CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Penelope
“He’s too sexy, his sweat is sexy, I both hate and love this,” I murmured as I stood backstage watching all the girls scream Trevor’s name as he walked around shirtless with low slung jeans and paint all over his six pack.
Was that paint edible?
Would it be weird to ask if he could bring it home?
Will’s wife Angelica elbowed me and then burst out laughing. “It’s hard some days. Just remember who gets him at night.”
“Preach.” Alyssa, Demetri’s wife, currently pregnant with triplets, did an awkward little jig and then elbowed Nat, who was currently salivating over her own husband, Alec.
Jaymeson held up his phone. “Smile, ladies.”
We all grinned.
He took the picture, then dropped his hand. “The concert’s going over.”
“They sold out all six shows,” I pointed out. “They just want to give them their money’s worth.”
Zane, or Saint as he was known, ran out to the middle of the stage and fell to his knees as Alec and Demetri took the mic, and then the rest of Adrenaline joined in.
Zane, Adrenaline, and AD2. They’d added more tour stops after last year’s Grammys.
And now I knew why.
I’d seen their shows on TV.
Never in person.
It was almost addicting the way they all performed, but I had eyes for my man and my man only.
The song ended, and Trevor threw his sticks into the crowd. They all went wild, and the guys ran off stage.
I was pulled into the biggest, messiest hug ever and that was saying a lot since I was living with three children and a guy who constantly had some sort of food substance on his person.
“Hey”—Trevor grinned down at me—”I have a surprise for you.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
I looked behind him. Malcom, Eric, and Bella were all on stage. The twins had tuxes on, and Bella was in a gorgeous white dress.
“What’s going on?”
“Something very important.” Trevor put on a shirt and pulled me onto the stage, the crowd erupting with screams and shrieks.
I almost puked.
He grabbed a microphone. “Bella, Eric, Malcom, will you help Dad?”
He held out the microphone to Eric. “Will.”
Malcom followed and giggled. “You.”
“Marry,” Bella screamed.
And then Trevor dropped to one knee and rasped, “Us?”
I lost it.
And I hugged the kids first.
Much to the amusement of probably everyone in the stadium.
And then Trevor laughed in the microphone. “You’d think she’s more excited about the package deal than the actual deal!”
Everyone joined in laughing.
And then I grabbed the microphone and said, “Yes. I say yes to us.”
“So you’re staying?”
“Forever,” I said through sloppy tears as tiny arms wrapped around my waist and held on tight.
That was when I noticed that there was no black shirt hanging off Bella or even being held by someone off stage.
No, tonight, she had her security.
Us.
Music started, and Trevor grabbed a microphone.
The crowd held up their cell phones while AD2 returned to the stage with the rest of Adrenaline.
“Let me tell you a story, one that’s hard to tell.
You think we’ve got it made, you don’t see how the lights fade, and then there’s nothing, no story, no forever, until you realize that what you thought was true was false, what’s false is true.
” He beamed at me, while the kids held my hands, and we swayed to the music moving to the side of the stage.
It was a new song, one I hadn’t heard before Trevor was singing, not just singing, nailing it.
“Let me tell you a story, one that’s hard to tell.
I met the perfect girl, and then I really fell.
But I hit the ground running, didn’t look behind, didn’t realize forever was never on her mind.
The truth is sometimes hard to see, but it has never been so clear, until I met a dream.
She told me we were worth it, despite the baggage made, and when I kissed her soft lips, I knew I’d been changed inside.
Because all… stars… fall.” The chorus slowed.
Tears ran down my cheeks. “All. Stars. Fall. The biggest truth of my life, one that’s hard and true, is that all the stars fell and led me back to you. ”
The crowd went wild.
I couldn’t see the stage.
But I felt his words.
And the small hands around me.
I felt his love.
And my fresh start.
In an Us.