First and Always: The Forever Duet

by Brooke, Rebecca

  She giggled again before we both fell into silence. Me watching her and her watching the puppy. She continued to pet his small head as a little snore left him.

  “Zeus.”

  “What?”

  “Zeus. I want to name him Zeus.”

  “I think that’s absolutely perfect.”

  “Where is he going to sleep? We can’t leave him out. We’ll never get our security deposit back if he ruins the carpet.”

  “I thought about picking everything out and bringing it home with me, but I thought we should do it together.”

  She tugged at the sweatpants she still wore. “You want me to go out like this?”

  “You look gorgeous, like you always do. We’re only going to the pet store.”

  “Okay…”

  I stood up and held my hand out to her. “Let’s take Zeus to the store, get him food, a bed, and anything else he needs.” She placed her hand in mine and I helped her to her feet. “Then we’ll bring him back here, wear him out before…” I bent down and moved my lips to her ear. “I do my best to wear you out for the night.”

  A shiver ran down her spine. “I think I love that idea.” Her voice was raspier than normal.

  “Then wait right here while I grab the small travel bag I picked up to bring him home in.” I ran out to the car and plucked the bag from the passenger seat. The nerves and worry I’d carried with me the entire way home, a distant memory.

  I brought the bag back inside and opened it for her to place Zeus inside. She lifted the handles and moved toward the door.

  “Let’s go.”

  I opened the door and held it open for her. “After you.”

  It didn’t take us long to get to the store and find everything she needed and a lot of things she wanted for the puppy. And who was I to tell her no. The way she practically skipped around the store was worth everything.

  Zeus had smelled every item in the store. By the time we got him home, he ate and promptly passed out. Christine carefully picked him up and placed him in the crate where we’d set up his bed.

  She closed the door and turned to face me. Heat blazed from her eyes as it raced up my body.

  “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “You always talk about getting a dog, and I wanted to make your first birthday in our new place special.”

  She sauntered over and wrapped her arms around my waist. “I can’t think of anything more special than you are paying attention to things I say and remembering.” She leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips to mine. “I love you, so much.”

  “I love you, too.”

  She ran her hands down my hips and slipped her fingers into mine, tugging us toward the hall.

  “I know something else that could make this night really special.” Fire lit her eyes, making me hard as a rock.

  “Oh hell yeah.” I dropped her hand and yanked my shirt over my head. She giggled as she bounced the rest of the way down the hall to our bedroom.

  With my shirt discarded on the floor I followed after her determined to make the night as special as she wanted.

  14

  Two Years Later

  The weather was perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better day for the little surprise I’d planned for Christine. If there had been anything I’d learned over the last few years it was how much she liked surprises.

  Up until now, every time I surprised her things seemed to progress even more for us. It only seemed fitting for the next step in our relationship begin with a surprise.

  I’d asked her to meet me at Tower Road, the concert venue I’d finally gotten her to agree to a date. I’d begged the rest of the band to help me recreate parts of that night. Specifically, the moment I started singing “Time to Go”, now dubbed Christine’s song by the band.

  From the first moment I saw her, I knew Christine needed to be part of my life. Hopefully after tonight, she’d be there for the rest of my life.

  I turned to Miles. “Everything ready to go?”

  “For the third time, yes. As soon as she gets here, Gina is supposed to bring her back this way and we’ll be ready and waiting.”

  “Thanks a lot, smart-ass.”

  He shrugged. “What can I say? Someone has to get you to calm down before you blow this whole proposal.”

  I ran a hand through my hair. “Hell, I’m surprised the gossip blogs weren’t all over this shit with cameras waiting outside.”

  “That’s ’cause I bought tickets to Vegas in our names.” Kylee sauntered up behind Miles. “They don’t even realize we’re in town.”

  Miles glanced over his shoulder and smirked. “Smart.”

  Dylan laughed. “Someone has to be the brains here.”

  I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you.”

  She’d saved me a whole lot of headache. I wondered why they hadn’t been surrounding the place when we arrived, but I figured we’d gotten there so early, they hadn’t caught up yet.

  If there was one thing I knew, it was that Christine didn’t care for the press constantly being in our business. Every time we turned around they were snapping pictures of her somewhere. She’d known it had been a possibility when we signed the record deal, but neither of us figured how obsessed with her they would be. I knew she’d want her engagement to be without all of the flashing bulbs and I took a chance going out in public. In the end it would be totally worth it.

  “You’re welcome.” She winked and turned back to her drum kit.

  The small, black velvet box practically burned a hole in my pocket. I couldn’t wait to get that ring on her finger, but first I needed her to show up. Gina promised to text me when she pulled into the lot.

  I’d told Christine I had to check out the venue for a show. That it had been such a long time since we’d played there, I had to make sure it would still fit our needs.

  My phone vibrated in my pocket and I tugged it out to see Gina’s name light up my screen.

