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  “You’re helping me more than you’ll ever know. When we sang together it opened something inside of me I thought had died years ago. It took me to a place where I felt like I was soaring. I know it sounds silly, but it felt like coming home.”

  “It doesn’t sound silly at all. Your words just mirrored my own feelings.” He brushed the side of her face with his knuckles. He leaned down and placed his lips on her own. She reached up and placed her arms around his neck. He was kissing her so tenderly. How had she forgotten how wonderful it felt to be kissing Luke Avery? It was a little slice of heaven in her world. She sighed as the kiss ended. In a few days, these kisses would be nothing but memories. How in the world would she ever survive losing Luke a second time?

  “I’m going to love you through it”

  by Martina McBride

  Chapter Six

  Rain felt happier and more optimistic than she had in quite some time. The feedback she’d received from her encore performance at the Bluebird had been spectacular. Luke, along with Bridget, Cassidy, Jessica and Lark, had been present at the Bluebird sitting front and center to cheer her on. The crowd’s raucous applause provided all the affirmation she would ever need about her singing. She was on cloud nine. She had almost forgotten about the label executives who were sitting in the audience.

  At the insistence of her girlfriends, Rain had agreed to a last evening with Luke. The thought of leaving him tomorrow to continue their road trip felt agonizing. It was the same way she’d felt four years ago when Luke had left Treasure Harbor to follow his dreams in Nashville. How in the world was she going to be able to say goodbye to him?

  Luke had set up a romantic table outside on the patio. Rain gasped as she walked on to the terrace. The table was beautifully set up with a vase filled with roses, candles and her favorite candy—Mike and Ikes placed in a small bowl. From this vantage point one could gaze at downtown Nashville. When it got darker, Rain imagined the night skyline would be lit up like fireflies. It was breathtaking.

  “This is really beautiful, Luke. It’s incredibly romantic.”

  He reached out and squeezed her hand. “I wanted to make the most of our time together.”

  “I can’t believe it’s my last night in Nashville,” she said with a sigh. “It went by so quickly.”

  “I know,” Luke said, letting out a sigh. “I’ve been thinking about it all day.” He reached out and pressed a tender kiss on her lips. They kissed for a few moments. The kiss was full of a bit of urgency, as if they both knew they were on borrowed time. Rain wanted the kiss to continue until all the stars were stamped from the sky. Tomorrow would be painful.

  “Rain. I’m not sure what I’m going to do without you here in town. I’ve gotten used to having you around.”

  Luke was uttering the very thing she was thinking. What would she do without him? How could any man every compare to Luke? And could she really walk away from him after everything they had been through together? Why would God have led her here to Nashville if He didn’t want them to be together?

  She ran her fingers along his jaw. There was no point in wallowing in sadness. It was wonderful that God had brought them back into each other’s lives. She had done something she’d never imagined possible. She’d forgiven Luke. And she was now able to understand the pressures he’d faced as a newbie in Nashville. Nothing in life was ever black and white. Reconnecting with Luke had shown her that his situation had been influenced by so many other forces. He had learned from his past mistakes. She was convinced Luke was a better man for having fallen so disastrously.

  “You’ll be fine. You’ve got your music. And your fans. It’s quite a wonderful life you’ve built for yourself.” A life she still yearned to be a part of.

  “I think the whole time I was building this life I was thinking of one day sharing it with you.” They locked gazes. The intensity radiating from Luke’s eyes made her shiver.

  Rain blinked away tears. She wasn’t sure she could keep her composure with Luke talking about a future that would never be. It felt as if her heart was being squeezed inside her chest.

  Suddenly, Luke was on bended knee in front of her. She let out a gasp. Rain raised her hands to cover her mouth.

  He was holding a box in his hand. It was propped open to reveal a sparkling diamond. It was gorgeous beyond description.

  “I’m going to love you through my whole life. It won’t ever change. I know what life is like without you in it.” Emotion clogged his voice. Tears shone in his eyes. “I don’t want to ever go through that again.”

