Letting out a low chuckle, Dixon tilts my head up toward his and brushes his lips softly against mine. My toes curl in my sandals, and my heart flutters in my chest, as my fingers clench his flannel shirt. I"ve missed this man something fierce, and after the horrific events I just lived through several hours ago, being in his arms is exactly what I needed to feel safe and secure again.
Breaking his lips away from mine, he smiles down at me before placing his hand in mine. "A long hot shower followed by a few hours of sleep with you wrapped in my arms sounds like heaven right about now."
"Of course after I get my beauty sleep, I need some Dixie stick with a side of strong coffee to help wake me up," I tell him as I pick up my phone and slip it into the back pocket of my jeans.
Dixon flashes me a devilishly s.e.xy smile and practically drags me out of the hospital and down to the rental car parked outside. Within seconds we"re maneuvering our way through detours to Knox hotel. The storm clouds have blown away, and in its place are now blue skies and sunshine. You"d never know that a heavily destructive storm had just blown threw if you only looked up at the sky.
With Dixon being here with me, it feels like the warm sunshine reappearing after a night of darkness and destruction, pushing away the dark and scary and replacing it with a sense of calm and rejuvenation. Slowly things will go back to normal, and life can become amazing once again.
Zak is finally out of our lives for good. For the first time since he began wreaking havoc on our lives, we can finally say that we are free of him and able to move on with our lives.
Savannah and Kayden have two beautiful babies now who are healthy and perfect in every way. Zak tried to take their happiness away but failed. Because their love has proven time and time again that it really can conquer all. As I sit here beside Dixon with our fingers laced together as we listen to the radio playing low, I feel a sense of peace settle inside of my chest. Dixon slowly over the last fourteen months has become my everything. A small part of me was terrified that Dixon would break my heart and let me down. But over and over again he surprises me and loves me more each day than he did the day before. I feel it deep in my heart that like Savannah and Kayden, I have found my soul mate. Together we can conquer anything.
It"s hard to believe that another year has come and gone again. But what a year it has been! My role on As the Days go By has been a huge success, even earning me a Daytime Emmy this past June!
Finally, after years of small acting roles here and there in movies as a stunt double, and then my roles in some small time movie projects, I"m finally getting my big break!
After years of pouring my heart and soul into acting and praying that it"d pay off, I"m finally getting my big movie break!
That"s why I"m here tonight with all my friends and Dixon. So I can give them the amazing news. It"s been extremely hard keeping it a secret. I"ve wanted to shout it from the roof tops since I got the call from my agent. It was nice to be able to get together with our friends today. We went down to Kemah boardwalk and had dinner at the Aquarium restaurant before riding the attractions. The funniest thing ever was dragging Dixon onto the Flare rollercoaster and listening to him screaming like a d.a.m.n girl beside me. Big bad tough Dixon, terrified of rollercoasters. The man climbs big a.s.s skysc.r.a.pers as they build them for Christ"s sake, but hates rollercoasters.
Of course, we couldn"t end the evening on the boardwalk without the tradition of tormenting Braxton with our stuffed bears the fellas won us.
The most amazing part of it all was all of us being able to be together and not have one single person ask us about Zak. Of course, a few Houston Texan fans stopped us and asked for photographs with Braxton and his autograph. But other than that, we were able to be normal couples, at a boardwalk enjoying a Sat.u.r.day night together.
For a while we were all hounded by the press with everyone wanting to know about the entire Zak ordeal. It finally seems as if the buzz over it all is dying down as the world turns its focus onto the next tragedy or celebrity scandal. It"s been almost a year since Zak"s escape and death. Slowly, we"ve all went back to our normal lives and found our own ways to cope with the tragic events from that night.
One major factor in all of this has been Colton and Brayden. I"m the proudest Auntie on the planet, and know without a doubt being able to focus all of our attention on those two little baby boys has helped all of us move past the nightmare Zak created.
