by Emily Childs
“Then consider paying me more.”
I laugh and take my place behind the wheel. “Alexis made ratatouille. It’s in the fridge, if that helps.”
“A little.”
We pull away, expecting the few cameras in the shrubs outside the gates. I don’t like it, but it’s part of the life, I guess.
After Nadia’s book release, I knew my secret lair wouldn’t be secret anymore. I’d suggested moving, but Alexis convinced me to roll with the changes. So far it hadn’t been too much of a problem. The paparazzi were few, and no one had tried to breach the gates. If they wanted to snap pictures of Alexis and me holding hands in my jeep, walking Poppy, bringing home take-out, then so be it.
It was more the in public I worried about. Especially with Alexis. I bury my disquiet most days and try to not be an overprotective paranoid boyfriend. She carries pepper spray, sometimes Quinn will go with her places, but it’s been a bit of a relief that most people have fallen in love with her. Same as me. Even Mallorie has no complaints that one of the sex symbols she’s supposed to sell declared his commitment to one woman.
The peek behind the curtain changed things.
Those emails revealed darker days, but they revealed how Al has always been my safety net, they proved I wasn’t some beast behind closed doors. Pops wants to kiss my feet from the uptick in sales. Most people in the public want to take pictures with us, or tell us their own stories of overcoming. Not hurt Al, or me, and it’s helped me relax a bit.
The wedding is private and heavily secured in the suburbs of Las Vegas. I know I should be focused on the newlyweds, but through it all, Alexis shines.
I watch her dance with my nephew during one of the kid songs. Adam has three siblings and a gaggle of nieces and nephews. Becca comes from a family of six kids.
Kid dances are expected.
I take a sip of Dr. Pepper and laugh when Beau and now Micah dance with Alexis and Tate and even Ellie. She shoots glares at Tate. He tosses them back at her. They build tension faster than anything.
But Al—she’s perfect. She’s aggravating. She’s mine.
We bicker like always, but we add more kissing during arguments. I thought the changes in our relationship might take some getting used to once our romance went live, but it’s better than before. I fell in love with Alexis Knight, and I fell hard. But it wasn’t recently. No. For over twenty years this woman has been stealing my heart, and I can’t ever take it back.
It’s hers. Always.
“Listen, I’m supportive and all that, really can’t be happier for your two, but could you keep the creepy stares at my sister’s backside to a minimum around me?” Parker hits my shoulder.
I laugh and glance at him. His date—Keelie? Krista? Kasey?—I don’t remember, keeps leaning into him with her phone, even though he’s talking to me.
Every time I try to talk to her, she tries to get a selfie. I’ve stopped trying. She’s doing the same with Parker. Jersey chaser, no doubt. If Parker doesn’t care, I don’t care. But after our confessions and professions to each other, I think he ought to try harder. He thinks he’s not good for a relationship and keeps it shallow.
He’s running from his roots as much as Alexis did.
He’ll figure it out. Hopefully.
“When is the hearing, man?” Parker asks once date-with-a-K-name leaves to get another drink.
“Our attorneys are meeting in a mediation next Thursday.”
Parker makes a disgusted sound. “Lucky scumbag. Bryce deserves a lot worse than a settlement for what he did. I wish I could’ve seen his face when they came at him with criminal charges.”
“Al wants to keep it quiet and clean. She wants to prove he can’t walk all over her anymore, but be discreet about it.”
“I get it,” Parker says. “But he should do jailtime.”
“Even though those emails have done more good than harm?”
“Yeah. He still broke into a private account and stole something.”
I agree in a lot of ways. But I’ve left this more to Alexis. Even if I’m part of the emails it was her account, her betrayal. I figure she deserves the last say. “He’s been kicked out of his program and is starting to be recognized as the snake who hurt Al. He’s getting what’s coming to him.”
Part of me wants to strangle Bryce Hall for hurting Alexis, the other wants to sing his praises for being such an idiot. For abandoning her days before their wedding. Without that . . . I don’t even like to think of where we’d be now.
“So,” Parker says, one brow lifted. “You ready?”
The stupid smile breaks over my face whether I want it to or not. “Ready. I think. If I say no will you let me live it down.”
Parker grins and crosses his ankle over his knee. “I already have the last chat we had together to hold against you. I’ve never seen you so nervous to talk with me.”
