Beneath, You're Beautiful Read online

“Yeah!” they all shouted.

  *

  Blake and I had talked about our future, and while many would think we were rushing things, the heart knows what the heart wants, and we didn’t question it. We had discussed putting my house on the market and me moving in with him. Things were already in motion, but his proposal was a surprise.

  The party was already in full swing when we pulled up to Blake’s house. We heard laughter coming from the back patio as we got out of the car, and the aroma coming from the grill had my stomach growling. “I’m starving,” I blurted as we stepped into the kitchen.

  “Let’s eat then.” He grabbed a plate of appetizers and headed to his home office. “But first I want to show you something.”

  We slipped unnoticed into his office, and he pulled out the chair at his desk for me to sit down. He clicked on his laptop, and the screen popped to life. “What would you think of a destination wedding?”

  “I think it’s perfect. We can invite a few of our friends, my parents, and your dad. I did the big wedding thing before, and I have no desire to do that again.”

  “What do you think of this?” he asked as a website popped up with wedding set on a powder white beach with turquoise water as the backdrop.

  “Where is that?”

  “Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. It’s my favorite tropical escape when I need to relax, and I would love nothing more than to become your husband standing on that beach at sunset.”

  “I would love nothing more than to give you that, especially after everything you’ve given me.”

  “Really? You don’t want to pick something else, like Hawaii?”

  “No, if this place is special to you, I know it will be special to me. I remember you telling me about it a long time ago. How soon can we get married?”

  “That depends on you.”

  I stood to face Blake. “I’m ready to start writing the next chapter with you . . . the sooner, the better.”

  “God, I love you, Victoria.” He pulled me into a passionate kiss.

  There was a loud knock on the door. “I know you’re making out in there,” Bobbie Jo yelled. “You have a backyard full of guests, and you need to show some restraint and get your asses out here. If you aren’t out in five minutes, I’m not responsible for what happens next.”

  I started laughing. “She means business.”

  “She’s one-in-a-million,” he snickered. “Life would be dull without her.”

  “That it would.” I smiled up at him. “My life would be empty without you. I love you and can’t wait to become your wife.”

  He grabbed the laptop off of his desk. “Want to go book our dream wedding?” He winked at me.

  “Yes. Jillian told me to keep living the dream . . . and a dream wedding is just the beginning.”

  Epilogue

  “I’d like one slice of the Red Velvet for my wife, and I’ll take a slice of the Snickers,” Blake said to the woman behind the counter of the Cheesecake Factory.

  He’d accompanied Victoria to her check-up with Dr. Guthrie that afternoon. Her labs were normal, and everything looked great, which meant she wouldn’t need to come back for another four months. To celebrate, he wanted to pick up a special treat for her, and she suggested cheesecake. It was still her favorite.

  Victoria had excused herself to the ladies’ room right after they’d walked in the door and asked Blake to go ahead and order for her and to make it a surprise. He loved that about her. Her carefree and easy-going attitude was a pleasure to see. It wasn’t easy, but she had worked hard to get to this point, and he loved her even more for it. She was an amazing woman, and he still couldn’t believe she was his wife.

  He was scrolling through messages on his phone when a man’s voice interrupted. “Dr. Forrester? Is that you?”

  Looking up, he came eye-to-eye with none other than Noah Madison, who was standing in front of him. He appeared to be waiting with a few other gentlemen for their table. Judging by their attire and demeanor, he assumed it was a business lunch.

  “Noah Madison, right?” he asked, not revealing that he knew everything about the asshole in front of him. He wanted to haul off and deck the man for being a complete bastard, but he was also thankful for him being that way, because it brought Victoria to him. How jacked up was that?!

  “Yeah. How’ve you been?” Noah asked, trying to make small talk for some odd reason; it was uncomfortable.

  Blake was preparing to answer when the woman behind the counter spoke up, “Did you want the extra whipped cream with the Red Velvet for your wife?”

