Say the Word(151)

“Can you blame me? You’re beautiful.”

I huffed, but my lips were twitching dangerously. “It’s five in the morning! I have morning breath! People are going to ask, ‘How did you two get engaged?’ and I’ll have to tell them I had bed-head and bad breath,” I whined playfully. “You couldn’t have waited to ask me at a decent hour, huh?”

“Sorry. I couldn’t wait another second.”

My eyes began to water as a smile broke out across my face. “Are you sure? Like really, surely sure?”

“I’ve been ‘really, surely sure’ since I was seventeen, Lux.” Bash climbed up the length of my body so we were at eye-level, his face hovering only inches above mine. “What time does City Hall open? Eight? I’m so sure about spending my life with you, we can get dressed and go right now. We’ll be the first people in line.”

I giggled as happy tears leaked from my eyes.

“I’m serious,” Bash protested, his eyes shining. “We can drag a priest or a clerk or a captain or someone with one of those internet-marriage licensing certificates out of bed.”

“You’d marry me today?” I asked, brows raised.

“Today, tomorrow, next week, next year. Any time you want.” Bash leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. His fingers interlaced with mine, and he lifted our joined hands so we could both stare at the bright diamond on my left ring finger. “When you’re ready, tell me and I’ll be there in a tux, waiting for you at the end of that aisle. Just say the word, Freckles.”





THE END





The Facts


This is a work of fiction, but the issues of human smuggling and sex trafficking across the globe are all too real. Sex trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world – a $32 billion-a-year global industry. In the United States alone, each year an estimated 100,000-300,000 American children are at risk of being sold for commercial sex.

If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, please don’t remain silent. Call the Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423 or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips. You can also call or text The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 to report a tip or get more information.

Your voice could save countless lives.





Acknowledgements


Firstly, I have to thank my readers.

Someday, I know I’ll look back on 22 as the year that everything changed, and it’s all because of you. When I think about the fact that I published both Like Gravity and Say The Word this year, it’s hard to believe I’m not stuck inside some kind of farfetched daydream. So thank you for making my fantasies a reality. I can honestly say that 22 has been the best year of my life. I only hope 23 (and 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and so on…) will live up.

Next, I must thank my parents.

Mom, despite my best efforts, I find you can’t be summed up in a string of words on paper. You wear many hats – mother, teacher, best friend, beta reader, editor, advice-giver, shoulder-to-cry-on, stealer-of-clothes-from-my-closet – and you somehow make them all look fashionable. You lend me your strength every time I need it, without question or complaint. Thank you for teaching me that being brave, even when it’s scary as hell, is always worth it in the end. I love you.

Dad, thank you for a thousand afternoons drinking tea in our kitchen, discussing everything from world politics to last night’s episode of The Walking Dead. Your wisdom, guidance, and love of laughter have shaped me into the woman I am today. I am lucky to know that whenever I need to bounce story ideas off someone, you’re always there to offer a fresh perspective or a creative angle I hadn’t considered before. I love you.

Zack, thank you for being the partial inspiration for the character “Jamie” – we might not be twins, but his brotherly-teasing aspects are certainly derived from our childhood. (Seriously, if you tell anyone the Fish Food story I will kill you.) If I didn’t have such a wonderful brother in my own life, it would’ve been far more difficult to put one down on paper. You chase your dreams fearlessly – thank you for encouraging me to do the same. I love you.

To Blyss Galizia – thank you for being my best friend, sounding board, beta reader, and partner in crime. No matter how far apart we live, I know you’re just a phone call away, always willing to listen to my latest escapades. I don’t know what I’d do without you!

To my friends, neighbors, and extended family – thank you for being my cheerleaders. Your support means everything.

To Matt Phillips at The Cover Lure – thank you for creating the most beautiful cover on the planet (and for putting up with my nit-picking changes for several long months). The work you do is stunning.

And, finally, to Mariah McManus. You don’t know me, but I feel I’ve come to know you through your beautiful music. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world. Your song Unarmed inspired the title of this novel, and for that I am ever grateful.





About the Author


Julie Johnson is a twenty-something Boston native, suffering from an extreme case of Peter Pan Syndrome and an obsession with fictional characters. When she’s not writing, Julie can most often be found daydreaming, drinking too much coffee, or striving to conquer her Netflix queue. Say The Word is her second novel, but there are many more swimming around in her head, waiting to be put down on paper.