I Remember You (8 page)

She looked at the clock. It was only two in the afternoon. She had plenty of time for a nap before she had to get ready. He’d definitely worn her out last night. She stretched out on the bed, taking a deep breath. She could still smell him on the pillow. She hugged it to herself and smiled. She couldn’t wait to see him later.

Chapter Nine

Lance paced backstage nervously. Where was she? He had to go on stage in a few minutes and if she didn’t get there soon, he wouldn’t get a chance to talk to her before the show.

He couldn’t be happier with the song Jason and he worked on all afternoon. It was going to knock her socks off and when he asked her to marry him after the show; there was no way she’d be able to say no. It was crazy to ask her so soon after they’d gotten back together, but something just felt right about it. And why should they waste any more time? He was ready to start his future with her.

“Are you ready to go?” The lead roadie for the band said as he walked by. “It’s time to start.”

Lance looked at his watch and then looked around. “Did Sam get here yet?” He asked. I was hoping to see her first.”

He shook his head. “Nope, haven’t seen her yet.”

Why wasn’t she here? Had she changed her mind? He’d tried to text and call her earlier, but didn’t get a response. His call went right to voicemail. She wasn’t avoiding him, was she?

Jason came by, drumsticks in hand. “Time for the show. Let’s go!” He called to him as he walked towards the stage.

Lance sighed. He couldn’t wait anymore. Hopefully she was just running late.

***

The limo finally pulled up to the door at the back of the arena. Samantha glanced at the clock in the back. Lance was probably already on stage. She’d been hoping to see him beforehand, maybe even give him a little something to think about while he was on stage. She wanted to call or text him to let him know she was stuck in traffic, but she’d left her phone at the hotel by accident.

The door opened for her, and she quickly stepped out and walked to the door. There was a security guard at the door. How was she going to get past him?

She reached for the door when he stopped her. “I can’t let you in there, miss.”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “But I’m with the band.”

He snorted. “That’s what they all say, sweetheart.”

She crossed her arms in frustration. “Are you kidding me? I’m with Lance. My name is Samantha? Sam maybe? Didn’t he tell you?”

“Samantha?” The guard asked. “I’m sorry. Yes, go in. He did tell me you were coming. I think he’s waiting for you.”

“Thank you!” She said as she opened the door. She could hear the music playing and she knew she had missed seeing him. The Forbidden Gods were already on stage; she’d missed her chance to talk to Lance.

One of the roadies came by and stopped next to her. “Are you Samantha?” He asked, yelling into her ear.

She nodded so she didn’t have to yell over the noise of the music. He handed her a badge to wear around her neck, granting her full access to backstage. “Follow me,” he said loudly. She followed him until he stopped at the side of the stage.

She felt the butterflies in her belly when she saw Lance standing there, playing his guitar. He had on jeans tonight and a simple t-shirt. He was so calm and casual out there and she had to stop herself from dragging him off stage to attack him.

She wanted to get his attention and let him know she was there, but she didn’t want to disrupt the show. It wasn’t long before she was grooving along with the music. She enjoyed the music Lance’s band played, and not only because she was in love with the guitar player.

He finally glanced over and noticed her. A big grin broke out across his face and he winked at her. She posed for him so he could get a good look at the outfit she had picked out for him. He nodded and gave her a smoldering look and she felt her sex pulse. She hoped he attacked her after the show. Or maybe she would attack him.

The lights dimmed on stage and Lance changed his electric guitar for his acoustic. Jason came out from behind his drums and sat on a stool next to him. She watched with curiosity as the two men got settled on the stage.

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” Lance asked as he leaned into the microphone. She smiled as the crowd went crazy.

“Are you enjoying the show?” Jason asked with a grin, laughing as the crowd got even crazier.

“Well, we want to slow things down just a bit,” Lance said as he adjusted the strap of his guitar. “Over ten years ago, I met someone that became my whole world. She was my reason for breathing, and I messed it up. I lost her.” He glanced back over at Samantha.

What was he doing? Her eyes filled with tears as she listened to him.

“Yeah,” Jason said. “He fucked up big time. She was the best thing that ever happened to him, but the asshole didn’t realize it until it was too late.”

“Thanks a lot, man,” he said to Jason. He looked back at the crowd. “He’s right though. Back when we were together, I was working on a special song for her. I never got to play it for her and I never wanted to share it with anyone else.”

The tears were running down her cheeks now as she listened to him.

He cleared his throat. “Fate stepped in a few days ago, bringing her back into my life. I was lucky some other SOB hadn’t snatched her up yet. We’ve had an amazing couple of days and I wanted to finally play this song for her. Since I can’t sing worth a darn, I won’t subject you to that, but Jason will sing it for me.”

He adjusted on his stool and turned around again to look at her. “Samantha,” he said into the microphone. “I love you. Thanks for giving me another chance.”

The crowd cheered as he started playing the opening chords of the song. Her jaw dropped when she heard it. It was the song she’d walked in on him playing all those years ago in the basement. That melody had haunted her for years as it had been the last thing she’d heard him play.

Jason started singing the words and by now she was openly sobbing.

The man in the moon, he sheds his tears
His heart is lost in all his fears
He watches the love
That I haven’t earned
And with every mistake
He hopes that I’ve learned
I turn to you
My light in the night
You don’t have a clue
How you consume my sight
I’m lost to you
I’m yours for life

The song ended and Lance got off the stool and came over to her, tears running down his own cheeks. He took his guitar off and she jumped into his arms, wrapping herself around him.

***

Lance held her close, trying to get his emotions in check before speaking to her. He was going to wait until later to ask him to marry her, but now seemed like the right time.

