Page 9 of Harrison's Wedding

I talk to Ariana for another couple of minutes before I say, “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go dance with Heather.” She nods, and the frown returns to her face, so I give her another quick hug before saying, “I’m glad you’re back with Gabriel. You both seem very happy.”

“Thanks, Harrison. Happy birthday, again.” She smiles at me, and I smile back before taking the stairs two at a time down to the main floor.

I make my way to where Heather and Sebastian are dancing, taking Heather’s hand as I spin her around in a circle as well. We laugh and dance together with Sebastian until the song changes to a slower one. I wrap my arms around Heather from behind, and I feel any tension in her body leaving instantly when I do. She feels so good against me and I smile as her floral scent invades my nostrils.

“Have fun, lovebirds!” Sebastian tells us with a laugh, then waves before heading back to the bar.

I cross my arms over Heather’s shoulders as we dance in time with the music. She tilts her head to the side, inviting me to kiss her neck, which I do at once.

I press my lips against her soft skin and lift my head a little to say in her ear, “I love you, Heather.”

Her lips curve upward before she turns and angles her face up to mine. I lower my head and capture her lips with mine. She parts them, and our tongues meet as we kiss. I can feel the arousal flooding through my body, and I ache to have her somewhere more private, wanting to unwrap the best gift I’ve ever received.

When we finish kissing, we’re both breathing heavily. I spin her around so she’s facing me as I drop my hands to her waist to pull her hard against me. I look down into her bright blue eyes, and it’s obvious that she’s turned on. She raises herself up on her toes slightly to get closer to me, and I lower my head again to kiss her. Heather winds her arms around my neck and I squeeze her tighter as we kiss.

I don’t know how long we make out for, but I come to the realization that people aren’t dancing close to us anymore and I’m blinded by the spotlights shining down on us. Heather pulls her mouth from mine, and I blink as I look around the room and try to clock what’s going on.

“Happy thirtieth birthday, Harrison!” Cooper Powell, my band’s manager, says into a microphone as he strides toward us.

All the arousal that I was feeling departs my body at once. Heather pulls her hands away from my neck, then reaches a hand over to find mine. I link my hand with hers as everyone cheers for me.

The guys, my parents, and Heather’s mom and brother are following in Cooper’s wake. They’re followed by Cooper’s wife, Helen, and Madeline Turner, one of Cooper’s assistants. The two ladies are pushing a table toward Heather and me. Sitting on it is a massive cake in the shape of my signature, custom Fender bass guitar.

My mouth drops open when I see it. The cake is decorated so intricately that it honestly looks like I could pick it up and play it. It even has the Cruise Control symbol near the bridge, and it’s a perfect replica of the one I use when we’re touring. This is, hands down, the best cake I’ve ever seen, and I beam at the group of people around me.

Someone nearby has a video camera trained on us and it’s streaming the footage to the big screens that were showing pictures of me earlier. The cameraman points the camera at the cake and the crowd cheers before they sing a chorus of “Happy Birthday to You” and I cut the cake to more cheers from my party guests. The cake is quickly wheeled away by staff who mutter about cutting it into slices for the guests.

Cooper turns to look at me before speaking into the microphone once again. “I think it’s time for a speech, Harrison!”

There are more cheers and my heart begins to pound in my chest. I think that I might be sick as my nerves hit me in full force. I’m sure there are a thousand butterflies in my stomach as I take the mic from Cooper.

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, and my voice sounds strange as I say, “Thanks so much for coming out tonight, everyone!”

Another cheer from my guests, and I take a deep breath to try and calm myself before continuing.

“It means so much to me that everyone wanted to come and help us celebrate my thirtieth birthday. Thank you so much for this wonderful evening. This last decade has been pretty crazy.” I smile over at my bandmates and my parents. “I am so lucky to be where I am. Mom and Dad, you supported my dreams, and I love you for that. Seb, Hayden, and Gabriel, you guys are like my brothers.”

I turn to look at Heather, and our eyes meet. She’s smiling and looks happy and proud of me. I can feel myself perspiring, and I’m not sure if it’s from the nerves or the heat from the spotlight that’s still on us.

I take another breath. I didn’t prepare a speech because I wanted to speak from the heart, but I’m kind of regretting that now. I know what I want to say—it’s what I feel, and then I just have to ask the question. I really hope I’m able to get a copy of the recording of this. I should have asked them for it beforehand to make sure I do.

“Heather,”—a sense of calmness comes over me at the sound of her name, and it reminds me why I’m doing this. It gives me the courage to continue—“you’re my angel. I love you so much. You’ve been by my side for ten years now, and I couldn’t ask for a better person to be my life partner. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

I reach into my pocket and pull out the ring box before I drop to one knee in front of her. I open the box, then hold it in front of me with one hand. A lot of the people in the big room gasp at once, and Heather’s mouth drops open.

I lift the mic back to my mouth to say, “Most importantly, I don’twantto imagine my life without you in it. Heather Lillian York, will you marry me?”

Heather doesn’t answer for a moment, and I swear to god my heart stops beating while she looks around the room at the big screen and the crowd around us before she looks back down at me. Our eyes meet, and I know that I’ll never love another person as much as I love Heather York.

“Yes.” She finally answers my question, and relief floods through me. “Of course!”

The crowd erupts into cheers at her words, and I grin at her…my fiancée. I stand up and someone takes the mic off me before I pull the ring out of its box and slip it onto Heather’s left hand. She stares down at it, looking amazed, while a tear runs down her face.

She looks up at me and I lean down to kiss her before we’re surrounded by people wanting to give us their best wishes. My parents reach us first, followed by Heather’s mom, and then her brother. Next come my bandmates, starting with Hayden, who’s followed by Sebastian.

“You know, Heather, there’s still time to change your mind and run away with me!” Sebastian winks at her as he hugs her.

“I’ll think about it, Seb.” She laughs back at him.

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