With all the media attention we got, my career took a big turn. I guess that saying- good or bad publicity, it"s still publicity-is true because my fan following quadrupled after the news broke. My Instagram, Twitter, and my Facebook pages I created when I landed my role on As the Days go By has almost a million likes now in just over a year. It"s mindboggling.
We"re ending our evening here at Big Texas, our favorite honky tonk in Houston. It"s the perfect place to hang out when we want to come have some drinks and do some line-dancing and just unwind. We still go out to Vertigo at least once a month, but now that we"re settled down and Savannah has the twins, and Mya and Braxton have a baby girl, Delia; that stage of our lives is behind us. Instead of every weekend partying until the sun comes out, we"d rather chill in the backyard by the pool, grilling out, and drinking amongst friends.
It"s crazy looking at how our lives have changed over the course of three years. Over those three years we"ve had our trials and tribulations-enough to last us ten life times. But every single moment has brought us to where we are today. Stronger and closer than ever.
This is why I wanted everyone together tonight when I announce my first major movie role. Not just a part in a major movie...the leading lady of the movie!
I"m going to be on a freaking movie poster!
Like holy s.h.i.t, guys!
This is really happening.
I"ve literally pinched myself probably ten times since I got the phone call!
This is the moment I"ve dreamt about since I was six-years-old and my parents" bought me a poster of Patrick Swayze for my bedroom wall along with the VHS of Dirty Dancing. I swear I watched that movie with Savannah probably a million times.
Since the moment I watched it and saw that iconic dance scene, I"ve wanted to be in a movie like that.
A cla.s.sic that people would talk about for years to come and still say twenty years later say that it"s one of their all-time favorite movies.
I went for my first audition two weeks ago, and then was called back last week to screen test with the male actor they cast as the leading male role. They wanted to see if I had chemistry with the actor. I thought it went really well. Dixon got to stand off screen and watch me audition for my second call back last week. He reluctantly admitted that Ashton and I acted well together. That"s a lot coming from my alpha hubby who hates the fact that I have to make out with men for a living. Finally, today the call came I was waiting so eagerly for.
I got the role!
And the craziest part is, it"s a movie about Elvis Presley and the love story between him and Priscilla.
How ironic is that?!
I"m officially going to be the lead actress playing Priscilla Presley alongside the hottest movie star on the planet, Ashton Ryker, who"s been cast as Elvis Presley.
Every woman in America and around the world is going to wish they were me.
I"m going to be so nervous that first day on set. I just pray I don"t barf or worse, forget my d.a.m.n lines.
The director, when he met me, got a good kick out of my wedding story with Dixon. My agent thought that would be pretty comedic, having me playing Priscilla after being wed in a chapel in Las Vegas, by an Elvis impersonator.
We"ll be flying to L.A. to film on set and then down to Memphis, TN to film on location. Since Savannah and Kayden finished building their home by her parents" in Memphis, I"ll be staying there instead of stuck in a hotel for weeks on end. It"s going to be hard being away for such long periods of time, but Dixon is going to fly out to stay with me on the weekends, and while in Memphis he"s going to be taking some vacation time to stay with me.
I"m beyond lucky to have such a supportive husband who is willing to sacrifice so much to support my dreams.
We"ve talked about having a baby ever since Savannah and Kayden had the twins. I promised him as soon as I finish up this movie, I"ll take some time off from acting so we can try for a family. I can"t wait to bring a little baby into this world that is part me and part Dixon. Until then, though, I get all my baby loving time in when I"m in town and able to spoil the twins. Since Savannah has her hands full raising twin Knox babies, who are now one and on the move; she"s more than willing to let me help her out when I"m back home in Texas.
After ordering a round of drinks we all gather around the small wooden tables we pushed together. Holding my shot gla.s.s up in the air, I try to fight back the smile threatening to burst across my lips as I take in my amazing group of friends around the table.
