“What is that sound?” Kyra asked just before Matt took off the blindfold. She gasped, taking in her surroundings. “Wow!”
“Welcome to the Fort Worth Water Gardens.” Lucas had actually helped him with this one, because he'd been here before. Seeing it in person now, Matt understood why. The roar of the cascading water was much louder than he anticipated, but the rhythmic continuation was very soothing, actually. At the bottom, he spotted a pool of water illuminated by blue lights. The ripples hypnotized him as a waterfall cascaded downward.
He couldn't have planned this better.
“This is stunning!” Kyra's voice came out in awe.
“You're stunning,” Matt uttered, brushing her hair from her face. “I can't believe a year ago, you weren't even in my life.” How the hell had he survived without her? Without knowing her? Oh, he hadn't been. Matt couldn't recall a time in his life where he'd been this happy or fulfilled. Everything felt complete with Kyra.
“I guess bad first impressions don't always leave a nasty taste in a person's mouth.” Kyra flicked her gaze from him to the view of the fountains, then back to him again. “I sure made one hell of a rotten impression on you.”
“It wasn't that bad. Just misguided is all. I never imagined I'd fall in love with you, but I did. You mean so much to me.” Matt cupped her face. “I know you had your worries about how things would go when Andrew and I left that night, but I won't make the same mistake twice.” He gestured. “We'll take a tour, but I want to show you something first.” When Matt picked up the guitar case that he'd set behind him before taking off her blindfold, Kyra stared at it, then him with a confused expression across her face.
“What's the guitar for?”
“It's an important part of tonight. That's all you're getting out of me.” He left it at that. Hopefully, he would get it right. Matt spent the last few weeks working with Andrew on this.
“You have my curiosity piqued at an all time high, Mr. Greer.”
“I know,” he said as he shot her a grin.
Hand in hand, Matt led her to the spot near the bottom of the waterfall. How they both managed not to slip, especially with him carrying the guitar, he'd never know. Guess the universe decided to play nice tonight. Water rushed down the rock formations all around him. The sound soothed his soul, but it didn't hold a candle to the feeling Kyra gave him. “Remember our first dance?”
“How could I forget? I thought you were being judgmental, and then Savor comes on. You held me close as we learned a little more about each other. My first dance with you at my first dance.” Kyra slid her arms around his neck. He wanted to wrap his around her, but he still held the guitar case in his hand and was afraid to set it down. Okay, so he hadn't thought about all of this when deciding he wanted to be down here.
“I was intimidated about being the date to a country star. I never thought I had a chance with someone like you.” Matt made his move and opened the guitar case, carefully pulling the instrument out. The case could get wet, but he didn't want anything to happen to Andrew's guitar. His hands were shaky, so he gripped the neck tighter.
“Matt...What are you doing?”
He strummed the strings. “Andrew taught me a little guitar. My lyrics are feeble attempts in comparison, but I do have a song I want to sing for you.”
“I'll always listen to anything you sing, Matt.” Kyra's eyes were glued to him. “Your voice haunts my dreams. I still can't get over how well you can sing.”
He blew out a breath. Here we go. Taking what he'd learned from Andrew, Matt did his best to play and sing for Kyra, even with the distractions of the water around him. His fingers fumbled over the strings.
A breath of fresh air
A song on the radio
Every day I think about you
How much my life is better
My eyes are wide open
As I take in the sights of the world
From your point of view
I hope you'll always be my girl
Her eyes were full of tears, and they glistened in the blue hue of the fountain lights.
“Kyra, I have a very important question I need to ask.” Matt kissed her, carefully keeping the guitar close to him. When he sank to one knee, he slid the guitar over his head, set it in the case, and knelt against it before he pulled out the ring. Opening the box, he held it out to her. His pulse quickened. For a split second, Matt wondered if something would come up again and stop this moment. A bigger rush of water, a gust of wind that would spray them to the point of getting soaked, something happening to the guitar, or one of them slipping. He was already taking a big chance being this close to water with a guitar, especially when he didn't always have much luck on his side. But he wouldn't hesitate. Matt planned to make the best of this moment. “You're my one and only. I can't imagine my life without you, because you've made it better in ways I never imagined. Kyra Renee Sanders, will you marry me? Let me spend a lifetime showing you just how much I love you.”
“Oh, Matt.” Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth. “Yes! Absolutely yes!” Tears slid down her cheeks. Matt pulled the ring from the box and gently slid it on her finger.
He kissed the ring, then her, as he stood to his full height again. He'd done it. Finally! The ring on her hand signified so much. A simple weaved design with a round cut diamond in the middle.
And Kyra now wore it.
Awe filled him.
“I love you so much, Matt Greer! This was … I have no words. I'm so touched. You learned guitar for this occasion? And you wrote the lyrics?” Kyra stumbled through her words.
“I had a little help from Andrew. He did most of it,” he replied sheepishly.
“You two never cease to amaze me.” Kyra's emotion filled voice came out hushed.
