The Sound of Your Heart

by Laura Ward

  “Jules!” Taren and Lex shouted together.

  I laughed. “As if Liam is gonna get off any easier.” I eyed the slinky red bridesmaid dress Lex was wearing. “Or actually, maybe he will. Get off, I mean,” I said, giving a little hip thrust. “You guys haven’t had a chance to be alone since he got back from his last deployment, have you?”

  “No,” Lex groaned. “It’s been a long six months and he got back last night. I might not be the one getting married today, but I’m still going to treat tonight like it’s my honeymoon.” She gave us an excited, wide-eyed look and we all laughed.

  “Speaking of,” Taren said, turning around to face me. “Why did you insist on doing our hair? You should be the one getting spoiled today.”

  “Because we all know I have the best fashion sense,” I explained. “I wouldn’t risk the perfection of this day to just anyone.”

  I put the finishing touches on Taren’s hair and declared her done.

  “I hope you’re decent,” Darren yelled from the hallway, “because I’m coming in.”

  “That’s what he said,” I mumbled under my breath, earning me another round of indulgent eye rolls from my best friends.

  Stacy held the door open as Darren clumsily maneuvered himself inside while keeping his eyes shut.

  Stacy gasped. “You look like an angel, Jules.”

  I walked over to Darren’s chair and ruffled his hair. “Open your damn eyes, man. I need you to tell me how beautiful I am.”

  He cursed me for mussing up his hair and I smoothed my hands down the sleek silk of my gown as I turned to look at myself in the mirror.

  Darren rolled up behind me and sighed. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

  “What day is that?” I asked.

  “The day bass boy finally made an honest woman of you.”

  I didn’t give him a witty comeback. This was my day, and I was going to be the bride Ben deserved. I smiled, doing my best to hold back the nervous tremor in my voice.

  “Is he out there?” I asked, hardly believing that I got to keep him for the rest of my life.

  “Yes. He’s waiting. And so is Jed.”

  My heart clenched happily. I hurried around Darren to clutch the handles of his chair. “I guess we should go then.”

  Taren and Lex stepped up next to me. My best friends. My sisters. My maids of honor.

  How did I get so fucking lucky to have so many people who loved me?

  No one mentioned Nikki’s absence because she hadn’t been invited. I would never allow her to taint my life again. I’d learned that it was not only important to open my heart and trust others, but sometimes it was just as necessary to trim off the dead parts of my life so I could truly grow. Nikki was that part that needed to be trimmed.

  “Wait! First, you need a little color.” Stacy stepped in front of me and opened her rainbow bedazzled purse. It matched the multi-colored gown she was wearing. She smiled widely as she pulled out a red ribbon. It was the same ribbon that had started Alec’s and Taren’s story. The same ribbon that had been hanging in William’s and Stacy’s living room for three years. That ribbon was more than a piece of satin. It was a symbol for the love between two soulmates.

  Stacy grabbed my wrist and wrapped the ribbon around it a few times before tying it neatly in a bow.

  “I thought I was supposed to wear something blue,” I joked lightly, holding my wrist up to see the new addition. I could barely speak beyond the overwhelming elation in my chest.

  She patted my hand. “Ben will not care what color it is. He will only care that you are tying your heart to his forever.”

  I took a deep breath, but I couldn’t speak. I refused to cry today, even happy tears. “Thank you, Stacy. You’re the coolest girl I know.”

  We ended up in a group hug of girlish giggles and fancy silk with Darren trapped in the middle.

  “All right, all right,” he huffed, pushing us away. “Let’s get this show on the road. There are a bunch of guys in penguin suits sweating their asses off out there so that they have a chance to see you little tarts all gussied up.”

  He moved his chair toward the door and we followed, our smiles bright and our hearts full.

  When I walked outside the room, the music was louder. Jed was there to tuck my hand in the crook of his arm. We made our way down a short hallway until we came to the door that led outside to where all the gleaming white seats were set up in perfect, neat rows.

