Page 269 of Fame & Chaos

She laughs. “I’d love that.”

I squeeze her hand. “Good.”

There’s something else weighing on my heart.

Something I’ve asked so many times before.

Only this time…

This time I have a ring.

I reach into my back pocket, and her smile slowly fades as she notices the velvet box in my hand.

I move onto one knee.

Her hand flies to her mouth. “Caleb…”

I open the box.

My throat feels impossibly tight. “I know I’ve asked you this more times than either of us can count.”

She nods, tears already glistening in her eyes.

“Sometimes I was joking.” I smile. “Sometimes I wasn’t.” I hold her gaze. “But I’ve never been more serious than I am right now.”

I draw a slow breath. “I’ve loved you from the moment I first saw you. You’ve always been my biggest supporter… my constant… my home.” Without thinking, I reach for her hand. “You’ve never once stopped believing in me, even when I stopped believing in myself.” Emotion thickens my voice. “You make me want to be a better man.” I smile softly. “I don’t want a future that doesn’t have you in it.” I glance down at the ring before looking back into her eyes. “So…” I laugh quietly, “… for what has to be about the seven-hundred-and-fifty-ninth time…” I swallow. “Will you, my sweet Indi… marry me?”

She doesn’t answer.

She simply stares at me, tears slipping silently down her cheeks.

My heart pounds.

Then she gently reaches forward…

… and closes the ring box.

I lower my head… here it comes.

“I do want to marry you.” My eyes lift to hers. “But…” She cups my face. “We need to get through this tour first.” I stay silent, letting her continue, “The last one broke us.” She smiles sadly. “I need to know we’ve truly learned from it.” She strokes my cheek. “So this isn’t a no.” Hope flickers inside me. “It’s a ‘not yet.’ ”

I let out a slow breath.

“If we come through this stronger…” her smile widens, “… then my answer will be yes.”

Relief floods through me so quickly I almost laugh. “So…” I grin. “It’s basically a yes.”

She laughs through her tears. “It’s a conditional yes.”

“I’ll take that.”

I cup her face in both hands and kiss her.

Long.

Slow.

Certain.