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Holy hell, there was a song in there somewhere, PJ thought, as Gabe pressed his lips to her temple and whispered in her ear while they waited for the ambulance.
“Been meaning to tell you,” she said looking at his deep brown eyes. “I love you, Gabe Sawyer.”
She didn’t know what possessed her to say that now, but it seemed like a good time to get that out there. Before anything else happened.
He laughed. Well, that wasn’t quite what she was going for, she thought with a frown. Not really what you want to hear when you say I love you for the first time.
But, he made up for it pretty quickly, pressing a kiss to her mouth just before the EMTs climbed onto the bus. “I love you, too, Prudence Jane. But, we’ll have to talk about this later. They need to take you to the hospital now.”
And, that was that. That was the first time her future husband told her he loved her. Hardly the thing great love songs are made of.
Epilogue
PJ sighed as she crossed her legs under her on the couch, but it was a happy sigh. One of contentment and peace. After finishing out her tour and spending some time at her parents’ house, she had moved into Gabe’s Connecticut home with him and begun a life of normalcy and stability.
One with friends and a boyfriend she loved with all her heart. Trusted with the same.
She smiled as she lifted her guitar to her lap and listened to the music building in her mind. Her music had come back to her.
Only now she wrote only for herself. She no longer felt the pressure to create for the sake of an album or a tour. She could let the music flow through her and come at its own pace, in its own time.
She released songs for free on the Internet, and she performed occasional concerts with the proceeds going to organizations that help young mothers, or expecting teenagers who need support as they make decisions about their future.
PJ knew she’d been lucky to have her parents’ support and unwavering love when she’d become pregnant at such a young age. Many girls weren’t that blessed.
As she closed her eyes and began to play, the music flowed through her into the guitar and lyrics began to form in her head. As with many of her songs lately, this one spoke of love so strong, it swept her world sideways and took her off her feet.
Of a life so filled with joy, she felt comfort and strength and peace in all she did. The words came effortlessly to her as the chorus began to play in her head before she even gave thought to what it should sound like. Her music had definitely returned.
* * *
Gabe watched in silence as Pru sang softly on the couch, her whole heart and soul wrapped in song, as he’d often seen her over the last few months.
She was barefoot, her hair still slightly damp from the shower, and she’d never looked more beautiful to him. He loved to watch her sing, to see her lose herself in complete contentment as music flowed from her. She sang of love and hope and a happiness she wished the world could share with her.
He dropped to his knees in front of her. He’d intended to wait until tomorrow night to do this. He had a fancy dinner planned. They’d eat out on the patio under the stars with candles and flowers and the quiet beat of the ocean behind them. But, he couldn’t stop himself now.
Gabe pulled the box from his pocket as he watched a smile come over Pru and her song stopped. She blinked her eyes open and gasped when she saw him on his knees in front of her.
She was beautiful.
Love poured from her eyes, all for him, and he felt as though he might be able to rebuild his lost family after all. To find the home, the anchor, he’d always wanted. In her. She was it for him.
He should have better words for her. Something more eloquent. But, what came out instead was simply, “Be mine, Pru? Be my wife, my family, my love – forever?”
She was crying when she nodded, and he guessed she was as lost for words as he was. That was okay. They didn’t need words.
As he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, with all the love and passion he felt for her, he felt it coming back to him in waves. Their love was something so strong, so palpable, he felt it in everything they did, in every touch or thought they shared.
Gabe lifted her and carried her to the bedroom, where they both found ways to show their love to one another without the need for words. With only touch and taste, with gasps and moans, and pleasure unlike any he’d ever felt before Pru.
He was home. With her, wherever she went, he finally had a home.
* * *
PJ felt the warmth of Gabe’s hand holding hers as they crossed the lawn to make their way to Jack and Kelly’s house. She loved the feel of his hand around hers, so strong and steady. Always there for her. And now, she thought as she felt the ring he’d placed on her finger earlier—now, he would be hers forever.
Her parents had been thrilled when they’d called them earlier, and they promised to come for a visit soon to help her plan for the wedding. They would tell Gabe’s mom when they visited her next week, provided she was having a lucid day.
