by S. L. Scott
Three minutes of our love put out there for the world to hear. Just as the song ends, Dex moves from his chair and gives me a standing ovation. Exhilarated that I just played in front of eighteen thousand people, when I stand, I laugh, then take a bow. The stage goes dark, but the crowd is still cheering.
Dex says, “You nailed it.” He kisses me, our guitars clanging between us. When we part, he adds, “It’s time the world sees you for the star you are. It’s your turn to shine.”
He wraps his arm around my shoulders as we walk to exit the stage. I wrap mine around his back. “Thank you for believing in me.”
“Believing in you has always come easy, but you were there when I needed you most. I owe you my life more than a few times over.” His guitar is taken by a roadie and he takes his sticks, shoving them into his back pocket.
“Two minutes. Get to your kit, Dex,” Tommy yells from behind us.
I start to step off to the side, but Dex grabs my hand. “Hey,” he says, gently moving my guitar to my back, the strap keeping it safe back there.
Surprised by how relaxed he is while everyone else is rushing around us. “You conquered your fears, Rochelle. You’re still the strongest person I know.”
“You are too, Dex. Don’t ever believe otherwise.” I touch his cheek. “You gotta go, your fans are waiting.”
“I’ve got time.”
Slowly, he moves forward as if he has all the time in the world. His hand slides into my hair and he lowers down to kiss me. I lift up, our lips meeting in the middle. His other hand caresses the side of my face. As soon as he moves it, I realize the spotlight is on us. I gasp as the realization that we are on display hits me. All of that is forgotten entirely when Dex drops to one knee in front of me. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls one of the sticks out, handing it to me. Wrapped around the middle of the wood, a diamond and platinum ring sparkles under the intense lights.
I gasp again, at a loss for any other rational response.
“Rochelle, I was everything you never wanted or expected. But you saw who I always wanted to be, you saw the potential when I thought I was a lost cause. You gave my soul the pulse I’ve spent my life looking for and in return, I’ll give you a life filled with the beauty you deserve. You took a chance on me and trusted me with your heart. Now, I’m here before you asking you to take the biggest chance of all. Will you marry me?”
From behind me, I hear CJ when he says, “Marry Dex, Mama.”
Tears fall when I spot my sweet boys behind me, Lara holding each of their hands off stage with tears of her own in her eyes. She nods and smiles. When I turn back, I reply, “I believe we were written in the stars long before now. We’re a chance I’m willing to take, so the answer is yes, Dex. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
I’m grabbed as he stands, his arms encompassing me, and our lips meet in a fit of passion. In that kiss, I don’t hear the crowd, or the crew and the applause around us. The band waits patiently for us to have our moment together. But none of it matters. What matters most are the little arms that encircle our legs. When our lips part, I look at him, the man who stole my heart when I least expected to find love again. And I realize that sometimes we find love in the most unlikely of places… and sometimes it was there all along.
Wow, what a crazy amazing journey. I’m so blessed and touched to have you all sharing it with me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This book was an emotional book for me to write because of the journey my characters had to take to have their stories told the way I feel gave them justice. I fell in love with them like Rochelle describes her love—Love finds most of us fast and unexpectedly, but when it came to me and these characters, it was slow and calculated as if it knew to hold on and wait. I got lost in the magic. I hope you do as well.
Extra special thanks to my family. Their patience and support allows me to follow my dreams and I will be forever grateful to have such love in my life.
To the Dream Team who are not only amazing people to work with, but are incredible people and great friends: Cara, Danielle, Flavia, Heather, Irene, Lisa, Meire – You make this fun and exciting, challenging and so rewarding. Thank you for everything you do, not only for me, but for the characters and making their stories sparkle.
I’m so fortunate to be surrounded by amazing people who not only support me as an author, but as a friend. I want to thank a few for being there for me, making me laugh, and for being awesome: Amy, Jessie, Julie, Kerri, Kirsten, Margaret, Mary, Michelle L., Liv, R. K., Rachel, Ruth, Vilma, Yennifer.
Love you ❤
Always interested in the arts, S. L. Scott grew up painting, writing poetry and short stories, and wiling her days away lost in a good book and the movies.
With a degree in Journalism, she continued her love of the written word by reading American authors like Salinger and Fitzgerald. She was intrigued by their flawed characters living in picture perfect worlds, but could still debate that the worlds those characters lived in were actually the flawed ones. This dynamic of leaving the reader invested in the words, inspired Scott to start writing with emotion while interjecting an underlying passion into her own stories.
Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She’s obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. She dreams of seeing one of her own books made into a movie one day as well as returning to Europe. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she’s a pro.
Scott welcomes your notes to [email protected]