A night of kissing, hotness, positions, amazingness, sexiness, and love. All hot, sweet, and unbelievably, perfectly unscripted. I never knew sex could be so utterly, breathtakingly beautiful.
How his love for me shines through his every action.
How every time I think my sexual credit card is maxed out, he touches me and I'm ready to go shopping again.
When he dangles the mistletoe in front of his pants.
"Never. Ever. Will he be tired of you."
How I have a raw, uncontrollable need. For him.
"And, so you know, I don't just believe in luck. I believe in our luck. We're lucky together."
How he dazzles Gracie with his smile and stops her tantrum.
"I want you forever, but I understand now why forever scares you. It's your situation, not me."
"Follow your heart, baby. That's all I ask."
"Of course, I know. We fit together perfectly. And not just when we're dancing. In every single way. I told you: BK. Before Keatyn. You've ruined me."
A quickie in my dressing room.
His face close to mine as he slowly starts counting down from ten, making it feel like the party has disappeared and there is only us. Redoing the New Year's Eve countdown.
A kiss on the top of my head to calm me down.
An offer to make breakfast.
"You don't have to give me the pout. I'll make bacon."
Waking up with kisses sprinkled across my shoulder.
Kissing his clover tattoo, then mine, and wishing me luck before the takeover call.
A reality check I needed: "That's because you're trying to live a pretend life. There's no joy in it."
How he brought the book of Keats poetry from the loft to the hotel.
When he puts me in the tub, orders dessert and tells me I should start with him.
"Morning, beautiful."
How he drags a hand through his messy hair, blinks beautiful green eyes, and then rubs at the scruff on his face. It's something most people do when they wake up, but no one else looks like him doing it. It's the epitome of sexy.
"Do you have any idea how you've changed my life? What you mean to me?" He looks teary. "I'm going to miss you."
"Shhh, baby," he says, smoothing down the back of my hair. "Tell me what happened."
He crashed his car into Vincent's van to save me.
"I couldn't risk losing you."
When he has Dallas get his keychain for me. "Luck and fate. Take them with you, find him, and then come back to me."
When he shows up at my door in Malibu.
How he's so cool when he meets Brooklyn. I think maybe they could be friends.
How he asked me to dance before I told him he was my green flash.
"What it might mean for us? Boots, we survived this. I think we can survive a few days apart. I'll come to the loft every weekend. You need to follow your dreams." When I said wherever they take me, he said, "Wherever they take us."
An amazing birthday.
A beautiful dress.
A surprise dinner with my family.
A Ferris wheel ride.
On the night of my first walk down the red carpet. This note: I thought on the night of your dreams, you should wear the dress of your dreams. Hope this is close. Happy Birthday.
And the dress. OMG! The dress.
A black Gucci tuxedo and a pair of Aviators perched on the top of his head. Looking like sex on a stick.
He had the heel of my shoe from when Vincent tried to kidnap me fixed and said, "Seems like the perfect night to wear the shoes that are the real you."
"You look beautiful tonight."
Being my arm candy.
"Wherever you go, I go."
The huge smile plastered on his face when I told him I was going to spend my senior year at Eastbrooke with him.
The way he greets everyone at my birthday party.
How he graciously bows out when B asks to cut in to dance with me.
Attacking me on the furry rug in my closet. Surrounded by all my clothes.
"We're building our love mansion right here. In this very spot."
And more than 10 years later . . . Top of the Eiffel Tower, sunset.
"You and I are like a promise. A wish. Proof that fate and luck bring people together. Proof of love at first sight. Proof that true love can survive the kiln. I promise you a life that's better than anything you've ever scripted. So, what do you say, Boots? Wanna get hitched?"
A ring that looks like a sunset. With one little green emerald.
"You're my green flash too. Always. Only. Ever yours."
"Are you really pregnant?"
The same shocked look on his face as when I kicked the soccer ball past him. A smile that starts to form, the corners of his mouth turning upward. Which turns into the full-wattage powerful godlike smile that still makes me swoon.
I have to take a moment to talk about Keatyn's letter to Aiden. Oh my gosh. I bawled while I wrote this. For me, this was just so heartbreaking. Keatyn loves Aiden so much, and she truly believes that she won't survive her showdown with Vincent. And it was so wonderful at the end to be able to have her take Aiden to that spot herself and give him the letter. Although Aiden thought Keatyn chose him after she rescued Brooklyn, she had chosen him way before that.
My dearest Aiden- If you're reading this, then by now you know the truth about me and that I didn't survive the showdown with my stalker. But I want to live on. Here. With you. My hope is that this land will allow you to live out your dream of creating a wine label that will make millions for charity.
It's not that I didn't think you could buy it for yourself someday, I just wanted to make sure you followed your dreams. I didn't want anyone-your friends, your parents, whoever-to say that it didn't make sense financially. That you were too young. Whatever.
And it's my sincerest hope that you'll find someone to love and share all this with. Someone who you will watch a million sunsets with. Here. In this spot.
Because even though I didn't always tell you, you've had my heart since the day I met you. Your lips were always my bliss. And I know we weren't sorta like fate. We were exactly like fate.
Always. Only, ever yours, Boots THE LIE LIST.
