Page 15 of Hollywood Fairytale

From the time we arrived all the songs that had been played were fast paced and were played a dozen times a day on the radio. The kids loved the music if their non-stop dancing was any indication.

Lacing our fingers together, Luke pulled us out to the center of the dance floor in the middle of all the kids. He didn’t say a word as he smiled down at me. Not until the first strands of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls started to play over the speakers.

“May I have this dance?” Luke gave me his lop-sided grin that always cause butterflies to take flight in my stomach.

“Yes,” I answered as the first words were sung.

We didn’t dance fancy or anything like that. Instead we held each other and swayed to the music.

My eyes watered as I looked up at Luke. We were dancing for the first time and it was to my favorite song. Everything was perfect in that moment.

“Did you do this?”

He leaned down, resting his cheek at the side of my head so that I could hear him. Our height difference was at a definite disadvantage right then. “I may have requested he play the song.”

“How’d you know?”

“Yesterday when I came home from working out, you were playing it with this amazing smile on your face and I figured it meant the song was special to you. I knew we were coming here and I planned to see if they’d play it for you.”

Home.

Luke had said he had come home. I was so happy I wanted to cry, but I didn’t want to ruin the perfect moment.

“You guessed right. I love this song and even though I never planned to marry again, I’ve always wanted this to be my wedding song.” I gazed up at him my heart full of love. Luke had no idea how much more special he’d made my favorite song. “I love you.”

He kissed the side of my head and murmured. “Deep down you’re a romantic at heart.”

A smile tipped my lips. “You think?” I certainly never thought so.

“I do. You just never had anyone who would reciprocate those feelings until now.”

“Thisispretty romantic, Mr. Sandström.” I patted his chest above his heart. “Thank you for this. If we weren’t in a room full of impressionable children I would kiss you so hard right now.”

“You can pay me back when we get home.”

There it was again. Luke had called my house home and I loved it.

“And if I could, I’d climb you because God you seem extra tall tonight. I should’ve worn heels.” I placed my hand on his stubbly cheek. “I’m sorry you’ve always got to bend down so far to reach me.”

Threading his fingers through my hair, Luke kept swaying to the music with me. “Not a hardship in anyway.”

“I want to dance with you every day that we’re together.”

“You’ve got a date.”

“Did you know you're the best boyfriend ever?” I placed my cheek against his chest and with one ear listened to my favorite song and the other listened to my favorite sound. Luke’s heartbeat.

“No, but I’m glad you think so.” Luke twirled me out and back into his embrace before his lips caressed the shell of my ear. “I love you too, beautiful.”

8

Opening my eyes,I was greeted with a worried face instantly making me go on alert. “Sweetheart, what is it? Are you okay?”

“Momma?” Mason shakily spoke from the side of the bed. “Miss Prue is yelling at a man in her front yard. They woke me up.” It had to be early if they woke Mason up and that wasn’t a good sign.

The bed dipped as an arm wrapped around me. “Are they still yelling?” Luke asked his voice rough first thing in the morning.

Mason nodded stilled worried, his bottom lip trembled. “I don’t like it. Miss Prue is always nice to everyone.”

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