Forever Only Once Read online

  “You guys are so cute it’s disgusting. However, I have adorable cupcakes with fillings that I hope you love. And I can’t wait to see your house. Thank you for this.”

  “Seriously, the place looks great,” Paris said. I like that you guys blended your lives. And who knew a date that I helped set up would end up so amazing?” Paris said, and Prior snorted from her side.

  “Excuse me? Do you have something to say?” she asked.

  “We all know that it had nothing to do with you. And everything to do with them. But sure, take the credit.”

  “Wow. I can’t believe you just said that.”

  “What, the truth?”

  The two started bickering, and Hazel and I looked at each other before walking away.

  “It seems that our families are getting along just fine,” Hazel said, wincing.

  “We’ll figure it out. At least, I hope so.” I set down the cupcakes and then kissed Hazel again, holding her to me.

  Arden and Liam arrived, pulling Prior and Paris away from each other.

  It seemed that everybody got along but had their own odd quirks with one another. That didn’t bother me because my family had their own quirks.

  But as I held Hazel against my side, I couldn’t help but think about exactly how we had gotten here, and what might come next.

  Because, somehow, I had gotten more than I’d ever bargained for.

  I had the woman of my dreams, a family I loved, and somehow, I was making it all work.

  I had opened up a new shop, one bearing just my name, and I was still making a career out of something I loved.

  This was a life I had never dreamed of for myself. Yet, somehow, I had been blessed with it.

  I had been blessed with her.

  And though no one had truly healed after what had happened, we were all moving on.

  We had lost parts of ourselves that night when the blood had coated the floor, but we had found other parts.

  I had to trust that that would be enough. That we would be enough.

  Because the woman at my side was someone I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. Forever.

  And as I looked at our families surrounding us, I knew that this was the life we had always been meant for, even if we hadn’t thought it possible or planned for it.

  For someone who was never good with words or emotions, I couldn’t help but feel like maybe having it all happen accidentally was the only way it could have happened.

  Sitting down at that table across from a beautiful woman with sad eyes was the happiest accident ever.

  * * *

  THE END

  Next in the Promise Me series?

  Prior & Paris take a turn in FROM THAT MOMENT

  * * *

  Want to read a special BONUS EPILOGUE featuring Hazel & Cross? CLICK HERE!

  A Note from Carrie Ann Ryan

  Thank you so much for reading FOREVER ONLY ONCE. I do hope if you liked this story, that you would please leave a review! Reviews help authors and readers.

  The Brady Brothers and the Pact Sisters are so much fun. Just don’t tell them that I’ve give them group names LOL.

  Hazel and Cross went through a horrible ordeal, and yet found an HEA that made me cry and smile. And they are just the start!

  Up next is Paris and Prior, an office romance turned dangerous. The other couples will be getting their HEAs as well!

  And in case you missed it, Arden and Liam might be familiar if you read Wrapped in Ink!

  And if you’re new to my books, you can start anywhere within the my interconnected series and catch up! Each book is a stand alone, so jump around!

  Don’t miss out on the Montgomery Ink World!

  Montgomery Ink (The Denver Montgomerys)

  Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs (The Colorado Springs Montgomery Cousins)

  Montgomery Ink: Boulder (The Boulder Montgomery Cousins)

  Gallagher Brothers (Jake’s Brothers from Ink Enduring)

  Whiskey and Lies (Tabby’s Brothers from Ink Exposed)

  Fractured Connections (Mace’s sisters from Fallen Ink)

  Less Than (Dimitri’s siblings from Restless Ink)

  Promise Me (Arden’s siblings from Wrapped in Ink)

  If you want to make sure you know what’s coming next from me, you can sign up for my newsletter at www.CarrieAnnRyan.com; follow me on twitter at @CarrieAnnRyan, or like my Facebook page. I also have a Facebook Fan Club where we have trivia, chats, and other goodies. You guys are the reason I get to do what I do and I thank you.

  Make sure you’re signed up for my MAILING LIST so you can know when the next releases are available as well as find giveaways and FREE READS.

  Happy Reading!

  * * *

  The Promise Me Series:

  Book 1: Forever Only Once

  Book 2: From That Moment

  Book 3: Far From Destined

  Book 4: From Our First

  * * *

  Want to read a special BONUS EPILOGUE featuring Hazel & Cross? CLICK HERE!

  * * *

  Want to keep up to date with the next Carrie Ann Ryan Release? Receive Text Alerts easily!

