Dust to Dust: A Broken Fairy Tale (32 page)
Read Dust to Dust: A Broken Fairy Tale Online
Authors: S. P. Cervantes
Step by step, my feet rhythmically run as if being led by something other than me. I am sure that the next few days, any time I am sitting, my legs will feel like they are in motion. The heartbreaking sound of Joy Williams from the Civil Wars comes up next, letting me know the race is almost over. This is
our song.
It was the song that Holden quoted when he was trying to convince me to let him into my heart. To let him love me, and to let myself love him again. I do love Holden, and letting him in, all the way into my heart, has been the best thing I have ever done. The night I almost died…for the second time…I was going to tell Holden I wanted what he wanted. That I wanted us to spend the rest of our lives together. But I never had the chance to. And now, well, now we are better than ever, but the time just hasn’t seemed right again. The questions about our future stopped. Holden hasn’t asked for anything more from me since then, and a very small part of me wonders if he ever will.
Before I realize it, I see the marker for the twenty-fifth mile.
Sweet Jesus!
My heart begins to race a little at the excitement and realization of what I am about to accomplish. I am ahead of my goal time by over two minutes, which means I will get even more money for my charity.
A fast beat begins to play with a chiming noise, interrupting my euphoric thoughts.
This isn’t the right song.
Bruno Mars’s soulful voice begins to sing the words to an upbeat song that I vaguely remember. Visions of Jess and me, sitting in her car, dancing along to this song sparks my memory. It’s the sweet song the man made the proposal video to. Instead of changing the song to my usual finale song I have run to the past month, I let him sing me joyfully in.
I’m going to marry Holden one day
is all I can think.
My breathing is uneven with excitement, so I take in a long, deep breath, and then pull a short swig from my water bottle. Loud cheering from the crowd erupts just as I turn the final corner of the marathon. I begin to pick up my pace, adrenaline from the crowd pushing me forward like a wave of admiration. A large white sign catches my eye, making me almost stop altogether. A large group of women, all wearing shirts supporting my foundation, are all yelling my name, holding a sign that reads:
Camryn Hamilton, You Are Our Hero!
Instantly tears fill my eyes and my throat tightens up. I wave and blow kisses to them in thanks, trying to find my breathing rhythm again, overwhelmed from their support. I focus on the beat of the Bruno Mars song to help me find my pace, savoring that memory for later. Before I can begin to process what is happening, I hear my name once again being called from the sidelines. Now it is Jess, Dave, and virtually every person I know from Mantoloking all holding signs. Each group has a different sign. Reading them is almost too much to take. They read:
Camryn Hamilton, You Are Strong
.
The next read:
You Are Brave
.
The last one was held by Jess:
You Are One Bad Ass Bitch!
I laugh through tears that I am no longer able to hold back. I don’t know whether to be pissed or touched at this point because my pace has slowed because I am so overcome with emotion. It’s almost too much.
What happens next both confuses me and makes my heart stop. The finish line is in sight and music is blasting all around me.
This is it. My last mile
. I take off my headphones, and pick back up my pace when I realize what song is playing. It is “Marry You,” by Bruno Mars. What a coincidence.
Or is it?
Another sign pops in my line of vision. This time it’s held by my dad. It reads:
Camryn Hamilton, You Deserve the Fairy Tale.
I shake my head at him, trying to make sense of this all. Then I see what this is all about just as I am about to cross the finish line. Holden and the girls are standing there, all holding signs. Sophie and Ellie are jumping up and down with smiles wider than I’d ever seen.
The girls’ sign reads:
Say Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah!
Holden’s standing there with a look on his face that can only be described as love. Pure, unquestionable love.
Holden’s sign read:
I Want to Marry You.
My hands shoot up to my mouth and I stop in my tracks, out of breath and in complete shock. This is like a dream. I look back up to them, and the girls and Holden are running up to me as hundreds of voices chant, “Say yes!”
The girls hop up to me, hugging me fiercely. Holden throws down the sign and gets down on one knee. He takes my sweaty hand in his and kisses it, and then looks up at me with his bright green eyes.
“I’ve loved you since the day we met. I want to love you for the rest of your life. I want to give you everything you’ve ever wanted. Everything you’ve always deserved. Marry me, Camryn. Make me the happiest man in the world and marry me.”
Uncontrollable tears of happiness erupt from me, and all I can do is nod my head yes. He places the sparkling diamond ring on my finger and stands, taking my exhausted body in his arms.
“I want to hear you say it…so I know it’s real,” he whispers in my wet ear.
“Yes. A thousand times yes,” I say, breathless. “You are my fairy tale, Holden. It’s always been you.”
“It’s always been you, too, babe. No one but you.”
…And they lived happily ever after.
First and foremost, I have to thank my husband and three amazing kiddos. I don’t know how I would get any writing done if you didn’t let me lock myself away at night and on weekends to pursue my dream and do what I love. You are my fairy tale.
To my family and friends. My parents, in laws, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, and uncles, and besties, you all rock. Thank you for always supporting me and my dream.
A BIG thank you to Wordsmith Publicity, and Autumn for helping me spread the love about Dust to Dust and my other ventures. You have been amazing and have been such an important component to my success.
To my awesome cover artist and doer of everything that has to do with my brand, Kelly Walker. I not only thank you for making beautiful covers for all of my books, but for all of your advice and help through this process.
To my amazing editor, Faith Williams. You are the best of the best.
Thank you also to all the amazing bloggers out there who have supported me all the way. Especially the ladies at Read and Share Book Reviews who have supported me since Secrets of Shadow Hill, and are huge supporters of indie authors. You all are so important to our success and are appreciated!
Finally thank you to my author friends. Ashley Chappell, you were one of my first friends in the industry and someone I admire. I know we will have a friendship that will last through many books! Maybe I’ll write about us one day. I also want to thank Jasinda Wilder for not only writing some of the most bad ass books out there, but for encouraging me to take a leap into the indie world. You are an inspiration.