“This is where you belong, Big Guy. On the stage.”
He blushes. “Thank you.”
“We save each other, right?”
“Tonight, tomorrow, and every day we live to see another sunrise.”
He takes the hand off the mic. I look at the crowd, but I feel him right there beside me, our shoulders brushing.
Two heartbeats. One microphone.
I strum the opening chord of the first verse and I feel weightless as I sing the first line. “Your hands still smell like smoke and pine, your lips still taste like borrowed time.”
Rust joins in on the harmony. His voice slides under mine, smooth and deep. “You came back like summer rain, washed the dust clean off my pain.”
The audience loses its mind. A woman in the first row faints and a security guard lifts her over the barrier, carrying her to safety.
To be honest, I get it. That’s the Rust effect.
His grin widens and I’m so happy I could burst. It’s good to see him get the recognition hedeserves.
By the time we reach the second verse the band joins in. They’re professionals for a reason, easily picking up on the melody. Phones sway in rhythm with the song and some folks in the audience have already memorized the chorus, singing back at us.
During the interlude, Rust grabs my face and kisses me—withtongue. The crowd hollers and I giggle against his lips.
Everything is perfect.
I want this moment to last forever, but I know it doesn’t have to. Because this is just the beginning of the rest of our lives, together.
A life fueled by our love, our music—and the occasional crime for inspiration.
53
RUST - FALL, ONE YEAR LATER
“And the awardfor Entertainer of the Year goes to…”
Time grinds to a halt as the host’s voice rings in my ears. Shaking, I squeeze Tally’s fingers atop the table. The wedding bands around our ring fingers sparkle like her gaze and she looks at me as if I’m the most important person in this room full of country legends.
I’m wearing a custom-tailored brown suit, designer boots, and a brand-new Stetson, but I still feel like I don’t deserve to be next to her. She’s too beautiful in her black bootcut jeans with golden embroidery and a sequin top, red curls cascading in waves over her shoulders.
To me, she’ll always be the brightest star.
Cal slaps my back. He grins from ear to ear like he’s the one nominated in the most prestigious category of the Country Music Awards. Since mine and Tally’s folks aren’t with us anymore, he’s taken it upon himself to play the proud parent role.
He’s been doing a damn fine job—as mybest friend and as the new head of our personal security team. That night playing bodyguard showed Caleb his true calling.
Beside him sits Erin, chugging water while she stares longingly at the champagne in Caleb’s glass. Her other hand rubs absentmindedly over her baby bump, an engagement ring glittering on her finger. She’s been shellshocked since we won Music Video of the Year with the choreography she created and we took her on stage with us to receive the award.
Caleb pecks her cheek and she grabs his hand in a vise grip, nails digging in. Her eyes flick to his face. She blushes before kissing him on the lips. He smirks, whispering something in her ear that has her flushing even redder.
They make a damn fine couple. Caleb’s laid-back attitude and Erin’s energetic nature are a perfect match. They balance each other. And Lord save us, their kid is gonna turn out sassy as hell.
The two were also the only people present for our Vegas elopement in spring. From the day Dalton got arrested, they’ve accompanied us every step of the way.
Since my big stage debut, life has been a whirlwind of change. The good kind.
We fired everybody associated with Dalton, which turned out to be the entire team behind Tally. One by one, we replaced them with carefully vetted folks of our choice.
