"What?"Shelby asks.
"What's wrong?"Crue asks at the same time.
"The news," I choke out, tears filling my eyes as panic surges through me.My worst nightmare is playing out right now.It's too soon.I haven't had enough time.This isn't long enough to sustain me for the rest of my life.I was supposed to have more time with him before it all falls apart."T-they know."
"Shit."Crue unlatches my belt, lifting me into his arms.
The phone falls from my numb hands, landing in my lap.He grabs it, putting it to his ear."Shelby?She'll call you later.She and I need to talk and then we're going to talk to the press," he says.
"You can't talk to the press!"Shelby shouts."Are you crazy?"
"I'm not hiding her," he growls."She's my wife.And I'm the one who sent in the tip about our marriage."
Shelby goes silent.
Shock jolts my system.He's the one who told the world?Why?Why would he do that?
"She'll call you later," he says and then hangs up on my sister before dropping my phone to the seat beside him."Look at me, Éire."
"I…" I shake my head, afraid I'm going to cry if I look at him."I don't understand," I whisper."Why would you do this, Crue?"
"Look at me, Ireland."
I reluctantly lift my gaze to him, sad and confused and afraid and a million different things that make me want to freaking cry.I knew they'd find out about us sooner or later, and our bubble would burst.I've been bracing for it since he told me we were married.But I never expected that he'd be the one who tipped them off.I never thought it'd be this soon.
"Last night, you told me you were afraid that all of this would end when they found out about us," he says, holding my gaze."I'm not going to let you live with that fear, Ireland."
"So you just decided to go ahead and break my heart now?"I cry."You could have done it before you slept with me, Crue.Or before you told me that you loved me."I glare at him."Or before I asked my sister to be my maid of honor at our second wedding."
"You asked Shelby to be your maid of honor?"
"It doesn't matter now."
"It matters more than ever, Éire," he disagrees."I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you.I didn't tell them because I'm leaving you.I didn't tell them because I want this to end.I told them because I want you to know that this is permanent.We're forever, sweet girl.It doesn't matter who knows because it won't change a goddamn thing about us."
"You don't know that," I whisper.
"I do know that.I know you, and I know how I feel about you.That's not going to change today, tomorrow, or fifty years from now."He cups my cheek, running his hand beneath the bottom of my glasses."You stole my fucking heart, and you're not giving it back, Ireland.I won't accept it.It's yours, baby.It'll always be yours."
"Crue."A tear slips down my cheek."Are you serious?There's a no-return policy on your heart?"
"Yeah, Éire."He grins at me."There's a no-return policy.So I'm going to need you to stop crying because it's breaking me.And we have a statement to make to all those people out there before I can get you alone."
I stare at him for a long moment, trying to process and pull myself together.He means it; I know he does.I think the biggest part of me has known from the beginning that this was permanent for him, too.But when you have something that means so much to you, you're afraid to lose it.That's human nature.
We cling tight to the things we love, terrified they'll slip through our fingers.And I don't want this man slipping through mine.I don't want to wake up without him.I don't want to go to sleep without him.I don't want to spend my days without him.I don't want to be without him, period.
I understand the song he was writing on the bus the other day.Maybe a little too well.Because if I ever lost him, I don't think I'd be able to breathe either.But that's not the future in store for either of us.
Ours is bright.How can it not be with a freaking superstar lighting the way?
If he's willing to endure everything he went through back then just to be with me, then, of course, I'll do the same for him.This was never about me in the first place.I've never been afraid of what they'd say about me or what it would do to me.It's always been about protecting him.But if he wants me badly enough to go through all of this just to keep me…well, I'd be crazy not to give this man exactly what he wants, wouldn't I?
Yes.A thousand times, yes.
"Let's do it," I whisper.
"Yeah?"
