Layla could have made the song available to everyone. She could easily have parlayed the success she and Brian were having and gotten a lot more ears on it than she might have in the past. But this was her song, written about her, by her.
For her.
She had gone through every entry in her journal and she read the words she’d written in all their rawness and she listened to what she was trying to tell herself. And it turned out that she did have something to say after all.
When the song ended, Layla took a deep breath and then let it out, slowly. A long cleansing exhale was what she’d been working toward since the night she left Liam. Now she could see that life got bigger, not because of what you accomplished, but despite it. When she was twenty-three, the band had encapsulated what she wanted out of life, but it had also been her whole life. Back then she didn’t know about the career she would grow to love, the people she would meet and surround herself with, and how they would expand her life in such a way that it was almost enough. And if she could sing, create, play the music that she loved, it would be more than enough.
Layla set down her guitar and looked for his face in the crowd.
He was there, of course.
And moments later, he pulled her into his arms.
The tears came then. Lots of them. Happy cathartic tears.
Layla Hilding didn’t know everything. Life was unpredictable, and sometimes all you could do was hold on tight and go along for the ride. But what she did know was that life was a constant changing of the seasons and it turned out that she could handle them just fine.
Acknowledgments
Heard It in a Love Song is my ninth book in approximately nine years. I am still in awe that I get to spend my days doing what I love and that there are people waiting to read my words. “Thank you” doesn’t even begin to cover it. If you’re reading this right now, please know that my life is infinitely better because of you.
I have been saying for years that I’d love to write a book that didn’t require such a vast amount of research and I finally managed to make that happen. However, there were things I still needed to learn about and to that end I must give credit to Jackie Jones. Thank you for sharing the ins and outs of what it’s like to supervise the morning drop-off line (bless you) and everything that’s involved in teaching music at an elementary school. Thank you, also, for stressing how important and fulfilling performing is to someone with an educational and professional background like yours (and Layla’s). Creative outlets really do feed the soul.
To my editor, Leslie Gelbman. You are a true partner and a kindred spirit. Despite the challenges presented to all of us in the year 2020, we persisted, and we prevailed, and I could not have written this book without you. You have my utmost respect and affection.
To everyone at St. Martin’s Press. Words cannot express my appreciation for your continued support and enthusiasm. Special thanks to Sally Richardson, Jennifer Enderlin, Lisa Senz, Brant Janeway, Marissa Sangiacomo, Tiffany Shelton, and Katie Bassell. I’m so happy to be a part of your world.
Jane Dystel, Miriam Goderich, and Lauren Abramo of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. You are truly the trifecta of literary-agent awesomeness. Thank you for all you do.
To Debby Garvis for cheering me on. It meant more than you know.
To my children, Matthew and Lauren. Thank you for never getting frustrated with my constant pleas for your patience and understanding as I worked through the many stages of writing a book. You are my two greatest gifts in life and watching you grow into young adults is the hardest job I’ve ever loved.
To Christine Estevez for all your help with my newsletters, graphics, and anything else I didn’t have time to take care of myself. You’re amazing!
Honorable mention to the Marshall Tucker Band. This book may not be a literal interpretation of your song, but I will always listen to “Heard It in a Love Song” at an earsplitting decibel level that’s well worth the risk to my hearing.
Thank you to anyone who has ever come to my book signings. Looking out into a sea of faces after worrying that there might be only one face—or worse yet, no faces—and seeing you there truly fills my heart with joy.
To the wonderful individuals who have written to me on social media or emailed to let me know how much one of my books has touched you—I am simply in awe that you took time out of your day to let me know.
To Ashley Spivey. Lady, you are one-of-a-kind. Your tireless endeavors and your amazing Spivey’s Club group are so instrumental in spreading the word about authors and their books, and one of these days, I’ll figure out how to thank you properly. In the meantime, please know that my appreciation is endless.
Special thanks to the book bloggers/bookstagrammers who have been so influential in my ability to reach readers. You work tirelessly every day to spread the word about books, and the writing community is a better place because of you. Jamie Rosenblit of Beauty and the Book, Kristi Barrett of A Novel Bee, Susan Peterson of Sue’s Reading Neighborhood, Andrea Peskind Katz of Great Thoughts’ Great Readers, Yvette from Nose Stuck in a Book, Jess from Gone with the Words, Hannah at Bookworms Talk, Sarah Symonds of DragonflyReads, Sarah Sabin of Mama’s Reading Corner, Stephanie Gray of The Book Lover Book Club, and Elysse of Compulsive Reader’s Book Blog. Your gorgeous pictures and posts are every bit as beautiful as your kind words and support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To the members of my Facebook readers’ group, On Tracey’s Island. I love that you’re still in my group despite my long periods of radio silence. I’ll try to do better.
To those who discover and champion my foreign editions. It is thrilling to see your praise and to understand just how far around the globe my stories have traveled.
I want to express my sincere appreciation to the book clubs who choose my titles, the booksellers who hand-sell my books, and the librarians who put them on their shelves.
My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all of you for helping to make Heard It in a Love Song the book I hoped it would be. Words cannot express how truly blessed I am to have such wonderful and enthusiastic people in my life.
And last, but certainly not least, my readers. Without you, none of this would be possible.