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Those two seconds were the longest two seconds of my life.In the blink of an eye I was able to feel the squeeze of Colt’s hand, to hear the beat of my own heart and know that I was exactly where I was meant to be whether I won or not, that anticipation was a drug I fed off of even if it did make mecrazy.

“Lily Lawrence forThe Poetry of Love.” I froze, fairly certain I had inserted what I wanted to hear instead of what was actuallybeingsaid.

But Colt grabbed me and kissed me.And then he leapt to his feet with a huge smile, pulling me up with him.“You won, babe!Youwon!”

I blinked severaltimes.

Notalent.

I suckedforair.

Attentionwhore.

I grabbed Colt’s hand and looked for confirmation in his steady gaze.He cupped my face.“You really won.Nowgo.”

The music from our movie was playing and the crowd clapped enthusiastically as I made my way to the stage.It wasn’t far.Colt and I were good television so they’d placed us close to thestage.

And then Alice Anders, one of my idols and the woman who’d won this award last year, was smiling and placing that heavy gold statue in myhands.

Holyshit.

Now I had tospeak.

“You know for someone who just won an award for her words, I don’t have many right now.”The applause was replaced by a lot of laugher, which helped settle my nerves.“I believe the universe is held together by threads.Sometimes they’re tight and easy to follow, but other times they get loose.They blow in the wind.They take you on a crazy journey.When I was a child all I wanted was to be up here just like my grandmother because she lived her work and, to me, that was the very essence of what I wanted to be.But my thread was loose and it took me on an amazing journey.A journey that gave me the story I wrote inThe Poetry of Love.I want to thank the Academy for this great honor.”I got choked up there and had to sniff it away so I could finish because the next part was alsoimportant.

“I need to thank Ted Lowe for his constant friendship and taking a chance on a no-good, untalented actress who was a bad bet.That chance was all I needed.I worked hard and that work led me to my fiancé, Colt, to this story, and today to stand here and accept this award.If anyone out there has a story inside them they need to tell, I want you to remember this: you are not a bad bet.If someone gives you the chance, take it.Work hard, make your art, and follow yourthread.”

Everyone cheered and they started playing the music, but I wasn’t done so I refused to move.I waved everyone down and they thankfully lowered themusic.

“And finally,” I smiled.“My thanks to my sister Elizabeth for sheltering me, her husband Adam for loving us, to my entire cast and crew for working harder than anyone else in the business because youlovetelling stories as much as I do, and to my love, Colt.”I held up the statue.“What do you say we celebrate with a wedding?Maybetomorrow?”

“He’s pacing outside,”Charley giggled, William, their son and my ring bearer, inherarms.

“Well he can pace until he wears a hole in the carpet.”Except Grayson would have a fit over that.“What doeshewant?”

She giggled again.“I think he just wantsakiss.”

Unlikely.Knowing Colt he wanted something else.“The ceremony is in twenty minutes.He gets a kiss at the end, in case he’sforgotten.”

Evangeline, my beautiful flower girl, tugged on my hand, her long dark curls bouncing.“When do you put on yourdress?”

“Now.”And that’s when I realized why Colt was there.Hewanted to putiton.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.“Do you want me to go all big sisteronhim?”

“Could you go see what he wants?For real?”I shot Charley adubiouslook.

“What?He doesn’t listentome.”

“Oh, he’ll listen to me,” Elizabeth muttered as she slipped out the door.She’d flown in before the awards ceremony to help get everything ready.Adam and my Uncle Oliver flew inyesterday.

And even though Uncle Oliver had a small hand in raising me, he wasn’t the man I’d asked to walk me down the aisle.I’d asked Adam.I’d thought about walking down myself in a symbolic act of independence, but let’s be honest, I needed an arm to lean on and Adam’s was one that made sense.His parents came too, which made it feel even more perfect that I’d asked him.He gave us the family Elizabeth and I never had, and now I was adding to those ranks with theLandry’s.

“Clear the room,”Elizabethsaid.

“I thought you were taking care of things?”My hands shot to my hips.If my sister couldn’t manage Colt then no onecould.

“Yeah, well, the man makes a compelling argument.”She ushered everyone out.“See you inafew.”