Breathless (93 page)

I’m back to writing music and recording almost daily, but only while Ryan’s at work. I’m renting a small studio near the stadium, which allows us to go to lunch or leave from work and walk to dinner.

When I told Carrie that I was moving to Boston, she wasn’t too happy, but she’s dealing with the three hour drive that she makes twice a week. Alex and Cole, and their daughter Hayden moved to Connecticut, splitting the difference between Boston and NYC. Cole is back in the studio and has a number 1 hit on the radio. Dylan, she’s another story, and I don’t see her much. I know it hurts Ryan and that her and I don’t get along, but there isn’t anything I can do aside from leaving him and I won’t do that. Dylan comes around when I’m not there, and it’s something I’ve had to accept. I placate her with niceties and give her daughter presents, but that’s the extent of our relationship. I have Alex, he has Dylan. We’ve learned to accept things the way they are.

Today, I’m watching a group of young boys street dance. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this particular group and have talked to Carrie about using them in a music video. The talent they have is unparalleled. They’re not classically trained, and I think that’s where they have an advantage. They choreograph their own steps and allow their bodies to move to the music. They’re definitely my favorite type of street performer.

Just beyond their circle, there’s a man playing drums on anything and everything – except a set of drums. He’s the entertainment. He’s the one providing the beat right now. He’s also my inspiration for new music. Because of him I want to break out into something else, a sound more edgy and less auto-tuned. I want to go back to the basics of music and let people fall in love with the rhythm and lyrics and not so much the show I put on. There’s something about sitting on stage and performing without the loud amplifiers and flashy light shows. I want people to feel the intimacy that music can provide.

I search through my purse for my ringing phone. When I see who’s calling, I know my face is beaming. “Hello,” I answer with pure excitement.

Ryan laughs on the other end. “I was going to ask what you’re doing, but I can hear.”

“I’m fascinated, what can I say.”

“Hmm, you can say you’ll meet me at the stadium in an hour or so.”

I look at my watch and see that it’s now rush hour. The trains will be jam packed. “An hour is doable, I think. It just depends on the trains.”

“It’s fine, I can wait. Just get here, okay?”

“Okay, on my way. I love you.” I smile brightly as the last three words roll off my tongue. Telling him that I love him has to be my most satisfying achievement each and every day.

“I love you too, Hadley,” he replies before hanging up. As much as I hate leaving before their show is done, I’m more eager to see Ryan. I pull a few twenties out of my wallet and set them in their bucket. I’ve spoken to a few of these guys and know that they work minimum wage jobs and do this to put a little more food on the table. A couple of the guys bring their little kids down to watch so that they’re working but still with family. Seeing this makes me very thankful for what my parents did for me.

I hustle to the train, longing to see Ryan. There isn’t a game tonight and it does strike me as odd that we didn’t make plans. Not that we need to see each other every night, but I’m not complaining if we do. The break-up, while it hurt, did us well. We were able to grow, function normally without being dependent upon each other and fall in love all over again. I think that has been our biggest blessing, love. I now find myself craving him. The need to be near him is so great that each time I see him, I’m warm and tingly and feel like I’m falling all over again. It’s a feeling I never want to lose.

By time I’m at the stop for the ballpark, I’m only ten minutes late. I rush down the hall and up the escalator to his office. I bypass his receptionist, Wendy, who I found out is Jessica’s best friend. Since Ryan and I started dating, she’s been cordial, but can’t get over the fact that Ryan and Jessica broke up because of me. I know Jessica has told her that’s not the case and if she and I can be friends, surely her best friend can get over it. No such luck.

When I get to Ryan’s office, his lights are off. Reluctantly, I have to ask Wendy where he is, and this never goes well. I stop in front of her desk and paste a nice fake smile on my face. “Hi, Wendy, can you tell me where Ryan is?”

She rolls her eyes and doesn’t hide her distaste for me. “Mr. Stone asked that you meet him on the field. If you follow –”

“I know the way, thank you,” I cut her off before she can finish. I’m growing impatient and don’t understand why he wouldn’t be in his office.

