Fade to Red (38 page)
Authors: Willow Aster
Roxie’s eyes spilled over. “Now you’ve got me crying!” She leaned over and kissed her mom’s cheek. “You were right when you told me to give him a chance. He makes me so happy. And Leo—the way they love each other is … oh, I’m not gonna be able to stop in a minute.” She carefully wiped her eyes with a tissue and looked at Chloe, Sparrow, and Sierra. “I’m so glad you’re all here. I’ve missed you so much.”
They huddled around her and hugged her one at a time. Chloe went last and held her extra long.
“Roxie, is it okay if we come in?” Daniel asked, knocking lightly on the door.
“Come on in, you two,” she called.
When they came in, a whole new round of tears started.
Chloe finally shooed everyone away from Roxie and helped touch up her makeup.
“It’s time to get you married off, Rox.” Chloe kissed Roxie’s cheek and then gave it a final dusting of powder.
“Thanks, Chlo-bo. Let’s do this!”
The wedding was everything she’d hoped it would be—she felt like a princess in her dress, the twinkle lights and candles overlooking the water was stunning, and the man she was marrying looked at her like she was all he ever wanted in life.
It was a dream.
But the best part was after they said their vows. Beckham and Roxie turned to Leo and asked him to come stand between them. Beckham knelt to eye level with him.
“I feel so lucky today, Leo, because I’m not just marrying your mom, but I get to have
you
as my family now,” he said. His face crumbled a little, but he took a breath and regained his composure. “I have papers here for your mom—our marriage license—and I have papers for you, that if you agree, say you are now legally my son. Your name can even change from Leo Taylor to Leo Woods, if you’d like. ”
Leo’s mouth dropped and he looked like he was going to jump up and down but remembered he had on a fancy suit. He nodded his head over and over again instead.
Everyone laughed and wiped their eyes while Beckham hugged Leo. He stood and Leo smiled up at him.
“Does this mean I can call you Dad?” he asked.
“Absolutely.”
“Yes.” Leo pulled back his fist and held out his lisp extra long.
When they were pronounced husband and wife, Beckham tilted Roxie back and kissed her until she felt weak.
“You ready to dance?” he asked, lifting her back up.
“With you? Always,” she said.
She clicked the camera with her left hand. She’d lost her right hand in the explosion. A casualty of playing with fire. Can’t play too long and not get blown to bits eventually.
Thankfully it hadn’t been her time quite yet.
Next time she might not be so lucky.
She adjusted her long-focus lens and scoffed when she saw the cream wedding dress. The bitch deserved nothing even related to the white family.
When
she
married Beckham,
her
dress would be pure white as the snow.
She click, click, clicked until her left hand throbbed and then she watched the dancing through her telescope.
She was too tired for a plan just yet, but she’d found them. That had to be enough for now.
There are so many people to thank that I’m terrified of leaving someone out! Please forgive me if I do.
I’d like to thank Jesus for not letting me
completely
lose my mind.
Huge thanks to my husband and kids who still love me after I went missing this summer to finish this book. I will do my best to make up for it. I love you so much it hurts.
Thanks to my dad for being the best. Thank you to my brother and sister-in-law for being happy for me! I love you all so much.
Special thanks to all of you who forced me to write this book. I wasn’t sure I’d ever finish. Melissa Perea, Calia Read, Darla Williams, Priscilla Perez, and Morgan Scheer, thank you!
Thank you to everyone who has begged for more of Ian. I resisted, but he (and you) won out. I have to give special thanks to Jennifer Mirabelli, MJ Fryer, Maria Milano, Soreonne Spellman, and Savita Naik for the extra-EXTRA Ian love. The five of you have my heart forever.
Thank you for the massive work you did on this project, Marie Piquette. I love you so much and thank God every day that you’re in my life.
Thank you to my betas for the help and encouragement! Couldn’t do it without you! Staci Frenes, Tosha Khoury, Courtney Shutes, Calia Read, Melissa Brown, duo Riley Mackenzie, Rebecca Espinoza, and Melissa Sutherland.
Tosha Khoury, you’re in here a lot and that’s because you do so much to help me with each book release, signing, staying sane, making life fun, etc, that I can’t thank you enough. Ever. I love you.
Thank you, Linda Russell, for holding my hand through the process of releasing this story. I live for your stickers.
Thank you, Jovana Shirley from Unforeseen Editing for the beautiful formatting! You’re awesome.
Thank you, Aaron Cota and Jeanette Abell, for graciously letting me use this picture!
Special thanks to Blade for taking the picture and making even more magic happen. I love you.
Thank you, Susan Finesman and Rebecca Friedman, for your direction. I appreciate you both.
Thank you, Steve and Jill Erickson, for always being up for whatever is next. Life with you both makes our lives richer and better. Love you. And the puglets.
Thank you to all of you who hang out with me in my street team and Facebook group. You make it fun to wake up, my lovely flowers! (Asssssters)
Tosha Khoury, Ashleigh Still, and Courtney Nuness—TAWC here, haha—I don’t even know where to start. You each deserve a book of gratitude and devotion, but you’re already all over the place in this one. :) My heart is too full. Weddings and funerals give perspective and we’ve survived multiples of both together, stronger than ever. Love you madly. For life. And then some. Amen.
Thanks to my loves in the Safe House.
Savita Naik, love you, my sister friend.
Special thanks to Maryse, Natasha (is a Book Junkie), Kell Donaldson, Lisa Ashmore, Christine Estevez, Kelly Moorhouse, Laura Wilson, Leslie Fear, Jodie Stipetich, Jennifer Diaz, Talon Smith, Heather Monahan, Kendra Kirby Haneline, Bobbie Jo Kirby, Kimberly Kimball, Robin Segnitz, Kathryn Perez, Mimi Abraham, and Dawnita Kiefer for the love and for being especially wonderful to me on a regular basis.
Darla Williams and Priscilla Perez, I have to say your names again just because I’m so crazy about you both.
Love you, Claire Contreras! You make me happy. That goes for you too, Mary Elizabeth, L.B. Simmons, and Leylah Attar!! XO and so much love, Christine Brae.
Thank you to ALL the wonderful authors I’ve met in this process. Thank you for taking time to care about my books when I know you’re busy working on yours. It means so much!
Thank you to anyone who has read my books. If you don’t like one of them, feel free to try another! I appreciate you more than I can say.
Thank you, Tarryn Fisher, for telling me when to live like an animal and also when to stop. I love you more than all the books in the world … times a million.
If you want to know how Ian and Sparrow began, read this!
Growing up in an idealistic home, Sparrow Fisher is sheltered and innocent. When she meets Ian Sterling, a musician who is rising in popularity, she instantly falls for his charm. They run into each other over the next few months and eventually begin an unconventional relationship.
At different places in their lives, Sparrow is off to college in New York, and Ian is traveling the country with the band. When they see each other, all seems wonderful and lighthearted, but when they’re apart, Sparrow is left to wonder if Ian really cares about her the way he says he does, or if she’s just another pretty face to him.
Once their relationship steadies, they’re both happier than they’ve ever been, and it’s hard to not get caught up in the magic they have together. Until something so devastating comes to light that threatens to shatter everything they’ve built with each other.
True
Love
Story
is about the real highs and lows that come with a relationship—happiness, pain, angst, and finding out if love really is enough.
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XO, Willow