Page 130 of Sing You Home (Nashville Star 1)

Pulling back from her, Luke reaches into his jacket pocket and unveils a platinum band with rows of glittering diamonds.

Sal’s legs turn to jelly. Her hands fly to her mouth as Luke gets down on one knee. He stares up at her, his face heavy with emotion as he reaches for her hand. “I’m a man in love with you, Sal, askin’ if you’ll have me. Again.”

Sal stands mute, motionless. Her eyes fill at the beauty of this moment, at the beauty of this man. This man who has never given up on her, who has stood by her side and been her road for longer than she can remember.

Smiling through her tears, Sal falls to her knees in front of Luke. She clutches his hands to her breast and nods.

“Again, and again, and again.”

Luke’s face breaks out into a smile so bright it could charge the sun. With trembling hands, he slips the ring onto Sal’s finger.

She stares at it. It’s so beautiful, feels so right it steals her breath. Then she looks up, into his eyes, and says steadily, “All the roads lead to us, Luke. They always will.”

Luke’s eyes water at the weight of her words. He gathers her hand in his, pressing it to his chest so she can feel who his heart beats for. “This is yours,” he says. “It’s always been yours, Sal. No one else’s.”

A slow, delicious kiss and then Sal’s murmuring, “Okay, now we’re really late.”

With a wild hoot, a nip of her shoulder, Luke’s standing. Only Sal remains kneeling. He stares down at her, confused. “Darlin’?”

A breathless laugh escapes Sal’s lips. “I can’t get up. My dress—it’s too tight.” Damn Lacey for talking her into this outfit. “How did I get down here, anyway?”

He smirks. “Sheer adrenaline to accept the ring.”

With a roguish grin, Luke reaches down and helps her stand. When she’s settled, dress smoothed out, Luke cleaves her toward him, kissing her ring finger, her cheeks, her tears.

“You ready to get to it?”

For a long moment, Sal stares at him as she takes it all in. Luke. Her life.

If her memory never returns, she’s fine with that. She knows what she has. She’s finally where she needs to be.

Sal smiles. “Ready.”

Luke extends a hand to Sal as he exits the limo first to a rampant flash of cameras. She slides out, a sunny smile on her face. No wincing at the cameras. No trace of apprehension. She’s all cool confidence.

Behind her, Jace, Emmy Lou and Seth follow.

Sal stares up at Luke, her expression half-amused, half-awed. Her eyes brush to the billboard above them where the Brothers Kincaid is spelled out in lights, then they swivel to the crowd of gawking spectators.

Leaning in close to Luke, Sal tugs on his arm and whispers, “They’re staring, Luke.”

Seth dips his mouth close to Sal’s ear. “That’s because you were dead,” he says, and Jace adds, “She is risen.”

They snicker.

Sal laughs, but Luke glowers at them. “Knock it off, you two.”

A camera flashes, catching him mid-scowl.

“C’mon, Luke,” Emmy Lou says sweetly through gritted teeth. “Give ’em a smile. I am not gettin’ a terrible photo in the paper.”

After flashing a dazzling smile, well-practiced from her rodeo queen days in the ring, Emmy Lou yanks Jace after her, her crinoline skirt swinging like a hula hoop.

As they walk down the red carpet, Luke takes a deep breath, trying to keep a smile on his face. It’s taking all he has not to overreact when anyone gets too close to his wife. He’s well aware the security team he’s hired hovers a few feet away in the wings. He’s also aware Roy’s still out there.

At the next photo op, they stop. Pose.

A reporter butts in. “That ring looks good on you, Sal,” she says. The crowd hushes, leans forward for her reply.

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