  “Yes, I’m sure she wants it.” He smiled politely before turning back to Noah. “I’ve been well, and you?”

  “I’m married to my job, but I’m content.” He shifted awkwardly on his feet. “So, you’re married now? I guess congratulations are in order.”

  “Thank you, she’s very special,” Blake replied just as he caught sight of a beautiful woman walking toward him. Her hair was a warm chocolate color with soft waves that fell to her shoulders, and her skin was radiant, almost glowing. But it was her dark brown eyes and breathtaking pink lips curved in a smile that made his heart skip a beat as she made her way toward him. She wasn’t paying attention to the man standing in front of him making small talk; she was on a mission, and Blake was the final destination.

  “Blake, you have to feel this,” she exclaimed with excitement bubbling up. “The baby is moving!” She grabbed his hand and placed it on her growing belly. A smile spread across his face as he felt their baby moving. Their baby. A baby that surprised everyone. A true blessing.

  “The little peanut is definitely wiggling up a storm in there.” He smiled before quickly looking back to the man who was now silently gawking at them. “I’m sure the baby is anxious for the sugar rush that’ll be coming soon.”

  Blake reached for Victoria’s hand, kissed it, and slowly turned her around. “Noah here just congratulated me on getting married, but I didn’t have a chance to tell him that we were expecting as well.” He nodded toward the man in front of them.

  Victoria looked up to find the stunned face of Noah looking back at her. The last time she saw him was when he’d walked out the door after serving her divorce papers. She did her best to avoid places where she may run into him; however, she knew the chances of that happening at some point were good, especially since he had tried to contact her a few times.

  But she couldn’t have imagined this moment, right here at the Cheesecake Factory, being the one. Not even in her wildest dreams. They were standing at the very counter that made her question if love existed—the spot where she had first seen Noah with Stacey.

  She looked over at Blake, who still had a tight hold on her left hand as she rubbed her tummy with her right. She was carrying his child, the child of a man who loved her completely and unselfishly. She had fought and won her battle with breast cancer, and in the process, she was given the love of an extraordinary man. The journey she started with Noah led her to this moment. To this exact spot, at this exact this time.

  Victoria looked back at Noah and with a soft smile said, “Thank you for giving me my happily ever after.”

  She turned to the woman at the counter who had their bag of cheesecake ready to go. Reaching over to grab it from her, Victoria thanked her, then nodded to Blake, letting him know she was ready to go.

  As they walked toward the exit, Victoria didn’t look back. She never would. There was nothing back there to see. Everything she needed and wanted was right in front of her, holding the door with a smile and the promise of forever. Her future was written, and it was beautiful.

  The End

  Acknowledgments

  On September 21, 2013, I messaged a friend with a crazy idea to write a book about a woman with breast cancer. I wasn’t expecting her to challenge me to write 1,500 words that night, but she did, and I wrote them. They were crap, but they were the beginning of a story. This story. A story that quickly grew to 100,000 words before my ey
es. I wrote at night, while my kids were at dance. I wrote on the weekends, when I should’ve been cleaning. I wrote in my head in the middle of the night, and grabbed a post-it note to write it down. I made the decision to split it into two books because I wasn’t close to being done, and I didn’t want to rush Victoria’s story.

  I released Beneath It All on September 24, 2014 and here I am five months later sharing the end of her story with you in Beneath, You’re Beautiful. I cannot believe I wrote a book, let alone two. It’s surreal.

  There are countless people to thank and acknowledge for getting me to this point. Without their support and encouragement, I would have never gotten this story into your hands.

  Jack and my little crazies, there are no words that truly express my appreciation for the three of you putting up with my crazy plan to write a book, let alone two books. You’ve taken this journey with me. Jumping in excitement with me when reviews started coming in from book one, hugging me when I got emotional out of the kindness of readers and boosting my spirits when I questioned what I was doing. Thank you for standing by my side and becoming my cheerleaders. I love you!

