So Damn Beautiful (A New Adult Romance)
Page 31
“Staying safe from the paparazzi?” I queried.
He chuckled and tightened his hold on my waist. “I could be asking you the same thing, Goldilocks.”
I laughed. “Aside from snarky comments on the dress I was wearing, or lame references like me being the Edie Sedgwick to your Andy Warhol, I’m not really the talk of the town the way you are.” I nuzzled my nose against his. “Everybody wants a piece of Chase Adams,” I said.
“They want the fluff, not the real story. But all the same, I think celluloid would look particularly fine on you, babe.”
I laughed. “I don’t think so. Didn’t you know I was camera-shy?”
He twirled my ponytail around his wrist and gave it a playful tug. “Are you kidding? You fucking killed it Saturday. I’m sure I would’ve come off looking like a jackass if you hadn’t been there.”
“I wasn’t doing anything special, just speaking from my heart.”
“That’s what I love about you, Goldilocks.”
I grabbed his hand and swung it between us as we walked down Stuyvesant Street. I didn’t really care where we were going, either in the moment or in the foreseeable future. What mattered most was simply that Chase was with me. The sensation of peace and relief in my body, which was probably the result of tying up all the loose ends of the last few months, was something I wanted to savor as long as I could. Which also meant easing up on the intensity of the past couple months and enjoying my winter, rather than spending most of it sequestered in a library.
“I have a gift for you,” Chase said. His green eyes were sparkling and roused, and his skin was pinked by the coldness in the air.
I giggled. “Just tell me it’s not a Swarovski necklace, and you’ll be fine!” I’d actually mailed the one that Harrison had given me back to him, since I hadn’t had the heart to sell it or the stupidity to make an in-person visit. I hadn’t gotten a notice of receipt back from him. And New York City was big enough that I was hoping I wouldn’t run into him anytime soon. Apparently, Kyle and his friends had scared the daylights out of the deceptively faint-hearted and squeamish frat brothers—enough that I hadn’t received any nasty voicemails or gotten any death threats. The entire night had been so unlike Harrison that I was hoping it was just bad judgment stemming from hurt feelings and alcohol. I couldn’t know for sure; then again, it felt like a clean enough incision that I was simply happy to move on.
“Nah, I don’t do jewelry,” Chase said mischievously, pulling me under a sycamore tree and proceeding to unzip his jacket and untuck his shirt from his jeans.
I raised an eyebrow. “Is it a display of public indecency?” I quipped. “’Cause we already knocked that off the list not too long ago.”
He grinned. “I’ll do you one better, babe.” As he lifted up his shirt, I gasped. On his right hip was a spray of bubbly graffiti, with two unmistakable words in the midst of them: “Annie Forever.”
My eyes filled with tears. “Oh my God, Chase . . .”
He looked at me anxiously. “That’s a good reaction, right?”
I nodded wordlessly. Nobody had ever done anything like this for me before, and I didn’t know what to say.
“I made the design, but Martinique’s the one who needled me,” he said, as I ran my fingers lightly over the tattoo, which I could tell was still fresh. “She liked you, by the way, which is good. She’s a harsh critic. It’s a good thing to have the blessings of your tattoo artist when you’re doing something irreversible.”
I looked deep into his eyes. “Chase, you’ve given me so much already. . . . You don’t have to make me any promises.”
He shook his head vigorously. “It’s not a promise, Annie—it’s just something I feel that I’ve never felt before. I know it’s for real, so why deny it? I love you! I fucking love you, Annie Green!” He was practically screaming it for everyone on the street to hear. As I saw more curious heads turning toward us, I laughed and put my mittened hand over Chase’s mouth.
“What?” he said innocently through my hand.
“Shhh,” I said softly.
In that moment, I realized something: we were standing right on Stuyvesant Street, in almost the exact location where I’d first seen Chase strolling by outside my classroom almost three months ago. I didn’t know what could make the moment more magical, but that’s when it happened.
Snowflakes began falling, all around us.
Chase and I both looked up. A soft drift of filigree began to blanket the ground and create diamonds in our hair.
“This is like a Norman Rockwell painting!” I exclaimed, lifting my hands out to capture the flakes.
“Yeah, right,” Chase laughed. “All we need is a fireplace and some hot chocolate.”
“Wait,” I said, catching a snowflake in my mitten. I closed my eyes . . . and made a wish.
Chase raised an eyebrow. “Is that some kind of midwestern tradition?”
I hooked my arm through his. “Making a wish on a snowflake? Nah. I think it started right here in New York City.”
“You gonna tell me what you wished for?” he asked.
I wrapped my arms around my boyfriend and looked up into those gorgeous bottle-green eyes.
“I think you already know,” I said, before closing my eyes and leaning into the warmth of his kiss.
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Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading So Damn Beautiful! If you enjoyed it (and I hope you did!), there are two great, simple ways to support this story, as well as those of fellow indie authors: 1) post an honest review on your favorite retailer’s website, and 2) spread the word!
I’m currently working on the follow-up to Chase and Annie’s story, so stay tuned for updates.
Thanks again, and take care.
Best wishes,
L.J. Kennedy
ljkennedy.author@gmail.com
www.lj-kennedy.com
www.facebook.com/ljkennedyauthor
Acknowledgments
This project absolutely would not have happened without the incredible talents of Nirmala Nataraj (I’m in awe) and the support and championing of Kelly Notaras. Thank you so much to both of you for making this process seamless and exciting, a true joy!
A special thank-you to Eleni Caminis for introducing me to Kelly, and to Annie Tucker for her eagle eye.
About the Author
L.J. Kennedy worked in the publishing industry for seven years before leaving to pursue her own writing and projects. She collaborated with an amazing co-writer to bring So Damn Beautiful to life. She lives in Seattle with her husband and their beloved Boston Terrier. Visit her online at www.lj-kennedy.com and www.facebook.com/ljkennedyauthor.