Epilogue
Lucy
The weak January sun was trying to find its way through the drawn shades. I cracked open an eye and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Five after three.
I’d slept for over twelve hours without even hearing Harris leave for the club. We’d had a good time the night before with his parents and my own celebrating my birthday a day early, and I’d fallen into bed with him while he gave me the only birthday present I could ever want. I’d fallen asleep on top of him and hadn’t even opened my eyes until now.
Turning over in our bed, I looked up at the ceiling and felt a little sad. This was the first time since I’d become Jesse and Layla Thornton’s daughter that they hadn’t woken me up with a chorus of “Happy Birthday” and a cake flaming with candles for me to make a wish on. I couldn’t be too sad, though, since I’d gotten to do just that the night before with them. I missed them nonetheless.
It was the only drawback to living with Harris. I didn’t get to see my family every day like I once had. Between school, my weekly therapy session, and my support group every Wednesday night, there was little time left over for anything else. Normally I only saw my parents on Saturday afternoons when I drove out to Malibu with Marcus to spend the day with them and my brothers.
That was the only complaint I had about it, though. Hell, it was the only complaint I had, period. Since moving in with Harris, my urge to cut had faded to the point that it only popped up on a few rare occasions. I was happier than I could ever remember being in my entire life and I wouldn’t have traded my life now for anything.
From the nightstand I heard my phone go off and I blindly reached for it. Seeing the name on the screen, I lifted it to my ear. “Hey, Kin.”
“Happy birthday,” her excited voice filled my ear. “You ready? We should be there in, like, two minutes. I’m getting in the elevator now.”
I shot up in bed, groaning because I was very much not ready. Kin and the girls were taking me out for my birthday and I’d completely forgotten. “I need fifteen minutes.”
Kin laughed. “Okay. I get it. Harris kept you up late again, huh?”
I couldn’t deny it. I loved how he kept me up and I would never—ever—complain about it. “Sorry.”
“No problem, babe. Kassa, Caro and I will just head up to Jenna’s and grab her and Angie first.” She laughed. “Then you can forget all about your delicious boyfriend for a few hours because you are all ours.”
“I promise. All thoughts of Harris will be put on hold while I let you and the girls pamper me.” I climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom. “See you in a few.”
I rushed through a shower and didn’t even try to wash my hair. Once I was clean, I put on just a little makeup and got dressed in a simple pair of black leggings, knee-high boots and a top that was a little dressier than I normally wore. I figured the girls would take me to dinner and I wanted to be prepared for anywhere they wanted to eat.
As I left the bedroom, I found Marcus in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. Harris had decided to change apartments from a one-bedroom to a two-bedroom when I’d moved in with him so that Marcus could stay with us. Between Harris and my dad, Marcus would always have a part in my life and I could honestly say I was glad.
“Happy birthday,” Marcus greeted with a smile. He had gotten more laid back with me ever since I’d confessed to the cutting. He was no longer the emotionless bodyguard that he’d always been in the past, but a more open friend who I was happy to have to talk to every day.
“Thanks.” I gave him a short hug and took the mug of coffee he offered. “Everyone will be here soon. Are you ready?”
“Of course.” He opened one of the cabinets and I thought he was getting a travel cup for his coffee but when he turned around there was a small present in his hand. “For you.”
Touched by his gesture, I took the present and quickly opened it. When I found the silver pen inside, engraved with the simple words ‘never stop dreaming’, tears stung my eyes. “This is beautiful. Thank you so much, Marcus.”
I thought I saw pink filling his cheeks, but he turned away before I could question it. “I’ll grab my keys.”
Still smiling at his thoughtful gift, I drank my coffee. By the time I was finished, the doorbell rang and I rushed to answer it. Kassa, Jenna, Angie, Carolina and Kin were all standing in the corridor. Grabbing my coat and purse, I stepped out with them and was enfolded in one hug after another.