  Beth N., you are the reason Victoria’s story was written. Once again, I wouldn’t be writing this acknowledgment if you hadn’t laid down the challenge to write. I’m thankful for your friendship, encouragement and support. You’ve made an incredible impact on my life that will never be forgotten. You are simply amazing . . .

  Bobbie Jo, Jen G. and MJ, my rock star first round critique readers, you have been by my side since book one encouraging me. Your feedback was paramount to Victoria’s story. Thank you for taking the time to read my book in draft form, and for giving me your unconditional love and support through it all! Best of all, I lucked out by gaining some pretty fabulous friends . . .

  Amanda, my hero. Fate was on my side when I found you. It was a pleasure working with you again on the second book. I was thrilled when the document came back with 1,200 less revisions than book one did. I’m learning. While it still was a tedious process, I can’t thank you enough for your expertise and attention to detail. I look forward to working with you again on another book . . .

  Teri, my sanity and writer’s block buster. Thank you for your text that morning when the characters were on vacation from my thoughts and I couldn’t get them to come back. Because of you, I was able to grasp onto an idea that give Victoria’s story new life and depth. I cherish your friendship and I’m thankful for your humor. Let’s not forget, your loud voice and dancing abilities. You are a gem . . .

  Candi, Carolyn, Izzy, Janet, Lindsey, Lynne, and Rose, this amazing group of ladies made up my beta and proofreaders. Your feedback, positive and constructive, was pivotal in helping me write scenes that made sense to a wide range of readers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and sharing your thoughts. Most of all, thank you for your friendship and encouragement . . .

  Allison, Candace, Dana, Danielle, Jen L., Maggie and Tina, friendship knows no bounds. Each one of you have made an incredible impact on my life. Some of you have been in my life for decades and others over the last year, but the one thing you all have in common is your ability to make me smile and bring laughter to my days. Thank you for simply being you. You have made a positive impact on my life, and hold a special place in my heart . . .

  Last, but not least, thank you to the readers and several bloggers. You took a chance on me and I will forever be grateful for that. I hope you enjoyed reading the Beneath Series as much as I enjoyed writing it. My ultimate goal in writing Victoria’s story was to bring awareness to breast cancer. I surpassed that goal. I encourage you to pay attention to your body and perform monthly breast self-exams. While this is a fictional story, the reality of breast cancer, and what it’s capable of doing, is not.

  It’s bittersweet finishing Victoria’s story, it has been a labor of love for close to eighteen months and all of the characters have become a part of me. A part of me that brings me joy and strength. I’m not ready to let them go . . . just yet.

  Many of you have expressed how much you love Bobbie Jo, Dana and Jen. I’m pretty sure they each have a story to tell and you never know if Victoria, Blake and baby McHottie’s may show up. I have no date for release, yet, but be sure to watch for updates on social media . . .

  www.facebook.com/ToriMadisonAuthor

  www.tsu.co/torimadison

  twitter.com/authortorimadis

  Did you enjoy Beneath, You’re Beautiful? If so, I would love to hear about it! Feel free to share your review on Goodreads and other retailers.

  Goodreads:

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  About the Author

  Happily married and the mother of two, Tori Madison is active in the world of philanthropy and finds joy in making a difference in lives of others. She is an avid reader, lover of life and a breast cancer survivor. Currently residing with her family in Minnesota, she can often be found at Caribou Coffee or at the dance studio with her kids. With a well-known weakness for dark chocolate with sea salt and cheesecake, she also has a fondness for chips and fresh salsa.

  Writing a book was never on her radar. After a challenge from a friend to write 1,500 words the story came to life and a new opportunity to make a difference was born.

  Her debut novel, Beneath It All, released on September 24, 2014. Beneath, You’re Beautiful is her second novel and the sequel to Beneath It All. It is a two book series.

  Contact Tori

  Email:

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  Pinterest:

  www.pinterest.com/authortorimadis

  Goodreads:

  www.goodreads.com/author/show/8342405.Tori_Madison