Page 61 of Under the Same Sky

“I want to thank y’all for coming tonight, and for showing your support for my girl.” His gaze locks with mine, and I just about die. “Reese, I’m so incredibly proud of you, babe. You’ve worked so hard for everything you have, and tonight, it’s all about you.” Claps and hollers break out around us, and the attention is almost too much. “Now, what do you say we get this party started, huh?” The band join him on stage, and as soon as they start playing, the crowd goes so wild, the walls vibrate. I’ve never seen Thorin on stage before, or seen him in his element, but watching him now, I can tell he’s enjoying himself. And he did all this. For me. Maggie slips a pair of noise-canceling headphones over Eli’s ears before taking him out of his carrier. She smiles at me, and winks, swaying her hips like everyone else. After four songs, Fletch, Benji and Carson climb down, leaving Thorin alone on stage. “I have one more song left to sing,” he breathes into the mic. “This ones for you, Reese Pie.” My heart flip-flops in my chest, and my pulse skitters double-time when Thorin takes a seat on a stool, an acoustic on his lap. The familiar chords of What’s Mine is Yours by Kane Brown filter into the room, and Thorin’s slower rendition of the song has every woman in the room swooning. Including yours truly. I don’t even mind that they’re swooning, because I know he’s all mine, and he’s singing to me, for me. When he’s done, Fletch puts some other background music on, and while they sign a few autographs, I end up signing a few myself. Which is so bizarre. Women, and girls alike come talk to me, tell me what an inspiration I’ve been, and honestly, it’s the most surreal experience I’ve ever had. People eat, and mingle, congratulating me as they pass. Mya taps me on the shoulder. “Your app has gone live, and it already has over three-hundred-thousand downloads.” My eyes just about bug out of my head. How is that even possible? “And all the clothes in the store are sold out.”

“What? That’s insane!”

“We have a ton of pre-orders as well,” she adds, hopping up and down on her feet. “You did it!”

“We did it,” I remind her. “I wouldn’t have made it this far without you, Mya.”

Just then an older woman and her daughter approach me.

“Hi,” the woman greets. She has kind brown eyes, blonde hair, and a thin frame. “I’m Kirsten, and this is my daughter, Hannah.”

“Hi,” I shake both their hands. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

Hannah pulls at her long-sleeved shirt, a habit I know all too well, and gives me a shy, timid smile. She’s built a lot like me, and looks very much like I did back in high school.

“We’re kind of new in town, moved here about six months ago,” Kirsten explains. “Hannah and I are both big fans, and…” Her chin trembles, and she swallows. “We really wanted to meet you because, well, Hannah tried to…” She swallows again, and when her tears fall, I get what she’s trying to say. She doesn’t need to explain. “Y-you have helped my daughter find her courage, and I wanted to say thank you.” Without preamble, I pull the woman into my arms, and it’s all I can do not to cry myself. Because this right here, is why I started doing what I do. I wanted girls, and women, from all walks of life to love themselves, and their bodies, regardless of their shape or size. I wanted to give them courage to embrace who they are, and at the same time, teach them to take care of themselves, not because society expects them to look a certain way, but because they owe it to themselves. “I’m so glad I could help you.” I pull back, and look at Hannah. “You are a very brave girl,” I tell her, my voice a little shaky. “And no matter what anyone tells you, you are beautiful, and you are loved, just the way you are.” She steps forward, and gives me a hug, but doesn’t say anything. Her mom thanks me again, and I watch them leave the store. And they’re not the first people to share their story with me. Several other girls, some from the local high school, and others from out of town who came just to be here tonight, tell me how much I’ve helped them, and by the time the crowd starts to thin, I’m left feeling so fulfilled, I’m about to burst. This is my purpose, I realize. What started out as a way for me to share my own story, my own journey, turned into a plight to give hope to people who feel hopeless, courage to those who feel afraid, and strength to those who feel they have nothing and no one to live for. When Maggie and my dad call it a night, my dad squeezes me, and kisses the top of my head. “I’m so glad I got to see this,” he tells me, his smile wide, and his expression awash with pride.

“Me too, Dad.” God, if my heart expands any more, it’s going to explode. Any doubts I had about having my dad back in my life are eviscerated. We may be still getting to know each other again, but we’re in no rush. Maggie kisses my cheek, and when they leave, it’s just me, Mya, Thorin, Benji, Carson and Fletch. Benji and Carson are messing around on stage, while Mya and Fletch stand apart from us. Pretty sure there’s a whole lot going on there right now, but I decide to leave that for another day. Or at least until I can corner Mya long enough to pepper her with questions. Tonight though, it doesn’t matter.

“You happy?” Thorin asks, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Deliriously so.” I sigh. “I can’t believe you did all this.”

“I probably should have mentioned that I have a condition attached.”

“Oh, Lordy,” I laugh. “Sex every day for a year?” A small, but extremely rewarding, price to pay in comparison to what he’s given me.

“No,” he chuckles, “but I can always work it in. In fact—”

“What’s the condition?” Best not to let him get carried away. He tends to do that a lot. Tonight is a perfect example.

“Sing with me,” he says, brushing my nose with his.

I frown. “Like, right now?”

He shakes his head. “On the next album. I want you to sing with me on the next album, maybe even write a few songs with me. Like we used to.”

“You know I haven’t written a song since college, right?” The thought of writing songs with Thorin again, singing with him, fills me with apprehension. Not because I don’t want to, but because I’d probably pale in comparison.

“I know, but I read some of the stuff you wrote, and you’re good, Reese.”

“Have you spoken to the guys about it?”

“I have, and they’re totally on board with it. You shocked the shit outta them when you sang Under The Same Sky, and they agree that you’ll be perfect for what we have in mind for the new album, the new sound.”

“You’re changing your sound?” Until now, Eighteendust has been country rock—a mixture of that Southern goodness, and angsty lyrics.

“I’ve been playing with some ideas, and I want the new album to feel like coming home.” He watches me, his expression open. “Or rather like finding home.”

“And have you?” I ask. “Found home?”

“I have, because you’ve shown me that home is not just a place, but a feeling, and a person, and you’re that person for me. You’re home.”

When he says things like that, I could just melt, which makes the decision an easy one, despite my reservations.

“Okay.” I stretch onto the balls of my feet. “I’ll do it. Because you’re home to me, too.”

Chapter Twenty-Four