  “She must be here.” I flipped the screen for Dylan to see.

  “Then let’s get in our places and get you engaged.”

  Dylan moved around to the side of the stage and picked up his bass. I lifted the strap of my own guitar over my head and waited. The moment I saw them come around the corner, I gestured to the rest of the band to begin the song.

  My fingers moved over the strings, playing each note, watching as it brought Christine even closer. Her eyes were wide when she reached the front of the stage, darting between each member of the band.

  I walked forward, the words leaving my lips like second nature. “Time to Go” was a song I’d sung more times than I could count. Now the song would hold a special place in my heart. As I reached the edge of the stage, my gaze connected with hers. The brightness of her smile practically blinding.

  The song came to an end, and I couldn’t thank my friends enough for coming out there with me to help me ask the woman of my dreams to spend the rest of her life with me. Dylan walked forward to take my guitar from me.

  I sat down on the edge of the small stage and slipped off, landing directly in front of Christine.

  “You did all of this for me?”

  I winked at her, my nerves getting the best of me. “I did.”

  “I love you.” She took a step closer, leaning up on her toes, and pressed her lips to mine.

  I savored the kiss for only a moment before breaking our connection and taking a step back. If I didn’t do this now, I worried my fears would get the best of me.

  “Aiden?” Christine’s brows drew together.

  I took another step back and reached into my pocket, pulling out the small, black box that had been on my mind for weeks. Her mouth fell open as her hand flew to her chest. Dropping to one knee, I lifted the lid and held the ring out to her.

  “Christine, from the first moment I played that song and saw you standing in the crowd watching me, I knew there could be something special between us. Something magical. I just had to convince
you to give me a chance. And I’m so glad you did. Life with you has been everything I thought it would be, but I’m selfish and I want more. I want to know that nothing can separate us from this moment forward. Christine, will you marry me?”

  Her hand slowly moved from her chest up to cover her lips. “Yes,” she whispered, nodding vigorously. “Yes, I can’t think of anything I want more than to be your wife.”

  My chest swelled. The weight that had settled on my shoulders lifting away. Cat calls and cheers came from behind me as I pushed to my feet and pulled the ring from the box. I took her left hand in mine and slipped the square diamond ring onto her finger.

  She threw her arms around my neck, burying her face in my chest. Wetness seeped through my shirt. I’d learned a long time ago that Christine had a habit of crying when she was happy. I rubbed her back, letting her get it all out of her system.

  When she seemed to have herself under control, she stepped back and brushed the tears from her face before lifting her hand to examine the ring on her finger.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  “It’s not nearly as beautiful as you.”

  Behind me, I could hear the rest of the band slowly cleaning up the equipment they dragged all the way out there for me. They were my family and I was glad they could be there for one of the most important moments of my life. I wanted to turn around, hug them, and thank them profusely. But at the same time, I wanted to wrap Christine in my arms and take her somewhere private.

  The clash of symbol startled us out of our own little world. Christine glanced over my shoulder, then took my hands in hers. “Go help them pack everything up, then we can go somewhere special.”

  “I already have something in mind.” I winked and then hopped up onto the stage on my butt. I spun around and pushed myself to my feet.

  I went straight for the amplifiers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Christine move around to the side where she could get up on stage to help without having to jump on it.

  Miles and Dylan came back from a trip to the van we’d rented and started jumping out and down on the stage. Miles reached out a hand, then pulled me into a hug. At the same time, Kylee hugged Christine. Her smile was so bright it was absolutely infectious.

  “I’m so fucking happy for you, man.” Miles slapped me on the back a few times.

  “Thanks. And thank you so much for doing this. It really means a lot to me.”

  “Anything for you. You know that.”

  I smiled. “Not sure what I would’ve done without you guys the last few years.”

  “We’re family.”

  Kylee wrapped her arms around the two of us. “Yeah, we are.”

  Miles and I laughed at her, but I could see the way Miles’s eyes strayed to Kylee. What the hell is that all about?

  Dylan patted me on the back. “Go enjoy your night.”

  I winked. “We will.”

  Glancing behind me, I saw Christine and Miles talking. I turned and reached a hand out to her. “Ready?”

  She slid her hand into mine and I loved the feel of the metal as it rubbed against my skin when she linked our fingers together. “Any time.”

  I waved as we left the stage. “We have a few calls to make on the way.”

  “And where are we on the way to?”

  I unlocked the car and opened her door. “No way. There’s still more surprises tonight.”

  She slid into the car and I shut the door behind her. Once I climbed into the driver’s seat, I pulled my phone out. “Calls first, then surprises.”

  She took the phone from my hand. “Your parents or mine first?”

  “How about both?” I hit the video call for my parents.

  “Aiden, how are you?” My mom’s face appeared on the screen.

  “I’m good. Hold on for one second, Mom.”

  Her brows drew together. “Um…all right?”

  I hit the button to add Christine’s mom to the call. A few rings later she answered. “Hi, Aiden.”

