“By the way, I asked your dad’s permission while he was here,” he whispered in my ear while he brushed the tears from my cheeks. I remembered their talk on the dock, and my eyes widened in understanding, and then more tears as his thoughtfulness overwhelmed me.
I’d forgotten all about the little black box, not caring what was inside anyway, until he raised it up in front of me again. I giggled and shook my head, saying, “I can’t believe you did all this and I had no clue.”
He grinned at me. “Just open the box, baby.”
I reached out and lifted the top up to find a huge, round, diamond solitaire, big enough to engulf half of my finger. I gasped and then paused as I got a better look at it. It looked very … fake. Realization hit me. It was from the cheap gift shop on the strip with ten-dollar rings guaranteed to turn your finger green. It was perfect. I laughed and looked into his mischievous eyes as I took it out of the box and slid it on my finger.
“Oh, Jackson, it’s just what I always wanted!”
“You said the meaning behind it was important.” He shrugged, trying to keep a straight face.
“And I meant every word. I love it.”
“Well, it worked on the fly, baby. I have one in a safe back home that’s been waiting for a home I never thought I’d find. Until I met you.”
My eyebrows showed my shock as they popped up. “You’re telling me you have an engagement ring at home you’ve been saving for a rainy day?”
“No, I have my mom’s ring. She made me promise to give it to the love of my life when I found her. I can’t wait to put in on your finger.”
I gasped, the tears falling freely again. I had no idea what to say except, “What an honor, Jackson. Are you sure? Oh my goodness …”
He wiped across my cheek gently with his thumb. “Never more sure in my life. I just hope it’s a design you like. You’ll need to love it, since you’ll be wearing it for the next seventy years or so.”
“I don’t care what the ring looks like, Jackson Ellis. Any ring of your mother’s is absolutely perfect. I just need you for the next seventy years or so.”
“You have me, Lexie Ann, as your groupie, until the day I die.”
Acknowledgments
Since I consider my readers to be friends, I will let you in on a little secret. Muse and Groupie were originally written as one complete story. The intention for my beloved characters to have the incredible happy ending that they deserved was there from day one. However, due to the length of the novel, it had to be split into the series with Volume One and Volume Two. I truly resisted dividing them and creating a cliffhanger ending to Groupie for a long time.
That being said… I know in hindsight, that Lexie and Jack’s story was meant to be told this way. I now revere the cliffhanger of the first novel as it builds so much intrigue for the second part of their story. And let’s be honest, a romance between these two was meant to be rocky and have it ups and downs. To cut out so much of this story to make it one novel was unthinkable. The narrative needed to be told in completion and I’m so happy now that my readers have reached the happily ever after to end them all. I will admit that this novel made me laugh and cry and I hope that it had the same effect for all of you. Books with a roller coaster of emotions are my favorite and my wish is that I brought that to life.
I am forever grateful for my editor, Olivia Radue, who worked with me on both projects and polished my writing to let it shine. I am still awestruck by the connection that allowed me to find just the right person to help make this novel the best that it could be.
Ana Grigoriu-Voicu honored me by working her magic as the cover artist for this project, just as she did for Groupie. Since I was already privy to her genius, I knew she could take the idea in my mind and make it come to life for Muse. I continue to be her biggest fan!
I would definitely not be here today, with a published series, if it weren't for Michelle Gilliam. I can't thank you enough for all of the time and work you put in during our time as a writers group. You helped me take my single, long, rough draft into two complete novels and we had so much fun along the way!
Beta readers mean so much to a writer… especially when you are scared to death to put your soul out there for others to see. The blessing of the most amazing friends in the world made all the difference in my decision to publish. The support and love of these incredible women can never be repaid. And let me tell you that they read both novels for me in record time to give me the feedback I needed to keep going when I doubted myself. My forever love and debt goes to: Danielle Walker, Beth Davisson, Tricia Ledbetter, Meredith Stacy, Amy Mando, Kelli Brummer, and Vickie Brummer. My love also goes to Mandy Puckett, Christy Houseman, and Tori Whitaker for being there to cheerlead me along this journey!
Last but never least, I must thank God and my family. My husband was a saint during this process. I dumbstruck him with my sudden creation of a novel, but he gave unwavering support from day one. After all, he married a physical therapist, not an author. Mitch Daugherty, thank you for your unconditional love and support on this crazy ride. You are my rock.
Both my entire in-law family and my mom, dad and grandmothers gave me confidence to keep going on this journey and I am forever grateful. Dad, thank you for inspiring my imagination from a young age as you told me stories at bedtime, taught me to read, and instilled a love of novels in me. I am begrudgingly grateful for your insistence that I write book reports over summer vacation as well… Love you all so much!
Thank you to my babies who grew up from toddlers to elementary students during this process and never made me feel guilty about the time I spent on this project. I wanted so much to make them proud and I hope that I have. If nothing else, they will know I followed my dream and I pray it gives them courage to follow theirs as well.
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About the Author
Susan Daugherty is a freelance writer, and by some happy coincidence, also a licensed Physical Therapist and an APTA Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist. She is the author of the 2016 novel Groupie as well as its sequel, Muse. Her essay The Cycle of Inspiration was published in PT InMotion in April 2013. She is a member of Romance Writers of America. Raised in Kentucky, she now resides in Knoxville, Tennessee where she lives with her husband and two children.
Website: www.susandaughertyauthor.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/susanmdaugherty
Facebook: @authorsusandaughertyTN
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Muse: ( Groupie Volume 2 of 2) Page 28