Page 47

SIX MONTHS LATER

DECKER

Lena smirks, the new pink streaks in her dark hair flopping wildly as she throws her head back and freezes center stage.

An ear-splitting roar emits from the crowd when she steps out of her ending pose, blowing kisses and waving before darting off stage into the exposed wings flanking either side of it and straight into my arms. We’re on the last leg of her tour on this side of the ocean.

In a few days we’ll be heading overseas to meet her international fans.

After officially retiring from my football career following the Kings Super Bowl win this year, I never thought I’d be the boyfriend getting hauled around from place to place and waiting in the wings.

Given all those years of trying to keep out of the limelight outside of football and interviews, being a backstage boyfriend sounds right up my alley.

However, I gave up any hope of privacy when I gave Lena my heart.

She leaps into my arms, crushing herself against my body.

Her smile is infectious as I spin her in a little circle before she plants a swift kiss on my lips.

Another berserk response from the crowd, and I look over to see us both on the big screens positioned around the arena, the rest of the cameras surrounding the stage all swinging to face us.

Case and point, this exact moment. Goodbye, low profile, hello, Lena Lukowski.

“Ready?” she asks loud enough so I can hear her over the roar.

Ready? I’ve been waiting all night to finally be alone with her. I nod, and we both turn one more time to wave to her faithful fans. Lacing her fingers through mine, she tows me to her dressing room, promptly propping herself onto her vanity counter and pulling me in by my shirt collar.

“Well, hello,” I say, stepping closer so I’m positioned between her knees. The beaded fringe of her skirt rattles against the counter as she makes room for me.

“Hello yourself,” she says softly, her nose grazing mine.

She loops her arms around my neck, frowning as I break free and take a step back. I reach for the thermos of water I always make sure is filled for her when she comes offstage.

“Drink. We’re not having a repeat of last time. Your charley horse scared Princess out of her mind,” I say.

"I didn’t know she was so skittish," she giggles, "or that I was so dehydrated."

“I think anyone would be skittish with someone collapsing and screaming like that out of the blue. Dramatic much?”

She rolls her eyes, but takes a long swig, caps the bottle, then pulls me back in. “You better kiss me before my mom barges in on us again.”

I brush a piece of hair from her face, it’s always a little wild—and a little sweaty—after her three-hour shows. “Say no more.”

I brace the back of her neck, tilting her head up to meet my mouth as her fingers dig into my shoulder blades. Even after six months of being officially— really— together, this never gets old.

Like she was waiting for this exact moment, there’s a knock, and her mother’s nasally voice penetrates through the closed door.

“Your flight back to Vista is in two hours.” She shoves open the door, marching in like we aren’t partially tangled on a makeup vanity.

“Your tickets are printed, bags are packed and loaded, and Gustav is waiting with your ride.”

Antonia appears behind her. “Vital Reign reached out about squeezing in a couple’s shoot while you’re in Vista. I’ve been in touch with Jason.”

Blythe clucks like an offended chicken. “I thought we agreed she wasn’t going to be partnering with them.”

“She won’t be, it’s a one-off shoot with Decker since he’s the partner.” Antonia doesn’t look up from her screen.

Her mom’s eyes dart from Antonia to the two of us. “I thought?—”

“I proposed the idea a while ago, but I didn’t think they’d take me up on it,” Lena says.

Blythe frowns. “Of course they’d take you up on it. You’re the only marketing they’ll ever need.”

“I don’t think that’s true.” Lena scowls at her mom before turning toward me. “Do you think there’s time for that? We have a tour at that prospective shelter location, and we have to visit your family. I don’t know if?—”

“We’ll make it work.” I smooth her hair.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to have to cut the tour short. You’ve been waiting for this for years.”

I cup her cheeks in my hands, grateful I can do it without her pulling away. Never in my lifetime did I ever think she’d let me, but now she’s mine. “I’m sure.”

She smiles up at me and gives Antonia the go-ahead to schedule it. Her mother lingers awkwardly when Antonia leaves. Lena’s hands slip up my arms until she’s pulling my fingers from her cheeks and lacing them into hers. “We’ll be ready soon, Mom.”

Blythe waffles in the doorway a minute longer before huffing out the door and closing it behind her. Lena lifts my knuckles to her lips, kissing each one with feather-soft pressure. I’ll never understand how something so delicate can send me over the edge.

I lean down and kiss her on the forehead before pulling her off the counter and into my arms. Lena kicks and squeals as I carry her to the door. “Come on, we have a flight to catch and a niece to meet.”

LENA

“Please don’t make her call me Aunt Lena.” I try to hide my smile as I sit back into the worn tweed couch.

“Why not?” Decker asks, gazing down at his baby niece’s sweet face.

“I’m not her aunt just because you’re her uncle.”

He lifts a brow, his eyes finding mine for a split second before falling back on baby Charlotte Darlene, named after his mother, naturally. “Not yet, at least.”

I nudge his shoulder like I always do when he makes a dumb joke, but by the way things have been going lately, I don’t think it is. I would be perfectly happy with Decker as my husband, and if he thinks he can put up with me until death do us part, I won’t turn him away.

