“You know it’s hard for me to put myself out there. You know why!”
He places his hand on his chest. “It’s hard for me just as much! But I did it for you.” He scoots in closer and moves his hand to my chest, right over my heart. “I gave you a part of me that you can easily break, but I know I’m in good hands. Do the same for me.”
I’ve been so fearful of him playing games with my heart and hurting me that I never thought that I was the one causing pain for the both of us.
My fear is hurting him.
It’s now or never, Libby.
I can’t continue to live my life afraid of love. I can’t retire my heart when I haven’t even given it a chance to work properly.
I look down at his hand on my chest, my heart pounding against my rib cage right underneath it, and I’m finally connecting with the love I have for him. Love should come first before everything.
“I love you, Libby, more than words can describe. I could write a million songs, and it still wouldn’t say enough. I want us to be together. I will do everything in my power to make it work.”
I place my hand over his as tears start to fall from my eyes. “I love you, Knox. You own me – mind, body, and soul, and I will give you my all. Be patient with me, but know that I’ll be here. There’s no more leaving, no more turning my back.”
“That’s all I’m asking for – for you to give me you.” He pulls my hand from his and brings it to his lips. “Now let’s go furniture shopping for our new house.”
“What?” I stutter out.
“You heard me. I put in an offer on the house, and they accepted it. You’re moving in, and babe, you better listen when I say it will not be in the guest house.”
I giggle as he helps me up and drags me into his arms.
My heart feels full.
He pulls away when his phone beeps and reads the text on the screen. I notice his hands start to shake.
“What is it?” I ask.
He swallows a few times before answering. “They found my guitar.”
I suck in a breath and cover my mouth. I’ve been looking everywhere for it, and I’m so glad he’s going to get it back. “Thank God. I’m so happy, you have no idea.”
“Two things I love have been brought back to me today. This is the best day of my life.”
Chapter Fifty-One
Knox
It sucks I can’t be sitting in the crowd watching her like everyone else, but this is her day, and there’s no way I’m letting myself take that away from her. I won’t let this celebration be about me.
Which is why I’m sitting in a back office watching the ceremony about to start from a TV screen as they record it.
“Would you like a drink or something?” the woman who escorted me in asks as she stands in the doorway.
I hold up my bottle of water. “I’m good, and thank you for doing this.”
She grins. “It’s no problem. We appreciate it. A celebrity in the crowd would take away from what these students have been working hard for.”
I relax in the chair and watch the introduction, the valedictorian speech, and all of that good stuff. My back straightens, my legs spreading wide, when they hit Libby’s row.
I throw my hands up and pride fuels through me when they call her name and she walks across the stage. Her smile spreads from ear to ear when she’s given her diploma, and she looks into the camera and blows me a kiss before going down the stairs.
She did it.
My girl is now a college graduate. She’s already secured a job with the Los Angeles CPS department, and she’s set to start next week. She’s going to change the lives of children, and I can’t wait to ride along with her on that journey.
She’s already taken one with me. It’s time I do the same for her.
“Happy graduation!”
I untie the blindfold covering Libby’s eyes, allowing it to fall to the ground, and wait in excitement for her reaction.
She jerks back to look at me, her eyes searching mine. “Wait … what?” she stutters out. “What is this? Are we moving?”
I take her hand and lead her up the walkway to the white house with blue shutters. It’s a large home, equipped with ten bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and two large family rooms, so there will be plenty of space for everyone.
There’s a SOLD sticker slapped across the For Sale sign in the front lawn, and I’m planning on replacing the sign with something else when she decides on a name.
Libby’s dad got out of prison a few weeks ago and has been helping me get everything ready for this day. It’s been a pain in the ass trying to keep it a secret, but Mia did a great job of distracting her. The reaction on her face tells me she had no idea.
“This is a home where you can start a foundation that gives children somewhere safe to go until they can get a foster family or adopted.” A white Honda pulls up, and I wait for the woman to get out of her car and reach us before I keep going. “This is Trish. Her, along with two others, will be the house moms here. There will be an adult here twenty-four-seven so the children will be well taken care of.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
I nod. “You said you wanted to give kids more hope. We have to start somewhere. I think this can be our somewhere.”
