Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
I shift the pedals and glide into the next song, the one Lauren requested—Stay With Me by Sam Smith. Fingers, don’t fail me now.
I close my eyes and settle into the song, the strings humming at my touch, responsive and warm. This room has excellent acoustics and the sound is incredible. It feels all warm and cozy.
I think back to the path that brought me here. All the miles on the road, every motel, every noisy festival—this is what it was all for. This moment. This is what I was working towards.
Lauren claps and wipes her eyes when I finish her song. She looks so happy to have found me.
But Ryland looks even happier. His expression is full of pride, but it’s more than that. I see the protectiveness in it as well. The possessiveness too. It hits me right in the core—the steady anchor of him, the way my nerves relax just from knowing he’s in the room.
I play a few more songs and then close my audition with Can’t Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley. The last note hangs in the air and then dissolves like sugar in tea. The room is filled with silence for a heartbeat, and then everyone claps, the servers and chefs too.
I look up as excitement and relief floods through my body. Lauren is already standing. She’s clapping the loudest.
“That was beautiful,” she says, voice bright and sure as she walks over, nodding her head.
Owen is still at the table, nodding like his decision was made halfway through the first song.
“Better than beautiful,” Owen adds as he stands up and joins us. “This is exactly the vibe we’re going for.”
My pulse races. “I’m so happy to hear that.”
“Ellie,” Lauren says, clasping her hands together, “we’d like to offer you the position. Five nights a week during the dinner service. We can offer you a flexible start time, but the sooner the better.”
A million thoughts are racing through my head. This is all changing so fast.
And when Owen lets me know what they’re willing to pay, my mouth drops. It’s double what I’ve been making with Angelic Divine. I’ll be able to get my own place, my own car… I can’t say no.
For a second I forget how words work, so I just nod. “I’d like to accept,” I finally manage to say.
We shake hands and Owen and Lauren leave to write out a contract.
I turn to Ryland, stunned.
He just smiles like he knew what would happen all along.
“You were perfect,” he says as he comes over. “Like an angel.”
I laugh, breathless. “What am I supposed to do now? Where am I supposed to live?”
“With me,” he says. He says it so simply. Like it’s the easiest answer in the world.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say, stepping back. “I’ll find a place.”
“Your place is with me,” he says as he steps forward, closing the distance between us. He puts his hands on my arms and my whole body melts under his touch. “I want you to live with me, Ellie. I want to build a home together. A life together. Can’t you see how perfect it would be?”
It would be pretty perfect…
He lives about ten minutes away from here. I saw his house this morning. It’s a gorgeous log cabin with a spectacular view of the mountains. I think I could really get used to having my coffee on the porch in the morning or looking up at the stars while in the hot tub at night.
But it’s not just the house that’s so fitting. It’s him.
I want to be with Ryland. I want to be his.
“Say yes,” he begs. He leans in, keeping his voice low. “Don’t make me handcuff you to the bed again.”
I smile shyly, my cheeks blushing as I remember that amazing moment.
“I want you to stay, Ellie. I love you. You’re the one for me.”
He loves me? My heart aches when I hear it.
Nothing has ever felt so right in all my life.
“I love you too, Ryland,” I whisper, and I mean it. I love this man.
“Then, you’ll stay?” he asks, his face lighting up in the cutest way.
“I’ll stay,” I say, nodding with a smile on my face. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be.”
He wraps his big protective arms around me and kisses my mouth with all the love and excitement we’re both feeling.
It’s going to be new and it’s going to be an adventure.
But there’s no one else I’d rather go an adventure with than this perfect man.
EPILOGUE
Ryland
Two years later…
Domestic bliss.
That’s what I’m living. No more bachelor life with an empty fridge and a perpetually quiet house. No more living to work and being bored on my time off. No more sleeping in until noon and staying up all night.
All that is over with and I couldn’t be happier.