But she couldn’t find Kyle.
“Oh, my God, it’s Lourdes Bennett!” she heard someone exclaim. Then her name went through the crowd like a ripple, and even those around the perimeter who hadn’t yet realized what was happening started paying attention.
Lourdes caught the sound of Kyle’s name, too. She could tell everyone was searching for him. So where was he? Why wasn’t he here?
She was beginning to worry that he’d already left, when the crowd parted and she saw him standing in the center of the floor with his collar loosened, looking casual and yet elegant at the same time.
She experienced a moment of terror, wondering if she’d made a mistake doing this in public—doing this at all. When she’d told Derrick she was returning to Whiskey Creek, he’d severed their business relationship and given “Crossroads” to Crystal, which Lourdes had expected. Now she was entirely on her own and would have to start over, not much ahead of so many other artists who were trying to gain the ear and the confidence of the right people. But whether she made a comeback or not, she hoped to have Kyle as her husband and life partner.
If getting back on the country music charts didn’t work out, she could always do weddings, she told herself and couldn’t help smiling at the lengths she was willing to go for the man who was walking slowly toward her.
“I never knew love...until I knew you,” she finished.
The room was completely silent as the final notes of the song died away. Everyone was too intrigued by the drama playing out before them to clap.
Shaky and a bit breathless, she set her guitar aside and stepped back up to the microphone. “I’d like to wish Phoenix and Riley a long and happy life together. I hope they aren’t put off by this little surprise.”
“No way!” Riley called as everyone applauded.
She grinned at him. “That song is called ‘Refuge.’ This is the first time I’ve ever sung it in public, but it seemed appropriate to do it here, since I wrote it in Whiskey Creek.” Her gaze landed on Kyle. “And the man I wrote it for is a good friend of yours.”
Several people whistled as she gestured for Kyle to join her onstage.
“What are you doing?” he murmured as he reached her, his soft lips curved in that half smile she found so sexy.
“For anyone who couldn’t hear, he’d like to know what I’m doing,” she said into the mic. “And to tell the truth, I’m not sure. I’ve never gambled on love the way I’m doing now. You see, I know Kyle doesn’t really want a music artist for a wife, especially one who’s as involved in her career as I am. But, in spite of that, he asked me to marry him before I left. And I didn’t answer. I was too afraid to say yes and didn’t want to say no. So...I’ve come back to see if he’ll ask me again.”
She thought he might ham it up for the audience. She’d put him on the spot, after all, had probably embarrassed him. But he seemed too caught up in the moment to care about who might be watching. He never took his eyes off her.
“I don’t mind that you’re a performer,” he said, speaking into the mic himself. “What’s important to you is important to me. So I’ll support you in that, and I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t regret coming back to Whiskey Creek—if you’ll marry me.”
“I’m not too young?” she teased.
“I don’t know... Nine years is nine years.”
Everyone started to boo.
“Sounds like I’m outvoted,” he teased back. “No matter what age you are, you’re just right for me.”
“Then I have your answer. It’s yes,” she said, and he pulled her into his arms to kiss her.
“Tell me you still have my ring,” she murmured amid all the noise and congratulations people were shouting at them. “I love that ring.”
“I took it back,” he said.
She pulled away. “You did? I’ve only been gone a week!”
He chuckled at her disappointment. “It’s at home, waiting for you,” he told her and kissed her again.