Wish I May (42 page)
I spin around and William pulls me close. “Happy prom night,” he whispers in my ear.
Wrapping our arms around each other, we start to dance from where we stand. “I thought about taking you to the actual prom,” he says, his hands cupping my butt. “But then I couldn’t touch you like this. I didn’t want to finally get prom night with my girl and be expected to behave.”
I grin. “We couldn’t have that.”
His fingers tie something cool around my wrist.
“Diamonds?” I shift my hand back and forth, watching them twinkle in the light.
“Stardust,” he corrects. “I want you to always believe you deserve whatever you can wish for, Cally. As long as you’ll let me, I’ll make your wishes come true.”
“They already have,” I whisper. “I love you so much, William Bailey. You’re my dream come true, and I’m so grateful I found you again.”
“Hmm…then do you mind if I borrow them to make a wish of my own?”
I grin. “What’s that?”
“I know you’ve already given me more than I should ask for, but I’m one of those spoiled rich kids who thinks he should have everything he wants.”
“You’re not spoiled. What is it? What do you want?”
He releases me and draws a box from his pocket. “I wish you would marry me, Cally Fisher.”
My throat is thick with tears and happiness, but I nod and press my lips to his. “You don’t have to wish for me, William. I’m already yours.”
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There is a common argument that prostitution is a victimless crime—a transaction between two consenting adults that harms no one. However, in the United States, we’re beginning to take another look at what is truly happening in these so-called “consensual” transactions and, in some cases, reclassify them as human sex trafficking. Authorities have found that very often the prostitutes are coerced into a life they don’t want to be living, manipulated through addiction, poverty, and fear. It is all too easy to dismiss a prostitute’s troubles, to tell ourselves “she made the choice,” but as William tells Cally, a choice made out of fear is no choice at all.
Gotye, Kimbra—
Somebody That I Used to Know
Kings of Leon—
Sex on Fire
Passenger—
Let Her Go
Ani DiFranco—
Sorry I Am
Miley Cyrus—
Wrecking Ball
Sara Bareilles—
Gravity
The National—
Slipped
Ani DiFranco—
Letter to a John
Kodaline—
All I Want
William Fitzsimmons featuring Rosi Golan—
You Still Hurt Me
Katy Perry—
Roar
One Republic—
Counting Stars
I must thank my husband first. Without him, my books just wouldn’t be possible. Brian, thank you for the time, encouragement, and patience you gave me through this book and all the others. For sending me to the “satellite office” to work when the kids won’t leave me alone, for listening to my endless out-of-context plot concerns, and for proving day after day that happily-ever-after exists outside of my head. I love you and those rotten kids something fierce.
My friends and family, who celebrate my successes as their own, cheer me on every step of the way, and pimp my books out to every literate adult they meet. I am humbled by your enthusiasm and grateful to have built a life surrounded by such amazing people.
To everyone who provided me feedback on and cheers for William and Cally’s story along the way—especially Adrienne Hogan, Marilyn Brant, Violet Duke, Megan Mulry, Annie Swanberg, and Lauren Blakely—you’re all awesome and I’m lucky to call you my friends.
Thank you to the team that helped me package this book and promote it. Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations designed my beautiful cover, and if I have my way she will do many, many more for me. Rhonda Helms, thank you for the insightful line edits, and Sara Biren at Stubby Pencil Editing for proof reading. A massive shout-out to Jessica Estep of Ink Slinger PR for your amazing and tireless work to promote me and my books, and to all of the bloggers and reviewers who help her do it. Amazing. Every one of you.
To my agent, Dan Mandel for getting my books into the hands of readers all over the world—you’re making my dreams come true.
To all my writer friends on Twitter, Facebook, and my various writer loops, thank you for your support and inspiration. I must say, ours is the coolest water cooler in all of the workforce.
And last but certainly not least, thank you to my fans. To those who read
Unbreak Me
and sent me notes begging for William to get his happily-ever-after, knowing you wanted to read his story as much as I wanted to write it was a thrill. I appreciate each and every one of my readers. I couldn’t do this without you and wouldn’t want to. Thank you for buying my books and telling your friends about them. Thank you for asking me to write more. You’re the best!
~Lexi
Excerpts from Marilyn Brant and Jen McLaughlin
Dear Readers: One of the few activities I love as much as writing is reading. On the following pages, you will find the description of and excerpts from two books I loved: Marilyn Brant’s
The Road to You
and Jen McLaughlin’s
Out of Line,
both available now. Enjoy!
About the
The Road to You
Sometimes the only road to the truth...is one you’ve never taken.
Until I found Gideon’s journal in the tool shed—locked in the cedar box where I’d once hidden my old diary—I’d been led to believe my brother was dead. But the contents of his journal changed all that.
The Road to Discovery...
Two years ago, Aurora Gray’s world turned upside down when her big brother Gideon and his best friend Jeremy disappeared. Now, during the summer of her 18th birthday, she unexpectedly finds her brother’s journal and sees that it’s been written in again. Recently. By him.
The Road to Danger...
There are secret messages coded within the journal’s pages. Aurora, who’s unusually perceptive and a natural puzzle solver, is hell bent on following where they lead, no matter what the cost. She confides in the only person she feels can help her interpret the clues: Donovan McCafferty, Jeremy’s older brother and a guy she’s always been drawn to—even against her better judgment.