“Happy birthday,” Jenna murmured, the last to hug me. Keeping an arm around my shoulders, we all turned toward the elevator with Marcus right behind us. “We were thinking nails, then a little shopping, some dinner, and last but never least, back to First Bass so Harris won’t lose his shit.”
I laughed. “Awesome plan.”
Over the next few hours, I let my friends treat me to all kinds of pampering and goodies. I ate way too much at dinner and then shared a huge dessert with the others before we headed to the club. Like I’d promised Kin, I’d tried to keep Harris off my mind, but I couldn’t help missing him. I hadn’t talked to him all day and I was a little sad he hadn’t texted or called. Normally he texted me every few hours to tell me how his day was going and to ask about my own.
It was the typical Thursday night with lots of people trying to get into First Bass to see the Blonde Bombshells. Their contract was coming to an end in a few more weeks and Harris already had a new band lined up to take their place. Since they had dropped Peyton, the Blonde Bombshells had gotten some serious offers for managers and record labels. Aunt Emmie was still on the fence about dealing with them, but Harris had confessed that Natalie was thinking of taking them on as her clients. As an equal partner in the company with Emmie and Annabelle, Natalie had the right to take on whichever bands she wanted.
“Happy birthday, Miss Thornton,” Tiny greeted me as we entered the club.
I gave him a warm smile. “Thanks, Tiny.”
“The boss is already upstairs with Jace and the others,” he informed us. “I hope you enjoy your evening.”
Kin and Jenna pulled me up the stairs to the VIP floor. We didn’t go downstairs on Thursday nights because the crowd could get rowdy with all the guys in attendance to watch the Bombshells. Harris’s security had broken up many fights because of it.
Unlike the year before, there was no surprise party waiting on me when we got upstairs. I had to admit I was relieved. I didn’t want any repeats from my eighteenth birthday to follow any other birthday for as long as I lived. Jenna and Kin didn’t give me time to look around as they pulled me into our usual corner where we would normally relax and watch the show.
“Lucy!” Jace and Caleb stood to hug me, then I was being pulled down onto the couch with the girls.
I glanced around, disappointed that Harris wasn’t up there yet. “Is he busy?”
Jace shrugged as he retook his seat and pulled Kin down onto his lap. “I think there was a technical issue earlier and he went to take care of it. Don’t worry. He’ll be up soon.”
“Oh,” I muttered and sat back.
“How about a drink?” Caleb suggested. “I’ll grab a waitress and get us something.”
“Sure.” I nodded. “The usual is fine.”
We sat and talked for a long while, but I couldn’t get into anything being said. I kept glancing at my phone and then around to see if I could find Harris. I was surrounded by all my friends, but I honestly felt alone because all I wanted was Harris. It was ridiculous because I saw him every single day—woke up with him each and every morning. Yet, I missed him like crazy. My need to be with him every second of every day hadn’t lessened with getting to see him so freely on a daily basis. I doubted it ever would, and I was perfectly happy with it never getting any easier to be without him.
“Are we late?”
My head snapped up at the sound of my sister’s voice. Confused, I watched as Lana and Drake walked toward us. Standing, I hugged her. “Late for what?”
“To tell you happy birthday,” Drake said with a grin and wrapped his arms around both me and Lana. “Damn, my little Lucy is nineteen now. You’ll always be that six-year-old who climbed on my lap and asked if I was a real demon to me, though.”
“Can we crash your party?” a new voice asked.
Glancing over Drake’s arm, I saw Natalie and Devlin Cutter walking toward us with Aunt Emmie and Nik right behind them. As I watched, Shane and Harper appeared at the top of the stairs, followed by my parents. Confused, but happy to see them all, I hugged each of them. Natalie gave me a tight squeeze as she released me and turned back to her husband, but I couldn’t stop to question the look I’d thought I’d seen in her eyes as my mom’s arms wrapped around me.
