Page 1 of You Found Me

Chapter One

Della Bellamy beamed at the seventy thousand faces in the sold-out arena as the last notes of the last song faded into the chaotic noise of the crowd. The can’t-get-enough feeling they radiated was contagious and she savored the moment. There was nothing like the connection created by music and shared experience. Nothing. But today it was extra-special. Today it was Christmas morning and every birthday ever celebrated and pure joy.

“We love you!” someone in the front row screamed. The girl looked late teens, maybe early twenties, and mascara ran down her face with the tears she hadn’t brushed away.

Della grabbed Piper and Mattie’s hands and lifted them in a happy, triumphant salute. “We love you more!”

The answering bellow was sweeter than it had ever been when she was performing solo. It was the last show of the tour, but it wouldn’t betheirlast show and that was the icing on the Bellamy Sisters Reunited Tour sundae.

This was exactly where she and her sisters belonged. On stage.

Together.

“Thank you for sticking with us all these years!” Della released her sisters’ hands and gave a little bow. “You’ve been there for us through all the ups and downs and even the sideways, and it means everything. Everything!”

“Thank you for being here!” Piper pointed at various sections like she’d picked out individual faces. “Every single one of you.”

“Thank you for your generosity and your joy!” Mattie waved with both hands. “You know we feel all the love you send out. Every single day.”

“Most of all,” Della said with a side glance at her sisters before they all said in unison, “thanks for being you!”

They turned to leave.

The screams intensified as the audience realized the show really was ending.

They’d done three encores already, including the never-before-heard song Mattie had just finished. Della found herself wishing they could do the entire show all over again, just so this feeling would never end.

“Until next time!” Mattie blew kisses and waved as she exited.

Piper pointed at the crowd on her way out. “Remember, yourock!”

The crowd knew what her sister would say, and they turned her simple statement into a mantra loud enough to shake the stars. “You rock! You rock! You rock!”

Della gave one last wave. “Thank you and good night!”

Screams, whistles, and applause chased them off the stage.

The energy wrapped around Della, lifted her up, and spun her around like clothes in a dryer, making her dizzy and giddy and toasty all the way down to her soul.

Nowthatwas a show.

She linked arms with Piper and Mattie as they made their way to the backstage pass line. “What a great way to end thetour. They loved that last song, Mattie. It was brilliant. Bet it’s top of the charts by tomorrow morning.”

“I bet it’s there in an hour,” Piper said with a grin. “It’s an amazing song.”

“You two really sold it.” Mattie’s happy face brightened even more when she spotted her fiancé, Adam Brooks.

He swept her up in his arms and twirled her around and around. The fringe on her skirt flared out and caught the lights.

“Fantastic show, baby!” Adam told her. “If I didn’t know you were going home with me, I’d be so jealous right now. Saw three guys near the side of the stage try to get your attention.”

Mattie squealed as he lifted her, then gazed down at him with fond exasperation. “I didn’t even notice them. Now put me down. We have to work the line.”

“I’ll be in the green room when you’re ready.” Adam gave her a long, steamy kiss before he released her. “Party still on?”

“Absolutely,” Della assured him.

“There’s no way we’d cancel it now,” Renic, CEO of The Bellamy Sisters’ label, Self Evident Records said as he and her sister Lizzie strolled up to join them. “I’m pretty sure there’d be a mutiny.”

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