Page 104 of The Last Love Story
Clicking over to my email, I pull up the motivation to get me through the final edits I’m working on—the cover for myBeauty and the Beastretelling.
After I did a thorough edit, I let Zoey and Trish read it, andZoey suggested my first query be to the agency she’s with for her romantasy series because she knew one of the other agents had been dying for a good fairytale retelling.
That piece of advice made a huge difference for me, and I was a total unicorn and was offered representation from the first agent I queried. If it hadn’t been for Zoey mentioning it, I don’t know if I would’ve pitched there right away. Sometimes even the smallest connections make a big difference.
It’s been a wild ride, but also a fun one, and it made the time surrounding my healing process fly. I have full hand strength back now, and it’s like I never had the surgery at all—minus the fact that I no longer have pain in my hand when I type or do anything else. It’s amazing.
With a yawn, I accept that no editing is going to happen until after I’ve had coffee, so I reach for my ring to put it back on—because sometimes wearing my ring when I’m typing all day drives me nuts—but I don’t find it on my desk.
Maybe I left it in the kitchen when I was making lunch.
That’s my destination anyway, so I head out of the bedroom, but Justin calls for me from the office, where he’s been recording all morning.
I stick my head inside. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, can you come in here for a minute? I recorded a part today, and I don’t know what it is, but I can’t get it quite right. Would you give it a listen?”
I shrug and step into the booth. “Sure.”
Over the last nine months, we’ve recorded most of my first interconnected standalone series and we’ve worked on the first three books of the Mariano Family series so far, though our characters don’t have huge roles yet. I’ve learned a lot about voice acting, and also picked up on Justin’s tics when recording, so sometimes he asks me to listen if he’s struggling.
He puts my headphones on my head, then steps behind me, out of the way. I push play on the computer and his voice fills my ears. Almost a year of marriage and it still makes mefeel all gooey.
I close my eyes as I listen to Justin’s melodic voice.
“I know none of this started how we planned, but you’re everything to me. I’d be a poorer man without you, living a life devoid of the kind of love you give. I wouldn’t trade a second of our life together. Even the hardest days are better because they’re with you. You’re the love of my life, darlin’.”
At that, my eyes snap open. Is that written in a book?
“I’m the luckiest man in the world that I get to be your husband.”
Awareness pricks at me, and slowly, I turn around and find Justin on one knee, holding my ring.
He nods toward the headphones, and I pull them off.
“I know we’ve technically been married for almost a year. That ceremony was beautiful and special, but it wasn’t enough. We deserve a wedding that celebrates the love story we’ve written and the future yet to come. A wedding filled with love and all the important people in our lives. Most of all, I want to stand at the altar and spill my heart out to you. I want to spend all night wrapped in your arms on the dance floor. I want to watch you walk down the aisle in a stunning dress with no questions about what it means or where we’re going. So, what do you say, darlin’? Will you marry me again?”
Not a doubt in my mind.
“Absolutely.”
He stands up and wraps his arms around me, kissing me as he holds me tightly.
Then he unfurls one arm from around my back and slips my perfect fairytale ring back on my finger.
“This ring means so much to me,” I whisper.
“Because it’s a representation of our fairytale love story?”
I smile up at him. “Because it was a moment when I realized how much you care for me. You heard a few sentences about how much I loved those stories, and you got me a ring that perfectly fit my dream of being a Disney Princess.”
His smile is bright and playful, though heat burns in his gaze.
“I wanted it to be your only wedding. I had to get the details right.”
“You got it all right,” I whisper. “Especially choosing me.”
He laughs and slants his mouth over mine in a passionate kiss.
The truth is, I’m the lucky one. He saw me. He chose me. He did something totally crazy to take care of me. And even though it was scary, I have no regrets.
Our love story might not have been what I thought I’d write, but despite its flaws, it’s been a better story than I ever could’ve imagined.
Thank goodness I said yes when he offered to marry me.
Best decision ever.
The End