We all have our own crazy, hectic lives we"re living, but I love that we find time at least one weekend a month to all get together. I take in the faces of Savannah, Kayden, Braxton, Mya, Rebecca and Jax, and an overwhelming feeling of love fills my chest. I"m truly blessed to have these people in my life. I can"t wait to share my news with them.
"If it"s alright, I"d like to make an announcement since we have everyone together here tonight."
Everyone"s eyes narrow in on me, and for a split second I see that look of Oh s.h.i.t! Is she pregnant?" flash across their faces, but then they quickly shake that thought away since they watched me ride every single ride at the boardwalk tonight. Plus, I drank all afternoon at the boardwalk so that idea is completely off the table.
"My agent called me with some pretty big news. I wanted you all to be the first to know. I got the part as Priscilla Presley for the new Elvis movie they"re making, alongside none other than...wait for it...ASHTON RYKER!"
Mya"s mouth forms an O shape as she sets her drink down onto the polished wood table. "Oh my G.o.d! That is freaking awesome, Brooklyn! Congrats!"
The table fills with cheers and congratulations from everyone, followed by a huge hug from Savannah who I had already texted the news to the second I was off the phone with my agent.
"I cannot wait to go to the movie theaters and sit with a big bucket of popcorn and watch my best friend in her first major movie role! This is crazy, Brooklyn! I"m so excited for you." Savannah raises her gla.s.s into the air and motions for all of us to do the same. "Alright, time for a toast people! To Brooklyn! And to getting to kiss Ashton f.u.c.kin" Ryker!"
Dixon clears his throat and yells over us, "No f.u.c.kin" way am I toastin" to that. I"m going to make Brooklyn eat raw onions before every love scene so that f.u.c.ker can"t enjoy one single second of their lip-lockin" moments."
We all burst out laughing at Dixon, as we tap our gla.s.ses together and tip back our drinks.
Finishing off our drinks, we all slip off of our bar stools, and make our way over to the dance floor filled with people young and old line dancing to the end of "Watermelon Crawl". I spot our friends, Amy and Cheryl, who are regulars here on the weekends. They are my go-to girls when it"s time to line dance because they hands down know every single freaking dance. They always rescue my a.s.s when I get lost and have not a single clue what I am doing.
I"m a city girl trying to wing it in a country world. I need all the help I can get!
They spot us at the same time we spot them just as "Wobble Baby" starts playing. "Heyyyy, girlies! Ready to shake your money makers?" I ask as we run toward one another squealing.
"You can bet your a.s.s we are. Kids are with the sitters, husbands are up at the bar drinking with their friends, and we"re ready to dance until our feet scream at us to stop."
We all line up and start moving to the music just as we hear an announcer come out on stage announcing the special guests for tonight: The Houston Fire Department.
All the guys" faces are priceless as the firefighters begin coming out on stage one after the other doing a striptease for the crowd. I bought a calendar when we first came in to Big Texas tonight. I didn"t miss Dixon rolling his eyes as I shoved it into my purse.
Hey. It"s for charity.
That"s exactly what I told Dixon, and what the girls told the rest of the guys too as they purchased there"s.
We"re helping the Burn Center with every single calendar we buy. All I gotta say is firefighter Charles is smokin" hot. He"s on stage right now showing off his washboard abs and flashing the room his boy next door smile.
If I was single, I would so contemplate setting my house on fire just so his fine a.s.s would come running to help put it out.
Leaving the dance floor, we join the crowd filling up by the stage, and spend the next half hour cheering on the firefighters as they come out and shake their booties for the crowd. It doesn"t take long for the guys to slip away to the bar for drinks, leaving us to our cat calls and ogling of Houston"s heroes.
Soon after the firefighter show ends, we head to the ladies" room to touch up our makeup and then head back out to join the guys at the bar. As soon as I step up beside Dixon, he snakes his arm around my waist, and pulls me in between his thighs, trapping me against his body.
