Two weeks of setting up a new routine in a home with four bedrooms and an office that she spends way too many hours in when Luna is asleep, hell-bent on making every moment in Jersey special and burning the proverbial candle at each end, and now we have to say goodbye to my Luna … our Luna, Paula, Jase, Carly, and Momma Joe, her siblings, but not the cousins who seem to really fucking hate me.
At the airport Bella squeezes my hand as we turn around and wave goodbye.
It was hell leaving Luna before, but I think it’s even more so now that she’s so fucking happy. I mean, she always has been, even going through all the shit she’s been through. But this is a level of happiness that brings a tear to a grown man’s eye.
We ended up sleeping the entire flight to San Fran, which was perfect because I was going to make damn sure we dated hard core while we weren’t being Mom and Dad. We took a magic bus tour of the city and made out in the back of it like teenagers. We fucked at Billy Goat Hill on the tire swing. We went to shoot bows at the Golden Gate Archery Range, paddle-boating on Stow Lake, played put-put, went rock climbing, and Bella posted selfies of us every damn place we went. Oddly, her social media account is even bigger than the cast’s. Apparently, happiness equates to more hearts than art.
We lose Darby but, as per the usual, he got a job in a week. Then we go home and do it all over again.
The next few months fly by. Home for two weeks, living some sort of normal, then to Honolulu. We have guest artists now, and all eliminations are done by online voting of our viewers.
We cliff-dived, swam with sea turtles and dolphin, went with the remaining guys to a few Hawaiian Luaus, and somehow ended getting dragged on stage and put in a grass skirts.
The last night we are there, we fly in a helicopter to the top of Diamond Head volcano.
Hovering over top, she holds my hand nervously.
Through my headset, I ask, “Would you jump with me if I asked you to?”
She laughs. “You’re crazy!”
“Would you trust me, Isabella Steel, if I asked you to jump?”
“I guess so.” She continues to laugh.
Taking a deep breath, I pull the ring out of my pocket. “What if I ask you to marry me? What would you say to that?”
Tears of a different variety well in her eyes as she opens and closes her mouth a few times.
“Isabella Steel, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She nods, leans over, and hugs me as she cries into my neck.
“I love you so much, Bella. So damn much.”
After she calms down a bit, I tell her that I asked for her father, Carly, and Momma Joe’s permission. Momma Joe insisted that her first granddaughter get her ring from when she married Jonathon Steel.
The next day was elimination day.
I keep Bella focused on planning a wedding. Every night, she spends an hour on the phone with Paula, Joe, her aunts, Kiki, Luna, and often times her female cousins, picking out everything for a New Year’s Eve wedding.
Kansas City, the date theme continues, and the crew is one less. Dagger went home.
Los Angeles at Halloween time, we have a blast doing every possible touristy thing there is to do.
When Axel gets sent home, Bella takes it hard. Truth be told, so do I. He’s a great guy.
We were told we should stay in LA, enjoy it, but both Bella and I wanted to get home and walk the neighborhood with Luna. She is the moon, of course; Bella is the Sun; and somehow, I become a dog. I’m going to safely assume she was just reminding me of my promise.
Philadelphia was slotted as our last stop, but it’s not anymore.
In Philly, we lose Grimm.
All that remains now is Neo and Ranger.
Our final show of the season is going to be live tomorrow and held in Jersey, in the studio called Forever Steel.
Twenty-Nine
Forever Steel
Bella
At Tags’ suggestion, we are doing our last show of the season live. He is as cool as a cucumber, and I’m the exact opposite.
When we arrive, the shop that always felt like home is packed with family and all of the cast that we began with. Dad and my uncles aren’t going to be the only judges, so are all the members of the cast. And this week’s theme is couples.
Ranger and Neo are both ready. They don’t have a choice; we just told them the night before of our plans.
Tags decided we should dress up, making it a formal affair. Being a lover of fancy shoes, pretty dresses, and a hot, tattooed man in a suit, I was all for it.
When the cameras begin rolling, we stand, holding hands.
I begin, “We started with ten men, ten attitudes.”
“Ten artists, ten cities,” Tags continues.
“And tonight, one will walk away with one hundred thousand dollars to start a new life.”
Tags nods. “This is … Convicted Ink.”
When the film begins, it shows all the men, tells the stories of their journeys, and where it has brought them. Tags holds me a little tighter when it’s revealed that they all have jobs in studios that they love. Each man also taped a thank you to us, and that’s when I really begin to tear up.
I look up at him when it’s finished and smile. “Thank you so much.”
“No, sweets, thank you for being mine.”
Two couples are introduced—both of their stories were second chances—and then Neo and Ranger go to work.
Being live, as hosts, we have to keep the show going while they work, which normally isn’t an issue, but I’m extra emotional.
“This week’s about couples, so while the men work, how about you and I tell them our story, Bella?”
I laugh. “Why not? My family already knows.”
“It started like this …”
Again, a film starts, Tags’ voice narrating it.
I look up at him. “When did you do all this?”
“I’ve had some extra time while you were on the phone, planning our wedding.”
There are pictures of us with each of the guys, our dates, and lastly, a film of his proposal. This shocks me. Hell, he doesn’t like being in front of the camera.
When it stops, he looks at me. “Hey, sweets?”
“Hey, Tags?”
“If I asked you to jump, would you?”
“Of course I would.”
“And you trust me, right?”
“With my life.”
“Do you know how excited I am to become your husband?”
“As excited as I am to become your wife.”
He kisses me, and not a normal camera peck, but a fucking toe-curling, feel-it-between-my-legs kiss. And when he pulls back, he gives me a millisecond wink.
I feel a tug on my dress and look down.
Luna holds up her hand. “Come on.”
“Where we going?” I ask.
“Take your time.” Tags smiles sweetly.
Tags
I look at Jase, who smiles and gives me a nod then disappears down the hall. Then I look at the camera and say, “Just like the men you’ve met here on this show, I, too, have a past that includes a couple arrests. My creative outlet for all the knocks I took in life was always art. But on the streets and in the courts, they call it vandalism. With the help of a woman named Paula, I got my shit together. She told me to learn a trade, and I did.