by Rae, Rachel
One Year Later
The lights were going down on stage and the fans were screaming. I watched as Van and the boys got ready to take the stage for their final performance of the night.
Their tour had been postponed for several months so Van could fully recover.
I stayed by his side every minute.
I took care of him, and we watched movies and ordered Chinese food, and just got to know each other more. I loved that boy with all that I was. He surprised me every day. He was so loving, so thoughtful. Van had added more charms to my bracelet than I could count as the months went on. We finally spent our first Christmas together, and I don’t think I could have had a better one. It was magical, and everything I hoped it would be.
The past year had been a whirlwind. So much had happened.
My career had taken off after my meeting with the agent. I had my first lead role in a decent sized theater three months later, and much to my astonishment, I got quite a few rave reviews. It was extremely humbling and gratifying. My dream had officially become a definite reality.
After the night at the park with Van, I had to talk to James. I needed to tell him it was over, to let him know there was no bad blood between us.
I went to his apartment the next day, and he answered looking disheveled and rugged.
“Can I come in?” I asked timidly.
Looking relieved that I was there, he smiled and ushered me in.
His smile faded as I turned to him and said, “We need to talk.”
My heart was hurting, but telling James I was staying with Van wasn’t the hardest thing I ever had to endure. Losing Van was devastating. I loved him more than words could say. He was my forever, and I always knew it. It just took me a while to see it. I never thought about James when I was with Van. But I constantly thought of Van when I was with James. I could never get him out of my head. He was a part of me. He was entangled in my soul as if he was always meant to be there. I told James that I would always love him. He had always been my best friend, and I would never forget that. I wished him happiness, and I told him I would always be there for him if he ever needed me. He didn’t beg me to change my mind. He didn’t cry. He said he knew it was coming. That he could see this light in me that he never saw when he and I were together. He knew Van and I were the real deal,. He just wanted me to forget him, and he had wanted to try to make me light up like that for him. But he knew that would never happen. I was in love forever and always with Van. As I was leaving, I placed the ring James had given me in his palm. I closed his fist around it and held his hand as I kissed him on the cheek. “You were my very first love. I hope you find every bit of happiness, James. I really do. You will always have a special place in my heart.” I smiled with tears pricking my eyes, and walked away. I felt a sense of peace, and my heart didn’t hurt as much anymore now that I had finally followed it. I loved Van Whitaker with every single breath I had in me.
I watched Van walk on stage in the darkness and the spotlight turned on shining down at him. He looked back to the wings at the back of the stage to where he knew I was standing. He winked and I, as usual, swooned. We’d been through a lot together, and I was so thankful that I didn’t lose him completely.
He sat down on the stool the crew had put in the middle of the stage, and then he turned it facing me and not the crowd. Confused I stared at him. He started to strum the guitar as the band joined in as the rest of the lights shot on. I gaped at him and he smiled the sexiest smile at me. I would never tire of that look. He made my heart flutter, and I was sure he always would. He started singing the words to Bread’s Baby I’m-a Want you, and I started laughing as he sang it. He started chuckling through the lyrics, but he sang every word spot on. Here was my manly man, my hardcore sultry rock god singing one of my favorite seventies songs as if he had written it himself. I fell in love with him all over again every time I looked at him. The song turned into Barry Manilow’s Mandy, but with the words changed to Tinley, which made me laugh and cry all at the same time. The last song of the medley was Toni Braxton’s I belong to you. Pure tears started to fall this time as he got up from the stool and started walking toward me. He stopped in front of me, and the song switched to our song. The one he’d been singing in the park that day. The one he’d written about us. I watched him in astonishment as he dropped to his knee as he sang it and strummed the guitar.
He placed the guitar on the ground next to him and then pulled something out of his back pocket. It was a charm. Much like the other ones he’d given me except this one was in the shape of a book and had the words “My Ever After” inscribed on it in diamonds and hanging from the charm was a ring. The guys continued playing the chords to our song as he looked up at me.
He took my hands in his as I held the charm and kissed my knuckles.
His face was so striking and handsome looking up at me with abundant passion and love. The tears started to fall even harder.
Oh. My. God. This was it.