"G.o.d, you look so f.u.c.kin" beautiful." My cheeks flush red as his hands slide down to my a.s.s, cupping my b.u.t.t in his large, powerful hands. The s.e.xiest smirk plays on his lips as we begin swaying to the sound of Chase Rice"s "Gonna Wanna Tonight" playing throughout the bar.
"You don"t look so bad yourself, hot stuff. Wanna dance?" I ask, backing away and reaching back to grab his hands.
Climbing off of the bar stool, he tugs my hands pulling me against his chest, causing an array of giggles to fly from my lips. "I was just fixin" to ask ya that same question, darlin", but ya beat me to it."
I roll my eyes and blow air out from between my firmly pressed lips. "I bet you were," I laugh, leading him toward the dance floor.
Stepping onto the dance floor, George Straights "Give it All We Got Tonight" begins playing. Dixon takes my right hand in his while I bring the other to rest on his shoulder, and we begin slowly dancing along to the music.
The entire bar fades away as I watch Dixon mouth the lyrics to me along with George"s voice as it fills the bar.
We"ve come a long way from where we were three years ago. If you would"ve asked me three years ago if I thought I"d be married to Dixon Beaumont, I would"ve told you that you were crazy. Now three years later, I can"t picture a life where he"s not in it, by my side, loving me and supporting me every step of the way in this crazy journey we call life.
Epilogue.
February 2020.
Los Angeles, California.
-Dixon.
"Mommy! Pretty!" Charlotte exclaims with excitement as she sits on my lap and watches as Brooklyn steps into the living room of her parents" house. My breath catches in my chest, and I find it hard to breathe as I take in my wife. She"s stunning every day, but tonight she"s beyond stunning. There"s simply no words that can be said that would do justice for just how beautiful she looks.
We"re getting ready for the Oscars, and Brooklyn"s up for Best Leading Actress. She keeps saying she"s not nervous, but I know I sure as h.e.l.l am. One thing for certain, is our daughter is excited enough for the two of us. She keeps calling Brooklyn a princess since the second she slipped into her gown for tonight. I"m dressed in a simple black tuxedo with a white dress shirt and black bowtie.
Brooklyn"s going to stop hearts when she steps onto the red carpet tonight. She"s wearing a custom dress designed by Anthony Franco, and I"m fighting with the idea of dragging her upstairs and tearing it off of her. Which I know I cannot do since she kind of needs to be at this event. Just the thought of other guys undressing her with their stares has my blood boiling, but it"s the price I have to pay when I"m married to the woman voted the s.e.xiest actress in Hollywood by Envy Magazine.
Brooklyn bends down in front of Charlotte and runs her fingers through her tiny pig tails, wrapping her fingers around the tiny ringlets. "You like mommy"s dress?" she asks before standing upright and doing a small twirl for her.
Charlotte claps her chubby little fingers and cheers, "Yes, mama! Pretty princess!"
"Thank you, baby. You look like a pretty princess too in your sparkly princess dress." Brooklyn takes her hands and helps her slide off of my lap. Charlotte insisted on wearing her pink Aurora dress and high heels to dress up since Brooklyn was too. We"ve had a makeup and hair team here for hours working on Brooklyn, getting her red carpet ready. I"m grateful it"s way easier for guys. I just had to slip into my suit and comb my hair.
Bam! Ready to roll.
Brooklyn"s mother, Karyn, is dabbing her eyes with a tissue as she tries to hold back her tears. She"s been crying off and on since the day she watched the Oscar nominations and heard Brooklyn"s name called. I don"t know what"ll happen when she wins tonight.
There"s no if she wins. She will win. My girl was amazing in the movie, Tempt My Heart. It"s the life story of rock star couple Brittan and Jordon Valentine. Brooklyn was amazing in the movie. Her acting has had people around the world blowing up social media with pictures of their stacks of tissues on their laps after they finish watching the movie. Brittan lost her fiance when he was killed by a roadside bomb. The acting that went into those moments were the most challenging that Brooklyn has ever had to do.