Her hand falls to her chest, and her gorgeous blue eyes start to well up. A gush of breath leaves me when she wraps her arms around me and starts to jump up and down.
“Thank you,” she chokes out when she pulls away. She swipes the tears from her face. “This is the best present anyone has ever given me.”
“We don’t have a name for it yet,” I tell her, circling my arm around her waist and bringing her into my side. “I wanted it to be your choice.”
She covers her mouth. “I don’t know …”
“What about The Pop Rock Foundation?” her dad suggests, coming up behind us.
“What’s that?” she asks.
“The pop star fell in love with the princess of rock. Pop Rock.”
“The Pop Rock Foundation,” she repeats. “I love it.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
Libby
TEN YEARS LATER
I step out of the car into the suffocating Houston heat and smile when I notice the bicycles scattered along the circular driveway.
Just a typical day at the Rivers’ home.
I keep telling them one of these days someone isn’t going to be paying attention and run them over. But kids will be kids, and mine seem to have selective hearing.
I carefully shut the door behind me and peek into the backseat window.
She’s nervously biting her fingernails and looking down at her lap. She was quiet the entire ride here, giving us brief one-word answers, and I hope she starts to open up more.
She did when I found her, telling me everything that happened in her six years of life, and it still pains me when I think about it.
She’s out of her comfort zone, and it’ll probably take her a few months to adjust to living here, but I want her to love it.
I wave my hand towards me, asking her to come out, and she does. She straightens out her new pink dress and starts to play with the bottom of her dark braid.
“Welcome to your new home,” I tell her.
She looks up at me with wide brown eyes. “This … this is where I’m going to be living?” she whispers, and I nod. “It’s like a castle.”
“A castle fit for a princess.”
A lopsided grin spreads on her face.
I was given Nola’s case two months ago when police were called to a home after someone complained about a rancid smell coming from their neighbor’s house. Fury raged through me when I walked in. She was living in absolute filth, severely underweight, only thirty pounds at six years old, and born to a pair of addicts whom only cared about their next high instead of their child’s dinner or nightly bath. Needles and syringes littered the home, along with animal feces and cockroaches.
I had to get her out of
there.
It took me a month to go through the court system and legally adopt her.
She’s our fourth child. We had our first baby girl eight years ago and then decided to go the adoption route. We have two homes – one in LA and this one here in Houston, where we tend to spend most of our time. Knox had a custom studio built in the house, so he does most of his work from here. We built right next to Estelle, so the kids always have a fresh supply of cookies.
We’ve extended the Pop Rock Foundation into twelve different states with twenty-four houses. Sixteen more are in the plans to go up in the next five years.
I look back at the sound of a door shutting when Knox gets out of the car. “I think she’s going to love it,” he whispers to me, stopping at my side. “I hope she loves it.”
I take his hand in mine. “So do I.”
He leans back against the hood. “This is the life, sunshine.”
I laugh. “Is this the life you imagined you’d have ten years ago?”
“Did I imagine I’d be married to the most beautiful, magnificent woman in the world while still selling records and having a house in Houston with rugrats running around? No. I never imagined I would be this happy.”
“Secret of the day, I love you,” I whisper.
“Secret of the day, I love you more.”
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I’d like to thank you, the reader. I am so grateful for every single one of you who decided to take a chance on me and read my books. Thank you for your reviews, thank you for reaching out, thank you for absolutely everything you do.
Thank you to Colleen Noyes from Itsy Bitsy Book Bits. I appreciate you working and being patient with me these past few months. You do so much for readers and authors, even on a hectic schedule.
A giant hug to all of the bloggers, the people who share our posts and their love of books to their friends. You don’t get paid for this, it’s not your job, but you’re so passionate about getting the word out and helping authors. You’re priceless. <3
To my fiancé, for your patience, for understanding my late nights and lack of sleep, for letting me slack on my other duties so I can put my words out to the world. Your encouragement and support means everything to me.
Connect with Me
For more information:
@charity_ferrell
authorcharityferrell
www.charityferrell.com
[email protected]
Make Me Yours Page 49
