that makes all our warm and fuzzies dance, but I wasn’t buying it. Living in bliss isn’t Kat’s forte. She hadn’t evolved enough to accept that a man like Chase would actually love her enough to absorb her insanity for the long haul. At least, not in this author’s opinion.
So my mind started wandering. It began conjuring up all doubts and what-ifs and disaster scenarios that a person like Kat would think as their wedding approached. It wasn’t long before my heart was wailing in my chest. I felt her fear. It hit me like an anvil. She said yes, but she wasn’t ready.
I finished my shower, ran to my computer, and threw down the first chapter. (And what a chapter it is! Chase – that sexy mother fucker – forever changed the way I look at fruit salad!) To be quite honest, I meant for it to be a short story. I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to hammer out a little 10k word story to gift my readers over the holidays? A little heartwarming tale of Kat and Chase’s trials and tribulations en route to wedded bliss.
Then shit went boom.
At the risk of giving away too much of the plot, I won’t say exactly what that statement means, but trust me when I tell you, gasps will be heard. It turned from sweet and romantic to gritty and intense real fuckin’ quick. Don’t worry, it definitely circles back to sweet and romantic. It is a romance novel after all, and I promise everyone will get the HEA they want. There, much to my chagrin, I said it. Through all the ugly-cry-painful-heart-hammering-bullshit that I put you through in this story – and I didn’t hold back, trust me on that one – I do gift you with a happy ending.
I had to.
Kat and Chase deserve it.
Pretty Ugly is coming April 2.
Add it to your GoodReads TBR now.
Catch up with Kat and Chase in Pretty Reckless!
