by Julie Cross
Two more tinted SUVs pull up behind Toby’s, and a whole team of security swarms the place. I can’t believe he’s doing this ribbon-cutting. He’s insane. Not that I’m complaining, but still…
News cameras are everywhere, paparazzi, reporters shouting out questions. I smile when I see Gretchen and Bessy, Toby’s daughters, who are eight and ten. Both are sporting ballerina buns and little girl versions of the tutu dresses Chanel designed that I’m wearing on a billboard in Soho. They look precious. Toby insists that he’s enrolling them in Belton Academy. Even though I know our instruction will be better than other dance schools, it might not be enough to make an hour-long drive just for ballet class.
I give my dad’s hand a squeeze, and then I greet Toby’s girls before ushering them over to my grandma, who’s keeping an eye on them for a little while. Toby also prefers they not end up in any photos. His people have the media pretty well trained on who to include and who not to include. That is if they ever want an exclusive again.
Dad, Sophie, and I all say a few words to the crowd, and then Toby gets up there and gives an amazing speech about how he met me and how supportive he is of the arts and my efforts to promote healthy body image through the Chanel ballet line that shows models and dancers who are a healthy weight and taking good care of themselves, etc… He’s good. Very good.
Finally, he cuts the ribbon—ballet pink with pointe shoes attached to each end—and I back away as the crowd rushes over to Toby’s autograph table inside. He’s signing Belton Academy gear. As in you buy gear, he signs it. His idea, not mine. I search the crowd for Eddie, and my gaze locks with his. I tear up again but get it under control quickly and instead mouth, “thank you.”
• • •
“So, kiddo,” my dad says, waving a hand to the dance studio in front of us, full of a select group of people invited to a post-ribbon-cutting party. “Is it everything you wanted?”
I smile at him. “Yeah and more, I think. Definitely more.”
Eddie’s entertaining the room with some jazz piano improv. My dad bought him a top hat, and he’s created this new identity under its spell. That’s not entirely true. He works at a local piano bar a few nights a week and on weekends. He serves food and drinks and sometimes entertains the audience when the regular players are on break or call in sick.
On the other side of the room, my grandma is hovering over one of Toby’s daughters while she holds Mason in her lap.
“Finley?”
I turn around and try not to look surprised by the presence of Eddie’s sister. “Ruby, hi… I didn’t realize you were coming tonight.”
“Last-minute decision.” She gives me a tight smile. “I hardly recognized you…the hair is…”
My face flushes. “Eddie’s over there, at the piano.”
“Right.” She doesn’t move. “How’s he doing? I mean school and whatever?”
Eddie started classes at the local community college this past January. He finished up the semester a few weeks ago and did great. All As, I think. My dad talked him into getting a teaching degree. He always says it’s the best fallback. When he couldn’t get his wheelchair into his place of business, he was still able to get a job and pay the bills because of that teaching degree. Truth is, Eddie would make a fantastic teacher. He loves kids. I doubt it will be his plan B.
“He’s doing well.” I glance at her. She looks nervous. “You should go say hi.”
Eddie’s playing a high-energy tune, and my dad has joined him with a saxophone. I walk past Connor and Braden and say, “Did they talk you into playing tambourine or something?”
Ruby instead heads over to see Mason.
I take a seat beside Eddie on the piano bench. “I’m ready for that love song now.”
“Oh yeah?” He grins at me and immediately shifts to something slow and romantic. I watch as Toby’s girls try to get Connor and Braden to waltz with them. Connor dives under the refreshment table, and Braden steps on one of their toes and then starts practicing karate moves, complete with cartwheels in the center of the room. Several of my dance company friends are here, and I love them to death—don’t get me wrong—but they are incapable of leaving a dance floor empty.
“Did you see Ruby?” I ask, and Eddie gives me a smile. His smile says that he’s glad she’s here.
He ends his song and lets my dad take over with a saxophone solo. I lean against him and enjoy the view. “I’m looking forward to the future.”
“Me too,” Eddie says, whispering in my ear. “Later.”
I laugh. “I mean the future future. Like when I’m too old and injured to dance, and I get to come here and see this every day. Maybe have my own kids running around. My hot thirtysomething husband, playing the piano and doing important things with power drills.”
He tosses a leg over the bench and pulls me between his legs so we can both watch everything happening. “A thirtysomething husband? Anyone I know?”
