“I hear that,” Gianna said, sighing.
“Oh please,” Gabby said, nudging Sage. “We were exactly the same way when we were their age. Think about it. We were crazy about these two,” she said, inclining her head toward their husbands. “But can you imagine if our parents knew about some of the things we did?” She shuddered. “I’d have been grounded for a month.” She appeared thoughtful, tapping her finger against her lips. “Maybe ten.”
“It’s crazy to think about, isn’t it?” Sage asked. “I was Nick’s age when I fell in love with Wes. That seems so young to me now. Yet at the time, I thought we were so mature, that we knew what we wanted and we’d be together forever.”
“Well, you did end up together,” Taylor reminded her. “So, you must have had some sixth sense about Wes.”
Before Sage could respond, the guys took it up a notch, hooting and hollering until Gunnar finally jumped to his feet, hands raised in supplication.
Gianna grinned, anxious to hear him sing again. It had been a long time, and she’d missed seeing him play for an audience.
“I’m only doing this because they’re your friends,” Gunnar whispered in her ear as Rush ran up on stage to tell their patrons about the special treat he had in store for them.
“Really?” she asked, linking her arm around his neck. “From where I was sitting, it looked like you were having a pretty good time.” It had been a while since she’d seen him laugh so much, which was a relief after that phone call. She could kiss every one of her friends for helping take his mind off that.
“I was.” He brushed his lips across hers. “I like them. And I like it here. Feels good.” He kissed her again. “Feels like… home.”
Gianna felt a thrill as she watched him move through the cheering crowd, strapping on the guitar he’d borrowed from one of the guys in the band.
He adjusted the microphone and smiled at the crowd. “How you guys doin’ tonight?” He chuckled when people shouted out and a few tapped their beer bottles against the table. He sat on the stool in the middle of the small stage and fiddled with the guitar, presumably tuning it to his liking.
“Well, it’s been a little while since I’ve done this, so I hope you’ll all bear with me.”
Gunnar was born to the stage and as far as Gianna knew had never put on a bad show, but she loved that he’d remained humble and still worried about pleasing his crowd, no matter how big or small it was.
“Instead of playing something you might recognize,” he said, looking uncharacteristically nervous. “I was thinking maybe I could try something new on you tonight?” He grinned as his eyes moved around the room while people cheered his name and applauded. “Well, alright then.”
Gianna was mesmerized while he sang about a stupid boy who’d lost his girl to bad decisions and reckless ways. He talked about what he’d do and say if he ever got her back… and his eyes locked with hers.
The song was sweet… and haunting at the same time. And Gianna had no doubt every person in that room who had ever been in love before took the same journey with him. That song resonated with her in a way no other song, or even Gunnar’s own heartfelt words ever had.
“Wow,” Taylor whispered, fanning her face as Gunnar broke into one of his faster-paced hits that had the crowd singing and dancing after the rousing standing ovation they gave him for his new work. “That was just… wow. I’ve always been a fan of his music, but he just took it to a whole new level with that song, didn’t he?”
There was murmured assent around the table as Gianna continued to watch the man she loved with newfound appreciation. He was more than a singer or a talented guitar player. He was a storyteller, completely unafraid to bare it all for his fans, and that made her look at him in a whole new way. He was so incredibly brave to put it all out there the way he did. It inspired her to want to do the same.
When Gunnar wrapped it up after a few more songs, the band took over and Rush sat in with them to sing a few, joking that Gunnar was a tough act to follow, but he’d do his best.
Before Gunnar reached their table, Gianna stood, meeting him at the edge of the small dance floor. “Dance with me?” The song was an old favorite of hers from high school, one she hadn’t heard in years.
“Of course.” He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “Damn, this feels good.”
She sighed contentedly before tipping her head back to look at him. “I remember dancing to this at my senior prom and thinking I was going to marry my date, Joey Corolla.” She laughed when he scowled. “He friended me on Facebook the other day. He’s a mechanic with a beer belly and a missing front tooth. I wouldn’t worry.”
He grunted. “I’ll always worry about another man taking you away from me, Gi.”
“You don’t have to.” She couldn’t believe how far they’d come in such a short time. It felt like the last and worst years of their relationship had never even happened. She was getting to know a side to Gunnar she had never even known existed and it made her love him even more. “There’s no one else I could ever want. I know that now.”
“So tell me, this, uh, Joey guy. What kind of life did you imagine having with him?”
She could scarcely remember anything about that time. It was only the song that triggered an isolated memory, but when she thought more about it, she said, “I guess I thought I was in love with him. We’d been together awhile, he was a pretty nice guy. He talked about taking over his dad’s body shop in town, which I guess is what he did.”
“Would that life have been enough for you?” he asked quietly. “Is that the life you wished you’d had?”
She knew he was still insecure about their relationship. She was too. It would take time for them both to have complete faith in what they had again. “I wouldn’t trade these years with you for anything. And not just because of the girls. You’ve been…” There were no words to describe how important he’d been to her. He helped her find herself all those years ago. She found her voice, her confidence. She learned what she wanted and didn’t want, liked and didn’t like, all because of him. “My everything.”
“You really feel that way?” he asked, looking a little stunned and awed.
“I do.” She smiled, tracing her thumb over his lips. “I won’t say it hasn’t been a wild ride, being with you. It has. It’s been terrifying at times.” She thought about the first time she had to walk a red carpet on his arm with flashbulbs going off in her face. “It’s been exhilarating.” There were incredible trips to exotic places that not even a camera lens could capture. “It’s been scary.” She thought of all the nights lying in bed, wondering where he was and why he hadn’t come home or called. “It’s made me sad.” She thought of all the times she thought of leaving… then stayed. “But more than anything, it’s given me the kind of life that high school senior who danced with Joey couldn’t even have imagined.”