“Tinley, YOU are my Sweetness. You make each day better than the last. Just being near you has made me want to be better. You’ve made me want to be more than I am. To work harder for you every second. To make you smile even when you’re sad. To get you orchids every time I’m proud of you or when I’m sorry, even though I’m dangerously allergic to them.” He chuckled and winked at me. I laughed a small laugh, and then looked at him shocked and bit apologetic. He’d never told me that. Ass. I would have told him to never give them to me.
“I promise to always love you and to make you happy, because that’s what you do for me just by being you. You make my world better. You are the reason I get up every day. I want to be your last love. You’re it for me, Tin. Marry me baby. I want to spend the rest of my life watching stupid comedies with you, and fighting, and making up with you, and I want to make little girls that look just as beautiful as their momma…”
He caressed my protruding belly and kissed the bump and the healthy little princess who was growing perfectly inside it.
“And little boys who are stubborn just like their old man. I want all of that with you. You are my ever after and I mean that, baby.”
He gave me the charm as his eyes watered a bit, and my tears rolled to the floor. I wanted to jump into his arms, but being six months pregnant, and as big as a house, made that a little difficult. He bent down and scooped me into his strong arms kissing my temple as he did.
The answer, as it always was when it came to Van, was so easy.
“Yes, Yes, Yes! I will marry you. I love you so much.”
I kissed him, Hard. His scent that could only be described as Van, enveloped me.
He carried me to the front of the stage to the audience.
I had forgotten about them. All I could see was him.
“Hey, guys, let me introduce you to the future Mrs. Van Whitaker. This is my Sweetness. My world.”
The crowd went crazy, and the fans yelled so loud my ears were ringing, but it made me smile. He gently placed me down to stand on the ground. He took the charm I was holding in my trembling hands. He placed it on my bracelet. The bracelet that told our life. Our story. He unclasped the ring from the link and placed it on my finger. I stared at it in awe as my eyes shined with wonder as I looked at it. It was remarkable and exquisite, and absolutely perfect. I smiled down at him as he bent down to kiss my belly. He stood up and kissed my forehead, nose, and then my lips. My heart constricted. I loved him more than I could describe. He was my plot twist thrown in to make the story more interesting, and he truly did. I couldn’t wait to see how the rest of our story would be written, but I knew that no matter what happened, ours was one that ended with a Happily Ever After.
I could have never ever actually finished this book if not for the loving and overwhelming support of my friends and family.
My wonderful husband: Thank you for yelling at the kids with me about ripping up their books so you could come up with the amazing name Ripping Pages! That was epic! You’re my very
best friend. Thank you for always supporting me, believing I could actually accomplish this enormous fete. I know I drove you crazy whining about how terrified I was and doubting myself over and over again. I’m sorry if I was moody and sometimes hateful while I was engrossed in this process. Thank you for forgiving my bitchy-ness. You have always been my number one fan and my backbone and I am so thankful to the Lord that he gave me you. I couldn’t have picked a better man to love and to raise little people with. I could have never ever dreamed up Van and made him come to life had it not been for you. And thank you for loving me through my, at times, unhealthy obsession with book worlds and fictional men. I love that you love my crazy! I love you forever and ever.
My beautiful crazies: Momma loves you so much and even though you are NEVER allowed to read this so you will NEVER actually see this, I love you with every fiber of my being and I’m sorry if I shooed you away or didn’t praise your little achievements enough while I was lost in this author land! You can write a book about me when you grow up! Love you all and I am so blessed to be your mommy!!!
My sister: Stephanie, You were there for me from the very beginning! Thank you for letting me bounce ideas off of you and for listening to me go on and on about this book and interrupting you every five seconds while we drank our coffee and for not getting sick of me as I whined and doubted myself. Thank you for actually having the faith in me to complete it. You always have my back. Your support and encouragement never wavered and I am so thankful you are my best friend and partner in crime. I love you so so much!
My momma: So much of Tinley’s momma is you. You have always been so strong and your words of wisdom never seem to fail me. God made the best when he created you. I love you so much! Thank you for having faith in me and I hope I did you proud and I wasn’t too vulgar! Lol Love you!!
My daddy: Thank you for being such an amazing man. For always being there for me no matter what. I love you more than you know. Thank you for believing in me!
My wonderful in-laws: Thank you for your support and reassurance! I love you all so very much and am so glad we are a huge happy family!
