After the first few verses, I make my way to the edge of the stage, reaching my hand out for Vivienne. She grasps it, and together Roxy and I lift her on stage. She stares at me in shock as I sing the chorus from Christmas Eve.
It all happens so fast.
The song ends, and I find myself suddenly down on one knee in front of her, digging in my pants pocket.
When I pull out the ring and stare up at her,, tears line her eyes. “Vivienne,” I huff out of breath. “Will you make me the happiest man in the universe, and will you marry me?”
Her tears trickle down her face, and it takes every bit of self-control not to jump up and comfort her. I wait for her to respond, the seconds passing like hours until finally she whispers, “Fuck it, yes.”
Vivienne leaps into my arms, and I slide the glittering diamond ring onto her finger.
Relief washes over me as I’m filled with an overwhelming amount of happiness. The crowd goes wild around us as the announcer says, “We want to wish the future Mr. and Mrs. Wilder endless future happiness, and a special thanks for allowing us to be a part of this special moment.”
More applause erupts as a feral chant erupts. “Kiss the girl! Kiss the girl!” the crowd screams.
I smirk at Vivienne, wiggle my brows, then kiss her.
Moments later we’re whisked off the stage and briefly separated. Roxy snags Vivienne to wait with her while I get all my equipment and microphones turned in. Tonight is going exactly as planned. It couldn’t have been any more perfect.
I can’t help but think my grandmother would be happy to see me actually settling down like I promised I would.
She’s right after all—I just needed to find someone worth loving and settling down for.
Chapter thirty-five
Isaid yes! I can’t believe rockstar Cas Wilder just proposed to me on national television in front of everyone here and that he coordinated my best friend’s arrival in New York City so she could be here for the biggest moment of my life. If I wasn’t already head over heels in love with this man, it would’ve sealed the deal. I glance down at the ring on my finger. It glimmers back at me.
Next to me Roxy sighs. “I’m so fucking happy for you, babe.”
“Thank you. I know he was on your list of men you’d like to hook up with and you’ve practically drooled over him for years, so I’m glad you’re happy for me.”
She shoulder-checks me and I sway. “How could I not be happy for you, Vi? This is all I’ve ever wanted for you.”
“I want this for you too,” I confess.
“Oh no, please don’t put that energy into the world yet. I’m not ready to settle down.” She laughs.
“Okay, deal.” I hug her tight and she squeezes me back.
“Roxy?”
“Yeah?” she hums.
“I can’t wait to show you the city. You’re going to love it, and I may have met a really hot tattoo artist who’s looking for no strings attached,” I squeal.
“You’re the best, Vi.”
Cas comes around the corner grinning like he’s won the lottery and interrupts our best-friend moment by scooping me into his arms, twirling me around, and kissing me hard. “Mrs. Wilder,” his deep voice rumbles.
I giggle. “Not yet.”
“I was worried there for a minute when you didn’t say yes right away,” he confesses.
“You mean Cas Wilder was nervous,” I tease. “I could never be a one-night stand. Not with you Cas. It was too hard to stay away.”
“It was hard on me too,” Cas whispers.
I kiss him lightly. I’m happy. I’m really fucking happy. Never in a million years could I have imagined this would be the result of letting a leech-sucking pathetic excuse for a man go. If I knew Cas was waiting for me on the other side of the breakup, I’d have cut Jackson loose sooner, but I suppose everything happens for a reason.