He pulled back, setting her back down on the floor and she kissed him passionately, her body pressed tight against him. The crowd was cheering and he had to get back out there soon. He ended the kiss and cupped her cheek in his hand.

“Sam, I love you,” he whispered, his forehead pressed against hers. “Will you go to Vegas with me after the show and marry me? I want you by my side now and forever. I won’t let you get away again.”

“Oh Lance,” she said, the tears flowing again.

“I know this isn’t the most romantic time or place, but it feels right to do this now,” he murmured.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. “Yes, Lance, I’ll marry you!”

“Yes?” He asked loudly, making sure he heard her over the noise of the crowd. He was going to have to get back out there soon before they revolted.

She nodded again. “Yes!” She shouted.

“Woo Hoo!” He scooped her up in his arms and spun her around. He finally set her down as she laughed and he kissed her lips softly. “Good, because I had our manager book us flights to Vegas for later tonight. If you said no, I was going to go anyway to console myself.”

She laughed again. “You better get out there or you are going to have to deal with some angry fans.”

“Fuck, ok,” he said and kissed her again before running back out on the stage.

He picked up his guitar and walked to his microphone. “Hey folks, before we get started back up, I have to tell you what just happened back stage. I know it’s not the most romantic thing, but Samantha is back there,” he said as he turned to her, motioning for her to walk out on the stage. She walked out a few feet hesitantly and the crowd went crazy. She waved, giving them a shy smile.

He turned back to his microphone. “I asked this beautiful lady to be my wife.” The crowd cheered. “And believe it or not, she said yes. We’re headed to Vegas tonight after the show to get hitched. What do you think about that?”

The crowd started to scream and Jason started his bass drum. It was time to get the music started back up again. He grinned into the microphone. “Yeah, I think so too.” He blew a kiss at Samantha and she went back behind the stage. “Now let’s get this show over with so I can go make that beautiful woman my wife!”

The crowd roared as Lance started to play again. He had a renewed enthusiasm, ready to get this over with and make Sam his forever. It’s been a long time coming. He looked over at her and winked. She winked back and grinned. He felt like the luckiest man alive.

THE END

Epilogue

Samantha stood backstage, watching Lance play his guitar like she had a million times before. It never got old. She often teased him that the look of intensity on his face while he played was the same look he had when he was making love to her.

She clapped as the band finished a song, noticing her ring catch in the lights of the stage. She stopped and studied it for a second. They’d just celebrated their third wedding anniversary and ironically were playing at the same arena where Lance had asked her to marry her.

They’d flown to Vegas that night and had a simple wedding, just the two of them, at a small chapel on the strip. They’d gone back to their hotel and didn’t come out for about three days. She squeezed her thighs together as she thought about the debauchery that occurred between them in those few days.

With the break in the show, Lanced walked over to her for a quick kiss. “Happy Anniversary, baby,” he whispered against her lips.

“Happy Anniversary,” she replied softly, reaching up to touch his cheek. She had a feeling he wouldn’t forget this one.

She glanced out into the crowd as he walked back to his spot on stage and she waved at Lance’s mom sitting in the front row. She didn’t come to shows often anymore and wanted the full experience of sitting in the front rather than be backstage with Samantha. She was glad her mother-in-law was there. She had a surprise for Lance tonight and she wanted to share it with her too.

Lance leaned into his microphone to speak as the stage went dim and Jason came to sit by him on a stool. “Some of you were probably here a few years ago when I played this next song and proposed to my beautiful and sexy wife.” The crowd cheered and he turned over to give her a wink. She waved back. “Thanks to you guys, this song went to number one.” The crowd got even louder as he started to play the first chords of the song.

She smoothed her hands on the skirt of her dress. Jason was the only one who knew of her surprise for Lance tonight and she’d enlisted his help to pull this off.

“Wait a minute, dude!” Jason said into his microphone, holding up his hand stopping the song.

Lance turned to him. “What the fuck, man?”

Jason smiled. “Before we play this song, someone has something to say,” he said, looking over to where Samantha was standing and gave her a small nod. There was her cue.

Samantha walked out on stage with a grin. The look of surprise on Lance’s face was priceless. She walked over to him and took the microphone off of the stand before leaning over to kiss his cheek.

“Lance, three years ago you asked me to be your wife behind this very stage,” she said into the microphone, her voice shaky with emotion. “I said yes without a doubt and it’s been a wonderful three years with you. You’ve made me happier than I ever imagined.”

He still looked at her, speechless. It wasn’t often he didn’t have something to say, so she knew she’d caught him off guard like she’d wanted to.

“Anyway, it seemed fitting I share some news about the next phase of our life together on this same stage.” She couldn’t help but laugh as his jaw dropped open. “Lance, you’re going to be a daddy,” she said calmly into the microphone.

The crowd went crazy and the expression on his face was priceless as he processed the news. They’d sort of been trying to get pregnant for the past six months and were starting to get worried maybe something was wrong. Lance was especially worried that all of his past drinking was the issue, so she knew he would be relieved. She glanced down at the front row and couldn’t help but laugh when she saw Lance’s mom jumping up and down with the excitement of becoming a grandmother.

He got up off the stool and stood next to her. “Are you sure?” He asked softly.

She nodded and looked up at him. “Very.”

He reached out to touch her still flat stomach. “Oh my god, Sam,” he whispered, his eyes filling with tears.

She touched his hand, nodding again as her own eyes filled with tears. He wrapped her up in his arms, lifting her off the stage as he hugged her, his guitar still between them. The crowd went wild again, yelling their congratulations.