  Text CARRIE to 210-741-8720

  About the Author

  Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Fractured Connections, and Elements of Five series, which have sold over 3.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over seventy-five novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.

  www.CarrieAnnRyan.com

  Also from Carrie Ann Ryan

  The Montgomery Ink: Boulder Series:

  Book 1: Wrapped in Ink

  Book 2: Sated in Ink

  Book 3: Embraced in Ink

  Book 4: Seduced in Ink

  Book 4.5: Captured in Ink

  * * *

  The Montgomery Ink: Fort Collins Series:

  Book 1: Inked Persuasion

  * * *

  The Less Than Series:

  Book 1: Breathless With Her

  Book 2: Reckless With You

  Book 3: Shameless With Him

  * * *

  The Elements of Five Series:

  Book 1: From Breath and Ruin

  Book 2: From Flame and Ash

  Book 3: From Spirit and Binding

  * * *

  The Promise Me Series:

  Book 1: Forever Only Once

  Book 2: From That Moment

  Book 3: Far From Destined

  Book 4: From Our First

  * * *

  The Fractured Connections Series:

  Book 1: Breaking Without You

  Book 2: Shouldn’t Have You

  Book 3: Falling With You

  Book 4: Taken With You

  * * *

  Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs

  Book 1: Fallen Ink

  Book 2: Restless Ink

  Book 2.5: Ashes to Ink

  Book 3: Jagged Ink

  Book 3.5: Ink by Numbers

  * * *

  Montgomery Ink:

  Book 0.5: Ink Inspired

  Book 0.6: Ink Reunited

  Book 1: Delicate Ink

  Book 1.5: Forever Ink

  Book 2: Tempting Boundaries

  Book 3: Harder than Words

  Book 4: Written in Ink

  Book 4.5: Hidden Ink

  Book 5: Ink Enduring

  Book 6: Ink Exposed

  Book 6.5: Adoring Ink

  Book 6.6: Love, Honor, & Ink

  Book 7: Inked Expressions

  Book 7.3: Dropout

  Book 7.5: Executive Ink

  Book 8: Inked Memories


  Book 8.5: Inked Nights

  Book 8.7: Second Chance Ink

  * * *

  The Gallagher Brothers Series:

  Book 1: Love Restored

  Book 2: Passion Restored

  Book 3: Hope Restored

  * * *

  The Whiskey and Lies Series:

  Book 1: Whiskey Secrets

  Book 2: Whiskey Reveals

  Book 3: Whiskey Undone

  * * *

  The Talon Pack:

  Book 1: Tattered Loyalties

  Book 2: An Alpha’s Choice

  Book 3: Mated in Mist

  Book 4: Wolf Betrayed

  Book 5: Fractured Silence

  Book 6: Destiny Disgraced

  Book 7: Eternal Mourning

  Book 8: Strength Enduring

  Book 9: Forever Broken

  * * *

  Redwood Pack Series:

  Book 1: An Alpha’s Path

  Book 2: A Taste for a Mate

  Book 3: Trinity Bound

  Book 3.5: A Night Away

  Book 4: Enforcer’s Redemption

  Book 4.5: Blurred Expectations

  Book 4.7: Forgiveness

  Book 5: Shattered Emotions

  Book 6: Hidden Destiny

  Book 6.5: A Beta’s Haven

  Book 7: Fighting Fate

  Book 7.5: Loving the Omega

  Book 7.7: The Hunted Heart

  Book 8: Wicked Wolf

  * * *

  The Branded Pack Series:

  (Written with Alexandra Ivy)

  Book 1: Stolen and Forgiven

  Book 2: Abandoned and Unseen

  Book 3: Buried and Shadowed

  * * *

  Dante’s Circle Series:

  Book 1: Dust of My Wings

  Book 2: Her Warriors’ Three Wishes

  Book 3: An Unlucky Moon

  Book 3.5: His Choice

  Book 4: Tangled Innocence

  Book 5: Fierce Enchantment

  Book 6: An Immortal’s Song

  Book 7: Prowled Darkness

  Book 8: Dante’s Circle Reborn

  * * *

  Holiday, Montana Series:

  Book 1: Charmed Spirits

  Book 2: Santa’s Executive

  Book 3: Finding Abigail

  Book 4: Her Lucky Love

  Book 5: Dreams of Ivory

  * * *

  The Happy Ever After Series:

  Flame and Ink

  Ink Ever After

  * * *

  Single Title:

  Finally Found You