by Terri Osburn
Dylan removed his black hat as the audience laughed.
“Now to the important part.” His eyes settled on Charley. “I really do appreciate this award and all the crazy, humbling things that have happened in my short career. But the best thing to happen to me in the last year is meeting my wife. Some of you know her as Charley Layton from Eagle 101.5 here in town, but I know her as the most beautiful woman in the world. The toughest, most interesting person I’ve ever met. And the mother of my soon-to-be-born daughter.”
Lips quivering, he went on.
“Baby, I couldn’t have done this without you. You’re my rock and the light that keeps me going. On the night we met, you said, ‘Sing me a song.’ That was the best night of my life, and I intend to keep singing you songs as long as you’ll let me.” Holding the pretty silver statue in the air, Dylan said, “Thank you so much. I really appreciate this.”
Applause filled the room again as Dylan and his presenter were escorted backstage. Twenty minutes later, her husband returned to his seat, award in hand and a stupefied expression on his face.
“Are you okay?” Charley asked with a laugh.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet.” He settled the statue on the arm between them. “I’m afraid I’m dreaming.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “No way, honey. You’re wide awake.”
“Yeah,” Dylan mumbled, kissing her hair. “And I’m holding the second-best prize I ever won.”
Catching his meaning, Charley hugged his arm tight as she examined the statue. “It really is pretty.”
“And heavy.” Lifting her chin, he asked, “Did you like my speech? I’ve been practicing it for a week.”
Charley’s heart flipped in her chest as a strong foot kicked her in the ribs. “We both liked it,” she said, ignoring the pain to lean over and kiss her man.
Acknowledgments
As much as writing is a solitary profession, we never actually create a completed work on our own. Thank you to the team at Montlake Romance, including Alison Dasho, Jessica R. Poore, and the entire Author Relations team, the brilliant minds behind marketing, and the designers who make our books look so good. I also have to send my deepest gratitude to Lauren Plude for helping me whip this story into beautiful shape. And last but never least, to my agent, Nalini Akolekar, and the Spencerhill Agency. You truly are the best.
The following list of amazing and generous women make up the best damn girl squad around: Fran Colley, Marnee Blake, Jessica Ruddick, Kim Law (who let me tag along on her hair appointments just so I could stroll the sidewalks of Music Row), and Maureen Betita. To the Duchesses, Team Awesome, the bloggers who give so much of their time to this genre, and the amazing readers who have changed my life for the better in so many ways. I am more blessed than I could ever properly express.
A few months before starting this book, I moved back to the city of my heart. Nashville is an amazing place, with the amenities of a big city but the heart of a small town. A heart that beats out an endless rhythm of hope and joy as dreamers flock to the bright lights, embracing a cherished musical history and hoping to one day see their own star rise.
As a fellow artist, I understand the drive and the passion. As the former wife of an aspiring musician, I’m also well aware that some dreams don’t come true. But they are always worth the effort. I’m grateful that this town took me in more than twenty years ago. And I’m very happy to be back.
Also, that move to Nashville two decades ago brought me the most important person in my life. Thank you, Isabelle, for your endless love and patience and for laughing at my jokes. I grow more proud of you every day.
About the Author
Photo © 2016 Kimberly Rocha
Award-winning author Terri Osburn fell in love with the written word at a young age. Classics like The Wizard of Oz and Little Women filled her childhood, and the romance genre beckoned during her teen years. In 2007, she put pen to paper to write her own heart-melting love stories, and just five years later, she was named a 2012 finalist for a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Her debut novel was released a year later. Terri resides in Middle Tennessee with her teenage daughter and a menagerie of high-maintenance pets. To learn more about this international bestselling author, visit her website at www.terriosburn.com.