After writing Hate Me, I went back through all the books to find the lies that Keatyn told and who she told them to. I was actually really surprised by how few times she lied. You'll also notice that Aiden's name is listed by the large majority of them. (Because he asked so many freaking questions!) Since you know Aiden had known who she was for quite some time, it's easy to understand why he purposefully did ask more questions. He really wanted Keatyn to tell him the truth.
I also loved that in Get Me you found out that his wish in Adore Me was that she would trust him enough to tell him the truth.
I'm Keatyn Monroe. (Everyone at Eastbrooke) -I never used to want to be Keatyn Douglas. The name seemed to carry so much weight. So many expectations for what or who I should be. If I'm lucky enough to get to be her again, I will be proud of my name.
I didn't recognize you as the goalie. (Aiden) -I did. I so did. You don't forget eyes like that. Ever. Ever. Ever.
B's name is Bradley. (Riley) -It's Brooklyn.
My parents moved to France. (Everyone at Eastbrooke) -They were in Vancouver at the time, although we do have a house there.
I left my Mercedes at home because of the snow. (Dawson) -Garrett wouldn't let me bring it.
I got in trouble at home. (Annie) -This made me sad to say. I never got in trouble because I never lied to my Mom or Tommy about what I was doing. We had a very open relationship, and I could talk to them about anything. I miss them so much.
My parents deleted my social media. (Riley) (Annie) -They would never, ever do that!!
When I synced my new phone, it deleted all my photos. (Annie) -I would have died if that happened in real life. Like, probably, literally died.
No one has ever said I remind them of Abby Johnston. (Annie)(Riley's mom) -People say our smile, voice, and gestures are exactly the same.
My friend was stalked. (Aiden) -It was me.
We sold our house in California. (Dawson) -We didn't sell the Malibu house and hopefully never will.
I'm a Rockette and my name is Maggie. (Allan the driver) -Um, I'm clearly not.
My Mom's ex-boyfriend was stalking me. (Riley) (Dallas) (Senator McMahon and assorted Secret Service) -My mom never would've dated someone creepy like Vincent. Clearly, I am not as smart as my mother. Because I thought he was sexy and I liked the attention. Like, until the whole attempted kidnapping thing.
My friend had a scare. (Aiden) -It was me who was scared. Really, really, freaked out scared.
Garrett is my uncle. (Everyone) -He is not.
I went on a backstage-type tour for school, came home, and told my mom I wanted to write a fairytale movie. (Aiden) -On how I got into script writing. Such a lame lie but I couldn't think of anything else at the time. Because his hand. Was. On. My. Knee.
My mom is retired but used to work in oil and gas. (Whitney) -My Grandpa did-so at least I kept it in the family. Does that make it less of a lie?
I don't want to be an actress. I want to be a doctor. (Riley's mom) (Drama teacher) -Later, I went on to add, I want to be a pediatric doctor specializing in children's cancer, because my cousin died from it. -Thank god, that's not true. Mostly because I don't have any cousins.
I want to be a CIA agent. (Advisor) (the Dean) -Although, really, it's not a bad back-up plan.
I want to major in International Studies. (College recruiter) -no. Just no.
That I mentioned I knew Damian when we watched one of Twisted Dreams' videos after soccer. (Peyton) -I can hardly even keep up anymore. I should have added that it was after a Steele Building workout-which it was. So, she probably wouldn't have remembered it anyway.
That I didn't think Damian hooked up with groupies. (Aiden) -I don't think Aiden wanted to know the truth. It was for his own good, really.
That Peyton and Damian weren't skinny dipping. (Aiden) -See above reasoning.
Aberly and Fritz (Damian's lie to Aiden that I went along with.) -What the hell kind of name is Aberly?
I'm going to France to be with my mom. (Aiden) -I wish . . .
That I probably wouldn't like To Maddie, with Love (Aiden) -I would love to see it.
That I'm at an all-girls school in the middle of nowhere. (Sander) -I am at a school.
That Cooper is one of Tommy's stunt men. (Sander/friends) -Sorry.
That Tommy and Brooklyn okayed my using their vehicles. (Car detailer) -Sorry, but necessary.
I saw my uncle and talked to him about my mom. (Aiden) -Again, necessary.
My mom is working on oil and gas leases in the Ukraine. (Aiden) -Please, stop asking so many questions!
My mom's name is Kathryn Monroe. My stepdad's name is Tom Hart. (Aiden and his parents) -Curiosity must run in the family.
I didn't correct Aberly /Abernathy. (Aiden and his parents) -Omission, not technically a lie?
I lied in Miami about being stalked. (Riley) -I had to lie about lying. Shit.
I came to Eastbrooke because I wanted to see if I could act. To see if I could pretend to be someone else. I lied because I could. (Everyone at Eastbrooke) -This was the hardest lie of them all.
THE MUSIC.
Let's talk about the music that is so much a part of The Keatyn Chronicles for me. When writing, I either have total silence, or I tend to listen to the same song on repeat a million times.
The songs that I chose for the final playlists for the books were songs my kids and I searched for to fit each scene meticulously. Sometimes it is the lyrics. Sometimes the voice. The beat. But the songs all fit the scenes.