Key Change: A Slow Burn Rockstar Romance (Common Threads Book 3)
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Johnny took a deep breath and let it out slowly, like it was holding all of his residual confusion and frustration.
“I tried to get her sober. I used to get up in the middle of the night and dump all the bottles down the drain. Or I’d hide her purse from her and pay the bills myself. She was that out of her mind.”
Hannah squeezed her eyes shut as her nose began to sting.
“When she got pulled over for driving drunk, I was relieved. I thought it might be a wake-up call. But that’s when I learned she had never renewed her visa.”
Hannah moved her hand on his abs to make slow circles, needing to offer him comfort, even if it was more than a decade too late.
“All these years I’ve never stopped wondering why we weren’t enough for her. Her kids, you know? I know moving to a new country and starting over wasn’t the easiest thing, but she wasn’t alone. Why couldn’t she be happy with us?”
Hannah pushed up on an elbow and gazed down at Johnny, her instinct to protect him fierce. “It wasn’t you.”
He held her gaze, shadows of old hurt moving in his eyes.
“Johnny, I can say with one hundred percent certainty that it had nothing to do with you.”
“I know,” he replied roughly. “But not until you.”
He smoothed her hair back along her temple and ran a finger down her jawline.
“I don’t think you’ll ever know how much of me you’ve healed just by being you.”
Her heart took flight, spreading wings she had no idea existed. Immediately, her body felt light and free.
He must’ve sensed the internal change in her because those gorgeous lips of his twitched. “I love you, Hannah Lee.”
He said it like a promise.
Like it was just something that he was going to do no matter what she said or did.
A peace settled in her and she blinked at him, letting go of the “what ifs” and “what abouts.”
“So, we’re just gonna do this?” she asked with a teasing smile. “Just be in love with each other and see what happens?”
His smile grew with her words and her heart raced.
“You love me?” he asked, tilting her chin slightly and drawing her closer.
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” she murmured over his lips before sinking into a dizzying kiss.
This was her life now.
Not Life Before.
Not life in between.
This was life worth living.
And she’d never been more hopeful or excited for the present.
Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
BREAKING CELEBRITY NEWS
Ashton James, pop music’s former bad girl, just dropped a new album titled Better.
A year ago, CelebX broke the news that Ashton James had returned to Southern California to claim her crown. Keeping a low profile, rumors swirled around the It Girl as she worked on her next project.
At midnight, a new album began popping up on music platforms all over the world.
CelebX has reached out to Ashton’s people for comment. They promise a statement will be arriving later in the week.
First listeners have taken to social media to proclaim this album her most complex and genuine. With fifteen tracks of brand-new material, it appears she had a hand in crafting every song.
Already hitting number one in multiple countries, is this the return of the Queen we’ve all been waiting for?
CelebX will update this story as more information is provided.
The Motherfucking End
Acknowledgments
Writing can be such a lonely occupation. I am grateful for the amazing people in my life that kept me going with their love, friendship, belief, and inspiration. Without them, this story would not exist.
Penny, Fiona, Brooke and the other Smartypants Authors. None of this would be possible without each of you. Thank you for your encouragement, your jokes, your persistence, and your talent. You lifted me up and kept me going when it felt like too much. I hope I can return the favor someday.
The It Girls of the Early Aughts. This story took much inspiration and creative liberties from the tabloids printed during the early 2000s.
Misterwives. You released an album while I wrote this story that became half of my entire playlist. Thank you for that.
Taylor Swift. You released an album the same day. That was the other half of my playlist.
The Johnnys. I was new at school and you let me sit by you at lunch. Just because I didn’t speak Spanish didn’t stop you from adopting me into your little family. Thank you for the friendship and teaching me how to swear in Spanish.
Scott Colby. Always. Forever.
My readers. Your messages of encouragement and the gift of your time means more than you can know. Thank you for inviting me into your lives. I am honored.
My betas. Thank you for your patience, kindness, and truth. Thank you for loving these characters the way I do. Thank you for not abandoning me when I was driving you crazy with multiple rewrites. You’re the real MVPs.
Jo. Thank you for your patience and persistence. Without you I would be lost. Your friendship only continues to mean more to me over the years. Your humor, your grace, your heart — you have no idea how invaluable you are. Tell Pete