Page 107 of We Own Tonight
It’s been a whirlwind the last few years. One that I’m sometimes amazed we’ve endured so well. The media responded well when I said I wasn’t leaving my job, and I think being a cop shielded me alot.
I’m clearly not after his money, even though he practically throws it atme.
The lights dim and déjà vu hits me like a Mack truck to theface.
Kristin grabs my hands, squeezing tight. “I’m so glad Eli hooked us up with theseseats.”
“Well, I didn’t give him much choice.” My smile is wide as shegiggles.
“This is true. Still, I’m sograteful.”
As much as this is like the first time we attended the concert, so much has changed. Kristin left her husband and now lives in my old home with her two kids. Danielle and Peter are actually doing extremely well after having a second honeymoon. And Nicole is still the same, having random sexcapades and God only knows how many threesomes. I stopped asking after it started giving Eliideas.
I’m now permanently living in Eli’s Tampa house. Though, at first it wasn’t entirely by choice. Eli practically moved my stuff out of my place and into his the day after our press conference. My home was swarmed with photographers, and he wasn’t havingit.
I was exceedingly against it, we fought, and then did a lot of making up—in our newhome.
The silhouettes of the band members are visible now, and the crowd roars. Lights come on and the concertbegins.
I watch Eli the entire time. The way his dark brown hair catches the light, his green eyes meet mine every time he’s close, and the way he only gives me his cocky smirk that makes my heart melt. I love him more each day, even on the days I’d like to wring hisneck.
He dances around, and I study his movements, watching for any sign of his hands bothering him. He told me they were tingling after his last show. Today, he looksgreat.
The music shifts, and my adrenalin starts to thump. Anytime I hear this song, I can’t help but smile. “I’ve got someone very special in the audience tonight,” Elisays.
Oh, no. No, no, no. He promised. I try to move, but Nicole grabs me. “You’re so going upthere.”
“My girlfriend is here tonight, and if you don’t know, this exact concert a little over two years ago, was where I met her.” He gazes at me and winks. “I’d like to bring her back up tonight and remind her just how much she loves me. So, come on Heather, get uphere.”
My lips purse, and he gets the meanest stink eye I can muster. But what does he do? Laughs. The assholelaughs.
The bouncer extends his hand. Eli watches me, and I mouthI hate youtohim.
As soon as I’m on stage, he pulls me close and plants his lips on mine as the crowd goes crazy. “You love me,” he says against myear.
“Not forlong.”
“Randy,” Eli calls his brother over. “Heather might need a little support for thisnumber.”
Randy laughs. “I see you’re going to lay it onthick?”
“She is my once in a lifetime girl . . . she needs to feel it in her bones!” Eliyells.
Dear God this can’t be my life. Here I sit, on stage while my boyfriend, Shaun, PJ, and Randy have fun at my expense. I’m going to kill Eli, and then I’m going to have Savannah killRandy.
Damn Walshbrothers.
The music keys in, and Eli begins tosing.
After the first chorus of him being totally over the top, hestops.
He pulls me to my feet and sings to me. The audience disappears while he holds me close. We sway to the music, and suddenly, I don’t care about the people or the lights. My embarrassment fades into the distance, and I pretend we’re alone at home. Eli and I are in our kitchen as he tells me the words of thesong.
I look out at the crowd and see the lights from the cellphones filling the room. It’s like a million twinkling stars shine just forus.
My fingers rub the back of his neck, and I kiss his cheek when the songends.
“My once in a lifetime . . .” He extends hishand.
