Wonderful, page 67
A strange sort of grief washed over me as I alternated my gaze between the two of them. No, not grief. Pity. “No,” I said. “Of course not. Life’s not perfect, and I’m sure there are hard times ahead of me. For everyone I care about.”
Dad tilted his head at me, and for once, he didn’t look terrifying to me. Just…broken. “Then why are you smiling?”
I looked over at Mom, and she had the same washed-out weariness to her. “Because I know something now,” I said. “Something I didn’t know before. Something that took me a long time to learn, mainly because of the two of you.”
Dad narrowed his eyes, but even as he did, his body flickered, like he was made of static. “And what’s that?” he asked, his voice sounding far away.
My gaze shifted to take in the emptiness of the room. “This isn’t right. This doesn’t reflect my life.” As I looked around, the space slowly started filling with people, with everyone who meant something to me. No, with everyone who had shown me that I meant something to them—the people who had a piece of me in their hearts. Kiera. Ryder. Evan. Matt. Griffin. Anna. Jenny. Rachel. Gavin. Hailey. Riley. Denny. Abby. They just kept appearing one after another, and with every person who materialized, my parents softened until I could barely see them.
I stared at their hazy shapes until the only thing I could see was the whites of their eyes. In a soft voice, I told them, “I learned I’m not alone. I learned I’m loved. And I don’t need to keep holding on to you anymore. I can let you go.”
Their eyes popped out of existence, and I inhaled a deep breath as I woke up. The remembered feeling of that dream-room filled with warmth echoed through my mind, bringing a smile to my face and a sense of peace throughout my entire body. I just felt so…safe.
Kiera shifted beside me. “You okay?” she murmured, putting a hand on my arm.
Smiling her way, I covered her hand with mine, our wedding rings rubbing together with a soft clink. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m great.” The future was bright, and the past had finally released me. Or more accurately, I’d released it. I was beyond great.
I was wonderful.
Acknowledgments
Ending a series is always bittersweet. Ending an alternate point of view of a series is even more so. I love these characters so much, and I’m so happy that I was able to finish telling Kellan’s side of the story. And no matter how many times I read it, those last couple of chapters make me cry. Every. Time. I’m just so happy for him, and I hope you are too.
As always, a huge thank you to Lori and Becky for reading the story for me and letting me know your thoughts. Thank you, Madison Seidler, for helping me with the editing. Thank you, Hang Le, for yet another gorgeous cover (and that tattoo…ugh, perfection). Thank you, Mike at HMG Formatting, for your formatting magic (and I apologize for my obsessive need for things to match). Thank you, Kim and Mo at Audibly Addicted, for helping me with the audiobooks. I would be lost without you! Thank you, J.F. Harding, for giving Kellan such a great voice. And thank you, Lysa at Pegasus Designs, for making my website…wonderful (sorry, I had to).
To my readers, I am floored by how much you still love these books. Your undying support and enthusiasm—it means the world to me. I’m grateful, I’m humbled. You are the best! Thank you for letting me share these characters with you. Thank you for sticking with them until the end (even those of you who desperately wish Kiera harm). Thank you for posting about my books, for encouraging others to read them. Thank you for hanging out at Pete’s Bar with me. Thank you for sharing your stories, artwork, tattoos! Thank you for the encouragement. Thank you for your patience! I know this one was a long time coming. I hope it was worth the wait.
And a huge thank you to my friends and family. Thank you for putting up with my endless hours in the writing cave. Thank you for understanding when I don’t have time to do much of anything. Thank you for the hugs and the pep talks. Thank you for everything. I love you so much!
About the Author
S.C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance. Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love story featuring insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the world of romance by storm in 2009. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since.
In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block–reducing music, heading out to the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children.
You can learn more at:
AuthorSCStephens.com
Twitter @SC_Stephens_
Facebook.com/SCStephensAuthor
Instagram sc_stephens_
S.C. Stephens, Wonderful
