by K. K. Allen
Despite my defeat, I grinned back at her. “You did. And for once, I’m glad I listened.”
EPILOGUE 2
Lex
The music from the theater thrummed through my ears as I sprinted backstage for a costume change. I had precisely three minutes to put on my next outfit—a black sequined bra, jean shorts, and a pair of white high-tops.
By now, I had this down. I knew I’d reach my entrance marker with around two minute to spare. I knew the rest of the girl Ravens would be right beside me the entire time, but for the sake of my focus during the immense rush of live performances, I didn’t even see them. Not until I was safely waiting for our cue to get on the stage.
“All right, girls, take your marks. You’re on in two.”
The countdown began as we edged around the stage and prepared to join Winter. From this spot in the wings, I could see the stretch of crowd that was eating out of the palm of Winter’s hand as she chatted them up. They couldn’t take their eyes off her.
But then why did it feel as though someone had eyes on me?
I felt it on the back of my neck—a tingling that raised my hair, a warmth that crawled under my skin and wrapped my chest. And somehow I knew Theo was there.
I searched the crowd until my gaze got to the side stage and slowed. My pulse raced as our eyes locked, and a smile slowly grew on his face.
I took off running. Left my mark. Tore through the twelve feet that separated us, over tangled cords and light poles and speakers. I leapt onto the rail of the side stage until Theo was directly in front of me. My heart felt as if it could burst from my chest.
“Surprise,” he said, his eyes traveling to my lips. “Miss me?”
Seeing him there after an entire two weeks apart, his light eyes shining back at me, I couldn’t resist him a second longer. My mouth crushed against his as my arms slid around his neck to hold him closer.
“Lex,” someone hissed.
I ignored them.
“You weren’t supposed to see me until after the show,” he said before I kissed him again, inhaling his scent like a damn junkie. “But now that you’ve spotted me, you should know there are others here too.”
I grinned over his shoulder at Janelle. “I already knew Janelle was here, silly.”
He shook his head as his eyes moved toward the media pit below the stage. “I made sure to give them front row seats.”
I cocked my head at him and narrowed my eyes. Okay, something is up. “Theo?” I questioned in warning. Then I turned in the direction his eyes were pointed and gasped when I saw my parents looking stiff and awkward, just as I remembered them. They were here for me. Emotion felt packed in my throat as I turned back to Theo. “You did this?”
He bit his lip and nodded.
“I love you.” I smiled with my words, just as someone hissed my name again. It was Amie, calling to me from the stage, where I knew time was running down to the final second.
Through the fog in my brain, I sucked in a breath, jerking away from Theo with a laugh. “Rain check?”
Theo nodded. “Definitely.” He jerked his head up, gesturing behind me to the stage. “They’re waiting for you. Time to kill it.”
This time, I was the one who winked as I dropped back down from the rail. “Always do, Theo.” I bit my bottom lip, my chest swelling as I realized in the moment just how far I’d come. “Always do.”
And then I flipped around to take the stage, carrying my center with me.
It would never leave me again.
SURPRISE! The extended epilogue can be found here:
www.kkallen.com/GravityBonusEpilogue
FOR MY READERS
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DANCE TUTORIALS
If you’re into dance, or know someone who is, I highly recommend these dance tutorials! I am in no way affiliated with this product—I just thought it was really cool. Enjoy!
Check It Out
THANK YOU
Every now and then there’s a story that won’t stop brewing in the back of my mind (especially when I should be doing other things, HA!), and Center of Gravity was one of them. For some reason, just the idea of trying to translate my passion for dance into the written word seemed daunting. I am so glad I listened to my heart, that I pushed through the doubt, and wrote a story that so many of you already love. Thank you so much for reading. Thank you for joining me on Lex and Theo’s amazing journey.
Now, to pull the curtain back and show you all the folks who helped make this magic happen. My people. My tribe. My inspiration. If it weren’t for the following rock stars, I do not know if this story would be in your hands today.
Kristen, Puck, Kris, Sis. I love you to the moon and back. I have so many amazing memories with you, which all came flooding back while writing this story. Always an inspiration, a gracious and loving soul, an amazing dancer, and an amazing friend. You are one of a kind, and I’m so lucky to get to love you.
To my fellow dance sisters and brothers, from the studio, high school, college, the gym, wherever we met, please know that a part of our time together is in this novel.
To all the dance studios, and choreographers, and dancers that throw their hearts on the floor and share it for the world to see on YouTube. And to the video production teams who capture that passion. You are such an inspiration for all, especially our younger generation, and I hope you continue to spread that joy. It’s powerful, and beautiful, and as my readers now know, addictive AF. Shoutout to Jade Chynoweth, JoJo Gomez, Tim Milgram (T.Milly), Nicole Kirkland, Blake McGrath, Kyle Hanagami, Nika Kljun, and Millennium Dance Complex for posting some of the most inspiring choreography and dancing I have ever seen. It was a pleasure to share your art in my story.
