Risky Replay (Country Stars Forever #1)

Epilogue

DEREK

LATE APRIL

Another wave of energy washes over us. The crowd sings along as we reach the halfway point of the set. I use the break to sip on a bottle of water and towel off. It’s a balmy desert evening in California at one of the biggest outdoor country music festivals. The evening’s headliner, Bailey Southern, is next. The crowd extends beyond the horizon. Their bodies, like an undulating myriad of colors, hoist drinks in the air cheering for us to continue the set.

I grip the microphone and address the fans, “You ever been in love?” They roar in agreement. “Feels pretty amazing,” I say, cheesing it up for the crowd. “Until it’s taken from you, and you’re left wondering what you could have done differently. I’ve been there. And I’m the lucky one to have a second chance to make things right.” I glance behind me. “To sing with me is the love of my life, the one who signed up for many more miles with me, Emily.” I can’t help the smile blooming on my face. My cheeks hurt. “With a very special guest performer, our son, James. ”

They erupt with deafening applause. Emily joins us on stage most nights, but this is James’ first time up here.

I turn to watch Emily, in a curve-hugging dress, wearing her boots, holding James’ hand. He wears a Padres tee shirt and jeans tucked into his first pair of cowboy boots. Headphones protect his ears. His wide eyes take in the crowd. His smile grows. I squat down in front of him and open my arms. Before he reaches me, he sees my shirt, points at it, and his mouth opens into an O. Darth Vader holds a light saber, and Luke hangs from a rafter with the words, ‘I am your father,’ written underneath. He rushes towards me and hugs my neck.

I hold him close, searching his face for reassurance he’s not overwhelmed by the massive audience. He offers me a thumbs up, and I let him walk a few feet in front of us. He’s practiced a dance while his mother and I sing. He takes center stage as Emily and I face each other.

“I love you, angel,” I say as I’m caught in Emily’s blue gaze shining under the stage lights like the brightest light in my life.

“I love you, cowboy,” she answers with a purposeful wink, and lets the microphone drop to her side.

I copy her move and lean down to give her a kiss. The audience erupts with cheers.

“It wasn’t always this way.” I face the audience after breaking away from the most kissable lips in the world and walk closer to the edge of the stage. “We were young, and it was never the right time for us, and we lost our way. When we’d given up on what we could be, somehow, the road brought us back together.

“I need you to sing with me. To help me sing the song I wrote for the woman I’d follow anywhere.”

Emily joins me at the front of the stage. Charlie plucks the first note, the audience gives a thunderous approval as they recognize the song, and I announce, “This is One More Mile .”

The song came to me after the late summer night when Emily and I declared our love forever. That we would fight to stay together. We sing about the road of life sending us in different directions, but somehow, when we least expect, it merges into one. And forever waits on the other side.

Emily and I sing our respective parts flawlessly. Our voices become one for the chorus while James expertly line dances for the audience. I place a hand on Emily’s hip, bring her toward me as we wrap up the song. The crowd sings along, almost drowning us out. Did I mention we hit platinum three weeks after the release? Our first three singles off our new album have saturated the streaming channels, and two have hit number one, including One More Mile.

As I take in Emily singing the last notes, I wrap my arm around her waist, and the crowd gives a collective aww . When we end the song, our lips meet causing a deafening roar.

If I could keep our bodies tangled like this forever, I would. But there are things in the way like raising James and Victoria, and hopefully more kids, and a set to finish for the demanding crowd that not even the scorching heat could drain their energy.

Without breaking eye contact with me, Emily speaks into the microphone. “I found my way back.” She repeats a line from the song.

The response from the crowd is loud. Their energy blasting through me, but it’s Emily standing in front of me grounding me.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I palm the ring burning a hole in my pocket. I thought about doing this privately, but we live our lives on the stage. Plus, James will love this. “Having you come into my life was everything I didn’t know I needed. I’m on this stage because you believed in me. I’m here because you let me go. I’m here because you’ve always been with me, and I don’t think I could do this life without you.”

Tears well in her eyes.

“Every day I wake up knowing I’m the luckiest man in the world. You see me and you love me, and the best part is I know you’ll always be there.”

I get on one knee and pull out the ring. The audience’s reaction is louder than a sperm whale—a fact I learned from my son. James runs to my side, covering his ears over his headphones. His eyes focus on the diamond in my hand, and his mouth gapes. He tugs on Emily’s hem and nods. Emily’s hand goes to her mouth, and tears cascade over her cheeks. “Angel, I wanted to ask since Fourth of July. Please give me the honor of becoming your husband. To be your rock like you are mine. Let me be a part of your lives forever?”

She nods and extends her hand to me. She mouths a yes and the softness in her eyes is my confirmation. I slip the ring on. I want to tattoo my name all over her. Emily wipes at her tears mouthing an I love you only for me.