“Let me see that baby!” Darlene’s face is beaming with that new-grandma glow.

Reluctantly, Decker hands her over. It’s cute how much I can tell he doesn’t want to.

He’s been dying to finally meet her for months but refused to leave my side on tour.

This break lined up perfectly, though, because Ian is in the off season, and he and Nora were able to fly in to meet us before we jet off again.

It’s been hard for Decker to be so far from his family, and maybe even more difficult for him to be away from Princess.

The good thing is, my tour stretch overseas is short, and when we get back to the states, we’re ending it in Vista City.

And then we intend to stay here—together—in my Vista residence with a yard for Princess while we get everything in line for his nonprofit.

I’ll actually be taking a break for the first time ever. Nowadays, I’m focusing on finding the balance I’ve been missing all these years, but that’s not even the best part. I get to watch Decker make his dream of the special needs shelter come true, and I’ll be by his side the entire way.

Decker throws an arm over my shoulder, and I lean into him, soaking in the warmth of his mom’s house.

It’s cozy, like one big invitation asking you to nestle up and never leave.

The smattering of mismatched frames all over the place, encapsulating my favorite little green-eyed guy, makes it even more homey.

Above the mantle, beside a basket stuffed with spicy cinnamon potpourri, is a photo of his entire family, his father included.

I nod toward the frame. “You look like him, you know.”

He follows my sightline until it lands on the picture. “Everyone says I look like my mom.”

“You have her eyes, but you have his bone structure.” I lean back so I can get a better view of his face. There’s a sheen to his eyes, and I almost feel bad for bringing up his late father.

“He’d be so proud of Charlotte,” he finally says.

“And you.” I poke him in his massive bicep, and he turns to peer down at me. “He’d be honored you’re naming the shelter after him. The James Trace Silver Paws Sanctuary. It has a nice ring to it.”

“Are you sure the name isn't too long?”

She shakes her head. “I think he’d love it.”

“He’d love you .” A faint smile crosses his lips before he leans down and kisses the tip of my nose. “How could he not?”

I grin back at him, eating up every bit of the cheesiness he casts my way.

“Food’s here!” Ian announces as he erupts through the front door, hauling in an armful of brown paper bags.

Brown paper bags that have now been upgraded with a logo.

Nora helps him unload the freshly delivered food from Niko’s Deli, placing each paper-wrapped sandwich on a plate and sliding them down the laminate counter. The tang of vinegar and French fries makes my mouth water.

“Niko got new bags!” I squeal, turning to Decker.

He kisses the top of my head and grabs a plate. “He fixed the taped window, too. Must have had some extra cash to burn thanks to someone .”

“No thanks to anyone. He did this all by himself, and it’s well deserved.”

“Yeah, and I’m sure your social media post about his deli had nothing to do with it.”

I shrug. “People needed to know what they were missing.”

“I told you. You’re a philanthropist through and through.”

I can’t help my smile, but I roll my eyes just so he knows how annoying it is when he thinks he’s right. Something wet and snorty pushes into my leg, and I look down to see an antsy Princess.

“Looks like someone’s gotta potty,” I tell Decker as I pat her head.

“Come on, girls,” he says to us both.

Princess and I follow him out into his mom’s backyard, clicking the door shut behind us.

Princess darts off to do her business as I admire the new patio furniture and freshly painted fence Darlene finally caved and let the boys gift her.

And then Decker’s pulling me out of view of the sliding glass door, sinking a lingering kiss onto my lips.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he whispers against my ear, sending goosebumps across my skin as I lean back against the vinyl siding of the house.

Gazing into his face, into his fervent green eyes, I wonder if this honeymoon phase will last forever, if we’ll always be so wrapped up in one another. My heart hammers in my chest as I consider what kind of future he could give me. One full of bad jokes, endless kisses, and genuine love.

Decker’s fingers graze my cheek, pushing my too-long bangs out of my eyes and to the side. “What?”

I shake my head. “Nothing. I just…”

I shrug, unable to articulate what I want to say.

If I had my notepad, my guitar, maybe then it would come bursting out in something catchy and melodious and worth remembering, but my words fail me now.

And then it hits me. It’s something so simple—so foreign for so long—no wonder I couldn’t place my finger on it.

“For starters, I love you, Decker Trace.” I drop a kiss on the only place I can reach without him leaning over, the base of his throat.

He closes his eyes at the touch of my lips, reopening them when I pull away. “I love you, too.”

“And I’m just genuinely happy, that’s all.”

Decker leans down, pressing his forehead to mine. “Call the press. Sad girl Lena Lux is no more.”

I swat his chest, but even my feigned annoyance can’t hide my smile. He grins back, his arms wrapping around my waist as I tilt my head up. “Yeah, what is my next album supposed to be about now that I’m in a stable, loving relationship?”

“Don’t pretend like that’s a bad thing.”

“I think we both know I’m not very good at pretending.” I lift to my toes, wiping away his smirk with a quick kiss. “Not when it comes to you.”