Living Out Loud (Austen, #3)(96)

The sting of my nose and the tears in my eyes accompanied my smile as we all raised our glasses, and the room turned to me with cheers on their lips to precede the champagne.

Greg stayed by my side as a line of people made their way over to shake my hand and speak with me. And when the crowd ebbed, he took my hand and stole me away, pulling me into the music room.

The lights had been dimmed, the noise of the party far away. The moment we were in the room, he pulled me into him for a kiss.

His lips transcribed the words of his heart, telling me how much he loved me and how proud he was of my success, of my future. And I told him without speaking, through my own lips and the tips of my fingers on his face, that I wanted nothing more in the world than him.

When he broke away, I was breathless and smiling, caught happily in his arms.

He smiled back. “How do you feel?”

I didn’t even have to consider my answer. “Like I could do anything. Like all possibilities are mine for the taking. Like my whole future is laid out in front of me, and I’m about to step into it.”

“You can, and you will.”

“And I’ll step into it with you.”

He looked into my eyes, his smile shifting, coloring his face with adoration and reverence. “I’ll be here as long as you’ll have me, as long as you love me.”

“Forever, then?” I asked quietly.

He pulled me closer. “If I’m lucky.”

“Oh,” I said with a smile, “luck has nothing to do with it.”

And the dizzying depth of his kiss served to secure his everlasting place at the very top of my list.



Click here for The Sound of Silence, Elle’s book and the next installment of the Austen Series





Acknowledgments





As always, I have so many people to thank.

Jeff — Once again, you have shown up to save the day in every small way and every big one. You silently take care of everything in our lives to ease the burden on me so I can do this thing I love so much. And it’s just one of the many reasons I love you.

Kandi Steiner — Every day, you save me. Every day, you inspire me. Every day, you love me, and that love makes me stronger. Thank you for always being there. #MTT

Ace Gray — This book wouldn’t be what it is without you. Your constant good cheer and positivity motivated me every single day, and your willingness and gladness in shouldering my incessant obsessing over the details of each scene deserves a medal. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and how much you mean to me because there aren’t words, so I’ll just say thank you. Know it’s from the very bottom of my heart.

Lori Riggs — My life twin, I am so happy to have you back. Thank you for your brain, your love, your advice, your time. Your photographic memory of the Austen works will never cease to amaze me. I love you.

Kyla Linde — Every single morning, I look forward to you. I am so honored to have a friend as giving and driven as you are, and I am so grateful to have found you. Our friendship means so much to me, and every time we speak, I find new purpose and hope. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Tina Lynne — Your support has changed my life and my career for the better. Thank you for everything you do for me. Thank you for the hours spent at Onze plotting and obsessing and beating my story until it submitted. Thank you for your joy, your love, your giving nature, your smile—all those things make my life so much fuller.

Karla Sorensen — Even when you’re “not helping”, you always help me, because being friends with you makes me a better person just by influence alone. Thank you for your help, for reading for me, for putting up with me. You’re a saint. An evil, whip-wielding saint. And I love you.

To Lauren Perry — Once again, you have outdone yourself. The photoshoot is brilliant and beautiful and perfect. Please never leave me!

To Jenn Watson, Sarah Ferguson, and the team at Social Butterfly PR — Thank you for your constant support with my releases, for organizing all the chaos, for guiding me through this and every release. Your help over the years has changed the path of my career, and I will forever be grateful.

To Megan Bandfield — Thank you for the time spent answering all of my medical questions! It was such a relief to have a resource who could help me pin down the details, and I can’t thank you enough.

To the Ebstein’s anomaly group, and to Crystal — Thank you for sharing your experiences with me, for letting me bother you with the millions of questions I had, for supporting me in writing a story about a girl afflicted by a condition that has brought so many of you pain and fear and worry. Your help was invaluable.

To my beta readers — You are all incredible. Thank you for the hours you spent reading, putting together notes, answering my questions, and even re-reading for me when I ripped it all down and put it back together again. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

To my readers — I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you all. Thank you for your love and support—it’s what keeps me going.