  “You’re my home, Rain. Without you, none of this means a thing. I’ve ridden high on the music scene. I’ve made a lot of money and dated loads of beautiful women. But they all paled in comparison to you. None of it touched my heart. Not like you do.” He reached for her hand and pressed it against his chest. “When I saw you that first night singing at the Bluebird, I couldn’t believe God had answered my prayers. I didn’t think I deserved another shot with you, but I also knew my heart wouldn’t be whole until you were back in my life.”

  He plucked the ring from the box and held it out to her.

  “Stay here with me, Rain. I love you. Marry me. Let’s make all of our wildest dreams come true.”

  Overwhelmed, Rain simply shook her head and held out her hand. She was trembling. Luke slid the ring on her ring finger. She looked down at it. It sparkled and winked at her.

  “It’s lovely,” she said, admiring the emerald-cut diamond with the diamond band.

  “It had to be, to do you justice,” Luke said, standing up and pressing a kiss on her temple.

  “Luke, I love you too. I can’t imagine loving anyone else more than I love you. I’d be honored to be your wife.” Tears slid down her face and she wiped them away. “I cherish your willingness to admit all your past mistakes and the way you’ve faced your problems. You’re a good man, Luke Avery. You slid down a slippery slope. But you found your way back.”

  “I crawled and climbed my way back. And God led you straight to Nashville. That was my big reward.”

  “Yes, He did,” she said, joy welling up inside of her at the unexpected ways her life had changed since arriving in Nashville. In a million years, she wouldn’t have believed it was even possible. She was engaged to Luke! They would have the rest of their lives to spend together.

  “Now I won’t have to say goodbye to you. You have no idea how good that feels.” Luke let out a deep breath. “It’s been weighing heavily on me.”

  Rain bit her lip. “I promised the girls a road trip. I can’t go back on that, Luke. We’ve managed to go years without being together. We can go a bit more without losing a single ounce of the love we feel for one another.”

  “That’s one of the reasons why I’m head-over-heels in love with you. You think of others before you think of yourself.”

  “We can talk by phone every day and Skype,” Rain said. “The time will fly by quickly. I promise.”

  “What’s nine weeks when we have the rest of our lives to live out in love?” Luke asked, smiling down at her.

  She couldn’t help but stick her hand out to admire her ring again. “Oh, I like the sound of it. A life lived in love. Happily ever after.”

  He reached down and placed his arms around her waist and whirled her around. Rain let out a giddy cry. When he placed her back on solid ground she felt slightly dizzy. She wasn’t sure if it was because of his twirling her around or her excitement about their future plans.

  “I’ll finish the road trip then pack up my things when I go back to Treasure Harbor. I’ll live with Uncle Zeke until we get married. He’ll love the company.”

  “Let’s not have a long engagement,” Luke pleaded. “We’ve already waited long enough.”

  Rain giggled. “I want to do this right, Luke. I’ll need to find a dress and pick my bridesmaids. And we need to find a place to hold the reception. I think we can do everything with a few month’s planning.”

  “Are we rea
lly doing this?” Luke asked, his voice filled with wonder.

  “Yes,” she said with a fierce nod. “Too late to back out now. You already asked me to marry you,” she said with a chuckle. “I love this ring way too much to give it back.”

  “Darling, there’s no way I’m backing out of this. I wanted this more than mere words could ever express. But I didn’t dare to dream of it. It seemed too fantastical. Too far out of reach. But God knew better. This was all part of His plan.”

  “I believe that with every breath of my being.”

  Luke shook his head. “Do you know what else I believe?”

  “Tell me,” Rain said. “I want to know everything you’re thinking and feeling.”

  “I believe our future is going to be incredible. You’re going to take the music scene by storm. We’re going to record together. And I’m going to do everything I can to make you the happiest woman in Tennessee.”

  “We’re going to make beautiful music together. I just know it.”

  “I’m going to be at the hotel tomorrow morning to send you off. Where’s the next stop?” Luke asked.

  “Arkansas here we come!” Rain said in a raised voice.

  “I’m glad you’re wearing my ring on your finger,” he said in a teasing voice, “in case some of the men in the great state of Arkansas get the wrong idea and think you’re single.”

