Los Angeles (International Guy Book 12) Read online

  I still run the day-to-day operations at International Guy, but we have a new team of men and women running the jobs while Royce handles the finances and Bo trains the travel teams.

  Off to the side I see Nate manning the grill, cooking up burgers and dogs, his sons by his side. They are exact duplicates of Rachel and Nate. Nine-year-old Theodore, who we all call “Thor,” is a towheaded mini–macho man with a kind voice and his mother’s easy smile. Their seven-year-old rascal, Jack, who they call “Joker,” is just like his namesake from the Batman movies. He’s wild, charismatic, and a true charmer.

  Standing at the deck of our veranda, watching my family, makes me wonder where the guys are. Royce and Bo and their families should be here soon. As I think that, off in the distance I can see Wendy and Mick making it over the hill down the path we built between our two properties. They’re carrying their swim gear and holding the hands of their two children.

  I head inside to grab a few extra towels, a fresh bottle of IPA, and a chick beer for my wife. She’s been into the Angry Orchard apple ciders lately. On my way to the linen closet I pass through our master bedroom and glance at the red lipstick streaked across Skyler’s vanity mirror. It’s a message we wrote together the night I asked her to marry me, ten years ago. She refuses to wash it off even ten years later. Thinks it will bring bad luck if she does.

  Today and every day, I wake up and see that message we wrote to one another, and it still fills me to the brim with peace and serenity. The words mean as much today as they did the day we wrote them, and they remind me to never take my beautiful life for granted.

  To my Dream Girl . . .

  To my Dream Maker . . .

  HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE . . .

  Love,

  US

  The real end.

  Though this is the end of this particular International Guy’s adventure, stay tuned for more sometime in the future. Bo, Royce, and Wendy have their own stories that need to be told, and I don’t imagine their voices will let my muse rest for long.

  Until next time in the International Guy universe, I hope Parker and Skyler’s love story ended the way you needed it to. Thank you for following along as they found their happily ever after.

  In love and friendship,

  Audrey

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I saved this part for the very end. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because there are so many people who helped me get to this point. So many editors, betas, friends, family . . . even places that moved me to finish. I never dreamed how this world would take over my life.

  First, I want to thank you, the reader, for sharing in this experience. Parker and Skyler’s adventure has been with me a full year, and leaving them is so hard, but knowing that you’ve fallen in love with them, their story, and their clan lifts me up with such extreme joy it makes it easier to leave them in your capable hands. I can’t promise this is the end for Park and Sky. I’m sure I’ll revisit them when the muse moves me to, and of course you’ll hear more about them in the spin-offs for Bo, Royce, and Wendy that I intend to write in the future. For now, I think we can all just be happy that they are happy and finally got their beautiful ending.

  This wouldn’t be an acknowledgment if I didn’t thank my husband, Eric, and his commitment to letting me do my thing even when I hole myself up in my office, forgoing family time, events, paying bills on time (grin), and everything in between. You are my rock, babe. Always and forever. Thank you.

  Huge, ginormous thanks to Jeananna Goodall, my extremely patient and compassionate personal assistant and friend. I dedicated this installment to you because we did it. We made it to the end, lady. An entire year of ups, downs, plot issues, and character drama, not to mention unending travel and events in between all the rounds of editing, marketing, and freak-out sessions where I didn’t believe I could figure out the end. You were there for it all, and I’m so grateful. I love you, lady. Tell Jasen I’ll try not to be so needy for your time in the future . . . but I make no promises.

  Amy Tannenbaum, my badass agent. You waited a full year to work with me on this series. Providing me feedback, guidance, and support when you didn’t have to. You found my babies a beautiful home in Montlake Romance, making sure that the publisher and author fit one another beyond anything else. You understand that it’s not about money, it’s not about status—it’s about the story. About people. About living our truths and creating beautiful things with those we care about. Thank you for being you. I think you’re beautiful in every way and am very happy to have you on my team. Also, thank you to your partner in crime, Danielle Sickles, and entire team at the Jane Rotrosen Agency for sharing the International Guy love all over the world. Every day I feel as though I’m living a dream come true.

