“I love you. More than you’ll ever know.” Her body trembled. She shook her head. “I searched everywhere. I was here before.”
“I know. I think I’m the one that had to learn that someone would be here for me. And that someone is you. I will never leave you again. I will always be there for you.” He took hold of her wrist, kissed her and let her bracelet dangle through his fingers. “However, I think I have a piece of jewelry that may fit you a little bit better.”
Once again, he reached into his pocket, this time producing his mother’s engagement ring. “If you would do me the honors? I never want to lose you again.”
“I will.” Her voice breathless, she held out her hand.
He slipped the ring on her finger. Forever they would be joined.
“I know where we can live.” She pressed a wad of papers into his hand. “I may be becoming a Cinder, but you will also be a Windsome, and it’s ours.”
A quick glance told him she gave him the documents on his cottage.
“With that settled, I think I know a perfect place we can get married not too far from our home.” With her still in his arms, he turned them, showing her the finale to their story, a canopy he built in the clearing created from the trees and flowers where they first fell in love.
“We can live the fantasy.” She held him tight and looked into his eyes.
Finally, he bent her back and kissed her. “We’re magic.”
The Guitar Solo
Nash’s fingers traveled over the guitar strings. It was that moment of magic when he became one with the instrument and he created the intricate music that made up the guitar solo.
In those scant few minutes where the guitar was the lead singer, holding up the tune, the one that took center stage.
He reached his peak and then ever so slowly allowed the music to die down lead way into the second chorus.
Right on cue, Erik came in on the piano, and Christine’s voice took over.
Once more, he was the support system, the rock, the role he was born to play.
The song ended, leaving everyone there breathless, and they all took a final bow.
As the notes still hung in the air, his best audience stood and clapped.
“Bravo!” His wife, Ryane jumped and clapped.
His toddling goddaughter, Madeline, did the same and they both came forward to the stage at Erik’s theatre.
Before his wife dared hoist herself up, he thrust his guitar at Erik and leapt down, pulling her into his embrace.
“I can hardly wait to hear you play at the club tonight.” She kissed his cheek as her cell phone vibrated.
Ever since his wife became a bigwig at Windsome Holdings, he was hard-pressed to pry the communication device away from her, and swiped the phone out of her hand and read the text. “You got the deal.”
“What? Really?” She took the phone back and smiled. “I always knew I had a future in designer office supplies. My new line featuring the rock star theme has been picked up by two major retailers. I called the line, Fantasy Meets Reality.”
He put his hand on his wife’s belly that recently started to swell. “Only now reality is much better.”
THE END
A Seductively Ever After Novel
Façade
An Excerpt
Ten years ago…
The standing ovation.
Erik Renevant and the rest of his band, Spectre, stood off stage watching the standing ovation. The clapping continued until it took on a chant-like rhythm. Everyone there was waiting for one thing, the final song, the one that came after the standing ovation.
He glanced at his band mates. There was an exact moment when one gave in, returned to the stage and performed the song the fans came to hear. The time was now, and Upton, their drummer, grabbed his sticks and went first.
The crowd roared with excitement as Upton took the throne. Once seated, Phil, their bassist, went next. Though rock music seemed chaotic and random, there was a definite ritual to everything.
Nash, Erik’s best friend and Spectre’s lead guitarist, saluted him, and instrument in hand, jogged out to the stage.
Erik waited a minute more. Everyone waited for the lead singer, and when the exact right frenzy took over the audience and the band began to play the beginning notes of their penultimate song, Shadow Light, he came out, taking his time to let the crowd relax, take them in and let them take him in.
Perfectly timed pyrotechnics shot flames with each one of his footsteps and he made his way center stage.
The music he wrote throbbed in time with his heartbeat and at last he sang the rock ballad that made him a superstar.
His song spoke of love, loss and of saying goodbye. Every person in that stadium felt they owned those words.
At last, the song ended, leaving the thousands of people in silent awe. He and his bandmates took one final bow. Now they would disappear in a wall of fire, a perfect end for a band named after a ghost, a stunt he personally designed.
Erik never made it to his mark before his world exploded. The flames shot him in the face, heat raged through him, burning and melting him, and his bandmates screamed as the stage collapsed.
To be continued…
Acknowledgements
My Husby, Boys and Fur Babies – You accept me for who I am and that says it all.
Tamara Eaton – The world’s greatest editor and best friend. I am always in awe of the way you make my words shine.
Emily Smith-Kidman – So glad you are back.
Joe, Michelle, Alexis, Lisa & Alexis – Without you I couldn’t do this.
Erik Renevant – You started it all.
Dreams and Glass Slippers – We need you in our out life.
About the Author
Kim Carmichael
Kim Carmichael began writing twelve years ago when her love of happy endings inspired her to create her own.
A Southern California native, Kim's contemporary romance combines Hollywood magic with pop culture to create quirky characters set against some of most unique and colorful settings in the world.
With a weakness for designer purses, bad boys and techno geeks, Kim married her own computer whiz after he proved he could keep her all her gadgets running and finally admitted handbags were an investment.
Kim is a PAN member of the Romance Writers of America, as well as some small specialty chapters. A multi-published author, Kim's books can be found all over the world.
When not writing, she can usually be found slathered in sunscreen trolling Los Angeles and helping top doctors build their practices.
To find out more about Kim Carmichael visit:
Website: www.kimcarmichaelnovels.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kimcarmichaelnovels
Twitter: @kimcarmichael4
Follow her on Amazon.
Novels:
The Indelibly Marked Series:
Permanent
Temporary
The Hollywood Stardust Series
Typecast
Limelight
Idolized
Supporting Roles: A Hollywood Stardust Short
Seductively Ever After Series
Façade
Fantasy –
Fascination –Coming soon!
On the Dotted Line
Draw the Line
Trifecta
Novellas:
Closure
Predictions
Walk the Walk
Shorts:
Interchangeable
The Promise
Children’s Book:
My Daddy Wears His Art
Contents
Fantasy
Copyright
Dedication
Ten years ago…
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Guitar Solo
Façade
An Excerpt
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Table of Contents
Fantasy
Copyright
About this Book
Dedication
Ten years ago…
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Guitar Solo
Façade
An Excerpt
Acknowledgements
About the Author