Triple Beat-nook(54)

Dani giggled, knowing it was a lie. Even as she spoke, Mama Lewis had tears in her eyes.

“It was a beautiful song, baby girl.”

She sensed Mama Lewis wanted to say more, but couldn’t. Dani felt a lump form in her own throat. She’d written the song shortly after returning to Nashville. The lyrics had practically fallen out of her. It was a song about being lost, then found again and the undying love of a mother. As soon as it was finished, she’d sung it for the guys and Benji and they’d all insisted that it needed to be included on their first album. The music company agreed.

Given the response of tonight’s audience, Dani suspected the song would begin to see some airplay soon.

“I wouldn’t be here tonight if it weren’t for you,” Dani said.

Mama Lewis shook her head and started to disagree, but Dani wouldn’t let her lessen the importance of her role. She’d taken Dani out of a terrifying, loveless home and given her a safe place to stay, unconditional love and the courage to reveal parts of herself that might never have seen the light of day.

“You told me I could sing. You were the first person to ever tell me my voice was beautiful. Then you bought me that guitar and encouraged me to explore, to let my talent grow. The guitar was the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten.”

Mama Lewis smiled, not bothering to hide her tears any longer. She opened her arms and Dani walked toward her as the two of them embraced for several moments.

“I love you so much, Dani. And I’m so very proud of the woman you’ve become.”

When they broke apart, Jett was there, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “What do you say we go out and celebrate? Take Bourbon Street by storm.”

Aiden chuckled. “Jesus. Is that even possible? That place is wilder than a Midwest tornado and that’s on a weeknight.”

Carissa took Jett’s hands. “We can kick off the bar crawl at the Royal Lunch. Hurricanes are on the house.”

Bryson walked over, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles. “What do you say, bird? Want to hit the town? Show the Big Easy how we do it back in Nashville.”

“I’m in.” She took Bryson and Aiden’s hands as they followed her family out of the arena.

And when she crawled into bed with them six hours later—six hours!—she realized it had indeed been the very best day of her life.





Big Easy




To read more about the Lewis family, check out these other stories in the Big Easy series, available now!



Blank Canvas

Crash Point

Full Position

Rough Draft





About the Author


Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list. Now her computer is jammed full of stories — novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends. A New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller, Mari finds time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3 a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep.

You can visit Mari’s website at www.maricarr.com. She is also on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

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Waiting for You


Sparks in Texas

Mari Carr



Coming July 1, 2015



How do you protect the woman you love…when the greatest danger is sleeping in her bed?



Sydney Sparks can’t remember a time when Chas wasn’t part of her life—from childhood playmates, to high-school sweethearts, to long-distance friends. Now, after twelve long years, Chas is leaving the Marines and coming home. Sydney’s thrilled to have him back on American soil, safe and sound, even if his return is doing funny things to her heart.



The second he stepped off the plane and locked gazes with Sydney, Chas refused to waste a minute more on their “just friends” status quo. Together again, it feels as if they were never apart, the love they’d shared as innocent teens now vastly more intense as adults—with a sexual hunger to match.



However, despite his newfound happiness, Chas can’t seem to shake the memories of his tours in the Middle East, of the firefights, the killing…the deaths of his friends. When the flashbacks grow stronger, Chas struggles to hide his increasing lack of control, terrified of losing everything he’d just regained—including Sydney.