***
Four Days Later
“And the award for Best Original Song goes to…Hayvin Dickinson for Toxic Temptation from Through The Darkness,” the host announces.
The crowd erupts as I rise, but the fierce, overwhelming joy radiating from the man beside me swallows every other sound, as if my world narrows to the thunder of his love.
His breath sends a shiver down my spine as he leans in close. “So goddamn proud of you, baby girl. I love you.” His kiss burns into my temple. “Now go get that award.”
Everleigh squeezes me in a fierce hug, her pride bubbling over in excited words. As I edge toward the aisle, Titan and his fiancée shower me with warm embraces and cheek kisses.
With every congratulation offered as I cross the aisle, gratitude swells into an aching fullness within me. Each step melts away my fear and lets fierce strength and radiant pride bloom inside my chest.
When the host places that golden trophy in my shaking hands, I can only stare, spellbound and trembling. I beam at the crowd, my heart racing as I scan desperately for the one face I need. Panic claws at my ribs when he’s nowhere in sight, but I force it back behind a wavering smile.
Not now.
Clearing my throat, I find courage in the trust that shines brightly on my friends. “I’m going to keep this short because you all know by now how much I hate public speeches. I’d rather shove needles under my nails, if I’m honest.” Quiet laughter sifts through the crowd. “I’d like to thank Mitchell Landson and Marika Frost for commissioning me to work with them on Through The Darkness. I’d also like to give a huge thanks to Chaya Hughes because without her talent for weaving words together, then Toxic Temptation wouldn’t have been possible.” I smile at Chaya and her date. “You have one hell of a talent.” She mouths her thanks and I look back out over the rest of the crowd. “To those who nominated Toxic Temptation and to those who voted—thank you. As always, to my family,” I say, nodding towards Everleigh, Titan, and his fiancée, Holland.
Where the hell is Alek?
I wipe my sweating palms on the podium, terrified the award might slip from my shaking grasp. The audience senses my nerves, their eyes vivid with shared anxiety, urging me on.
“I seem to have lost someone in the crowd, but I’d like to thank him too. Alek encouraged me to set aside my fears and embrace this opportunity.”
Faces soften as gazes move past me for a second before returning. Everleigh smiles, Titan winks, and Holland mouths for me to turn around. Charlie and Keaton smile softly as I try to figure out what the hell is going on.
A tremor races through me, my fingers drumming a frantic, unsteady rhythm against the podium as energy crackles wildly in my veins.
Clutching my dress to stop it from snagging on my heels, I force myself to turn. A gasp, raw and sharp, bursts through the microphone as tears smudge my vision. There he is—the man who once stole my heart, kneeling, shining love and vulnerability for all to see.
At a public event.
That's being televised.
The man who once fled from love now kneels before me, holding up a dazzling diamond ring and a four-word question shimmering in his eyes.
“Hayvin Marie Dickinson,” his voice rings out, amplified by the microphone strapped to his tux. “I don’t mean to steal your spotlight, but I figured it’d be hard to doubt my sincerity this way.”
He’s right. After all the times he kept our love in the shadows, his public vulnerability now leaves no room for doubt.
I give a watery smile, encouraging him to continue.
“You have fulfilled my life in ways I could have never imagined. You’ve helped me grow and encouraged me in all the ways that mattered to be the best version of myself I could be. I don’t deserve you, but I’m going to fight like hell every day proving to you that there’s not another soul on this planet who loves you more than I do.”
“Excuse me? I object to that,” Everleigh barks out, causing the room to laugh.
Alek laughs and shakes his head. “Except for her,” he amends. “Will you marry me, Hayvin? Will you spend your life creating the perfect melodies with me?”
I freeze, my heart unraveling and twisting with love, excitement, raw happiness, and a thin, stubborn thread of fear.
Fear of the future—of the unknown with him.
Then I see the same fear on Alek’s face, and I know this is where our journey leads next.
My heels echo across the stage as I cross quickly to him, closing the distance between us. Sinking to my knees beside him, I lift my left hand up for the ring.
“Yes,” I choke out, tears falling down my face. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Alek.”