As soon as I’m through the tunnel that separates the field from the club house, I spot Ryan standing on the pitcher’s mound. I climb the steps slowly and step out onto the warning track.

“Hey, Hadley.”

“Hey, Ryan.”

“Why don’t you come here for a minute?”

I nod and step onto the grass, hopping over the white chalked lines. Usually the field is covered so the rain doesn’t damage the grass, but today, it’s open like a playground. I want to take off my shoes and run, but I refrain.

Reaching Ryan, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me deeply. “Turn around,” he says, but doesn’t release me. He faces us in the direction of the jumbotron, the same one where we’re caught on the “kiss cam”.

“I love you, Hadley,” he whispers in my ear as music starts playing. Tears well in my eyes as a slideshow starts. There are images of us when we were babies and growing up and finally of us together, even when he was seventeen. I wrap my arms around him, leaning into his shoulder.

“I love this.”

“Me too, but it’s not over.”

The music changes into
Canon in D
as the words “Will You Marry Me?” appear on the screen. I gasp and cover my mouth as the tears flow. I turn in his arms and nod feverishly, words escaping me in this very important moment.

Ryan sighs. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!”

“Phew, I was getting a little worried.” Only he would make light of an important moment like this. “So, I was thinking we’d get married tonight.”

“What?” I deadpan.

He moves a few steps to the right to show me what’s going on behind him. My parents, his mom, Alex, Cole and Hayden, Dylan and her daughter, Carrie, and a few of our friends are all standing at home plate.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

Ryan shrugs. “Well, from the looks of it, we’re getting married tonight.”

“Right here?”

“Is there a better place?”

I shake my head. “No there isn’t, but how? We don’t have a marriage license.”

Ryan runs his hand through his hair. “Minor technicality that Carrie was able to fix for us. I assure you, if we get married right now, it’ll be legal.”

“So, what are we waiting for?” As soon as I say those words, music queues up again and Ryan takes my hand in his arm and walks us to home plate. Our friends and family move aside and a minister appears ready to make us official.

In only a few short minutes, with traditional vows exchanged, Ryan and I are husband and wife, and while this may be the most nontraditional wedding in the history of nontraditional weddings, the fact that it’s mine makes it the most perfect.

Chapter 14 – Ryan

Ask me nine years ago, when I was sitting on my bed listening to my best friend, Dylan, go on and on about the concert tickets she won, if I thought I’d meet my wife that night, the answer would be a resounding no. I owe so much to Dylan – even if she refuses to acknowledge her part in my life when it comes to Hadley – that I’ll never be able to repay her. Yes, some of the best and also most troubling times in my life are because of Hadley, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Nothing can compare to what I’m feeling now that I’ve heard the minister tell me that I may now kiss my bride.

The moment our lips connect, I know I made the right decision by surprising her with this wedding. Getting everyone here was a challenge, especially Dylan, who was adamant that I’m making a mistake. Thing is, it’s my mistake to make. I didn’t tell her that her daughter, Emma, was a mistake or that she needed to marry that sorry excuse for a father. I supported her and expect the same in return. Cole and Alex were the easy part. Alex was beyond excited and swore she wouldn’t say anything. Cole told me he was happy that everything was working out the way it should be. The fact that he thought Hadley and I belonged together makes me appreciate him even more as a friend.

Rebuilding our lives together these past months has been perfect and exciting. Hadley will be finishing out the tour she cancelled when she showed up in my office and as much as I don’t want her to leave, it’s better that she’s doing it when I’m back to work. We’re taking a month off after the season ends and going far away to some tropical island where cell phones don’t work. We haven’t decided yet where that is, and I’ve threatened that we’ll end up at the airport and looking at the reader board, still trying to decide. I don’t care where, as long as she’s with me.

“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Stone,” the minister says to the happy delights of our family. I can even hear Dylan clapping behind me. Someday, I know she’ll get over her hate for Hadley.

I cup Hadley’s face and watch as tears pool. “You’re my wife… finally,” I add the last part with jest and earn a smile from her.

“I can’t believe you did all of this without me knowing.”

