by S. E. Hall
“So,” I quickly change the subject, “where should we go? You lead.”
“Well…” He goes silent for a moment, I assume to ponder. “I have an idea, but you’re gonna think I’m being corny.”
“Guys always think “sweet” means “corny.” It doesn’t. Sweet is nice, and far too rare. Let’s hear it.”
“I remember this young girl.” He wraps both arms around me tight and whispers on my hair where his lips rest, “that was so excited when she got the lead in “A Street Car Named Desire.”
My eyes well up with tears and my heartbeat speeds up to an excited stammer. He remembers.
“She practiced and practiced, talked about it non-stop. She would’ve blown the audience away, but she never got the chance to take the stage because, like I’d soon come to learn more and more, she always puts others ahead of herself. Do you happen to know what city is depicted in that classic?”
I harrumph, albeit playfully. “Of course I know. Do you?”
“I do. You ever been?”
“No,” I utter, too overcome with emotion to speak clearly.
“New Orleans it is then, baby.”
I lunge forward and latch onto his mouth, borrowing his breath because he just took mine away.
Suddenly, too excited and deeply moved to possibly sleep, I slip off my bottoms, pull his down and raise up atop him, lifting my hips and guiding him inside me. As I lower myself down onto his steel length leisurely, absorbing the feel of every inch, I tell him in a breathy, lust-laden voice, “Don’t ever stop doing sweet.”
Laney Jo Kendrick
When the DJ announces this will be the last song of the night, a bizarre combination of feelings wash over me and I freeze. On one hand, I’m relieved it’s over and my daughter got her dream wedding. But on the other hand, I can’t help but feel an immediate void, the sudden open spot in the nest leaving a hollow pull in my stomach; Skylar is married.
A million scattered thoughts, thanks and memories flash through my mind and finally make sense, meshing together into one big picture: happy.
Content, I bring myself back to the present and my eyes naturally seek out Dane. He’s already looking at me, much like I often turn to find him doing, and my serenity strengthens. He winks at me and mouths “it’s all okay, baby,” then begins dancing with my mom.
My dad, her “Pops,” grabs his Brynny to end the night dancing with his baby grandchild.
I spot JT, my only son and total Mama’s boy, dancing with Macie, and smile, glad they’re where I can see them and not off doing things I do not want to know about together.
And then… I find myself searching out the one person I really should share this song with— “Same Old Lang Syne” By Dan Fogelberg. God, what a great song.
It’s as if the fates planned it, because just as my eyes land on him, he’s already walking toward me.
“May I have this dance, Laney Jo?” Evan asks, bright blue eyes holding a tiny fear, as if he thinks for one second I might say no.
“It’d be my pleasure.” I smile and move into his arms. I try not to think about the words to the song, heart-wrenchingly appropriate, or I know I’ll start crying. Not necessarily sad tears, just those of reminiscence; where we started and all the love, hurt, growing pains and lessons it took to get where we are now. Dancing like two old friends.
He must read my mind, or my expression. “I know.” He smiles, that same boyish one full of charm that he’s always had, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “I know.”
I chance a glimpse at Dane and shockingly, he grins at me and nods... in understanding.
I focus back on Evan. “Who’d have thought? My daughter and your son.” I shake my head. “Funny how things work out, isn’t it?”
“Can’t say that same thought hasn’t crossed my mind a time or two.” He laughs, again, the same one he’s had since the day he came crashing in on my fishin’ trip. “And for a long time I felt guilty, because every once in a while, I’d catch myself wondering... where we went wrong.” He twirls me out and back in, I know to stall and find some strength to inject in his voice. “Then I’d see the way you look at Dane; the very same way I look at Whitley, and starting thinking instead about what went right. Best I can figure, that’s what was missing, those two. ’Cause when you and me added in some Dane and Whitley, look what we got: Skylar and Judd. And that… is perfection.”
I swallow my sob but don’t manage to catch the tear. He does, with his thumb. “Don’t cry, Laneybug. It all worked out exactly how it was supposed to. And now, I get to watch you and Whit fight over grandkids.” This laugh is real, and I join him. “T-ball or pageants. Oughta be interesting.”
“Yeah.” I sigh, watching my beautiful daughter Sky dance with her new husband Judd, the perfect young man who reminds me so much of his father it’s uncanny. “Look at them.” I nudge my head their direction. “They do look pretty darn perfect. Heck, look at all of us.” I say, meeting Evan’s eyes once again. “I’d say we did good, Tod.”
“We sure did, Copper. We sure did.”
S.E. Hall is the NYTimes & USA Today bestselling author of the Evolve Series, the Full Circle Series, a spinoff from the Evolve Series, and standalone contemporary romances Pretty Instinct, Pretty Remedy and Unstable.
S.E., which stands for Stephanie Elaine, resides in Arkansas with her husband of 21 years and three amazing daughters of the home. She is also blessed with an older, married daughter, and son-in-law, who graced her with three beautiful grandchildren. And last, but far from least, is Roscoe—her precious lil’ lamb of a dog and best friend in the entire world… who can always be found right by her side.
When not watching her baby girl rule the mound of fastpitch softball or one of her songbird’s choir concerts, S.E. Hall can be found… in her garage. Oh, and she also enjoys reading, writing, gabbing on the phone and online shopping… in her garage.
You can stay connected with S.E. Hall in several ways:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/s-e-hall
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/7E-nP
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/S.E.HallAuthorEmerge
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sehallauthor
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(all books can be found on Amazon; those with a * indicate additional availability in audio format)
Standalone
*Unstable: books2read.com/u/mdN9dd
Full Circle Series
Embody: books2read.com/u/bxqkQe
Elusive:http://a.co/fdNpLO9
Evolve Series
*Emerge: books2read.com/u/bOaqyo
*Embrace: books2read.com/u/m0x9lM
*Entangled: books2read.com/u/mvjVW2
*Entice: books2read.com/u/ml5kAW
Sawyer Beckett's Baby Mama Drama Guide For Dummies: books2read.com/u/478qQg
*Endure: books2read.com/u/3J0qpX
Sawyer Beckett's Guide for Tools Looking to Date My Daughter: books2read.com/u/4jwOP5
Entwined: books2read.com/u/boYk8a
A Crew Christmas: books2read.com/u/3Ro76x
Finally Found Novels
*Pretty Instinct: books2read.com/u/4jw7Xk
Pretty Remedy: books2read.com/u/mgr6pX
Co-written with Hilary Storm
Quarterback Sack: books2read.com/u/3nOk25
Pick Your Poison: books2read.com/u/bzakZn
Co-written with Angela Graham
Stirred Up: books2read.com/u/mgrejR
Packaged: books2read.com/u/bPJdyz
Handled: books2read.com/u/4EDvlg
Matched: books2read.com/u/m2o1Y7
One Naughty Night: books2read.com/u/4DoqKk
Filthy Foreign Exchange: books2read.com/u/bpWkwk
Filthy Foreign Exchange 2: books2read.com/u/b5MKXR
Co-written with Ashley Suzanne
A
ccidentally On Purpose: books2read.com/u/3L9qy5
Co-written with Erin Noelle
Conspire: books2read.com/u/4Awlpd