  “I’m taken,” she said with a fierce nod. “And so are you.”

  “I’m yours, Rain. I always have been,” Luke murmured as she raised herself up on tippy-toes and placed a searing kiss on his lips. The kiss signified their commitment to each other and the tight bond they’d managed to rebuild over the past week. They both knew their love story had merely been on hold for the past few years.

  Love—true, enduring love—lasted forever.

  “Sweet Dreams”

  Patsy Cline

  Epilogue (eleven weeks later)

  Rain beeped her horn as she pulled up in front of Luke’s townhouse. He was expecting her. She’d burned up the road trying to make it to Nashville in a decent amount of time from Treasure Harbor. Her bones were weary but her soul soared. Luke was within a stone’s throw of her vehicle. And she couldn’t wait to throw herself into his arms and nestle in for the long haul.

  She’d missed her guy. The road trip with Cassidy, Jessica, Bridget and Lark had been a blast, but she wanted to settle in to her new life in Nashville. She wanted to plant a huge kiss on her fiancé’s lips and tell him all about the things she’d seen and done. For the rest of her life she would remember this life-altering road trip.

  Luke wrenched open his front door and came running toward her car. She didn’t know how it was possible, but he looked more gorgeous than ever. In a white T-shirt and jeans, he was sheer, rugged perfection. She jumped out of her car and made her way to his side, throwing herself into his arms. Luke began placing kisses all over her face. She closed her eyes and thanked God for granting her a safe journey from Treasure Harbor to Nashville.

  She looked up at Luke with love shining forth in her eyes. “Oh Luke, I’ve missed you so much.” Despite daily phone conversations, she’d missed seeing him in the flesh. She never wanted to be apart from him again. Rain couldn’t wait for their beautiful future to unfold.

  He held her face between his hands. He seemed to be studying every aspect of her. “Welcome back to Nashville, Rain. We’ve missed you. I was beginning to think I might go crazy if I didn’t see you soon.”

  She thought her face might crack at the huge smile tugging at her lips. Happiness unlike any she’d ever known soared in her soul. She’d found her happy place—at Luke’s side. “I’ve missed you too, but I’m back for good. Our future is only a heartbeat away.”

  “I like the sound of that,” Luke said as he dipped his head down and placed his lips over Rain’s. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned in to the kiss. Luke’s lips were warm and inviting. It felt so comforting to be back in Luke’s arms. She was home. The past couldn’t be erased, but they’d both learned from it. These lessons would be the foundation of their future. If one of them faltered, the other would hold them up.

  Luke Avery was hers. And she belonged to him. It felt as solid as the rock of Gibraltar.

  Love of music and a road trip with her best girlfriends had brought her to the great city of Nashville. Love was going to keep her here.

  The End

  A few of Belle’s books:

  Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Series (Pelican Bay):

  Book One: Breathless

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XRSW288

  Book Two: Adored

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B073X3S8XF

  Book Three: All This Love

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B077YSVBFP

  Book Four: Tenderly

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DNPBKP4

  Seven Brides, Seven Brothers Series:

  Book One: The Way Home

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KTCBXSC

  Book Two: Still the One

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M0EUU22

  Book Three: Until You Loved Me

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N15TPFC

  Book Four: Love Me Tender

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OFAVB1I

  Book Five: If only in my dreams

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R6U2PZK

  Book Six: Baby It’s You

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VZ3FCB8

  Book Seven: When A Man Loves A Woman

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B011J6ZTE0

  PREQUEL: WHEN YOU BELIEVE

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T52CK1G

  Secrets of Savannah Series:

  Book One: Till the End of Time

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017L5ZPCE

  Book Two: A Moment in the Moonlight

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AARG24A

  Book Three: The Last Kiss

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C1WIPAG

  Book Four: For Love Alone (Morgan and Luke)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GEE5Q8G

  Book Five: Falling in Love (Charlotte and Marc)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYTVT4N

  Book Six: Heart of Mine (Hope and Grayson)

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N017Z56