Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
I need a deep breath to be able to process that. “That’s incredible. I know you didn’t do it to rub it in.” Other people might have, but not Sterling. He’s too kind for that. He’s one of those people who seems to have pretty much inexhaustible patience.
“I did it because that’s what I thought my aunt would want me to do. Not compete, but take care of family. I’m still hopeful that in the future, we can maybe try to be friends. That would be a great song in itself.”
“Speaking of songs, I didn’t know you sang. Or played. And you did both beautifully. All this time, you’ve heard me teaching kids up here, yet you didn’t say anything. You never said anything. I should have assumed if you were in the music business, you would have and could, but I…it was a shock. A good one.”
His smile makes my bones happy. It makes all my insides happy. They’re still all happy, dancing and leaping for joy and in shock that this is happening. Even Beans is still wagging his tail every now and then from the couch when he looks up and over at both of us. My head might be the happiest part of all because I might be in shock a little bit, but my brain knows this is real.
“I’ll write you a real song one day. I’ll write you so many songs. Songs that are just for you and just for us. Just for Beans too, or our future kids. For all the moments we have along the way, there will be a song for you,” Sterling says meaningfully.
“Whoa. You better leave room for me to do some writing. I was going to write you some songs. Some that other people could sing. Some that would go out into the world and make a difference.”
Sterling is all vulnerable, and he’s not trying to hide it from me. He’s open and kind, his eyes dark wells of soft caramel. Every emotion is there, laid out clearly. “Of course.” Joy. “I would love for you to write songs.” He really would. “I’d love for your work to be out there in the world, but you’ve already made a difference in it just by existing.” Excitement. “I truly am so happy that you’re not like anyone else, and you have never asked me to make you famous because you truly don’t want it.” Amazement. And then, his eyes widen a little bit, and his pupils get blacker. Desire. Longing. “I love that you’re not like anyone else. That’s what captivated me in the first place. And that’s what continues to captivate me every single moment.”
I can barely get the words out, and when they do squeak out, my voice is thick. “I’ll write you songs. They’ll be full of those tractors and about growing old together. About hope for the future. About kids and some land and a house that’s just our own. They’ll be about seeing the world, getting even older, and falling more in love. About trucks because, of course, the token trucks and family and a trio of evil cousins turned not so evil. They’ll be about dogs farting, about never wanting to be famous, and about finding myself in that one special person. You, of course. About recognizing myself in you and finding the part of my life that was always missing. You, uh…were never missing. Legally, you were tied to me for years. I just didn’t know your name. I half cursed you and half wondered about you endlessly, and now I wholeheartedly know you’re the half of me I never want to lose again. I never expected to fall for my husband.”
“And I never expected to fall for my wife,” Sterling adds.
“Sometimes, expectations are boring. I like the fact that we surprised each other. Life is the best when it’s not predictable.” I glance over at Beans. “I didn’t see him coming, but Smitty knew exactly what I needed. Or who I needed.”
“He called me and told me to get my ass down here when you were having doubts that night, and I did. So yes, he knew exactly what we both needed.”
“Yay for Smitty.” My eyes are starting to water, but I grin. “Yay for the internet and for you hearing my song and everything that brought us together. Yay for my family for coming up with the solution we needed. And yay for us for holding on. For you coming back. For right now and tomorrow and the next day and the next day.”
“Yay for you.” Sterling takes my hands and pulls me into him. My tears are starting to fall, trickling down my cheeks, and he wipes them away gently and with care.
“Yay for you most of all, my darling,” I mutter. His lips are the best part. First, they kiss away the tear trails, and then they fall to mine.