I swallow hard, plastering a smile on as I head toward the stage. A wave of nausea and butterflies fight for dominance in my stomach. I’m teetering between this might be the most romantic thing he could do and wanting to kill him for not giving me a heads-up about it.
All my anxiety starts to fade when I reach him, and he takes his hand in mine as he leads me to the center of the stage.
“As some of you have probably heard,” he chuckles before continuing, “this is my amazing girlfriend, Kate. She’s the inspiration for my new music and brings an incredible amount of joy to my life. I expectall of youto welcome her with open arms and treat her as kindly as you have treated me over the years. Because she’s a keeper.”
He quickly presses his lips against mine before launching into the song. Singing directly to me, as if we’re the only people here and aren’t being watched by thousands. The way he looks at me is so intoxicating that I almost forget where I am, lost in his eyes and words. When the song is over, he gives me a deep kiss that causes the crowd to roar and my cheeks to redden.
When I rejoin Anna on the side of the stage, her mouth is slightly open as she stares at her phone.
“He’s brilliant. The two of you are already trending, and the song just ended.” She shakes her head, smiling. “He gave the people what they wanted for weeks—insider information about the two of you, with a clear warning to be respectful or else. And he did it in a way so no one will come after him. They’re only going to see a man hopelessly in love. The student has officially become the master.”
That’s when it hits me…
I’m ready.
To wear his ring.
Take his name.
Become his wife.
Although I may not have chosen this lifestyle, I won’t let it push me away from the man I love and the life I want. No matter what the world throws at us, we’ll figure it out.
We’re a team, and together, we’re unstoppable.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
jake
My hands coverKate’s eyes on the doorstep of our Nashville home. She hasn’t been here for almost six weeks, so she’s only seen progress on the renovations via pictures from the interior designer. And now everything is finally done. Ready for us to take the next step together, having a home that is equal parts hers and mine.
“Don’t peek until I tell you.” My lips brush against her ear as I guide her into the foyer. I stop, taking a moment to catch my breath after getting a glimpse of the living room and kitchen. I’ve seen bits and pieces over the summer, but that clearly didn’t do it justice, given the heartwarming feeling I’m having right now. Kate’s vision has turned this place from a house into a home.Our home.I drop my hands to my sides. “You can open your eyes.”
I can tell when Kate’s eyes snap open because her jaw drops at what she’s seeing. The same feeling I had moments ago. It’s hard to imagine how the sketches, fabrics, wall colors, and samples could turn into this.
“Oh my God, Jake. It’s incredible,” she says, taking in every detail.
From the chestnut hickory hardwood floor spanning across the room to the stacked stone fireplace going from floor to ceiling in the two-story great room. Thick dark wood arches and beams tie the living room and kitchen together effortlessly, adding warmth to the light gray walls. The large sectional in the living room is accompanied by two bulky swivel chairs, providing plenty of seating for entertaining and lots of room for Kate and me to cuddle up, watching a movie on the expansive TV hanging over the mantle.
She places her hands over her heart. “It’s so much better than I could’ve imagined.”
I reach for her, lacing our fingers together as we both stand in the center of the living room, gazing at the intricate artwork hanging on the wall, the plush rug under our feet, and the extremely cozy environment that’s been created in such an expansive space. We walk toward the kitchen, unable to speak as we take in how the previously matte-black kitchen has been transformed into an airy, warm, and inviting space, with numerous seats at the bar and in the nook for our eventual family.
My heart skips a beat at the thought of eating breakfast with our children in the room. Waking up on Christmas morning and opening gifts in the living room. Movie nights. All the normal daily things that I can’t wait to do with Kate in this house. Inourhome.
“Do you like it?” I ask, wanting to hear her honest reaction to what she’s seen so far and hoping she sees the same future here as I do.
“Do Ilikeit? I can’t find the words to explain how I feel about how this has all come together. How perfect it is,” she replies with a starry-eyed gaze. “I can’t believe we get to live here.”
“You’ve done a fantastic job, Kate. I can’t believe how you and the designer have transformed this space. It looks like acompletely different house. A home.” I squeeze her hand tight and kiss her temple. “It feels like this could beourforever home.”
Kate gasps softly, turning to face me. “I feel the same way.” She gazes into my eyes and wraps her arms around my neck. “I can see us raising a family here.”
“Me, too,” I whisper, my heart beating so fast it feels like it’s going to jump out of my chest.
I want nothing more than to put a ring on her finger and watch her walk down the aisle to me. The sooner, the better. Every comment she makes about what she envisions our life will look like years from now tells me we’re one step closer to the day when everyone in the world can clearly see what I already know—Kate’s mine forever.
She leans her head against my chest as I inhale deeply, breathing in her intoxicating lavender shampoo. The same shampoo I have found myself smelling in the shower when we’re apart, so I can have one more reminder of her.