I look around and see the many shining faces of our family. “Everyone knew, except you. I didn’t want to plan anything and I wanted it to be special, something we can tell our kids when they’re older. I want us to be as spontaneous as our careers allow.”

“I like that a lot, Ryan. I love you so much.”

I shake my head. “Not nearly as much as I love you, and speaking of spontaneity, I have another surprise for you.”

Hadley’s eyes light up. “What is it?”

I glower at her. “A surprise, Hadley,” I say, shaking my head. I take her by the hand and lead her into the dugout. Everyone will meet us later after I do this one last thing.

As soon as we’re out of the stadium, I stop and spin her around.

“What’s my surprise, Ryan? I’m not seeing anything.” Her voice is frantic. I know she’s thinking that she missed something, but she hasn’t.

I pull a blindfold out of my pocket and cover her eyes. Leaning in I whisper, “It’s not here.” Taking her hand in mine, I lead her to the waiting limo and help her climb in.

“You don’t have to surprise me with a reception. I know those usually follow weddings,” she says with a huff. I stifle a laugh, which turns into a full-blown laughing fit when she turns and tries to glare at me. Her brows are furrowed and I can only imagine what her eyes look like right now. I take this opportunity to kiss her, letting my lips linger on hers until I can melt away her anger. When I taste her, it takes every ounce of self-control to not pull her into my lap and have my way with her. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had sex in a limo. We’ve had plenty of miles added over the years. However, our first time as husband and wife will be in our new home, which I’m about to show her now.

The limo pulls up and the driver is out his door and opening ours before I can even fathom that we’re now homeowners. I found a small cape with cedar shingle siding and couldn’t pass it up. The house in on Cape Cod, and while my commute to work will be the death of me, waking up and seeing the ocean every morning is a reward. I’m hoping that Hadley can find inspiration here and that maybe the pitter-patter of baby feet will make their arrival soon.

I guide her to the front of the house and hold her in my arms. The back of her head rests on my shoulder while her hands hang off my arms. I glance at her ring, a new one that I bought only a few days ago, and realize it’s more perfect than the first one.

“I hear the ocean, Ry.”

“I know,” I say as I slip of her blindfold. She gasps and covers her mouth with her hand.

“Welcome home, Mrs. Stone.”

Hadley turns in my arms, again with tears in her eyes and leaps. My arms encase her as her lips crash down on mine. I use this to my advantage and carry her up the stairs. My mom left the door unlocked earlier so I wouldn’t have to fumble with the keys. I open the door and pull her away from me, only to pick her up bridal style so I can carry her over the threshold.

Inside, the living room is empty, as well as the kitchen and two of the three bedrooms. I stand back and watch as she surveys the rooms. Her fingers leaving a trail with each part of the house that she touches.

“You didn’t decorate or move your stuff in?”

I shake my head. “No, I thought we could start anew.”

Her smile brightens as she turns to walk down the hall. I follow, leaving a few steps in between.

“Ryan, there’s a bed in here.”

I take the last few steps and pause, leaning up against the doorjamb. “I may have ordered us a bed.”

“And why would you do something like that?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Hadley,” I say, stepping into the room. “The thought of making love to my wife, on our wedding day, in our new house, on a nice firm bed really appeals to me.”

I shut the door behind me and get lost in the beauty that is before me. When I met Hadley Carter, she changed my world. At the time, I didn’t know if it would be for better or for worse, but from here on out, I know that nothing can be better than sharing my life with my soul mate. Hadley may write songs about falling in love and even breaking up, but standing here with her in front of me as she slowly strips out of her clothes, brings me to a place I never thought I’d be. She’s undressing for the first time as my wife in our new home. Each step I take toward her is calculated with no risk involved. She’s not going to deny me, and it’s not because I’m her husband. It’s because she loves me with her whole being.

My fingers reach out to caress her skin and I chuckle, watching her flesh pebble. Hadley quickly works the buttons of my dress shirt, eager for me to be in the same undressed state that she’s in. A few months ago, I would’ve appeased her and shed all my clothes, but not now. This is the moment that she and I will be lost in us, forever.