“Why didn’t you?”
“Because if I hadn’t learned from you, I wouldn’t have Bo. I wouldn’t have had the strength to let him go when he needed me to, or the strength to get back together when we were both ready. If it hadn’t been for the kind of deep love you have, that all of you have, Willow and I wouldn’t have had the lives we did.” I sat up, looking him straight in the eyes. “I still have a lot of questions but … you know what? I think our love is stronger than all of those questions and answers combined. Don’t you?”
With a muffled cry, my dad pulled me back into a tear-filled hug. “It is, November. It absolutely is. And, when you’re ready to ask, don’t hesitate on a single one. I’ll give you every answer I have.”
It seemed like the more time I was spending with my family, the more solid ground I was given. Like going on this tour with them wasn’t just an exercise in going back to my roots, but a process by which I was given a sturdy pair of wings.
And, at that exact moment, every single one of my dreams came true.
Bo
As I watched Ember and her dad embrace on the picnic bench, Josh softly elbowed my side.
“Ready man?” he whispered.
I smiled, never moving my eyes from my future wife as she sat, unknowingly, only ten feet away. “I always have been.”
The whole crew had sought refuge in the RV I’d been waiting in when Ember and her dad started talking. During the whole emotional ordeal my friends were more than quiet. Maybe watching me for signs of cold feet, all of them knowing what was going to happen next.
I turned to Georgia, who was nearest the power source. “Hit the lights, G.”
With a grin that sent a twinkle to her eyes, Georgia moved to the end of the RV, and plugged in the extension cord.
I have to admit, I’d seen it once already, but the lights choked me up a bit. We used strings of white lights for many of our stage set-ups, so we always had totes full of them wherever we went. While Monica and Georgia distracted Ember all afternoon, Michael, Mags, and I strung as many lights as would fit between the trees surrounding the campsite, and crossways over them, creating a canopy of glowing white light.
As soon as the lights went on, Ember’s back straightened. She looked startled as her head whipped from side to side. Her father, holding onto the last bit of composure I’m sure he had, sat back, took a deep breath, and watched her.
“Okay,” I whispered to myself. “Let’s go.”
As I made my way down the aisle of the RV, Monica stopped me. The tears were already forming in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said as she wrapped her arms around my torso. “Thank you for being her soul mate.”
“Thank you for letting me have her.” I squeezed her back and gave her a smile as she pulled away.
“Nervous?” Regan questioned, stepping aside so I could get to the stairs.
I looked him up and down. “You got your violin ready?”
He nodded.
“Then, no. I’m not nervous. Excuse me, guys. That’s my wife out there.” As I pushed my hand against the door of the RV, I took one more breath.
Then, the realization of all of my dreams came rushing toward me.
“Bo?” Ember stood as she watched me exit the RV, eyeing me from head to toe.
While I wasn’t in a tux, because that’s not what we were about, I was in pressed khaki’s and a black polo shirt. The nicest thing in my suitcase, and she knew it.
“Ember.” I smiled and took her hands in mine, kissing her softly on the forehead. “I see things are okay with you and your dad?” I looked between them, certain I’d read the body language correctly, but needing confirmation if any of this was to go as planned.
Ember’s chin quivered slightly as she smiled. “It is. We’re okay.”
I pulled her into a quick hug, savoring the scent of her hair for a second more.
“What is all of this?” she asked as she pulled away. “And where the hell is everyone?”
“We’re right here,” Raven answered as if this were all scripted. She exited the RV she’d been waiting in with the other band members.
“And here,” Monica chirped as she led the rest of our friends down the stairs of the vehicle I’d been in.
Despite the soft, full glow of the lights surrounding us, I reveled in the sight of Ember’s cheeks growing red as she tried to work out the scene. After looking at the happy—and somewhat weepy—faces of those around us, Ember whipped her head back around and looked at me, breathing heavily.
“Bo …” Her lips curled up at the edges. A hopeful energy begging them to curl the rest of the way.
“November,” I started, never breaking my gaze with hers, “what you and I have is something that I never knew was possible. Someone who loves everything inside me, including the things I didn’t know were there. Or the things I didn’t want to know were there. Someone who took each loss life handed to me and loved me through them, around them, and passed them. An actual mate to my bruised and battered soul.”