“My beautiful self – all safe and healthy?” he said with a gleam in his ice-blue eyes.
“Seriously?”
He grinned. “A hot model with twelve abs, shaved armpits, a slightly curved cock, and a permanent pout on his face?”
I laughed. “What, no! Jesus, D.” I laughed more.
His grin broadened. “I’m going to get you lots and lots of Eccles cake and cookies from thisadorablebakery just down the street. That sound good?”
“Sogoooood,” I all but moaned.
He chuckled. “Thought you’d say that.” He raised a brow. “So, you made any progress in that new comic idea you were working on?
I shrugged. “A little. I finished outlining the first scene, and made a rough draft of how I want the beginning of the story to go.”
He was the only one who knew I was working on a new comic. It was a long road, but I knew I’d get to the finish line halfway through next year.
A lot went into writing, designing, and publishing a comic, let aloneanyother book. And now that I had a huge audience – thanks to the giveaway Gallan had done a while ago – I had to make sure I put quality stuff out there for all my readers. The pressure was strong, but I knew I could do it. I somehow didn’t doubt myself this time, and inspiration was hitting me left and right whenever I sat down with my tablet and stylus in hand.
Dylan’s smile was so beautifully infectious that I couldn’t help but smile along with him. “I’m so proud of you, Z!” He chuckled. “Man, I’m getting emotional here.”
“Thank you, D.”
He gave me a wink. “You got it, babe.”
I hid a yawn behind my blanket, to which Dylan pursed his lips.
“Sleepy?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I woke up at three, and it’s almost five now. I gotta hit the hay and shit.”
He laughed airily. “Alright, you go sleep. The Rolland family is calling my name from the depths of Heaton Park anyway, so I gotta go and indulge them.”
Good Lord.
“It’sHolland, notRolland, Dylan,” I said.
He lifted a shoulder. “Same difference.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re a piece of work.”
“Awww.” He placed a hand over his heart. “For that wonderful compliment, I promise that you’ll wake up to a bouquet of pretty roses and a box of handmade chocolates.”
I started to shake my head, but he waved a hand in front of his face to stop me. “Shush. Take this as my away-from-home hug to you. Think of the flowers and chocolates as a way of me saying that I love you and am so fucking proud of you for starting a new comic!”
My eyes stung at his words. “I love you too, D.”
His expression softened. “Don’t cry. I love you too.”
I sniffed and wiped my eyes with my blanket. “I’m not.”
“Right…” He made a contorted expression that I couldn’t help but snicker at. “There you go; there’s my smiling sister.”
“You rock,” I told him.
“I know.” He smirked. “Oh, and Z?”
“Yeah?” I said.
