The Last One Page 4

  After proper introductions, I wrapped her into my arms and kissed the top of her head. “I love you so damn much.”

  She was clearly relaxed now and was acting very much the fan and it was fantastic. I pointed people out to her, we commented on dresses and cowboy hats and I thought she might faint when she met Vince Gill. Everything was perfect, until we won for Song of the Year and I opened my big fat mouth.

  “You can’t always predict which songs are going to resonate with the audience, we are always honored when something like this does this much. I’m so glad my wife is here ton…” John and Jennifer looked at me, I felt like the entire room froze. The only way out was to just keep going, act like it was nothing and maybe nobody would notice. I finished saying thank you and hid behind Jennifer, not an easy thing to do when I’m a foot taller than she is.

  “Something we should know?” John quipped as we were ushered back stage to the media room.

  “Shit,” I said. “I have a ring in my pocket, so it’s on my mind, I guess that’s why.”

  “Seriously? You do?”

  “Yep.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I don’t tell you everything.”

  “Since when?”

  I just shrugged and laughed at him. “Do you think any of these guys picked up on it?”

  He shook his head doubtful anyone missed it. “It shouldn’t be a big deal. The bigger deal might be waiting back at our seats. Maybe you should propose the next time we’re up there.”

  I laughed. “If we win again, I will,” I said. “She would kill me if I do it that way.”

  ------------------

  My heart was pounding as I made my way back to our seats. I slid down and rubbed my hand along her chiffon covered thigh.

  She didn’t say a word, just kissed me and linked her arm through mine.

  “You know, I’m not super high-maintenance or anything,” she said into my ear. “But as your wife, I feel something sparkly would be in order.”

  “You do,” I turned and grinned at her. She was giggling and feeling playful.

  “Uh-huh,” she said. “Just sayin’.”

  This was not at all how I planned it. In fact I really hadn’t planned it. I just thought tonight would be the right night. If she hadn’t outright joked about a ring, I probably wouldn’t have done what I did right there in our seats in the middle of the awards show. But she did. And she looked so stunning and was being so spunky and playful and I loved this side of her.

  I swallowed hard and reached down into the pocket of my pants. She wasn’t even half paying attention to me. Her eyes had returned to the stage, her cheek resting against my shoulder. I had the ring secured in a little velvet pouch, a box too bulky to carry around all night. I fished it out with one hand, my left hand still resting on her thigh. Her left hand was draped across mine, so I just casually reached over and slid the ring onto her finger.

  “Will this do?”

  She stared at her hand, so stunned, for a moment I thought I’d really screwed up by doing it this way.

  “Olivia?”

  She turned and I saw the water glistening in her eyes. She bit her bottom lip to fight back the tears and I swear my next thought was that I hoped her mascara was waterproof, because if it wasn’t she was going to kill me for making her cry. But I was also still terrified something was amiss.

  “Please say something.”

  “Yes,” she choked out.

  I let out a breath, and bowed my head. “Phew, you scared me.”

  Then she smacked my arm. “You’d better have a frickin’ tissue in your pocket too.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  OLIVIA

  “Wait! What!!! He just slipped it on your finger in the middle of the show!”

  The reaction was primarily one of disbelief and then overwhelming excitement for us. Our surprising engagement overshadowed the pair of wins for the band, but nobody seemed to mind. Jennifer immediately took on her sister-in-law role and whirlwinded me all over the afterparty introducing me to everyone. I didn’t have time to be starstruck. What I also didn’t have was time with Teddy.

  Late in the evening I spotted him from across the room. He motioned to an empty table in a momentarily quiet area of the ballroom.

  He placed the pair of awards on the table and we looked at them and smiled.

  Teddy sat down and pulled me onto his lap. We kissed as if there was nobody else in the room. My now bare feet dangled off the floor, layers of chiffon dragging the ground exposing my legs. He filled his large hand with my bare thigh and my mouth with his tongue. I held his face in my hands, melting into his kiss and the taste of bourbon on his tongue. We smiled into each other as we came up for air.

  “Hi,” I said. “Come here often?”

  He laughed and pressed his forehead to mine. "I'm so glad I've gotten to share this with you," he said softly, sliding his hand under my left arm, extending my hand to admire my new sparkly trinket.

  “Me too,” I said.

  He stroked a piece of hair off of my cheek and fixed his gaze on mine. I ran my fingers through his hair and back to his scruff..."I love you so damn much," I said with a bit of giggle stealing his earlier declaration.

  “Marry me,” he said. “I don’t believe I really officially asked.”

  I nodded. “You did not.”

  “Life without you is simply unimaginable...marry me...spend your life with me. I want to be the last one.”

  I lowered my lips to his “Yes, yes, yes!”

  OTHER TITLES

  By

  SKYLAR PLATT

  HIDDEN TALENT

  JUST SAY IT