  The wedding coordinator shuffled us into our places and sent Leo and Marty down the aisle, escorting my stepmother and half-sister. My half-brother followed behind and I had to choke back tears when they took their seats in the front row. On my side. After seating my family, Leo and Marty stood up beside Ben and waited for the rest of us.

  Ben. My bass boy. His handsome face was turned in my direction and his hands were folded in front of him as he waited. For me. Part of me wanted to push everyone out of the way and rush down the aisle to him. The other part, the smarter part, wanted to savor each and every step so that I would always remember how lucky I was.

  The coordinator sent Stacy on her way down the aisle with William at her side. William couldn’t stop looking at her and neither of them could stop smiling. I was sure there wasn’t a love out there as pure and innocent as the love between them.

  Darren was next, and he straightened his bright red tie before Caz stepped behind his chair and pushed him down the aisle. My heart swelled at the memory of Darren accepting my request to be my bride’s dude, as he called it. Everyone I loved. They had all come. They were all here.

  Before taking his place between my best friends, Nate stepped close and leaned in to kiss me on my cheek. “Thanks for making Ben such a happy bastard,” he said. “As the older brother, I taught him how to do a lot of things. But you were the only one who could teach him how to see life in full color.”

  “Nate,” I grinned. “You’re not going soft on me, are you?”

  “What can I say? Because of you, that boy can’t stop writing number one songs. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “There’s the Nate I know.” I gave him a playful punch in the arm and he laughed as he stepped between Taren and Lex and they each took an elbow.

  As the trio made their way down the aisle, I noticed Alec and Liam giving my girls appreciative looks. I’d make sure those boys thanked me later for the fuck-tastic bridesmaids’ dresses I had chosen. And I’d have to let them know they couldn’t steal their dates away early. I expected a full night of dancing and fun. This was my wedding and I wanted the full experience.

  Holy shit. This was my wedding. I was getting married!

  “Ready?” Jed asked. His voice was husky with emotion and when the familiar riff of “Sound of Your Heart” began in instrumental, I had to swallow down the thickness in my throat.

  As soon as we took our first step down the aisle, Ben’s expression broke out into pure happiness. His face was turned toward me, and he looked as if he liked what he saw.

  No. Loved what he saw.

  And that made me absolutely giddy because more than anyone, he saw me as I truly was. Not the beautiful gown or perfect makeup. Those he would never see like everyone else. But he saw the most important part of me—my soul. He knew me like no one else—all the deep, dark gritty parts—and he loved me anyway.

  When we finally reached the front, Jed kissed my forehead, and put my hand in Ben’s.

  “You’re beautiful,” Ben murmured, his fingers tangling in mine as Jed walked away.

  I cocked my head. “Is that so?”

  My song was still playing, and right on cue, Ben started to sing softly. Just to me. His fingertips toyed with the ribbon at my wrist, hooking through the loops to pull me closer.

  The color of your eyes is a mystery,

  can’t see the smile that sets you apart,

  Your face is a beauty I can’t describe,

  but I know the sound of your heart.

  As the song and Ben’s voice
faded to silence and the pastor began the ceremony, the only thing I could hear was the sound of his heart.

  Loving me.

  Unconditionally.

  Author Links

  OTHER TITLES CO-WRITTEN BY LAURA WARD & CHRISTINE MANZARI:

  The Pledge (College Bound Series #1)

  The Color of Us (College Bound Series #2)

  OTHER TITLES BY LAURA WARD:

  The Not Yet Series

  Not Yet (Not Yet Series #1)

  Until Now (Not Yet Series #2)

  Someday Soon (Not Yet Series #3)

  Because of You (Not Yet Series #4)

  Standalone Contemporary Romance

  Past Heaven

  OTHER TITLES BY CHRISTINE MANZARI:

  The Hearts of Stone Series

  Hooked (Hearts of Stone #1)

  Hitched (Hearts of Stone #2)

  Hated (Hearts of Stone #3)

  The Sophisticates Series

  Deviation (Sophisticates #1)

  Conviction (Sophisticates #2)

  Redemption (Sophisticates #3)

  KEEP UP TO DATE WITH LAURA WARD VIA:

  Website: http://www.laurawardauthor.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraWardAuthor

