AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Epilogue
Phoebe
Five Years Later
“Hurry up, Mommy! It’s on!”
Setting down the most recent reviews, I clicked off the overhead light and smiled at the raven-haired fireball dancing circles around my office. Her electric green eyes sparkled as a ghost dimple sank deep into her left cheek. I quirked my lips up, trying to hide my amusement.
“And what makes you think you’re allowed to stay up and watch it?”
She stopped mid-twirl and popped a tiny hand on her hip. “You pacifically said I could when I caught you and Daddy wrestling in your…”
I covered her mouth and winked. “The word is specifically. Let’s just keep that to ourselves, shall we?”
She nodded enthusiastically and continued twirling into the living room. Rubbing my back, I snuggled up beside her on the oversized couch. Yawning, Iris rested her hand on my stomach.
“How long till Daddy’s on?”
I kissed the top of her head. “I don’t know, punkin. Could be after the commercial, could be in a couple of hours. These award shows are funny that way.”
As luck would have it, two commercials later, Iris leapt off the couch when the nominees for Album of the Year were announced. As they called Lords of Lyre’s name, the camera panned to their table. All the guys sat with their dates, except for the one man who still took my breath away. Dressed head to toe in black, he reminded me of the first night we met—his tight black pants almost giving me heart failure in that darkened nightclub. His hair, freshly cut and styled, had been gelled in the sexy “just fucked” way that made my fingers itch to run through it.
He smiled cordially and nodded as the announcer called their name.
Iris lifted onto her tiptoes and ran her hand along the screen. “Look, Mommy! Daddy’s on teebee! Hi, Daddy!” She waved emphatically.
I chuckled, then held my breath as the presenters opened the envelope.
“And the Grammy for Album of the Year goes to…Lords of Lyre, Dawn of Darkness.”
The crowd erupted as Ryker fist pumped the air. Zane slammed the last of his drink. Ty bowed his head as a small smile danced on his face. But Julian…his look of pride wasn’t about winning or patting himself on the back. I knew this man. I watched him gaze at each of his bandmates with a sincere smile of gratitude. He knew the award was for them. And they deserved it.
As they made their way to the podium, rock legends stopped to give them high-fives. It wasn’t every day a metal band won Album of the Year at the Grammys. This was a big deal, and I wanted him to soak it all in for the moment it was.
As they were handed their awards, the guys pushed Julian toward the microphone. The move didn’t surprise me. Julian had always been eloquent with words. If anyone could express what they all felt, it’d be him.
After thanking their fans, Kristina, everyone at Circa Records, and each one of his bandmates, Julian faced forward and deadpanned into the camera. “Lastly, I’d like thank the two most important people in my life; my inspiration, my beautiful wife, Phoebe, who couldn’t be here tonight because she’s about to give birth any day now. I love you, princess.” I swiped my eyes as the tears rolled. Damn hormones. “And, of course, my adorable little girl, Iris Rose. If you’re watching this…go to bed, little princess.”
Iris giggled and covered her mouth with her petite hand, her eyes twinkling. Half an hour after they walked off the stage, I pressed the button on the remote, ending the broadcast.
“Mommy!” Iris whined.
“You heard Daddy,” I warned lightly. “Go to bed, Iris Rose.” She stuck out her full lips and pouted. I didn’t know whether to laugh or scold her. In that moment, she looked exactly like Julian.
“Can I please stay up until Daddy gets home? Pleeeease?”
“That might be too late for you, little princess.”
Iris was the empress of the stall tactic, and smiling sweetly, she climbed in my lap and hugged me. “Tell me the story about how you and Daddy met again.”
I knew she was playing me, but as she snuggled against me again and pulled her pink blanket up against her cheek, I was a goner. Toast.
“Fine. Once upon a time, there was a lonely princess who lived in a faraway land called New York. The princess lived a quiet life and very rarely trusted anyone. She had a bad job, working for an evil king who ran an empire called Vinyl.” Iris giggled again. She loved that part. “One day, the evil king gave the princess orders to meet a joker at the market for an interview…”
She looked up with wide eyes. “Daddy said it was a bar.”
“Do you want to hear this or not?” She nodded, and I continued. “As I said, they met at the market. The joker was a mean man who wanted to hurt the princess. And he almost did…until a prince in shiny black pants showed up and saved her.”
