Happily ever maybe, p.1
Happily Ever Maybe, page 1
part #273 of 1001 Dark Nights Series
Happily Ever Maybe
A Montgomery Ink Legacy Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
Happily Ever Maybe
A Montgomery Ink Legacy Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
1001 Dark Nights
Copyright 2024 Carrie Ann Ryan
ISBN: 979-8-88542-055-6
Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose
Published by 1001 Dark Nights Press, an imprint of Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.
Book Description
Happily Ever Maybe
A Montgomery Ink Legacy Novella
By Carrie Ann Ryan
NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink Legacy continues with a workplace romance that started with a fling and ends with something more.
It was only supposed to be one job.
I know the rules.
Get in. Get out.
Protect the girl, then move on.
Only it never works out the way it should.
Now Jennifer and I work with each other and there’s no going back to normal.
Then it turned into something more.
Gus isn’t for me. I know that.
Only the chemistry that burns between us won’t fade away.
We promise it will only be one night.
Then another.
But when our actions have consequences that could mean the end of our future, we’ll have to figure out exactly what we want.
Even if it means walking away broken before it begins.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
About Carrie Ann Ryan
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, Talon Pack, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She’s the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over one hundred 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 Legacy Series:
Book 1: Bittersweet Promises
Book 2: At First Meet
Book 2.5: Happily Ever Never
Book 3: Longtime Crush
Book 4: Best Friend Temptation
Book 4.5: Happily Ever Maybe
Book 5: Last First Kiss
Book 6: His Second Chance
Book 7: One Night with You
The Wilder Brothers Series:
Book 1: One Way Back to Me
Book 2: Always the One for Me
Book 3: The Path to You
Book 4: Coming Home for Us
Book 5: Stay Here With Me
Book 6: Finding the Road to Us
Book 7: Moments for You
Book 8: A Wilder Wedding
Book 9: Forever For Us
The First Time Series:
Book 1: Good Time Boyfriend
Book 2: Last Minute Fiancé
Book 3: Second Chance Husband
The Aspen Pack Series:
Book 1: Etched in Honor
Book 2: Hunted in Darkness
Book 3: Mated in Chaos
Book 4: Harbored in Silence
Book 5: Marked in Flames
The Montgomery Ink: Fort Collins Series:
Book 1: Inked Persuasion
Book 2: Inked Obsession
Book 3: Inked Devotion
Book 3.5: Nothing But Ink
Book 4: Inked Craving
Book 5: Inked Temptation
The Montgomery Ink: Boulder Series:
Book 1: Wrapped in Ink
Book 2: Sated in Ink
Book 3: Moments in Ink
Book 4: Seduced in Ink
Book 4.5: Captured in Ink
Book 4.7: Inked Fantasy
Book 4.8: A Very Montgomery Christmas
The Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs Series:
Book 1: Fallen Ink
Book 2: Restless Ink
Book 2.5: Ashes to Ink
Book 3: Jagged Ink
Book 3.5: Ink by Numbers
The Montgomery Ink: Denver Series:
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 3.5: Finally Found You
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, and 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 On My Own Series:
Book 0.5: My First Glance
Book 1: My One Night
Book 2: My Rebound
Book 3: My Next Play
Book 4: My Bad Decisions
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 Less Than Series:
Book 1: Breathless With Her
Book 2: Reckless With You
Book 3: Shameless With Him
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
The Whiskey and Lies Series:
Book 1: Whiskey Secrets
Book 2: Whiskey Reveals
Book 3: Whiskey Undone
The Gallagher Brothers Series:
Book 1: Love Restored
Book 2: Passion Restored
Book 3: Hope Restored
The Ravenwood Coven Series:
Book 1: Dawn Unearthed
Book 2: Dusk Unveiled
Book 3: Evernight Unleashed
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
Book 10: Mated in Darkness
Book 11: Fated in Winter
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 Elements of Five Series:
Book 1: From Breath and Ruin
Book 2: From Flame and Ash
Book 3: From Spirit and Binding
Book 4: From Shadow and Silence
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 Branded Pack Series:
(Written with Alexandra Ivy)
Book 1: Stolen and Forgiven
Book 2: Abandoned and Unseen
Book 3: Buried and Shadowed
Acknowledgments from the Author
I need to thank Dylan Allen for getting me through this book. Writing our stories at the same time while realizing we need to write completely different stories really made me work harder and bring out the best romance for Jennifer and Gus!
Thank you to my Team Carrie Ann for making sure I get things done
Oh! And thank you to Liz, Jillian, and MJ. Thank you for trusting me and giving me a chance to write a romance I wouldn’t get a chance to write!