  Ekatarina Sayanova, my longtime editor and friend. Can you believe we just finished another twelve-installment serial? This is the thirty-fifth title of mine you’ve edited out of thirty-nine. It’s almost like we’re married now with thirty-five children between us. (Wink.) How we made it this far is a miracle. Every story is unique and special in its own way, and you’ve become so instrumental in my process that I can’t imagine it any other way. So I think it’s best if we just don’t ever stop working together, and you never retire. How do you feel about making another baby? Thirty-six sounds like an awfully good number! LOL. Looking forward to many more stories (babies) in the future.

  Lauren Plude, my publishing editor and crazy new girlie BFF. You are a one-in-a-million-type personality to work with. Your mind is acute, brilliant, and startingly accurate in how you evaluate an overarching storyline and multiple character developments. You’ve taught me so much, I feel blessed to be able to take those gifts with me throughout my writing career. Not everyone gets assigned an incredible editor by their publisher. I’m so thrilled you were mine. I have never in my career had an easier process than working with you and Montlake on this twelve-book serial. Thank you for everything.

  Irene Billings, the most incredibly accurate copyeditor in the business, you blow me away. Your attention to detail is quite magical. I’m in awe of your talent. Thank you for your commitment and contribution to making this series the best it can be!

  Ceej Chargualaf and Tracey Wilson-Vuolo, my superfans, my superbetas extraordinaire. You keep me honest. You love the characters as if they were your best friends. You show me what it’s like from the reader’s perspective. There aren’t words to express the feeling I get every time I send a chapter and get feedback within mere hours of sending it. I adore the way you both play off the characters’ adventures and have your own intriguing take on what happens moment by moment. This process helped me to move the story forward during times when I felt overwhelmed and under too much pressure. Because of you, I was able to keep moving forward. I counted on you ladies, and you never failed to deliver. Thanks isn’t enough. Mad love.

  Thank you to the real Wendy Bannerman, Rachel and Nate Van Dyken, Dennis Romoaldo, Amy Tannenbaum, and Christina Kaarsberg for allowing me to use your full names, and for some, your likenesses in this serial. It made the story far more special to me, the readers, and hopefully to you as well. I love you all.

  I have to give an unbelievably huge, massive, whopper of a thanks to the entire team at Montlake Romance. The team there, from the editing, to the graphic design, to the marketing, is the best I’ve ever worked with. My experience with this publishing house is one I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I hope that we can share many great stories in the future. Your company changed my entire opinion on the process. I learned, I laughed, I participated in everything, and I was pleasantly surprised at the author-publisher involvement process. I never felt pushed to the side, or left out. You gave me the largest voice because you believe in telling the story the author wants to tell. That is rare and so special. Thank you for choosing me to be a part of the Montlake Romance family. I’m honored.

  Incredible thanks to my amazing model, Forest Harrison, who plays the role of Parker Ellis perfec
tly. I loved working with you on this series and at events. You are a bright light and a true star. There are big things to come in your future. Keep dreaming.

  I couldn’t ever leave out the fantastic photographer who captured my guy exactly as we’d hoped. Wander Aguiar, you have a keen eye and a stunning talent. Between you, Forest, and Andrey Bahia, you helped bring my story to life. Thank you.

  Jena Brignola, you are a rock-star graphic designer. The teasers, banners, and IG swag you’ve created for this series are absolutely stunning. I love how you’ve helped make the IG team a household name!

  I must, must, must thank my readers group, Audrey Carlan’s Wicked Hot Readers. You guys lift me up when I’m down, cheer me on when I’m afraid no one cares, and keep me laughing every day. If you’re a reader and want to join my Hotties, just look up the group name on Facebook. Together, we Hotties are living life . . . one book at a time.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo © Melissa McKinley Photography

  Audrey Carlan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and her titles have appeared on the bestseller lists of USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Audrey writes wicked-hot love stories that have been translated into more than thirty different languages across the globe. She is best known for the worldwide-bestselling series Calendar Girl and Trinity.

  She lives in the California Valley, where she enjoys her two children and the love of her life. When she’s not writing, you can find her teaching yoga, sipping wine with her “soul sisters,” or with her nose stuck in a steamy romance novel.

  Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated and feeds the soul. You can contact Audrey through her website, www.audreycarlan.com.