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I nodded. “Yeah, just a thick crowd.”
“Crazy, isn’t it?” He broke out into a grin as he took in the audience of the same bar where we’d sung before. I wasn’t all that surprised, since Mason’s single had come out last week. It was good too, but that wasn’t astonishing. He was one of the most talented musicians I knew.
He started to strum as the lights were brought up to the stage. The crowd burst into applause, cheering for him. I scanned the faces I could make out, most of them women—which also wasn’t surprising. I had no doubt that Mason would attract plenty of them…
Just like Jackson.
Ugh. I pushed the thought of him out of my mind. It didn’t even bother me to think about Jackson and other women. He had made me feel like I was the only one from the start…even when we hated each other. And I had to give it to him, I wasn’t sure I had ever seen him look at another woman when I was with him…
And that only made my heart hurt worse.
I was just too much for him. Or, we were too much, actually.
My hand went to my lower stomach, and I found myself fighting tears.
“So, tonight, as much as I want to play for y’all, I actually have a special guest.” Mason’s voice brought me back to reality, and I plastered a stupid smile on my face, turning to him…
But that’s not who I saw.
My eyes went wide. What is he doing here?
“Good evening,” Jackson said in a low voice. “I needed some help with tonight, so I brought in the most talented musicians I’ve ever met.” The crowd cheered, and then he looked at me. “But as talented as you are, I’m going to have to ask you to sit this one out, Lena.” He gestured to the stool.
I took a seat, swallowing hard as my heart pounded in my ears. “What are you doing?” I asked, but my voice was lost to a switch, Mason strumming a different, unrecognizable pattern.
“Since my accident, I haven’t been able to play, but Mason was able to take what I was hearing in my head and bring it to life,” Jackson continued. “And this is for you, Lena. But it’s also for us, and the family we’re going to have. It’s a bit of a mash-up, so I hope you enjoy it.”
Goosebumps ran down my arms at his admission, and I clung to my blouse as he began to sing.
“She’s right out of a dream, and I remember everything. I broke her heart when I should’ve kept it safe. I was too scared to love, but too in love to let her go. And now, I need her to know…I need you to know. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray…”
Tears began to fall from my eyes as he played the first song we ever sang together, his deep raspy tone doing it all the justice it ever needed. I batted the tears from my cheek as I held his gaze, feeling the love flowing from him.
“I’ll always love you and I’ll always be true. I wanna build a family with you.” As Jackson sang the words to the bridge, he took a step toward me. Even in his cast, he was right out of a dream, singing to me in a way most girls could only imagine.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…”
He finished the song, and I slid off the stool, rushing to him. I collided with his chest just as the sob broke loose from my chest.
“I love you, Lena,” he whispered into my ear, his voice wavering as the words left his lips. “And I’m so sorry for how I reacted. I was just shocked, but I’m excited for this…with you. I wanna be the man you need me to be—the man our baby needs me to be.”
I tilted my head back to look up at him, the crowd roaring around us. “Did you plan all this for me?”
“I did,” he chuckled, pushing some of my blonde hair out of my face. “You’re worth it, Lena. You’re worth the whole fucking world times ten. You don’t even have a price—and we’re going to have a good life. I promise.”
“And I promise I’ll never walk out on you,” I said, my voice quiet but firm. “I’ll never put you through what you watched your dad go through in the past.”
A tear slipped down Jackson’s cheek. “Lena, you could put me through hell and back, and I will never regret choosing to love you. Ever.”
EPILOGUE - JACKSON
One Year Later
“When do you think she’ll crawl?” I asked, watching Lindy as she rolled from her tummy to her back, cooing the entire time.
Lena was lying on the floor with her, her eyes glistening with love. “I don’t know, but I hope she doesn’t grow up too fast. I don’t think I’m ready.”
I laughed, slipping off the side of the couch to sit beside her, resting my hand on the curvature of her hip. “So does that mean you don’t want to have a second right now, Mrs. Whiss?”