And thank you always to my readers. You’ve been with me for over twelve years now and I cannot believe it. Thank you for making this job amazing! And here is to the next romance that makes me cry and swoon!
Discover More 1001 Dark Nights authors and their amazing stories…
Click here to explore.
Lara Adrian
Dylan Allen
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Kristen Ashley
Tessa Bailey
Sawyer Bennett
Shayla Black
Lexi Blake
Lauren Blakely
K. Bromberg
Audrey Carlan
Claire Contreras
Tina Folsom
Melissa Foster
Heather Graham
Donna Grant
Liliana Hart
Helena Hunting
Larissa Ione
Alexandra Ivy
Lorelei James
Darynda Jones
Lisa Renee Jones
Laura Kaye
J. Kenner
Corinne Michaels
Elisabeth Naughton
Laurelin Paige
Devney Perry
Carly Phillips
Jennifer Probst
Kristen Proby
C.D. Reiss
Aurora Rose Reynolds
Christopher Rice
Carrie Ann Ryan
Kendall Ryan
Kennedy Ryan
Kylie Scott
Jill Shalvis
Gena Showalter
Cherise Sinclair
Susan Stoker
Tijan
Rachel Van Dyken
Skye Warren
Laura Wright
Joanna Wylde
Rebecca Zanetti
Discover More Blue Box Press authors and their amazing stories…
Click here to explore.
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Kristen Ashley
Xio Axelrod
Sawyer Bennett
Steve Berry
Lexi Blake
Audrey Carlan
Robin Convington
Kaylea Cross
Jay Crownover
Avery Flynn
C. W. Gortner
KL Grayson
Cristin Harber
Lynn Raye Harris
Liliana Hart
Larissa Ione
Suzanne M. Johnson
Laura Kaye
J. Kenner
Kimberly Kincaid
Gennita Low
Randy Susan Meyers
Corinne Michaels
Monica Murphy
Carly Phillips
Kristen Proby
Christopher Rice
Lucinda Riley
M.J. Rose
Kennedy Ryan
Cherise Sinclair
Susan Stoker
Rachel Van Dyken
Samantha Young
Table of Contents
Book Description
About Carrie Ann Ryan
Also from Carrie Ann Ryan
Acknowledgments from the Author
Discover More 1001 Dark Nights Authors
Discover More Blue Box Press Authors
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Eleven
Discover More Carrie Ann Ryan
An excerpt from Happily Ever Never by Carrie Ann Ryan
Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights
Special Thanks
One Thousand and One Dark Nights
Once upon a time, in the future…
I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.
I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and
the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast
library at my father’s home and collected thousands
of volumes of fantastic tales.
I learned all about ancient races and bygone
times. About myths and legends and dreams of all
people through the millennium. And the more I read
the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered
that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually
become part of them.
I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher
and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I
would not be telling you this tale now.
But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off
with bravery.
One afternoon, curious about the myth of the
Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to
see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar
(Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then
sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written
and I had read that by the time he met Scheherazade,
the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand
women.
Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived
in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged
places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had
never occurred before and that still to this day, I
cannot explain.
Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have
taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can
protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to
protect herself and stay alive.
Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.
And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a
point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.
And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that
he might hear the rest of my dark tale.
As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new
one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before
you now.
Chapter 1
Gus
Distractions killed. At least in my line of business.
I needed to keep the bestselling author turned screenwriter turned Oscar-winner safe. He’d received a few death threats in the past thanks to his current work, and my job was to keep him protected. It wasn’t any different than what I usually did. Keeping my client safe.
The man was currently on stage with a reporter from a major publication doing an interview in front of thirty-five hundred of their closest friends. I was off to the side, hands loose in front of me, looking as casual as possible as I kept scanning the room.
In addition to the death threats in the past two months, he’d also had some sexual innuendos and stalkerish behavior when it came to behind-closed-door activities.
I never understood the need to make up a relationship that had no chance of being real, yet these fans put their whole personalities into it. They sent him flowers, anniversary cards, and gifts just to remind him they existed and, in their minds, the two of them were in a relationship. It was downright terrifying, and while they weren’t allowed on the premises, that didn’t mean they couldn’t find a way in.
The company I worked for had done background checks on the staff and other people here, but even though certain individuals were blacklisted from getting tickets, there were still ways to get through. And that’s why I was here. Well, that’s why the team was here.
I liked working for Montgomery Security. The crew I worked for was nearly all from the same family, or about to be related with an upcoming wedding. They were smart, diligent, and knew how to use their team.
I was damn good at being a bodyguard. I could usually sense a threat before it became a dangerous situation. In my last job, I stopped a young woman from throwing herself on the stage, screaming that she wanted to be with my client until the end of days. There hadn’t been a scene. We had walked off calmly, and things were fine.