Dad was the last to hug me and he didn’t let go as we turned to face the others. I was so glad he was there that some of the sting of Harris still being gone faded. “Did you have a good day, Lu?” Dad asked.
“It’s been great.” I smiled up at him. “I had no idea you were coming tonight. I thought I wouldn’t see you again until Saturday.”
“Are you complaining? Because I can leave, if you want.” My hold on him only tightened, and he winked down at me. “Thought so.”
“I’d never complain about seeing you, Daddy. Thanks for coming.” It only made the day better to have him and the rest of my family there with me.
Downstairs, I heard the band getting ready to start their show. Still standing with my dad, we moved closer to the balcony to watch. Roanna, Aubree, Genesis and London took the stage, ready to rock the club. It never failed to amaze me at how effortlessly they commanded everyone’s attention. These four chicks were meant to go places with their music, especially Roanna with her killer vocals.
“It’s good to see all your faces tonight,” Roanna said into the microphone as she moved around the stage. Every eye in the club was turned straight at her now, and she knew it. It was odd because up there she became a goddess and she knew exactly what hold she had on people—and she thrived on it. Offstage, she tried to blend into the background, making her beautiful self as small as possible to avoid the attention. “Before we rock your panties off, we would like to take a moment and say a very special happy birthday to the one and only Lucy Thornton.” Roanna looked right at me and grinned, even though I was sure she couldn’t see me with all the lights trained right on her and the other Bombshells.
The fans below followed her gaze and I heard hundreds of them wish me a happy birthday. I felt my cheeks heat with the attention, and I cuddled against my dad a little more.
“Happy birthday, to you,” Roanna’s sultry voice started and her bandmates joined in. “Happy birthday to you.” The crowd below started singing along. “Happy birthday, dear Lucy.” I wanted to kill my friends and family as they started singing as well. “Happy birthday, to you.”
I groaned against Dad’s chest. “Is it over yet?”
He chuckled and turned me away from the band and the fans below. “Almost,” he murmured, but I heard a funny catch in his voice and I looked up at him. His eyes, however, were on something to his left.
Following his gaze, I found Nate and Barb stepping off the elevator with a huge cake, already alight with candles, being wheeled toward us on a table. Laughing, I stepped forward with everyone else to look at the cake. My heart lifted at all the thought Harris must have put into this little surprise and I wanted nothing more than to hug him right then, but he was still MIA.
Pushing through the small group of family and friends already standing by the cake, I finally got a good look at it. As I read the message written in a pretty purple, my heart stopped and I took a shocked step back.
Oh. My. Gods.
It all made sense now. Why both our parents were there with the rest of my closest family members. Oh, gods, this was surreal and so exquisitely beautiful I couldn’t catch my breath.
Strong arms caught my hips and my head slowly lifted from the cake to the man standing behind me. Tears filled my eyes as I met Harris’s aquamarine gaze. I could see the anxiety staring back at me, the uncertainty mixed with the hope. Unconsciously, my gaze went back to the cake and I read the words again.
Will you marry me?
With his hands still at my waist, Harris dropped to one knee and the entire club seemed to grow silent. I couldn’t find my voice, couldn’t breathe. All I could do was watch as he released my hips and took my left hand in his own. “Lucy, I’ve loved you for so long I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love you. You are my peace and my sanity. Without you, nothing makes sense. I know you’re mine, but will you take one more step with me and become my wife?”
Yes.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
I wasn’t sure if I’d said the words aloud or not, so I nodded my head wildly. It must have been enough because through my tears I watched as Harris slipped a marquise diamond on my finger and then I was finally where I’d wanted to be all day—in his arms, with him kissing me and telling me over and over again how much he loved me.
I didn’t hear the congratulations from our friends and family and the many VIP patrons who had been in attendance. I didn’t feel the pats on the back or hear my mom and Natalie crying.
All I could see was Harris.
All I could hear were his words of love.
I had everything I had ever wanted right there, and I wasn’t ever letting go.