We kiss until we hear Charlie invite the crowd to cheer for us, and once the sound fades, he reminds us to break it up and that I have a show to finish. We don’t start the next song in the set list, instead, a Shania Twain favorite pops into my earpiece.

My dad appears from the side, taking James away in his arms.

Wait, Emily is supposed to walk off with him.

Emily’s at the front of the stage already taking her cue and belting out a whoop. She turns around and uses her finger to summon me to her side. I can’t fucking wait for this. She fists her hand in my shirt and in a sultry voice blinding me with lust, she tells me what a woman wants. Then pushes me away, and my cheeks hurt from grinning from ear to ear.

When the set is over, the crowd begs for more, but we’re already in the cool trailers in the back. We rented a house since we had the kids, and I’m anxious to get back for the surprise I planned for Emily. The other artists hanging out congratulate us, my hand never leaving Emily’s. After what seems like forever, the four of us, my dad, James, Emily, and I are in an SUV, heading back to the house. Little does Emily know we have company waiting for her.

We walk into the house. Her grandparents, Victoria, Jesi, Tyler, Mark, Holly and her family, her brother, Santiago, and, I even let Mike know this was happening, are waiting for us. They greet her, and she immediately starts crying. She swats my arm. “How?”

“Everyone I invited showed up like they said they would,” I whisper in her ear.

She rises onto her toes and kisses me. “You did this for me?”

“Always.”

“I’m out of here if all we’re going to hear is her gush over you,” Mike says, and I hold back my growl.

“Congratulations, honey,” Holly intervenes pulling Emily off me, and I want to yank her back but they haven’t seen each other in a few months. “Let me see it.”

Emily raises her left hand in the air as they admire the ring.

“You did it.” Jesi hugs me from the side. “You got the girl, little brother.”

I tuck my hands in my pockets because it feels like I may wake up any second. I can’t believe this is my life. “She’s still here.”

“She’s not Caroline Anderson,” Jesi says. My eyes swing toward my fiancé. Emily is the opposite and a million times a better person than our mother. “She’s a better mother, partner, and human being than her.”

Watching Emily has helped me realize she may have made similar decisions as my mother, but they were for completely different reasons. It took me some time to understand the difference. With the new knowledge, I’ve never doubted she’s sticking around.

“You didn’t tell me your sister was fucking hot,” Mike says, and I regret inviting him. He winks at Jesi, and she thankfully rolls her eyes.

“No one ever says their sister is hot.” I shut my mouth because he’s crazy, and the smirk on his face tells me he’s found a way to get under my skin. And he’s got Victoria in his arms.

“I’ve got someone to see about something,” Jesi says, walking away, and I stand between her trailing path and Mike’s gaze.

“How was the flight?” I ask, doing my best to keep civility.

Mike laughs. Instead of answering he says, “I came over because Victoria was asking for her dad.”

My mouth drops open. Her dad? “Uh, what?”

Victoria grins before she stretches her arms out to me. She’s getting a little big to carry, but I don’t mind. I’ll hold her until she says no more. Today is not that day.

“Well, she called you Deck, and I corrected her. It’s Dad.” He moves her toward me and although it’s been less than a year, I’ve loved her like she’s mine, and she’s never withheld love from me. Still, the title makes my throat constrict.

Mike slaps me on the shoulder. “Get a hold of yourself” he says and walks away.

“Hi, honey.” I kiss the top of her baby powder scented head.

She tells me she drew pictures of what the surprise would be like. When she shows them to me, she asks, “Do you like them, Daddy?”

I really should get a hold of myself.

“Hey, princess.” My father greets Victoria. “It’s time for a toast,” he tells me, taking Victoria from me. I scan the group of family and friends, and my chest fills with too many emotions.

The toasts begin, and as everyone takes their turn, I’m reminded they are here for us. They will always be in our lives. They love and support us and we’re not alone. We have them. Even Mike.

“I raise my glass,” Emily starts, and leans close enough to link our fingers. “to a man who found a single mom, barely holding it together, and never gave up on her. Who loved her and her son like we were his. To a man who without him, we would still be lost at sea.” Emily takes in a shaky breath. “To Ryan.”

“To Ryan,” we all repeat.

Everyone drinks in silence.

I kiss Emily’s cheek, and her eyes search mine.

“I can’t wait to marry you,” I say.

“I can’t wait to get you naked.” She grabs my shirt and kisses me. Hooking a hip over mine. We need to ditch this party .

“I’ll never be free of this,” Mark says.

Emily and I laugh without breaking our kiss.

I have nothing but an adventure to look forward to. Ready for whatever the road ahead offers.

***

Thank you for reading Risky Replay!