Everyone on E! News and other news outlets are all buzzing about the Oscars and are saying the same thing I am. Today Brooklyn will be winning her first Oscar. It sure as h.e.l.l won"t be her last.
"Let"s get a picture of you and Dixon together, one with Charlotte, and then alone," Karyn says as she stands beside Brooklyn"s father and finishes snapping pictures of Brooklyn by herself.
Charlotte bounces across the floor over to the Brooklyn and eagerly takes her hand in hers and begins twirling around, making her princess dress flow out around her.
I stand for a moment, taking in this moment as I let it sink in. When I first met Brooklyn, I knew this woman was going to shake up my entire world. I just never imagined that she would not just shake it up, but in the process create this whole new world I never knew I"d ever want but now can"t imagine ever living without.
We had Charlotte September 14th 2018, eight months after Savannah and Kayden had their little girl, Kaydence. I swear Brooklyn and Savannah did some weird a.s.s ritual or something when we both started trying for a baby. Brooklyn had finished up filming the movie Elvis, so we agreed it was time to start trying for a family. Not long after we were invited to Savannah and Kayden"s for dinner and that"s when they announced they were expecting again.
As soon as those words came out of Savannah"s mouth, I noticed the silent conversation happening between my wife and her best friend. I knew right away that they must"ve been planning this. They have talked for years about how they need to have two girls so they can be best friends like they are.
Then wouldn"t you know it, Savannah and Kayden had their ultrasound and announced they were having a girl. Two months later Brooklyn found out we were pregnant.
I felt it deep in my stomach-we were having a girl. That very moment Kayden and Savannah told us they were-I knew we would be too. Wouldn"t you know it, when we went to the OB/GYN for the big ultrasound day, the nurse looked up at us with a wide grin and told us congratulations, you"re having a baby girl!"
Kayden and I are lucky we are well stocked with guns and that Kayden has two boys four years older than our girls, because we"re going to be beating the guys off of our sweet little girls. They"re already stealing hearts everywhere we go and they"re only two!
Every day I wish I could freeze time because Charlotte Emmaline is already two and it feels like it was just yesterday we were rushing to the hospital to have her. Kayden and our parents" both warned us that it goes by fast, but you never believe it until you actually experience it. It"s the same with Brooklyn and I. It feels like it was just yesterday she walked into Kayden"s backyard and knocked me flat on my a.s.s with that smile of hers. This November marked seven years since we met.
"Come, Daddy. Memaw taking picture," Charlotte yells to me as she waves her hand in the air, trying to get my attention.
She"s grinning up at me with her cute little smile and big sparkling amber eyes, just like her mother"s. She"s a mini version of Brooklyn. I still don"t know if that"s a good thing or a bad thing. We"ll find out once she gets bigger. At least for right now she"s Daddy"s little angel.
I completely s.p.a.ced out for a moment there while watching my two girls. I"m the luckiest man in the world. I thank G.o.d every day for Brooklyn. Lord knows I don"t deserve her. I f.u.c.ked up more times than I can count, will continue to from time to time because it"s just how I"m hardwired.
Walking up beside Brooklyn, we stand together with Charlotte twirling and posing in front of us for a few shots. Then Brooklyn"s father scoops her up and takes her outside to play with her dolls on the patio.
We pose for a few more pictures, and of course, I take that moment to steal a kiss from Brooklyn, making her scream out in panic about her lipstick. Her makeup artist and best friend, Rebecca- knowing me too well- made sure to use only the best, long lasting lipstick that is Dixon proof. I can kiss her all I want and that s.h.i.t won"t budge from her lips.
A knock at the door pulls us all from our light chatter.
"The limo"s here!" Karyn screams from the foyer with a tad bit too much enthusiasm, causing all of us to practically jump out of our skin.
Saying our goodbyes, we quickly head to the limo. Brooklyn"s nerves set in as she rides quietly beside me. Her hands locked together tightly as they rest on her lap. She"s leaning against my shoulder, watching out the window as we make our way toward the venue through L.A. traffic.