The crowd laughed, and Cooper adjusted the mic. Gypsy couldn’t remember the last time Cooper had looked so happy. Every baby tooth glimmered in the stage light, and his face glowed as he looked up at Wyatt with obvious hero worship. Belle too looked happy, and after all she’d been through, that spoke to Wyatt’s amazing love and attention.
Wyatt strummed the guitar into an upbeat but poignant tune. Looking between Cooper and Belle, he said, “On three. One, two—”
“Been waitin’ on you,” Cooper and Belle sang into their microphone with no tune whatsoever.
Gypsy laughed along with the customers, tenting her hands over her mouth. Then Wyatt started singing, and Gypsy’s heart floated into her throat. He sang directly to her, about loving someone for so long, afraid to take the shot. About waiting for the perfect moment only to realize every moment is the perfect moment. The melody and the words were so sweet, they made Gypsy ache.
When the chorus came, he had to nudge Cooper, who sang his one line along with Belle: “Been waitin’ on you.”
Gypsy couldn’t hold back the tears. The crowd sang along with the chorus, giving the kids a little help.
When the song ended, Wyatt leaned toward Cooper to speak into the mic. “She said the crowd could choose whether or not I come back. What do you think?”
The crowd cheered so loud, Cooper covered his ears and Belle winced. Wyatt nudged Cooper, who slid off Wyatt’s knee, grabbed Gypsy’s hand, and walked her onto the stage.
Wyatt stood and looped the strap of his guitar over Cooper’s shoulders, then took Gypsy’s hand.
Her apology pushed at her throat. She had to get it out, and she didn’t give a damn who was watching. “I’m so sorry—”
“Me too, sugar.” He kissed her. “Me too.”
Then he dropped to one knee, and a collective gasp whispered through the crowd before they went quiet.
Without looking away from Gypsy, Wyatt elbowed Belle. “Girl, don’t let the fame go to your head.”
Cooper and Belle laughed along with the crowd, then Belle pulled out something hidden in her sling, and Cooper said, “For you, Mama.”
Belle opened the box and held it out to her. Gypsy’s gaze held on the diamond band, sparkling in the palm of Belle’s hand. Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Gypsy’s vision tunneled—to the ring, to Wyatt.
He took the ring from Belle and locked gazes with Gypsy as if there was no one else in the bar. “I never again want to feel the way I felt when you walked away last week. I’ve loved you for years, and it’s taken me too damn long to get around to telling you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You, me, Cooper, and Belle.”
She felt like she was going to pass out.
“I’m working out a touring schedule with concerts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights,” he told her. “My parents have agreed to watch Belle those days with the help of a part-time nanny who will stay with them over the weekend. I’ll be here to raise Belle. I don’t expect you to take over that job. And I’ll be here for Cooper too. I’m all-in for the whole package.”
“Oh, Wyatt.” She was overwhelmed with his sacrifice and the way he’d rearranged his priorities. “That’s amazing.”
A hush fell over the crowd.
“You’re my best friend and the love of my life. Will you make me the happiest man on the planet and spend the rest of this crazy life with me?”
Before she could catch her breath, Cooper pushed his fists in the air and screamed, “Yes!”
Everyone burst out laughing, including Gypsy.
“What do you say, sugar?”
Gypsy glanced at her family, and they all nodded.
“They’re all on board,” he told her, his grin flipping to megawatt level. “It must be right. Please say yes.”
She laughed, and tears slid down her cheeks. “Yes.”
The crowd cheered so loud, Gypsy couldn’t hear anything else. Unfazed by the chaos, Wyatt slid the ring on her finger, then stood to take her in his arms and kiss her, long and slow.
When she pulled back and looked into his eyes, she saw everything her fear had blocked. She hugged him tight and cupped his face in her hands as she nodded. “It’s definitely right.”
Epilogue
Gypsy stood at the gigantic Wolf range in the kitchen and added salt to the boiling water.
At her feet, Cooper tugged on the hem of her T-shirt with both hands. “Mama.” His whine ratcheted up to pre-tantrum level. “I wanna help.”
He didn’t really want to help, he wanted her to pick him up and cuddle him, the way she’d been doing for days. He had an ear infection that just wouldn’t quit, and he didn’t feel good. But it was too soon for another dose of pain meds.
“Soup is five dollars,” Belle said from the counter where she sat on a stool doing homework at a second-grade level even though she was only in kindergarten. “And bread is five dollars. That’s ten dollars.” She circled the right answer.
“You’re so darn smart, sweetie.” Gypsy praised the girl, who looked up with a smile. The girl soaked up every ounce of praise, and after what she’d been through, Gypsy tried to remember to give her extra. Even though Wyatt had located Francie in Columbia, getting and keeping in contact with her had been difficult, and Gypsy did her best to make sure the girl never felt like she was coming second to anyone.
“Thank you,” she said, perky and crisp, before refocusing on her homework.
Both Cooper and Belle always looked so small in Wyatt’s house. She caught herself and corrected. Their house. They’d decided on a small, private wedding ceremony with immediate friends and family four months ago and moved into Wyatt’s house. Gypsy still used the small home on Marty’s property as an office, when it wasn’t being used as a guesthouse for a visiting friend or relative, which happened more than expected, given the growing size of everyone’s families.
The house was big and homey, but elegant. There was a curved staircase leading to the second floor and clerestory windows everywhere. The kitchen was the size of her little container home, with an island spanning the distance between the kitchen and a sunken family room. She got all her steps done for the day just by moving around the kitchen when she cooked dinner, which, admittedly, wasn’t often. But that was something she wanted to change, so they could have dinner together and connect as a family.
Now, both kids were bathed and in their pajamas, and as soon as they ate, Cooper would get another dose of antibiotics and pain meds so he could sleep. She and Wyatt always spent his first day back home in bed, taking long naps in between making love while the kids were in school. It was their day to catch up and reconnect after their equally frantic long weekends apart.
This whole blended-family thing felt a lot like chaos. But every time Wyatt walked in that door, Gypsy knew she wouldn’t want it any other way. Although she did have news that was going to throw a wrench into things.
“I’m hungry, Mama.” Cooper tugged hard on her shirt, and Gypsy pried his hand loose and held it in her own. “You can have a graham cracker. Grab one from the pantry.”
“Noooooo.” So, he wasn’t really hungry either. Not surprising; he rarely ate when he didn’t feel well.