“I'll never stop loving you, Kyra. I've had this ring for months. Taryn helped me pick it out. I carried it in my pocket, hoping for the right time.” He kissed her cheeks, wet from her tears and the spray of the water from the massive fountains. He propped his foot right up against the guitar case. They'd have to move soon, because he was so nervous about something happening, but he wasn't ready to let go of the experience yet.
“You were going to propose on tour, weren't you?” She ran her thumb along his lips as he nodded.
“Yep, and then stuff came up. The first was Snake and Jakes and that car. Then when I got stung. Another time, you fell asleep and after the night you had, I wasn't going to wake you. And then the last day, when we were in Charleston, but Kendra called.” Matt sighed. “The universe likes to mess with me.”
“Well, tonight went off without a problem.” She smiled, holding up her hand to admire the ring. “This isn't a prank, is it?” Kyra teased.
“Ha! No way!” Matt slid an arm around her shoulders. “But after all the pranks you and Baby Stetson pulled on each other, I don't blame you for asking.”
“I still haven't come up with anything as big as the damn bus and deputy incident.” Kyra shook her head. Her hair fell in frivolous waves down her back. Matt took her hand and picked up the guitar case, and they strolled around the rest of the park. Andrew had gone home with Kyra's family so that Matt could have all night with Kyra before she left on the bus in the morning to her next destination. She'd brought him on stage at the concert again, though, so that everyone who hadn't been on tour with them could see it live.
“I saw that video. Man, Randy is a huge prankster now! I didn't know he had it in him.”
“Yeah, well, now we know.” Kyra grumbled playfully. “Did I tell you someone was questioned the other day for following Marty? The person never admitted to anything, other than being there, but I'm telling you something is seriously going on. Maybe he's not as paranoid as we thought.”
“No, I didn't hear that. Maybe things will settle down after the tour is over.” Or at least, some things. Next would be a move to Nashville for Baby Stetson.
“Matt...” Kyra stalled, taking his hand. “When I get home ne
xt week, move in with me. I don't want to do this back and forth thing any more, especially with Taryn leaving soon. Will you?”
“I'd love to. I'll have to give my landlord thirty days notice, so I can't officially move until September.”
“I don't care, as long as I know it's happening.” She threw her arms around him. When she pulled away, Kyra held up her hand again.”This is real. I can't believe it,” she whispered. “I'm the happiest woman on the planet!”
“We can hold as long or as short of an engagement as you want,” Matt told her.
“I'd run away right now and marry you.” Kyra set her gaze on him. “But I think a nice wedding with family and friends would be perfect.”
“Just not at the ocean. I don't want to do the stingray shuffle on our wedding day.” Matt shuddered. “I think the park is about to close. It's almost ten. What do you say we go spend the rest of the night in your hotel room? Did you bring Kay with?”
“T-minus seven hours until it's time to roll out.” She winked. “We could do a lot in those seven hours. Kay could be at your disposal to make one of your other dreams come true.”
“Yes, we sure can.” Matt pulled her close as they headed back toward the limo. “I plan to do exactly that. I'll sing you another song and win your heart all night long.”
“You already have, Matt. You already have.”
The End
Baby Stetson's return home after their first summer tour will be nothing short of hectic. Come back to Harmony's Echo and Sunset Hills in the next Love and Music in Texas installment with Marty's story in 2017, when In Perfect Rhythm will be available!
Also coming in 2017 is Extraordinary Dreams, a story in the point of view from some of the Baby Stetson members. It didn't register as I honored reader requests for more of Matt and Kyra, especially about her comeback tour, but this is also Baby Stetson's first tour, so Extraordinary Dreams will be more about the Bare My Soul tour experience.
Extraordinary Dreams on Goodreads
Other Titles by Nikki Lynn Barrett
Life Won't Wait Series
Queen of My Heart
About Damn Time (Fall 2016)
Save It For a Rainy Day (2017)
Keep You Forever (2017)
The Love and Music in Texas Series
Baby Stetson
The Melody In My Head
The Key To My Heart
Fallen Idol
Offbeat
Skyrocket: A Love and Music in Texas novella
In Perfect Rhythm (2017)
The Masterpiece Trilogy
A Masterpiece Of Our Love
A Masterpiece Unraveled
A Forever Masterpiece
Reconnected Series
(A spin off from The Masterpiece Trilogy)
Better Version Of Me (2016)
Halfheartedly (2017)
Uprooted (2017)
The Secret Santa series
The Secret Santa Wishing Well
On the 12th Date of Christmas
'Tis The Season For Forgiving
Complicated Christmas
Dear Christmas (Fall 2016)
Stand alone titles
We Wish You a Ferret Christmas
Scrooge You!
Enchanted In Time
About The Author
I'm an avid lover of books. I've been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first "book" by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I'll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.
Places to find me on the web:
FaceBook : https://www.facebook.com/NikkiLynnBarrettauthor
Nikki's Book Stormers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NikkisBookStormers
Twitter: @nikkilynnbarret
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6583655.Nikki_Lynn_Barrett
Email: [email protected]
I love to hear from readers!
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