Winter Waites (Aster Valley 0.50)

“Come home to me,” he said softly.

“As soon as I can,” I murmured. “And then I don’t want to ever leave you again.”

Ten more days. Ten more days until I would see him in LA. It seemed like forever, but thankfully the days were packed with scheduled events and time finally passed. I was so tired on the flight home, I slept almost the entire way. When we landed, I was wired.

Winter was coming.

The concert was packed. A hometown crowd was always exciting and special, but knowing Winter was in the crowd somewhere, and I would get to see him after the concert… well, it was amazing.

We started off the concert with a few audience favorites. By the time we got ready to begin the next song, I still couldn’t find him. It was distracting and off-putting. What if he wasn’t there? What if something had happened?

“Before we start this next one, I need to ask a quick question,” I said to the screaming fans. The cheers and shouts were deafening, so I laughed and made a shushing gesture with my hand. “There’s someone special here tonight, and I can’t put my eyes on him. Winter? Where are you, sweetheart?”

I heard the light chuckles from my bandmates behind me. I was sure they weren’t surprised since they’d heard me talk about Winter nonstop for three months.

Suddenly, I saw movement way over to the right about five rows back. I’d sent him a front-row-center ticket, but somehow he’d been put in the wrong spot.

He moved up to the front and stood just below the stage. His eyes were bright, and he looked so pretty I wanted to cry. I heard the rumbles of the crowd as they began to put two and two together to realize I was talking about a man. I didn’t care, which was stupid of me. I should have worried more about protecting him, but I didn’t. Not then.

“Come up here, please?” I asked. “I have a song to sing for you.”

He put a shaking hand in front of his mouth while one of our security guys escorted him onstage. He looked nervous, but hot. He wore jeans that were made for his fit body and a dark, heather-blue T-shirt that clung to his pecs and biceps like a caress.

I left the microphone and walked over to take him in my arms. I squeezed the life out of him. “God, I missed you so much,” I whispered into his ear. His entire body was trembling. “This okay?” I asked, pulling back to see his answer.

Winter nodded. His cheeks were flushed deep pink, and he looked like he was in a bit of a daze, but he also didn’t seem bothered by the attention like I feared.

I grinned at him. Finally he was here. With me.

I leaned in and kissed him full on the lips, clasping the side of his face with one hand. The crowd went crazy while I took my fill of him.

It was Winter who pulled away this time. Now his face was beet red, and he let out a nervous laugh. “Well, that was a statement. Not sure if you meant it that way or not.”

I met his eyes. “I definitely did. Have a seat. I want to sing to you.”

He followed me back to the microphone and sat on the stool I gestured to. I took the one next to it and faced the crowd. “First of all, I need to apologize to this man for making a spectacle of him. I didn’t really think that through, did I?” The crowd screamed its support. “But he’s the reason this next song came about. In fact, he’s the reason several of my newest songs came about.”

I picked up my guitar and shot him a quick wink before looking back at the crowd. “This song is called ‘The Road Home,’ and it’s about finding your home where you least expect it.”

I began playing the opening chords, my fingers moving across the strings from muscle memory after all the hours I’d spent writing, perfecting, and practicing the song.

On my way to you, I took the winding path,

Always thinking I preferred the constant motion.

Afraid to stop, for fear of losing my momentum,

I kept going, kept traveling, avoiding any emotion.

But then I saw you there, standing in the roaring crowd,

And my whole life took a turn.

I saw Winter’s eyes fill as his hands came up to cover his mouth.

It turned to you.

My fingers danced over the riff, and I smiled at him. Singing these words was like letting go of a deep breath and finally letting my shoulders fall.

On my way to you, I learned a thousand lessons,

Who I am, who I’ve been, and where I’m going.

But I never saw beyond the curve ahead.

I walked this winding path of life alone, unknowing,