Lindsey, AKA, “The Boss of K.K. Allen” (snorts), I love you big. You are truly my rock, my friend, the greatest partner in crime. I cannot wait for the day I get see your beautiful face in real life.
To my incredible Badass Beta team. Sammie, you were rereading this bad boy until the very last second. In fact, you’re still reading through this book while I’m writing these words. Thank you so much. I adore you for so many amazing reasons, but it’s our friendship I value most of all. You, my babe, are my unicorn. Cyndi, I always love your feedback, your excitement over my stories, and our daily mommy chats. Thank you for always being there. Taylor, you are phenomenal. Your enthusiasm over Theo and Lex sparked something in me I will never forget. You brought me back to life at a time I needed it most. Thank you! To Thessa. Girl, I am so glad we met, and I cannot wait to hang with you in February. Thank you for stepping up at the last minute to read Lex and Theo’s story. Now you’ll never get rid of me ;).
To my early Alphas, who helped to steer this story in the right direction, Lauren and Sue. Love you both so much.
Lynn with Red Adept Editing, thank you so much for being an absolute doll and offering wonderful talent to work with me on this book. I am blessed to say that I’ve worked with your team. To Jessica, my lovely develop
mental editor. Your feedback was brilliant, and just what I needed to bring this story to life. To Angela, I am so grateful for your feedback and advice. I hope we can work together again.
Lauren Watson Perry from Perrywinkle Photography. It has been a dream to work with you, and I’m so glad we finally had the opportunity. This was the perfect project, and you gave me the perfect Lex and Theo. Thank you so much for everything. I cannot wait to work with you again.
Sarah Hansen with Okay Creations. You are such a joy to work with. I can trust you with anything, and I know you’ll spin it into gold. Thank you for being consistently fabulous.
To my formatting guru, Nadége with Inkstain Designs. You blow me away, girl. I am so happy we finally get to work together in this capacity! Thank you for making my words look extra beautiful.
For this release I was blessed beyond words to work with Social Butterfly PR. Emily, thank you for always being there and holding me a little through our first release together. I adore you! And to Nina, thank you for everything you do!
To my babes from Do Not Disturb and 30 Days to 60K (can we please change this name now? LOL) Y’all were my rocks while writing this book, and I cannot imagine this author life without you all.
To my Angsters, for being the best, most badass street team out there. Thank you, babes!
To all my loves in my reader group, Forever Young. I love you all more than words. You make me smile on the daily, just by sharing space with you on the interwebs. You make this author life extra fantastic. Thank you!
To my family, thank you (as always), for supporting me, lifting me, and helping my dreams become a reality. None of this would exist without you. I LOVE YOU.
Lastly, and most important, thank you, dear reader, for spending your precious time with this story. I hope you were entertained, and if you didn’t love dance before, I hope you have a special appreciation for it now.
All my love,
XOXO
K.K.
OTHER BOOKS
Waterfall Effect
Tragedy had stripped Aurora of everything she once loved.
But now she's back in Balsam Grove, ready to face all she's kept locked away for seven years.
Or so she thinks.
Aurora doesn't expect her first collision to be with the boy she left all those years ago.
The boy who betrayed her trust with no regrets.
The boy who is no longer a boy, but a man with the same stormy eyes that swept her into his current before she ever learned to swim.
She'd thought he was safe.
He'd thought their path was mapped out.
Dangerous Hearts (#1)
His heart beats for the music. She's his favorite song.
Lyric Cassidy knows a thing or two about bad boy rock stars with raspy vocals. In fact, her heart was just played by one. So when she takes an assignment as road manager for the world famous rock star, Wolf, she's prepared to take him on, full suit of heart-armor intact.
Wolf is the sexy lead singer for the hottest rock band around with a line-up of guaranteed one night stands. Lyric Cassidy isn't one of them. That's fine with him. Women like Lyric come with fairytale expectations, so it should be easy to stay away. Too bad she's hot as sin with a fiery temper and a mouth that drives him wild.
She's also got something to hide. Something he discovers. Something he wants ...
Sharing a tour bus, neither of them are prepared for the miles of road ahead and the fierce attraction they feel toward one another--a dangerous combination.
Destined Hearts (#2)
He stole her lyrics, and then he stole her heart.
Lyric Cassidy is off the tour, lost as to what her next career move will be, and certain that she’ll never love again after Wolf. All because of a social media scandal that left her with no choice but to pack up and face the consequences. When she learns that the fate of her career is in her hands, she has a difficult decision to make. Step back on the tour bus with Wolf and deal with the mess she left behind, or end her contract early and lose her job at Perform Live?
