Clara swallowed hard. Here it comes, she thought.

“Didn’t know I’d be doing this when I saw you at that stop light. But, Clara, will you marry me? And I mean, will you marry me soon? Let’s elope next week. Do the shows with me. Be my partner. I don’t have anything to support you. I don’t even have a ring. That’s what the flowers are for. I can’t…”

She’d lost track of all the other things he was babbling about. “Whoa!” She sucked in a breath. “Warner, I was ready for you to tell me you were leaving.”

He took a step back. “Why would I leave?”

“You’re out of sorts.”

He laughed. “All the damn time. But I love you.”

Clara’s head was spinning and then she let out a chuckle. “Let’s back up. You bought me the roses so you could ask me to marry you?”

Warner nodded quickly. “Yeah. I realized that was what I wanted more than anything when I was talking to your aunt last night.”

Clara understood it now. “And you want to elope?”

He nodded again. “I don’t want to wait. And your aunt made it clear that the Kellers, when they find the right person they snatch them up. Well, maybe the Wrights should do that too. I mean if only my family would have gone after what they wanted maybe my life would have been a little different.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck again. “Warner, you did go after everything you wanted. Look at all you’ve done on your own. The jobs, the college degrees, the music. I do think you’re a Keller at heart.”

“That’s a pretty big statement.”

“And it’s true.”

Warner wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. “Okay, but you haven’t answered me.”

Clara’s stomach was filled with butterflies as she looked into Warner’s eyes. She’d never been nervous, but he gave her this new buzz. “I’ll be your partner. Whatever it takes to get you sold. Do the show, Warner. Let them show the world who you are.” She sucked in a breath. “Now, I’ll let you know what I think about eloping, that’s going to take some thought. But, I will tell you, I would love to be your wife.”

His eyes opened wide. “Really? You’d want to marry me?”

“You asked me to didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I did. I just didn’t think you’d want to.”

“Are you backing down?”

Warner shook his head. “No. No. I want this more than anything. I’ve just never had anyone want me back in return.”

Clara pressed her lips to his. “I’m never letting you go. So you’d better decide this is what you want forever.”

He let out a breath. “It’s what I want.”

“Good answer.” She kissed him again. “I’ll tell you what. We see how it goes tonight and then maybe we can plan a trip to Vegas next weekend.”

“Really? You’ll marry me that quick?”

Clara shrugged. “I’ve never been one for big flashy events like overdone weddings. But maybe next month or so we can have a big reception.”

“I’d like that.”

Clara rested her head against Warner’s chest where she could feel his heart race against her cheek. “So would I.”

Chapter Twelve

There wasn’t much time for celebrating their pending nuptials. They had a show to get ready for in a few hours and they needed to practice.

Warner was going to have to carry most of the show himself, but that was okay by Clara. This was his music, his opportunity, and his dream. She would be the woman behind the man. There always was one—the one who kept it all together, she amused herself with the thought.

When Warner was in work mode—he was in work mode. There was almost a little demon that appeared when he talked. She’d seen the kind before. The music made them mad with a passion and it was nearly relayed in anger. There’d be no reason to get upset when he wanted to start a song over and over. She knew once the night was over he’d simmer and be back to normal.

Once they’d run through the short play list, they only had twenty minutes to perform, then they got ready. Clara was more than impressed with Warner’s choice of clothes he’d purchased.

“I very much like how your ass looks in those jeans,” she said leaning up against the doorjamb.

“I hate shopping. Did I mention that?”

“You mentioned it.”

He finally looked up at her and his jaw dropped. “Oh, Lord, you look good.”

“You think so? Too casual?”

He shook his head. “No. Just right.”

She gave him a wink and turned to walk back into the bathroom.

“Hey,” he called from the other room. “Your ass looks good in your jeans too.”

She only smiled and kept moving toward the vanity.

The curl in her hair probably wouldn’t last under the lights, but she’d sprayed it stiff. Her eye makeup was heavy, but she liked the smoky look to them. The flowy cotton shirt was the same one she’d worn when she and Randy had performed at The Stage. She liked it best. Usually she’d wear her boots with the ensemble, but she was really wanting to wear a pair of heels tonight. She’d put the boots in the Jeep just in case she changed her mind.

Randy hadn’t told her who was going to be there to listen to them. But she did wonder if Jeremy Smith had anything to do with the booking date.

She had told him to accept the TV show proposal, but she wondered how much that would just feed Patricia Little’s need to tear Warner down.

She wasn’t going to think about it. First she needed to get through the night. And then she needed to decide if she was going to tell her family that she was running away to get married, or if she should save that news for later.

Sunday night and the bar was packed. Warner had to wonder if the people of Nashville had a life.

Randy was already there and ready to back him up, but he hadn’t looked surprised when he saw Clara and gave her a big hug. Perhaps Warner had been the last one to know she’d be performing with him.

All the better, he decided. That way he hadn’t had too much time to piss her off by practicing over and over before the show.

“You ready, Warner?” Randy placed his hand on his shoulder.

“I suppose.”