I smile to myself. “Maybe.” Eddie rests his chin on my shoulder, and I look up at him. “Would you do that? Have more kids someday? Even with Mason—”
“No more than six,” he says immediately. God, my dad really has been a terrible influence. He turns serious again. “I think so. Of course, we’re gonna have to deal with the trust fund from Grandma issue yet again.”
“You can raise kids to not be ruined by money,” I say. “Mason won’t be affected by it. I know it. Not with you and the Kingsleys around.”
He kisses my shoulder. “Not with you around.”
My dad takes a break from saxophone, but Eddie doesn’t return to playing piano, and everyone still continues dancing, even with no music. We sit there for a long time, watching.
My mind drifts to the fact that I’m only nineteen. And Eddie’s only nineteen. And we’ve already risen above so much. Lord knows what else is in store for us. But I let that fleeting thought pass me by, because sometimes all there is left to do is savor these perfect moments.
Love Katie McGarry and Meg Cabot?
Then you’ll love Halfway Perfect by Julie Cross and Mark Perini!
For more info and updates from these authors visit:
http://juliecrossbooks.com/
http://markperini.com/
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Then you’ll love What You Left Behind by Jessica Verdi!
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http://jessicaverdi.com/
Love Gayle Forman and Deb Caletti?
Then you’ll love If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin!
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https://laurarosener.wordpress.com/
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Acknowledgments
We would both like to thank our brilliant editor, Annette Pollert, who saw potential in Fin and Eddie long before their story was polished and complete. Thank you for your guidance, and for allowing us the space and freedom to bring these two characters to life. To the Sourcebooks team, who is putting some amazing feet forward to get this book into all the hands possible. Thanks to Nicole Resciniti, our agent, for her continued support and encouragement. To Eve and Alex, our main characters from Halfway Perfect, for continuing to provide inspiration for another story in this world we’ve created and grown to love so much. And thanks to readers who have followed us from Halfway Perfect and those who are just finding this series.
Eddie’s story is fictional and by no means reflects our opinions on teen pregnancy or parental/paternity rights as a whole. For those of you facing decisions related to parenthood at a young age, we encourage you to seek out a strong support system who will help you ma
ke the best decisions for you. We believe each situation, each person, is unique and should be treated as such. You Before Anyone Else is both a title and a message to those who need reminder that their voice deserves to be heard.
FROM JULIE:
I’d like to thank my husband, Nick, and family for believing in me. My kids Charles, Ella, and Maddie for providing me all the baby care experience needed to help Eddie along the way. To Mark Perini, who continues to be an amazing partner in crime as well as a great friend. To my aunt Dawn and cousin Alex for helping me understand Sam’s disability. To my mother for paying for and driving me to all those ballet classes even though, unlike Finley, I didn’t have the feet or turnout for advanced ballet. The moves are all in my head and heart and provided amazing inspiration for this book. To fans of my other books, thank you for following me here. To Appel Farm Arts Camp, where I “lived” while much of this book was written, thank you for providing me a place to grow and become an even better writer.
FROM MARK:
I’m splitting this acknowledgment into fourths. For my sun and stars, Rebecca, for your love, support, and for always sharing in my loony daydreams. For my parents and my family, for all of your love and support and for always encouraging me to let my imagination run wild. For Julie, whose passion and talent is infectious. Thank you for being my mentor and my writing partner through this epic journey. And finally, for Eddie and Finley who were utterly mixed up in this crazy world but ultimately found their way together.
About the Authors
Julie Cross is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of new adult and young adult fiction. Julie lives in central Illinois with her husband and three children. Her knowledge of the modeling and fashion world comes from viewings of the movies The Devil Wears Prada and Zoolander and her unwavering devotion to the first three seasons of Ugly Betty. On a recent trip to NYC, she also took the time to walk past both the Gucci and Prada stores, spending at least fifteen seconds viewing items through the windows.
Mark Perini began his career as an international fashion model eleven years ago, while simultaneously obtaining a business degree from Seton Hall University. Turns out fashion’s hurry-up-and-wait mentality lends itself quite well to writing. Mark is now a New York City–based author, and You Before Anyone Else is his second young adult novel. He is also a featured author in the new adult anthology, Fifty First Times. When he’s not working, Mark’s traveling the world. He’s made a blood pact with friends to see all seven ancient wonders of the world before he’s thirty. Five down, two to go.
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