Wolf’s shattered heart finds no resolve in giving Lyric a chance to come back on tour. He can never be with her again. Not after she walked away. Conflicted with wants and needs, he struggles to remember who Wolf was before Lyric. That’s what he needs to become again. Maybe then his heart will be safe. Or maybe there’s no hope for the damaged.
But with stolen dreams, betrayals, and terrifying threats—no one’s heart is safe. Not even the ones that may be destined to be together.
Up in the Treehouse (Chloe and Gavin’s Story)
I wanted to tell him all my secrets, but he became one of them instead.
Chloe Rivers never thought she would keep secrets from her best friend. Then again, she never imagined she would fall in love with him either. When she finally reveals her feelings, rejection shatters her, rendering her vulnerable and sending her straight into the destructive arms of the wrong guy.
Gavin Rhodes never saw the betrayal coming. It crushes him. Chloe has always been his forbidden fantasy—sweet, tempting, and beautiful. But when the opportunity finally presents itself, he makes the biggest mistake of all and denies her.
Now it’s too late . . .
Four years after a devastating tragedy, Chloe and Gavin’s worlds collide and they find their lives entangling once again. Haunted by the past, they are forced to come to terms with all that has transpired to find the peace they deserve. Except they can’t seem to get near each other without combatting an intense emotional connection that brings them right back to where it all started . . . their childhood treehouse.
Chloe still holds her secrets close, but this time she isn’t the only one with something to hide. Can their deep-rooted connection survive the destruction of innocence?
Under the Bleachers (Monica & Zach’s Story)
One kiss can change everything.
Fun and flirty Monica Stevens lives for chocolate, fashion, and boys … in that order. And she doesn’t take life too seriously, especially when it comes to dating. When a night of innocent banter with Seattle’s hottest NFL quarterback turns passionate, she fears that everything she once managed to protect will soon be destroyed.
Seattle’s most eligible bachelor, Zachary Ryan, is a workaholic by nature, an undercover entrepreneur, and passionate about the organizations he supports. He’s also addicted to Monica, the curvy brunette with a sassy mouth—and not just because she tastes like strawberries and chocolate. She’s as challenging as she is decadent, as witty as she is charming, and she's the perfect distraction from the daily grind.
While Monica comes to a crossroads in her life, Zachary becomes an unavoidable obstacle, forcing her to stop hiding under the bleachers and confront the demons of her past. But as their connection grows stronger, she knows it only brings them closer to their end.
It’s time to let go.
To have a future, we must first deal with our pasts. But what if the two are connected?
Soaring (a short story)
On an Alaskan cruise in the dead of winter, Emma and Luke find each other under the aurora borealis, a phenomenon that bonds them in the most unlikely of ways. While Luke teaches Emma what it means to soar, she gives him a reason to stay grounded, but as their journey nears its end memories of a forgotten past surfaces, challenging their future—if a future for them still exists.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
K.K. Allen is an award-winning author and Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences graduate from the University of Washington who writes Contemporary Romance and Fantasy stories about “Capturing the Edge of Romance.” K.K. currently resides in central Florida, works full time as a Digital Producer for a leading online educational institution, and is the mother to a ridiculously handsome little dude who owns her heart.
K.K.’s multi-genre publishing journey began in June 2014 with the YA Contemporary Fantasy trilogy, The Summer Solstice. In 2016, K.K. published her first Contemporary Romance, Up in the Treehou
se, which went onto win RT Book Reviews’ 2016 Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best New Adult Book of the Year. With K.K.’s love for inspirational and coming of age stories involving heartfelt narratives and honest characters, you can be assured to always be surprised by what K.K. releases next.
More works in progress will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more by connecting with K.K. in all the social media spaces.
WWW.KKALLEN.COM
WORKS CITED
Milgram, Tim [Tim Milgram]. (2016, November 28). Michael Jackson – Heartbreaker – Choreography by Misha Gabriel & Maho Udo – Shot by @timmilgram [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/5CBF1F9DiZI
Gomez, JoJo [JoJo Gomez]. (2018, January 17). Demi Lovato – Confident – Choreography by JoJo Gomez [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/JHKpaBpRDYk
Kirkland, Nicole [Nicole Kirkland]. (2018, February 23). Jhene Aiko – “New Balance” | Nicole Kirkland Choreography [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/ZhNk2owmpgI
Kljun, Nika [Nika Kljun]. (2015, November 14). Justin Bieber – What Do You Mean? – Choreography by @NikaKljun & @SonnyFp – Filmed by @TimMilgram [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/x0n6BCmTv7A
McGrath, Blake [Blake McGrath]. (2017, April 21). BLAKE MCGRATH | THE CURE CHOREOGRAPHY [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/AwSjxweBsrA
