Jude (Beautiful Mine #2) (25 page)

JULIAN

Death has a funny way of putting things in perspective. When you know you’re dying, you give up hope that you can ever have an ordinary life. You spend your days waiting for your number to be called. You know better than to make plans for the future, and you never make a promise you can’t keep.

But for six months of my twenty-four years, I had an ordinary life. I lived. I laughed. I married the love of my short little life, and I’d never felt more alive than I did when I was with her.

I couldn’t promise her forever, but I could promise her she’d always be loved. She’d never have to want for a thing. She was the only person who had ever shown me unconditional love, and she was the only person who could ever truly love the unlovable.

There was only one other man on earth who could appreciate her love the way I did, and there was only one other man on earth who could love her the way I did. They needed each other, and from up here, I could see that they were always supposed to end up together.

I feel her sometimes, where I am. It’s usually nighttime and she’s lying in bed. A memory of our short time together creeps into the corner of her mind, bringing tears to her eyes. And I watch as Jude silently holds her tight, knowing there’s still a gaping hole in her heart where her undying love for me will unobtrusively reside the rest of her days. She’s the most beautiful woman in the entire world, and sometimes I still can’t believe she was ever mine. I’d give anything to have one more day on earth with her, one final day to spend in the park or lying in bed together as the sun comes up, holding her, kissing her, breathing her in. It’s always the little things I miss the most.

Although I died almost a year ago, I’ve never left her side for very long. Whether or not she knew it, she was never truly alone. I was there when she fell in love with Jude. I was there as she roamed the streets of Paris. I was there when Jude proposed to her on the sandy shores of southern California. I’ll be there when they say their vows. They don’t know it yet, but they’ll marry in the courtyard of a sprawling villa in the Tuscan hills. Carys will be there, and Jax too, and Evie’s family. And Jamison.

I’ll be there when they find out they’re pregnant, and I’ll be there when they welcome their sweet baby girl with bright eyes the color of the ocean and Jude’s trademark dimples. They’ll name her Juliana as a nod to me, and they’ll call her Jules.

And after that, I’ll leave them be, knowing that everything turned out exactly the way it was supposed to. I’ll check in again from time to time, but I’ll never stay for long. They say I have work to do up here, and they promise I’ll see her again someday.

Gia DeLuca is a modern day Carrie Bradshaw (if Carrie Bradshaw had three small children, two dogs, a sitcom-dad of a husband, and lived in the suburbs far, far away from the romantic city streets of Manhattan). A daydream believer, Gia is never without an idea in her heart or a song in her head. When she’s not busy tending to her littles, she can be found working on her next book. And when she’s not working, you just might find her curling up with a good book (or a really trashy reality show).

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Dear Reader,

I cannot thank you enough for reading my book! I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it, that you were thoroughly entertained, and that it swept you away to another place and time for a few hours. If you could be so kind as to leave me a review on Amazon, I’d be over the moon! It just takes a few seconds – pull up the product page, scroll down to the review section, and click on “write a customer review”. Voila! I read them all and take them all to heart.

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Gia

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I’d like to specially thank the people who made this series possible. First of all, Beth M – you’ve taught me more in the last two months than I ever learned in any creative writing classes in college. You’re tough as nails, brutally honest, and everything I need in a beta reader. I’m so grateful our paths crossed!

To my inner circle of highly talented people – Celeste, Dan, Carolyn, and Katrina. You guys are the best! And a shout out to my writer’s group – my favorite virtual place to hang out and procrastinate…

Thank you to my editor, Nora, with Wyrmwood Editing! Your eagle eyes and honesty are one in a million!

Shout out to Arijana Karcic with Cover It! Your work is brilliant, beautiful, and definitely worth the wait!

Thanks to one of my besties, Brandi, for answering all my medical questions and for coming up with the perfect diagnosis to inflict upon my tragic hero!

Thank you to my beautiful mother, who watches my little ones so I can write three days a week. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Seriously. I love you! And thanks to my dad! I don’t care how old I am, your support will always mean the world to me.

Finally, thank you to my wonderful husband for keeping me in check, being patient with me, letting me ramble on and bounce ideas off you, and for believing in me when I told you about my dream. I appreciate everything you do, and nothing goes unnoticed. Love you, love you, love you.