Laughter rippled through the crowd.
“But today isn’t about me,” Nick continued. “It’s about lending a hand to a school that provides more than just an introduction to the arts; it opens up a world of expression, paths to creativity, and a vision for a better world. For the past few years, I’ve done a lot of hiding. Well, I’m done with that. I want to spend the rest of my life giving.” He sat on the stool and swung the guitar into position. “This first song is for the woman I love.”
Adrienne’s breath caught. Her mom’s grip tightened. Morgan nudged her in the ribs.
“Is this about Adrienne?” someone in the crowd called out.
“Yeah,” someone else chimed in. “Tell us about you and Adrienne.”
Nick smiled and his gaze met Adrienne’s. “I wouldn’t be here today without her.”
He winked at her, picked out a few notes on his guitar, and began to sing.
His voice and music floated through the air. Silently, the crowd fell under the spell of his song.
“Tho' I may range in foreign lands, beyond a dreary sea,
The home I leave in Uruguay shall still be dear to me.
And as the river seeks the sea, my thoughts to it shall flow,
To rest on scenes I dearly loved, in the days of long ago.”**
Her mom wrapped her arms around Adrienne and whispered in her ear, “Love really is all that matters. Love can change all of us. It makes us stronger, braver, and better.”
Adrienne spent the remainder of Nick’s performance wrapped in a haze of hopes and bewilderment.
He joined her during a juggling act.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going on a concert tour?” she whispered.
A sheepish look washed over his face and he cast an apologetic glance at the stage. Mr. Hancock, the P.E. teacher, must have noticed, because at that same moment, he dropped the oranges he’d been juggling.
“Do you mind if we go somewhere to talk?” Nick whispered.
“You want me to miss Miss Lemon’s water glass song?” Adrienne whispered in false outrage. “That’s the best act, other than yours, of course.”
He just nodded, took her hand, and led her through the crowd. They stopped at the swing sets. He kept hold of her hand but stepped in front of her so they were face to face.
“Honestly, I didn’t tell you about the tour because I didn’t know if I could go through with it.”
“Then why did my mom think it was a sure thing?”
“Because Steph found the proposals in my office and she told everyone she knows. Although, I’m surprised your mom heard about it before you. I hadn’t agreed to the tour. I told them it was conditional on today.”
“Today?”
Nick nodded. “Will you marry me? I can’t go on the tour without you by my side. I need to be able to see you when I take the stage. I need to know that you’re there.”
She laid her palm on his cheek. “Oh Nick, you don’t need me.”
He captured her other hand so that he now held both. He held her tightly, as if afraid she would slip away. “I don’t think anything is ever a sure thing,” he said, “excerpt for this—I love you. I’ve loved you since I first met you. I’m pretty sure that I’ll always love you.”
He paused, as if unsure.
“I love you, too,” she said. “But…”
“Is it too soon?” Nick pressed.