My fabulous beta readers: Stephanie, Cheryl, Kristina, Jenn, Tiara, Robin, Miranda from Mommy’s a Book Whore Blog and Mari from Keepin it Real Book Blog, Thank you so very much for being my first line of defense. For telling me the truth even if you thought it would make me cry. You have helped me make this book what it should be. It’s perfect so thank you for all of your input and critiques.
All of my ah-freakin-mazing friends and family members for believing in me and for always being so supportive. There are no words for you all. I love you. Each and every single one of you.
My wonderful, fabulous cover designer, Robin Harper from Wicked by Design, You are so freakin amazingly talented and I can’t thank you enough for putting up with me and my indecisive pickiness until we got my gorgeous cover perfect! I absolutely am in love with it! You are awesome!
My editor, Rogena Mitchell-Jones, Thank you for translating my book into English. I write like I talk so I know you were probably thinking “What the heck” But You were so kind and extremely thorough and the editing is fabulous. My book is now flawless, so thank you. I appreciate all that you do!! You rock!
Stacey Blake from Hayson Publishing for formatting my little book. Thank you for walking me through the process and for not getting annoyed when I kept asking questions! You’re awesome!
The fabulous ladies at Keepin it Real Book Blog, thank you oh so very very much for promoting me and for believing in me and Ripping Pages. I can’t thank you enough for everything you did to get my name out there and get people interested! You two are unbelievable!!
All my new amazing author friends, you know who you are. Thank you so much for not getting annoyed when I bugged you with yet another stupid question! Your friendship has been so awesome and you will never understand how much I treasure it even though we’ve never met face to face. I hope that changes soon.
I would have never EVER ventured out in this journey of writing a novel had it not been for some amazing ladies who have inspired me beyond measure: E. L. James, S.C. Stephens, Abbi Glines, Molly McAdams, Madeline Sheehan, Tina Reber, Jamie McGuire, Colleen Hoover, and many many other authors whose words and works of fiction have led me to where I am right now: You don’t know me at all and you will probably never see this but I can’t thank you enough for showing me that it’s possible if you just keep at it. I am amazed by you all and you will never know how much I look up to each one of you. So thank you for writing astounding books and letting me escape into their worlds and get lost for a while.
My facebook “Raes of Sunshine” thank you for being there with me from the beginning and for sticking around! Your belief and support has kept me going when I didn’t know if I could anymore! You all make me smile and I heart all of your faces!
Thank you all. Every person who shared my page, a photo, a teaser a snippet a quote, anything. Thank you, thank you, Thank. You!!!
A special shoutout to Josh Kloss, my physical muse for Van. Thanks for being so gorgeous!
To the Wonder Pets: Thank you for creepily whispering in my ear as I was falling asleep to your show during naptime and heard from Ming Ming “Witness Protection”. I was kind of lost with where I was headed in the book that day so thanks for showing me where to go.
My Lord and Savior, Thank you for your amazing grace even when I don’t deserve it and for giving me life and blessing me with every single person you have put in my path.
And finally, thank you to YOU. Yes, YOU! The person who is reading this. I cannot express how grateful I am that you took the time and money to buy and read my first novel. I truly hope you enjoyed it and I am so honored that you gave a newbie like me a shot. I set out to see if I could really do it. To see if I could stick with it and to see if I could make these characters and this story come to life. I hope my words and my story helped you forget about bills, stress, work, all those real grown up things that can make reality not so fun sometimes for just a little while and get lost in Ripping Pages and in Van and Tinley’s world. Because that’s why I started reading and eventually started writing. I love getting lost in a good book and I hope this one did that for you even if only for a moment. Thank you truly from the bottom of my heart.
Anyone who I may have forgotten, please know it wasn’t intentional!! My mind is a crazy jumbled mess!!
I Love and cherish you all,
Rae
XO
Rachel Rae is a devoted wife to her highschool sweetheart and momma to three unbelievably gorgeous children. She enjoys reading all things romance and writing about love and happily ever afters. When she’s not engrossed in a good book and obsessing over fictional boyfriends, you can find her gossiping over coffee or wine with frozen berries, goofing around with her sister, watching trashy reality TV and facebooking entirely too much. She is addicted to music, chocolate, Christmas, lip gloss, glitter and all things girly. She lives in Texas with her family.
You can follow Rachel here:
Twitter https://twitter.com/AuthorRachelRae
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RachelRaeAuthor
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4815139.Rachel_Rae
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author