Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
“I like Samantha. Do you think she’d play Barbies with me? I want to show her Malibu Barbie and Ken. He promised to take Barbie to the ball tonight, too!”
A grin pulled at Aurora’s lips. “I’m sure she’ll play whatever you want before bed but remember, you promised to be good for her.” Aurora grabbed her purse from the bed where she’d left it and led Leah downstairs just as the doorbell rang.
“Samantha!” Leah barreled the rest of the way down the stairs. Thank goodness she’d left her dress-up shoes on the floor in the bedroom.
“Remember, don’t open the door until I get there!” Aurora called out. Leah had a bad habit of forgetting the ‘Don’t open the door without a grown-up present’ rule.
Aurora reached the door where Leah was hopping in excitement but she hadn’t unlocked it or let Samantha inside. “Thank you for listening. Now what do we do?” Aurora asked.
“Who is it?” Leah yelled loudly.
“It’s Samantha!” the babysitter said back.
Smiling, Aurora nodded at her daughter. “Go ahead.”
Leah reached up, turned the lock and opened the front door. “Samantha! Let’s play!” she said before the girl could even step inside.
The pretty teen laughed and edged her way into the house.
Aurora glanced at Leah. “Let me go over everything with Samantha before I leave. Go change into your pajamas and Samantha will be right in.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
“First, give me kiss good night.” Ignoring her gown, Aurora bent down and basked in the warmth and sweetness of Leah’s arms around her neck. “Night, sweetheart.”
“Good night, Mommy.” Leah turned and ran for her room.
Samantha stood waiting. “You look pretty, Ms. Kingston.”
“Thank you. It should be a fun night. I’m guessing I’ll be home around one, like we discussed.”
“No problem. I drove my mom’s car.” The neighborhood with free-standing houses was well lit and safe. Samantha only lived about four houses down but Aurora still felt better if she had her SUV or got picked up instead of walking home after dark. Aurora couldn’t leave a sleeping Leah to drive Samantha home herself.
“Great.” Aurora went over Leah’s bedtime routine and schedule, what she could and couldn’t eat—no matter what she claimed—and confirmed that Samantha had Aurora’s cell phone number.
She walked out the front door and waited until she heard the lock turn behind her, before heading down the steps and towards the limousine waiting to take her from Long Island to Manhattan.
She’d been a Kingston for the last five years, but she’d never get used to the perks that came with being wealthy and part of a famous family.
As the limo took her into the city, she couldn’t help thinking of the family she’d known nothing about for most of her life.
Linc was the CEO of Kingston Enterprises, a real-estate company worth millions. Linc was married to Jordan, his best friend and the woman who’d accompanied him to meet Aurora for the first time. The premiere she was attending starred famous actress Sasha Keaton, her sister-in-law, and world-renowned actor, Harrison Dare. The film had been acquired by K-Talent Productions, a company owned by Sasha, Harrison, and Xander, Sasha’s husband and Aurora’s half-brother.
It should be an incredible premiere. There was already Oscar buzz surrounding the film and the performances.
Adding to the fairy dust that had been sprinkled over Aurora’s life, the film’s producer, Cassidy Kingston, was married to Aurora’s brother, Dash, the lead singer of the world-famous rock band, The Original Kings. Rounding out her family was another real estate mogul, Beck Daniels, Linc’s former nemesis, who was now married to Aurora’s half-sister, Chloe.
All in all, Aurora had four half siblings. And their mother, Melly, had stepped in to act as a surrogate mom to Aurora and grandmother to Leah.
Not only had she gone from poverty to immense wealth, but she’d also gone from being totally alone to suddenly being a part of a family filled with warm, kindhearted people. And that was what really mattered. Aurora wouldn’t have cared if the Kingstons had been dirt poor. The love and security they’d given her was priceless.
The limousine pulled up to the red carpet and the driver opened her door. She stepped out and as promised, Xander was waiting to walk her in at the drop-off point.
“You look beautiful,” he said, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her cheek.
She looked at her screenwriter brother in his tuxedo and black-framed eyeglasses, and grinned. “You look pretty hot yourself. Eyes bothering you? Headache?” she asked, worried whenever he had his glasses on.
During a stint in the Marines, his unit had been hit by an IED. He’d suffered a head injury, leading to issues that had resulted in his medical discharge. He only wore his glasses when he worked late or was suffering from dizziness or headaches.
“I’m fine. I was up late writing, that’s all.”
She studied him, taking in his coloring and expression and decided he was telling the truth. “How’s Sasha?” she asked.