14. A Year Later.
14
A Year Later...
“You seem extra nervous, honey.” I leaned into Theo, our sweaty bodies sticking together slightly in our embrace.
“Well, today is a big day.” He pushed me back a little and gazed into my eyes while a mischievous grin crossed his beautiful face.
“It really is. I can’t believe you’re playing the Super Bowl halftime show. This is amazing for you and Oxygen.”
“I know. I’m still in shock at how incredible this year has been.” He grinned and leaned down, kissing my sweaty forehead.
“It has been an amazing year,” I agreed. I stood on my toes and ran my hand threw his hair. Then I trailed my hand down his bare midsection and chest—his typical wardrobe for concerts. His breath quickened to my touch. Theo oozed sexual energy, and I could guarantee I wasn’t the only one who felt it. Comes with the territory. But oh, how I loved the territory. It was a small price to pay to be Theo Beckham’s girlfriend. His music ignited the world, and I was happy to be along for the ride.
The show was about to start. Sweaty football players walked past us to go to their locker rooms and regroup. A couple recognized Theo and reached out for high fives .
Something poked my leg. I glanced down and saw Theo had something hard in his pocket. “What’s in your pocket?” I asked.
“I’m just happy to see you,” he teased. A total lie.
“Whatever. I think by now I know the difference.” My eyebrows knit together accusingly.
“Theo, time to go.” The band’s manager grabbed his arm. “Ready for this?”
“Yes,” Theo said.
“See you after the show?” I asked.
“Or during.” He grinned slyly, sending my heart aflutter.
“Well, duh.” I slapped his butt as he walked away, still suspicious of his last words and little white lie.
It was January, but despite the fact that it was the middle of winter, I was sweating like a pig. That’s Miami for you. I thought back over the last year. It had been crazy but incredible at the same time. After Theo found out the baby wasn’t his, he went into a deep creative spree. He wrote song after song, releasing a new album only two months later that went straight to the top of the Billboard hits. During his writing bender, he convinced me that I should sell real estate in California too. We basically moved in together, splitting our time equally between California and Colorado. He was still on tour a ton, but at least when he came home now, he came home to me.
“Let me show you to your viewing area.” Theo’s assistant stood by, waiting for me to follow. I fanned myself with the Super Bowl program magazine. It was open to a full-page spread of Oxygen, and there was a perfect photo of Theo and the band in an ad for the halftime show preview.
Becky, the assistant, led me and a few extra security guards with authority and her all-access badge. She navigated us through the cement hallways of the stadium. The heat and humidity returned as we walked out into the open air of the stadium, a pathway of people on both sides. Seemed the fans were already on the field. All having their special halftime show ticket passes hanging around their necks, it was super crowded, but there was a VIP area which I was led to. Right up front and center stage.
“You look a bit pale. Would you like me to grab you some water?” Becky asked.
“It’s this heat and humidity,” I muttered. “I can’t believe Miami is eighty degrees this time of year.” I fanned myself again.
“I’ll be right back,” Becky said.
“There you are. Finally,” Nikki said, grabbing onto my arm and pulling me into a big bear hug.
“This is going to be awesome.” Bella took a turn for the hug.
“Oh, hey guys.” I was so glad Theo had offered to invite them to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event.
“Remember our last Oxygen concert?” Nikki gushed as she sipped some sort of alcoholic beverage.
“How could I forget?” I smiled at the thought. “One of the best nights of my life.”
“Well, this night might have that beat,” Bella exclaimed. I mean, I was expecting this night to be amazing, but could it really beat the night I met Theo? I shrugged her strange statement off and unsuccessfully searched for another layer of clothes to take off. I was already down to my tank top.
The lights went down, and a loud voice came over the intercom, sending the crowd into a deafening roar as they knew the concert was about to start. “Ladies and gentlemen, help me welcome to the stage the one and only Grammy-nominated band—Oxygen.” The strobe lights started, and the pyrotechnics went wild. The music pounded, and the familiar feeling took over my body. I took a deep breath in and let the music overcome me—tingly energy, sexual tension, a sort of natural high.
Bella and Nikki were ecstatic, and the crowd of eighty thousand people stood and danced in the stadium. It was hot and full of energy. Oxygen played their latest hit, and Theo danced around, turning on every single person at the game in a way only a concert can do.
Things were getting a bit blurred and overwhelming. About five songs into the playlist, the tone of the music calmed, and Theo disappeared from my view for a moment. At the very same time, Bella and Nikki each took one of my hands and squeezed them tightly. Weird. What was going on? I turned to them and smiled at the nice but bizarre gesture. Feeling odd, I looked at the sky for a second, and through the bright lights of the stadium, past where I knew the fireworks on top would be going off moments from now. I couldn’t help but let the sight of the stars steady my nauseated head. I didn’t know if I felt sick from the crowd or the heat, but I needed to be grounded in that moment or it felt like I might tip over.
I brought my eyes back to the stage, and Theo was walking directly toward me. He always grounded me, and when I saw him, I felt better. There was only background music. The drums were playing low and so was the guitar. I didn’t remember anyone mentioning this part of the show. Theo held a large white piece of construction paper. Strange. I blinked twice to help me see it more clearly in the chaos. There was writing on it. I thought I knew the whole concert agenda; this part was new, I was certain.
Then the writing became clear. “ Jane will you marry me ?” Theo had a huge smile on his face as he talked to the audience while crooking his finger at me, asking me to join him on stage. “I hope you don’t mind if I use these last five minutes of the show to take care of some personal business?” The audience screamed its approval.
Suddenly, two arms were leading me toward a small set of stairs five feet in front of me. They pushed me up on stage. My mind was barely catching up to what was going on. Theo met me halfway up the stairs, grabbed my hand, and pulled me the rest of the way up. Backup dancers swayed and sang quietly in the background.
“I want you guys to meet my girlfriend, Jane.” He continued his story as understanding of what might be happening crossed my face. ” About 18 months ago, she came to one of my concerts, and she had a sign just like this one that asked me to marry her.” The audience went wild in response. “Come to find out later, it wasn’t even her sign.” Theo laughed, and the audience followed. He wiped his brow. “That is how we met, and now the tables have turned…” Theo got down on one knee and held the sign in front of my face and his as he spoke into the mic, in front of eighty thousand people. “Jane, will you marry me?” Suddenly the world was spinning.
As caught off guard as I was, I quickly tried to gain my composure and said the only answer I knew to be true. “Yes.” I smiled shyly as I walked toward him, he stood for a hug. Tears rolled down his face and mine. He reached into his pocket and grabbed a ring box. Oh, that’s what poked me in the leg earlier. I grinned in remembrance. He slid the beautiful, simple solitaire onto my finger. And then he kissed the top of my hand gently before his lips met mine passionately. The crowd went wild. I knew this was insane, but I only had eyes for Theo, and in that moment, it was just Theo and me. “I love you so much. Yes, Theo, yes.”
“Oh Jane, I love you too.” He kissed me one last time. “Now to finish this show with one last song, and then it’s back to football.”
Again, the crowd screamed in delight. The song started to play as he walked me to the stairs. I knew this song. It was the song he wrote for me—our song. Now it was the world’s song as it had been on the Top 40 list for the last nine weeks. I didn’t mind sharing it though. I swayed as security walked me back to my spot, and Nikki and Bella embraced me wildly, yelling their congratulations into my ear. It was obvious now that they had known all along this was the plan. I was impressed they were able to keep the secret from me.
The music was loud, and I was hot, but I was happy. I vaguely remembered the fireworks going off above me and around the stage… And then it went from laser light show to black. The world spun out of control and darkness overcame me.