Just Roll With It: a Just Us novel (40 page)

We're home now, and we're excited for this new life as husband and wife. Roman starts his new job this Monday and we're out at this hole in the wall bar celebrating. For real, though, hole in the walls are the best kind of bars. This one has a stage for local bands to play on certain nights. Tonight is one of them, so we choose a table with a good view of it.

"I'll be right back, I'm gonna go get us some drinks." He leans in to kiss my cheek, but stops short. Instead, he sticks his tongue out and places a sloppy wet lick on the side of my face as a joke.

"Eeeeew." I grab a napkin and start wiping off his spit.

He smirks playfully and heads to the bar. He will never fully outgrow the silly and weird paintball boy part of him. I wouldn't want him to.

As I wipe the spit off, I spot someone out of the corner of my eye. Someone I recognize stands over by the stage. Nate. When he looks up from unpacking his guitar, he notices me too. He does this small awkward wave thing while he decides whether or not to approach me. I have less hard feelings about the whole situation now, but I can tell he still feels bad about it. He makes his decision and starts walking to my table.

"Hi, Bee."

"Hey there," I respond cheerfully. "You're with the band, huh?"

"Yep. Sure am. We got signed last week. We're actually … um … moving to Tennessee tomorrow." He rubs the back of his neck, looking embarrassed by this for some reason.

"Wow, how great! Really, Nate, I'm so happy for you."

"Yeah? Thanks. So, what's new? I mean, I haven't talked to you in so long. How are you?"

"I'm great!" I exclaim. Maybe it's the whole honeymoon phase thing coming over me, but even the tone of my voice sounds happier than before.

"Really?"

"Really, I am. Do you remember one day at school, we were sitting outside before class and I pointed at a random guy, and told you how I was going to marry him someday?"

He chuckles at the memory. "Yeah, I actually do."

Roman arrives at the table then, with the two whiskey sodas in hand.

"Well, I married him."

Just The End of Rigbee and Roman's Love Story.

First, I want to acknowledge the people that helped me the most with the process. Rayna Marlette Johnson Santini. You are by far the person who deserves the most Mad Props. Without you this book would not have left my tablet. You were the first person to encourage me, the first person to support me, and the first person who truly made me feel like I could actually do this. Thank you for not getting tired of me sending you every paragraph or thought that comes into my head. And if you do ever get tired of it, don't tell me. Fake it till I make it!

My baby cousin, my beta reader. Rach, you grew up. Like, when did that happen? As much as that makes me feel old, I suppose it's a good thing because you're old enough to beta my books. Thanks for letting me demand that you read it. A special thanks for telling me that my main character's name was stupid and that I suck at spelling. I now know that you'll never worry about hurting my feelings and you'll be brutally honest.

Shout out to Emily at Emily Wittig designs and photography. Thank you for the open kindness you so freely offered to a complete stranger. For chatting with and helping that crazy stranger, at all hours of the night even. You were there with nice words for every random midnight question.

The second set of thank you's are for this story specifically. Anyone who actually knows me will know that this is very personal to me. I wrote a lot of myself and significant people in my life into these scenes and these characters.

To the ones I do not name specifically, just know you're important to me and have made an immortal impression in my life. There are pieces of my soul reserved for you.

Ray, I have to mention you again. You played such a significant role in both the book process and my life. You really are the first best friend I've ever had. Now I know what it feels like to find a cosmic soulmate. Your energy balances my awkwardness. If I want to do something absurd or idiotic, you don't lecture me or judge me. No. You're googling it and coming up with the plan. If anyone were to hack our text history, we would probably either be arrested, committed, or made into a movie. You're the only other weirdo who cares about fictional characters as much as I do and acts like they're our friends IRL. It means more than you'll ever know that you take such an interest in this part of my life. You are a monumental reason I was able to do this.

I guess I should tribute your husband as well. Ryan, you've been my closest friend for the past decade or so. I don't know how you put up with me that long, but I'm glad you did because it was long enough to bring me Ray. You used to complain that I need to go try and find a girl to be friends with. HA. Jokes on you, you did it for me! But for real, your friendship has been a prominent part of my life. We became friends first out of convenience. We were the only two without "real jobs" and "normal hours" and lived down the street from each other. That friendship grew like bamboo into something more. A unique bond. Something that they've not yet invented a term for. A simple word would do nothing to validate what you mean to me anyway.

Salute to Somich Army for giving me enough crazy memories to fill a novel... literally. Stevie K, my favorite paintball boy, your loyalty knows no bounds. Also, anyone who would willingly and lovingly hold my hair and rub my back while I puke my guts out all night- on the first night they meet me, is a pretty bad ass human.

Kyle Postema, kudos for inspiring a fast favorite character- The boyfriend's best friend, who is always around and whose presence and humor is crucial to the storyline. As much as I secretly wanted you to move out of my living room, I didn't mean to the other side of the country! I miss your face. Life is a little less exciting here without you. Just know you can come back and crash on my couch again anytime.

And most importantly, this story would never have existed without my husband. Justin, thank you for parking behind the art building that day. It was the furthest lot and I don't know why you ever would have parked there, but you did and because of that I saw you. I didn't know who you were, but I knew I was supposed to. That day changed my life. That was the day my happily ever after began. Nine years later (two years ago) on your birthday, I looked at you out of the corner of my eye and thought to myself,
We would make such a great romance novel.
I started writing it that night. I love you. Can't stop. Won't stop.

Niki Hager is a shy and socially awkward Michigander. She loves plot twists and punk shows. She doesn't particularly care for the outdoors, no matter how often she's told she should. Social conventions make her want to rebel.

When she was on bed rest with her baby she had way too much time on her hands, read too many books (not possible), and started writing her own stories in her head.

When that baby turned into a toddler and she no longer had any free time whatsoever, she decided it was the perfect time to start typing them all out IRL. She blames mommy brain. She no longer sleeps, but in her caffeine addled, sleep deprived delirium, her imagination runs wild and her stories get better.

She's becoming more and more of a minimalist and doesn't need a whole lot of material things. Unless that material is cardboard. As in, her giant cardboard Thor she keeps in her dining room. Thor tells her daughter that he's watching to make sure she eats her vegetables. Thor has to tell daddy this sometimes too.

When Niki's not busy being a wife, a mommy, or an introvert, she's reading and watching way too much TV about magic and superheroes and texting her BFF about it.

She is trying to become more active on social media, however, she gets distracted easily and forgets. If you would like to help her with this issue you can show your support by visiting the following sites,

https://m.facebook.com/Niki-Hager-1397648790558481/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGaOAPwLut5/

Check out Nicole Hager (@Nicolegb22Hager): https://twitter.com/Nicolegb22Hager?s=09