Chapter 12

Aurora only thought she’d understood her job before what Kelli called “con season” started. Where there had been a couple of meet and greets and book signings in the month she’d worked for Rob, it had only slightly prepared her for the energy that flowed the first two weeks of the book tour trip. She woke up early to ensure that tables and banners were set up properly and spent the entire day running around providing Rob with swag, books, and sharpies. On top of that, her lips felt like they were going to be permanently bruised from all the times she’d been pulled into Rob’s arms and kissed to the point of distraction upon the request of his fans. While she didn’t mind that part so much, in the back of her mind, there was still that little fear that Angie had been right.

Now the start of the third week of this part of the “season”, and they’d just arrived at the Central Region Romance Conference. R.G. Donovan was the last-minute replacement for the keynote speaker for the writers and host for the readers track. That meant more work for her, and even less time to spend with Rob as his girlfriend.

She and Kelli were setting up the tables for him and Lynn when Kelli started telling her what to expect at this con. “Aurora, don’t expect a lot of time with Rob these four days. He’ll be teaching or doing a meet and greet. Even if he isn’t scheduled for anything, as the keynote new authors will flock to him for advice and guidance. But the good news is that as assistants, if they don’t have a class or meet and greet, then we can attend any of the functions or seminars we want.”

Aurora smiled at her friend’s positive attitude. “Yeah, Rob warned me that there might not be a lot of time to cuddle here. He told me to have fun.”

“Good. Take his advice. If there’s a seminar that you think will help you with either your job or your own writing, take it. Only one word of warning. There’s a guy who shows up at this event every year. We call him the ‘pickup loser’. He goes from assistant to assistant and even new authors, hitting on them with some of the worst pick up lines you’ll ever hear.

“Last year, he hit on me three times. Each time, the line was worse than the one before. The last one got him removed from the event. He went from terrible line to insulting. But the word is he’s already here. So, try not to go anywhere alone. We think he’s harmless, but he is a sleaze, so he might not be.”

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll try to stick close to Rob. Maybe he’ll see us kiss for the fans and bypass me.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

She didn’t sound at all convinced.

*****

The highlight of that day for Rob was getting to introduce Aurora to six of his fellow authors and friends. She met Victoria Price, Susan Epstein, Isabella Abbott, Olivia Grace and Jane McIntyre. However, the author that excited her the most that night was Caroline Lee. Caroline wrote the Everland Ever After books. Those were some of Aurora’s and her mom’s favorite books. Mainly because the books were about fairy tale princesses, and Caroline had reworked the classic fairy tales as western historical romances.

She’d gone all fan girls the moment Rob told her that Caroline was who they were meeting for dinner. Rob walked up to the table and directed Aurora to a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman holding a baby with a shocking amount of dark brown hair. As they approached, the baby started to giggle and bounce in her mother’s arms. Full of life and so cute, Aurora couldn’t help but smile.

The woman saw R.G. and smiled almost as big as her child. “R.G., you made it!”

“Well Caroline, how could I refuse to come meet with you and Princess Wiggles? I’ve been waiting to meet her since you announced her arrival. This is Aurora Wright, my girlfriend, assistant and a new author as well. Aurora, this is Caroline Lee and Princess Wiggles.”

The baby almost launched herself at Aurora, and her mother laughed. “Well, that’s a rousing endorsement right there. Would you like to hold her, Aurora? Maybe I should say take my child. She won’t settle down till you show her some love.”

Aurora reached out and took the little bundle of energy and joy, who instantly started giggling. Rob’s heart did a flip and his chest tightened as he saw Aurora holding the infant. His mind wandered, and he saw, instead of Caroline’s dark-haired princess in the arms of his own princess, Aurora’s belly swollen in pregnancy, holding a little dark-haired girl with one blue and one brown eye like her mother. The thought of Aurora having his children slammed into him and stole his breath with its intensity. This was what he wanted more than anything. Aurora Wright holding his child, belly swelling with another.

He snapped back to attention as he heard Aurora and Caroline talking about Aurora’s name.

“My mother is a huge Disney Princess fan. She convinced my dad to name me and my two sisters after Disney Princesses.”

Caroline laughed. “That’s outstanding! So, Princess Aurora, meet Princess Wiggles. We call her that because she’s hardly ever still. I think the girl wiggles even in her sleep.”

Aurora laughed. “Well, she is a lovely bundle of energy, Ms. Lee.”

Caroline patted Aurora on the arm. “None of that Ms. Lee stuff. It’s Caroline. If Princess Wiggles loves you this much after one look, I think we’re going to end up great friends.”

“I’d like that. I promise not to fan girl anymore if I can get one picture with you and the Princess to send to my mom. She’ll flip out.”

“Sure, Rob, you take it, and take one for me, too.”

Rob took a picture of the three of them, one with Aurora’s phone, one with his phone, and one with Caroline’s.

Then Aurora texted her mom, sending the picture, and telling her they were having dinner with Caroline Lee and her baby. As they sat down to order, her phone blew up with texts from her mom going all super fan. They all laughed and had a great time. Rob tried to keep involved with the conversation, but he couldn’t shake the need to make Aurora his and start working on making their own little prince or princess.

As they got finished and started to leave, Caroline hugged him and whispered. “I like her. She’s a keeper.”

Rob nodded, then took Princess Wiggles, and both women snapped some photos as he blew on the baby’s belly, causing her to laugh with delight.

*****

Sure enough, the next day, during a book signing event, Rob ran low on signature cards. Aurora went up to the room to get him some more. As she entered the elevator, a short, overweight, balding man jumped on the elevator with her. “I never thought we’d be alone.”