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I closed my eyes and leaned into the lyrics of my favorite R.E.M song, and felt every word of it.
When the song ended, I glanced over into the wings, where I knew he was waiting for me. If he was going to tell his story tonight, he needed to get out here.
Patrick Griffin was the love of my life. He’d been my best friend since we were seven, even before I met Adam. The moment we met, there was something that drew me to him, and I quickly learned I needed him every single day of my life.
“Cole?” He said as he approached me on stage. “Sorry to interrupt, but I’ve got some things I need to say.”
I looked out at the audience, who were cheering until Patrick waved to them.
“O-kay,” I drew out slowly, wondering what the fuck he was talking about. “Right now? I’m kinda busy.”
The crowd was laughing and cheering. But Patrick was unfazed by all of this. He just smiled at me like he couldn’t hold whatever it was in for one more second. “Yes, right now. It can’t wait.”
I glanced over at Adam and my bandmates, who appeared to be as surprised as I was, but were clearly enjoying my embarrassment. The fuckers.
Patrick took my breath away every time I looked at him. I couldn’t be held responsible for the way he affected me when he aimed that sexy-as-fuck gaze at me. The same one that instantly got me hard and made it nearly impossible for me not to want to pounce on him. And when he wore those dark jeans that wrapped lovingly around his muscled thighs, I was toast. I brought my fist up to my mouth and whimpered when he stopped in front of me.
“Cole,” he said, taking the guitar out of my hands and handing it off to someone. Don’t ask me who took it because I wasn’t paying attention to anything but him. And he was making me nervous.
“Patrick? What are you doing?”
He looked at me like I was the best thing to ever happen to him.
Like he’d give up all his Super Bowl rings and awards for me.
Like the world could fall away, and he wouldn’t notice.
Like he was looking at me right now.
“I should have done this a long time ago.”
The crowd had gone silent while my heart was trying to climb into my throat to get a better look at this sexy man.
“Done what exactly?” I could hear the quiver in my voice.
“I should have told the world you were mine long ago. I should have gotten down on my knees and thanked my lucky stars you shared your Spicy Doritos at snack time when we were seven.”
I laughed at the memory, along with the sold-out venue. “Spicy Doritos, huh?”
He nodded with a big grin on his face. “And I should have told the world how much I love you. I should have asked you to be my prom date in high school, and I should have asked you to be my homecoming date when we were in college. I should have kissed the fuck out of you the night I was drafted into the NFL. And most of all, I should have told the world how in love with you I’ve been since we were fifteen and figured out what I felt for you was more than friendship.”
My eyes began to tear up and leaked out my eyeballs with every beat of my heart. He was tearing me up.
“Patrick…”
He lowered himself down onto one knee in front of me and took my hand in his. “Cole Jos–” I slapped my free hand over his mouth, making Adam and everyone laugh.
Shit, I forgot they were here.
I gave him the stink eye I’d perfected after spending years avoiding the use of my horrendous middle name. But his warm eyes and laughter under my palm told me he was unaffected by my glare. Patrick’s lips pursed into a kiss as he covered my hand with his and gently peeled it away.
“Let me start again from the beginning,” he said, low enough that only I could hear him.
“Okay,” I replied, shakily.
“Cole Bradley, you are the love of my life. And when that life almost ended, it didn’t take long to figure out what I truly needed in my life. It was you. It’s always been you. And it will be you for the rest of my life. So, babe, what I’m asking is, will you marry me here tonight, in front of all our new friends, and the ones we hold dear?”
I had to be dreaming. This kind of fairytale shit did not happen, but just in case it did, I gave him my answer. “Yes, Patrick, I’ll marry you.”