  **Join my reader group, Laura’s Lovelies, for the inside scoop! https://www.facebook.com/groups/544151805758754/

  Instagram: @_laura_ward

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurarosnerward

  Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Ward/e/B00M8HIOSS

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8328712.Laura_Ward

  Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/93O3T

  Email: laurawardauthor@yahoo.com

  KEEP UP TO DATE WITH CHRISTINE MANZARI VIA:

  Website: www.christinemanzari.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChristineManzari

  Instagram: @xenatine

  Twitter: twitter.com/Xenatine

  Reader Group (Christine’s Bookish Squad): https://www.facebook.com/groups/150916548758056/

  Amazon: www.amazon.com/Christine-Manzari/e/B00EIHIXBE

  Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7218946.Christine_Manzari

  Email: christine@christinemanzari.com

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading The Sound of Your Heart. If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review. Reviews are incredibly important to indie authors.

  Thank you!

  Acknowledgements

  We have to start off by thanking Bekky Levesque for introducing us. Without you, the College Bound Series would never have been born.

  Joe and Johnny (our real life book boyfriends), thank you for understanding when we choose to write instead of snuggling on the couch. You’ve had to listen to us talk about our characters as if they were real, and we are lucky to have your unwavering patience and support. We love you!

  To our children, thank you for sharing our love of books and reading. We hope one day you’re able to follow your dreams and spend every day of your lives doing the things you love.

  Thank you to our parents! You have dealt with our reading and writing obsessions since we were small children. You bought our books, pens, papers, and eventually computers. Your support and encouragement gave us the courage to follow our dreams.

  To our wonderful beta readers Tamara Debbaut and Christina Elle—how can we possibly show our gratitude? Thank you for reading the first draft and giving us such valuable feedback.

  We had an incredible team to make this book the best it could be. Thank you to Amy Donnelly for editing this book and for your support and excitement. Alison at Red Leaf Proofing, thank you for professional and thorough proofreading. Finally, we would like to thank Give Me Books for planning our Release Blitz.

  While we are at it, there are a few bloggers who have been instrumental in sharing our books. Thanks to Candy from Prisoners of Print, Kim from Kimberly Faye Reads, Jenn from Garden of REden, and Ethan from One Guy’s Guide to Good Reads.

  A special thanks to Tamara Debbaut for guiding us through this indie writing experience. Tamara gives so much of her time supporting, sharing ideas, creating websites and newsletters, and helping with any and every technology question that has ever existed. Thank you for your talent and friendship!

  Finally, to anyone reading this right now—you have made our dreams come true. We are writers thanks to you!

  About the Authors

  LAURA WARD & CHRISTINE MANZARI

  USA Today bestselling author, Laura Ward, writes sweet and sexy stories that will hopefully make you look at the world in a different way. Her books include the Not Yet series: Not Yet, Until Now, Someday Soon, and Because of You. Her Contemporary Romance standalone is titled, Past Heaven. She is also the co-author of the College Bound series: The Pledge, The Color of Us, and The Sound of Your Heart. Laura lives in Maryland with her loud and very loving three children and husband. She married her college sweetheart and is endlessly grateful for the support he has given her through all their years together, and especially toward her dream of writing books. When not picking up toy trucks, driving to lacrosse practice, or checking spelling homework, Laura is writing or reading romance novels.

  The first thing Christine Manzari does when she's getting ready to read a book is to crack the spine in at least five places. She wholeheartedly believes there is no place as comfy as the pages of a well-worn book. She's addicted to buying books, reading books, and writing books. Books, books, books. She also has a weakness for adventure, inappropriate humor, and coke (the caffeinated bubbly kind). Christine is from Forest Hill, Maryland where she lives with her husband, three kids, and her library of ugly spine books. Her first series is the Young Adult Dystopian series called The Sophisticates which includes: Deviation, Conviction, and Redemption. Her New Adult Romcom series, Hearts of Stone, includes: Hooked, Hitched, Hated. She is also the co-author of the College Bound Series: The Pledge, The Color of Us, and The Sound of Your Heart.