Addicted After All(196)
Lily’s eyes say I love you. So many of them that my chest rises in sync with hers. Moffy in my arms, she inches closer to me and rests her cheek on my chest.
I hug her against me and kiss the outside of her lips. She’s not crossing her legs or squirming. Or pleading for sex. Tears squeeze through the creases of her eyes, this gorgeous, happy smile playing at her lips.
“I’m supposed to give you presents on your birthday,” she murmurs, “not the other way around.”
“You’ve given me enough to last a hundred more birthdays, love.” At twenty-five, I am in desperate love with a girl who desperately loves me back. There is nothing more that I want than to experience life with her.
She touches Moffy’s tiny fingers, and she skims his cheek with a gentle, caring brush of her thumb.
My family. My wife. My son.
Never did I think I’d be the recipient of fragile, precious things.
Every single part of me is alive today. And it’ll be tomorrow. I’m not dying in my own body anymore. I am truly living. Peace courses through me. It’s the quiet that I never thought existed. And the heaven that I never believed was meant for me.
Lily and I—we may have started our relationship as pretend.
But for as long as I can remember, our love has always been real.
COMING IN WINTER/SPRING 2015
Even though Lily & Lo’s love story has concluded, their lives continue in FUEL THE FIRE and LONG WAY DOWN – the Calloway Sisters spin-off series.
The extended epilogue of the Addicted series will be included in LONG WAY DOWN.
COMING IN LATE 2015
DAMAGED LIKE US
The first book in the new adult Like Us Series.
What happens when the Addicted kids are all grown up?
The Like Us series will revolve around the next generation in the Addicted world as they navigate college, love, family and fame.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
So many people have made the Addicted series special to us. In ways that we can’t justly articulate. It’s been a whirlwind and a dream, and to know that this is a reality that we can share with you—there is nothing more powerful for us and so we want to begin by saying thank you.
To our mom—our very own Rose Calloway. Thank you for your constant, unwavering love. You’ve taught us about family, loyalty and given us a great deal of confidence, all while wearing heels. You’re one of the most generous human beings, and we only hope to grow up with a fraction of your heart. At 23, we have a long way to go, but we’re ready, thanks to you.
To our dad and brother—thanks for always believing in us. It has made standing up and moving forward after any tumbles and falls so much easier. We love you both.
And to the Fizzle Force, fans of the Addicted series—you mean much more to us than just fans. You’re all our friends. Whether we’ve met you, whether you’re anonymous, whether the most you’ve done is read our work. You have changed us. You’ve made us better writers. You’ve made us push ourselves. And we can walk away from Lily & Lo now in peace.
Thank you for sticking with us. Thank you for standing behind these characters. You’re the Wampa cap to our Lily. The high heels to our Rose. And the sunshine to our Daisy. Without you, this series wouldn’t be what it is now.
Have hope. Stay strong. We’ll see you again, even if this is goodbye from Lily & Lo.
As Lily would say, thankyouthankyouthankyou.