I hit his shoulder, but laugh with him. I’ve talked to Parker Knight practically every day of my life, and our last conversation was no ordinary conversation. I'd asked him a question.
A life-changing question.
Alexis grins at the stars as we walk around the pond. The park tucked a half a mile behind my house has become a refuge of sorts for us.
She laces her fingers in mine and rests her head on my shoulder. “They looked so happy tonight.”
I grin. Adam and Becca will be a power couple, no doubt. She accepts him, he accepts her. They love each other. But the statement leaves a dry scratch in the back of my throat. I promised myself I’d do this when the moment felt right.
These moments are what I live for. Where it’s me, Al, her body close to mine. And it’s quiet. I clear my throat and press a kiss to her forehead. “Do you think you’ll look as happy at our wedding?”
“Nope. I plan to frown—wait. What?” Alexis meets my gaze, smirking. She props her chin on my shoulder and fiddles with the black earring I’m wearing. “Weddings, huh, Cole? I guess I’d need to know you wanted a wedding with me to tell you if I’d be happy or not.”
“I want a wedding with you.”
“Oh, really? When? Tonight? Next year?”
I lick the dryness from my lips. She thinks I’m joking. Not even close. It takes a bit of effort to unravel from each other, but Alexis’s smile fades as I leverage out of her hold and onto one knee. Her dark eyes glisten in a burst of tears and she covers her mouth. “Bridger. Bridger, what . . . Bridger—”
I chuckle and press a kiss to her palm. “Do you want to keep saying my name, or can I talk?”
Alexis drags her bottom lip between her teeth. She’s not trying to be sexy, she’s trying to be quiet. I love this woman.
“Al,” I say, embarrassed that my voice cracks. “I’ve been wanting to do this since the concert. Don’t tell me it’s too soon—I’ve known you basically my entire life. I know every little thing that’s going to drive me crazy, so we’re good there.”
“You’ll drive me crazy, too, Cole. You do drive me crazy.”
“Noted,” I say. “Now can I talk, or do you want to do this?”
She smiles, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.
I dig into my pocket and pull out the delicate diamond ring. “Alexis, you are my safety net. You are my heart, my soul, my reason. I know we don’t see eye to eye on everything, but you’re still my best friend and you still own every piece of me. You always will. I love you, Al. The messy, forever kind. Will you marry me?”
Alexis doesn’t wait, she hardly looks at the ring, but I guess that’s never mattered to her. She kisses me, showing me her answer without telling me. She wraps her arms around my neck when she pulls back, her lips brushing mine. “I will, Bridger Cole. I’ll marry you and I’ll love every perfectly broken piece of you, forever.”
Hey book nerds. It's Al and the librarian inside me is squealing in pure joy that you love books as much as I do. I think I love you. Do you know who else I love? My good friends Ellie and Tate. There is something nutty going on with t
hose two and I have a feeling this upcoming tour season is going to throw them for a loop! You can find out what those crazy cats are up to here in Our Broken Song HERE
P.S. Em asked me if Bridger and I would stop being so private and share those tricky emails that caused such a stir. I'm fine with it, but Bridger gets all shy about things. He's delicious and awesome. I don't get it. Being the kind-hearted person I am, I even shared another scene beyond the emails. A peek into our happily ever after. Download it HERE You get it all when you sign up for the weekly shenanigans Em sends out to the universe.
P.P.S Al! I'm going to say this once, so listen. You can share the emails and a glimpse into what an awesome husband I am because I'm the kind-hearted person here, and because I love you, and we need to close this down because I'm being needy and want to kiss you now. That's all.--B
Hey, Em here. More than the sneak peek into the #brexis happily ever after, I've also written a sizzling, steamy scene with the two lovebirds. But, Emily, this is a sweet romance? Yes, yes it is. Let me explain. I am a reader of both sweet and steamy and I've had several emails from readers who enjoy a bit of heat on the pages. So welcome to my market research study. I'm gathering emails for a potential NEW PEN NAME. This new venture, if there is enough interest, would write fun romance with the addition of a few open door scenes.
So, if you'd like to help me get an idea for interest level in these types of books download Our Secret Song steamy scene--After the Show HERE
Love big,
Em