  I smiled. “Hey, Carla.”

  “Carla, it’s so good to see you,” my mom said when she realized I’d added Carla to the call.

  “You too, Georgia.”

  They talked for a few seconds before turning their attention back to us. I chuckled and looked at Christine, who was hiding her own smirk. Who knew when we introduced them to each other two Christmases before that they’d become best friends. Didn’t matter that they lived almost three thousand miles away from each other.

  “Can you both get Dad and Jim?”

  Almost at the same time, they both yelled behind them for mine and Christine’s dad to join them. When all four of their faces were in the screen, I held Christine’s hand in mine.

  “We have something to tell everyone.”

  Only one person could read me better than my mom and she was sitting next to me. Mom covered her mouth with her hand and I could see the lights glimmering in her eyes.

  I lifted Christine’s hand and let the ring tell the story. The moment the screeching started, I lowered the volume to save our ears in the enclosed car.

  “I can’t believe it.” Carla wrapped her arms around her husband and was jumping up and down, shaking him so hard he started to lose his balance.

  “Oh, baby.” My mom, on the other hand, was wrapped in my dad’s arms as the tears ran down her face. “I’m so happy for you.”

  It didn’t take them long to get over their reaction and start in on the questions.

  “Where are you going to have the wedding?”

  “How long are you waiting before you get married?”

  “How many guests?”

  The questions continued so rapidly, I couldn’t keep up. Eventually, Christine put her hands up to stop the onslaught. “Breathe, everyone. We don’t have the answers yet, but I promise when we do you’ll be the first to know.”

  I noticed both of our dads standing silently in the background. Carla covered her face with her hands and laughed. “Of course you wouldn’t know any of that yet. I think we’re both just so excited.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Mom chimed in.

  “We’re excited too.” Christine smiled and linked her arm with mine.

  “I’m also excited for the other surprises I have in store for Christine for the night.”

  Mom laid her hand over heart. “Of course. Go enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  “Yes. Go enjoy your night. You can tell us all about it later.”

  I glanced at Christine out of the corner of my eye. There were just some things that your parents shouldn’t know. If the look in Christine’s eye said anything it was that she knew exactly what I was thinking.

  “We love you.” Christine waved.

  “We love you, too.” Echoed from both chats.

  We disconnected the call after promising to call sometime during the week to fill them in on our plans.

  I sighed and leaned back against the seat, pocketing my phone before they decided to call back. “I love our parents, but I have so many other things planned for the night.”

  Christine leaned over and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Then let’s get going.”

  I opened my eyes. “Your wish is my command.”

  I pulled out of the lot and noticed that the rental was already gone. We made it to the highway before Christine got suspicious about where we were heading.

  “Not going to tell me?”

  “Nope. Since when do we give away our secrets before we have to?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re lucky I already said yes.”

  I smirked. “You would’ve said yes no matter what.”

  “So sure of yourself, huh?”

  “Yep, just like I’m sure you’ll love this place.” I exited the highway, veering to the left at the end.

  I waited for her to recognize our surroundings, but we’d only been there once before and we’d driven in at night.

  “This looks really familiar to me.”


  “It should.” I flicked on my blinker and made a right down the road that led directly to the spa.

  We rounded the bend and the Crystal Lakes Spa sign came into view. Christine looped her arm through mine, holding me tight.

  “This is perfect. I absolutely loved this place the last time we came here.”

  I turned into the parking lot and stopped at the gate. Leaning over, I pressed a brief kiss to her forehead. “I know.”

  I gave the attendant our names and he immediately let us through. We pulled into valet, and I turned toward Christine. “We’re going to have a peaceful weekend celebrating our engagement before the whirlwind of planning begins. Sound good?”

  Her face brightened as her lips turned up in a smile. “It sounds absolutely perfect.”

  “Perfect like you.” I captured her lips with mine, stealing a kiss that made my dick hard and my desire to get upstairs overwhelming.

  I met her on the curb and held out my hand to her. The valet took my keys and promised to bring our bags upstairs. As Christine and I walked to the front desk, I glanced over at her.

  “I know one thing about our wedding I thought about over and over again.”

  “What is that?”

  We stepped up to the desk and I leaned over to whisper in her ear.

  “What you’ll look like in and out of your wedding dress.”

  15

  Present Day

  The breath left my lungs as I watched her walk down to the aisle to me. She was beautiful.

  Absolutely fucking stunning.

  The idea that this woman would be mine for the rest of my life sent my heart racing.

  As she came closer, I rubbed the palms of my hand on my pants. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the smirk lift the corner of Jackson’s lips. Bastard. Somehow I’d make him pay for that later. Christine came within a few feet of me and I walked down the steps to take her hands in mine.

  I lifted her hand to my lips. “You look gorgeous.”

  I watched the blush pinken her cheeks and couldn’t be anything but insanely proud of the woman standing before me.