Home Is Where You Are

by Melissa Grace

“Ohhhh… did you not have a bikini wax? I told you, you really have to keep that up. Otherwise, it turns into the swamp thing down there.”

I can’t wait to come back home to my sweet tequila sunrise. Miss you already. Love, Jax

“Hey, Dal,” I said, cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder. He chuckled. “We’ve been over this. My code name is Agent Sprinkles.” “My bad.” I snorted. “Agent Sprinkles.” “You’re gonna blow this entire operation, Officer Cupcake.”

“Costco is where you buy toilet paper in bulk, not sexy underwear.”

“This last song is a new one. I wrote it for a very special woman in my life. We’ve never played it in front of an audience. In fact, the only person I’ve ever played it for is her, and I… I miss her a lot. It’s called ‘Love You More.’”

“You wreck me, Olivia Sinclair.” He crashed his lips into mine. “You absolutely wreck me.” The truth was, he wrecked me too.

“What’s it like to have half your heart on the other side of the world? Thousands of red lights, nothing but long nights, keeping a boy from his girl.”

“What’s it like to always wanna go home? Because you know every city you’re in is the wrong one when you have someone worth missing.”

“I love the smell of Target. Smells like everything I never knew I needed.”

“You need an afternoon of relaxation and beautification, and God knows I need less of this.” He looked back at me apologetically and made a sweeping gesture at us. “No offense to you boys. You’re great and all, but the bullshit is strong with y’all.”

“Hot damn, no ma’am.”

“You’re more than enough for me. You’re everything to me.”

“I want to build a family with you. I want a future with you. Whether that means we adopt, foster, or just rescue a bunch of furry brothers and sisters for Mama. No matter what it is, I want it all with you.”

“You sounded like a fucking wounded animal, man,” Luca whispered loudly. “How was I supposed to know you were in here letting the snake out of the fucking cage?”

“I feel like I’m forgetting to do something.” “The dessert,” I whispered between kisses. “That’s not it.” She waved me off. “We brought that home yesterday, remember?” “I donut believe that’s the dessert I was referring to,” I murmured in her ear.

You could be a solo artist. I’ll quit the band if I have to. Whatever I have to do, Liv. I’ll do it. I’m not losing you. None of it matters without you.”

I almost wished the universe had never put him in my path. That I’d gone on unaware love like the kind Jax showed me existed. I almost wished I never knew what it felt like to be held by him. To be loved by him. Almost.

And I’m not going to leave your side. Not now, not ever. No matter what you do, you’ll never have to do it alone.

“I may not know everything that’s going on, but I think he really does want you to be happy, even if that means he doesn’t get to be.”

“I did find her, Mr. Slade, but I regret to inform you that your mother passed away about a month ago due to a drug overdose. Her body is being kept in the morgue at St. Louis University Hospital.”

“I think you found the love of a lifetime,” she said gently. “Love like that is so rare, Liv. I’d set the whole world on fire to get Craig back.

Sometimes you have to hit a few potholes and take a few wrong turns to get to happiness. Sometimes you’re cruising along happy as can be, and out of nowhere, everything goes up in flames. But those moments of happiness are worth the pain. They’re worth every bit of it.

In the words of the great philosopher, Dolly Parton, ‘Find out who you are and do it on purpose.’

Hearing him say those words, I felt nothing but sorry for him. Sorry that he’d missed out on who I could have been. Sorry that he’d been so insecure he had to tear me down to build himself back up.

I hope she can never get her eyeliner to be even ever again.”

“I’d like to raise a toast,” I said, raising my voice and my flute of champagne. “To Cash, and to the beautiful beginnings of Carrie On Records!”

“Girl, you ain’t got nobody fooled.” Antoni pursed his lips. “I think we all know the real reason you decided you wanted to work in the music business, and he’s about six feet tall with a British accent, gorgeous red curls, and he goes by the name of Sam Corbyn.”