Page 95 of Roaring Fork Rockstar

The first notes were gentle, almost hesitant. Then his voice joined the melody, singing about a man who’d spent his life searching, never realizing what he was looking for until he found a woman with wild curls and fire in her eyes.

The lyrics told our story—meeting at the Goat, the Christmas at the ranch, the hospital vigils, and the moments of joy we’d stolen between the fear. Each verse built on the last, creatinga narrative of two people finding each other amid chaos and uncertainty.

As he approached what I assumed was the final chorus, Holt stood, stepping away from the microphone. To my shock, he set down his guitar and walked to the edge of the stage, extending his hand toward me.

“Join me?” he asked, voice carrying despite the lack of amplification.

My legs moved of their own accord, carrying me onto the stage. The lights were blinding, the crowd a blur beyond them. All I could see clearly was Holt, his blue eyes intense as he took my hands in his.

A movement at the opposite side of the stage caught my attention. My father appeared and led Luna by the hand. Her unicorn cape fluttered behind her as she hurried toward us, her face alight with excitement.

Holt knelt down when she approached. “Can I ask you something important?” he said, his voice carrying enough for those in the front rows to hear.

“Yes,” said Luna solemnly.

“Would it be okay with you if I asked your mommy to marry me?”

The amphitheater fell silent. I could hear my own heartbeat thundering in my ears as I stared down at them, unable to process what was happening.

Luna’s response was immediate and enthusiastic. “Yes, yes, yes!” She jumped up and down, her cape billowing. “I’ve been waiting forever!”

Laughter rippled through the crowd, breaking the tension. Holt smiled at Luna, then turned to me. Still kneeling, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

“Keltie,” he said, his voice clear and steady despite the emotion in his eyes. “I never believed in love at first sight until Imet you. I never thought I could love someone else’s child as my own until I met Luna. You two have changed my life in ways I never imagined possible.”

He opened the box, revealing a ring that caught the stage lights—a delicate band with a center diamond surrounded by smaller stones.

“I know this might seem fast,” he continued, “but when you know, you know. And I know, with absolute certainty, that I want to spend the rest of my life with you both. Will you marry me?”

I stared at this man kneeling before me, this man who had appeared in our lives at the exact moment we needed him.

“Yes,” I whispered, then found my voice. “Yes!”

Holt slid the ring onto my finger, then stood and pulled me into his arms. When his lips met mine, the cheers from the crowd faded into background noise. All I could feel was him, solid and real, promising a future I hadn’t dared imagine.

When we broke apart, Luna squeezed between us, her arms wrapping around our legs. Holt lifted her up, and the three of us stood there for a moment—a family, despite all the odds stacked against us.

Through my tears, I spotted Miguel near the front row, wiping his eyes unashamedly. My father stood at the edge of the stage, his smile wider than I’d seen in years. Sam and Beau were on their feet, along with Flynn, TJ, Buck, and the rest of the Wheaton clan.

Holt cleared his throat, obviously emotional. “Thank you, everyone. CB Rice will be taking the stage in twenty minutes.”

The stage manager gestured for us to exit, and we made our way off to the side, still wrapped in our bubble of joy. Luna bounced between us, unable to contain her excitement.

“I knew it!” she exclaimed. “I toldAbueloyou were going to be my daddy now!”

Holt laughed, ruffling her bandana. “Is that right, Unicorn Girl?”

“She did,” my father confirmed, joining us. “Congratulations,mija.” He embraced me tightly, then turned to Holt. “Welcome to the family, son.”

“Thank you, sir.” Holt’s voice was thick with emotion. “I promise to take care of them both.”

“I know you will,” my father replied. “Now, I believe there’s a little girl who was promised ice cream after the performance.”

Luna’s face lit up. “Ice cream! Can we go now, please?”

Holt glanced at me, eyebrows raised in question.

“You two go ahead,” I said. “I’ll let Sam and the others know and catch up with you.”

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