Moving from me, he goes to the guitar sitting in its new stand and crouches down.

I go over and kneel beside him.

“It was a little worn,” I explain. “It’d been in the garage at Mum and Dad’s, cased up, but the damp gets in, you know, so I had Dad get it reconditioned and put brand-new strings on. Then he shipped it over to me, and then…” I bite my lip nervously. “Well, I had a little artwork done on it.” I point to the Mighty Storm’s band logo on the face. “I hope that was okay.”

Jake runs his finger over the emblem. “It’s more than okay.” His voice sounds choked with emotion.

Hearing him sound this way sends goose bumps racing over my skin.

“I had a little something else added.” Carefully, I lift the guitar from the stand. Resting it over Jake’s knees, I turn it over to show him the artwork on the back.

~ Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning ~

Jake & Tru

August 31st, 1989

July 21st, 2012

“The first date is—”

“The date you moved next door to me,” he finishes. “The second, the day we reconnected at the interview.” He meets my eyes, and the intensity in his gaze marks me, branding me with the love I know he feels for me.

“I thought we could mark each memorable date we have on it. The next one I thought could be the day the baby’s born.” I run my fingers over my stomach. “Then our wedding day.”

Jake looks down at the guitar and runs the tip of his index finger over the engraving.

“The quote is from Aleph by Paulo Coelo.” I indicate the worn copy on my bedside cabinet. “He wrote The Alchemist. Do you remember when we read it in school for English?”

“I do,” he says, nodding. “We worked on the assignment together, and I got an A, thanks to you.” He winks, then turns the guitar right side up and starts strumming.

“DRs?” he asks in reference to the strings.

“You know my dad, he likes the best.”

“They’re all I use,” he says, eyes down on the guitar, as he strums the chords from the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman.” “Your dad was my musical influence, Tru. I listened to everything he said and took it in, because he knows his shit.”

“He misses playing. He loves teaching, but he loves being in the thick of it more. He loved being at the concert with you in Spain that day. It’s all he’s gone on about since.”

“My best childhood memories consist of you, this guitar, and your dad…” His thoughts trail, and he starts to hum the lyrics, then stops. “Do you think he might be interested, when I do finally tour again, in coming with us?”

My face lights up as my heart gets all warm and fuzzy. “I think he would love that. My mum, not so much!” I laugh. “But you would make my dad’s year if you asked him.” I reach out and touch his arm.

His eyes smile. “I’ll talk to him at Christmas about it.” He puts the guitar back in its stand, and then, resting down on his knees, he pulls me into his lap so I’m straddling him and wraps his arms around my waist. “Thank you for the guitar. It’s the best gift I have ever received.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“I’m glad.” I smile. “Happy birthday, baby.” I kiss the corner of his mouth.

“I love you.” He shifts his face, capturing my lips with his, and kisses me. “So fuckin’ much.”

“I love you too,” I whisper, running my fingers into his hair. “So I was thinking…when we’re in bed later, after you’ve had your dirty way with me, you could play me some of the old songs you used to play on it.”

A wicked grin spreads over his lips, making him look even more edible. “You know I was totally trying to seduce you with some of those songs I played when we were teenagers.”

I start laughing. “You were trying to seduce me with ‘Honky Tonk Woman’?”

“Maybe not that one.” He runs his fingers down my spine. I shiver under his touch. “But definitely ‘Touch Me.’”

I laugh again. “And I thought you were just crushing on Jim Morrison.”

“Only you, baby. Only ever you.” His face goes serious. “You know, back then, this was how I dreamed my life would be, what I have right now with you. Marrying you. Growing old with you. When we parted”—he lifts his shoulders—“I figured that dream was gone forever…I’m so glad I got a second chance at this.”

“Me too.” I lift my hand and brush the length of his eyebrow with my fingertip, then the bridge of his nose. His eyes close on a soft sigh. I lean forward just a little and kiss his lips gently. “Time for birthday present number two.”

Jake’s eyes flick open. “I get another present?”

“Of course, silly.” I rise to stand and go over to my dressing table, retrieving the gift box. I walk over to the bed, where he’s now sitting, waiting for me.

I sit on the bed beside him, facing him. “This is from me and the baby.” I hand the small box to him.

Taking it from me, Jake pulls the blue ribbon off the box and lifts the lid. He lifts the box sitting inside and cracks it open.

He smiles. “You bought me a Rolex.”

“We bought you a Rolex,” I say, tilting my head to my tummy. “It’s vintage, nineteen eighty-five. Since I was going for memorabilia, I thought I would get something from the year you were born.”

“I love it.”

“Do you really?”

“Yes, really.” He gives me an encouraging look before he leans in, bending his head down to my stomach. “Thank you,” he says to the baby and presses a kiss there.

Touched by his sentiment, feeling like I might burst into tears any second, I add levity to the situation. “Hey, don’t be giving the baby all the credit. I was the one hauling ass around the shops to find it.” I grin.

“She doesn’t mean it,” he says to my stomach in all seriousness. “I know it was all your idea.”

“You’re a geek!” I laugh, pushing his head away.

“Just having a one-on-one with my kid.” He smiles, sitting up.

He starts to take the watch out of the box.

“I had it engraved too. I was on a bit of a theme.” I bite down on a smile.

He gives me a curious look, and removing the watch from the box, he turns it over.

Everything Is You

J.W.

2012

“For the song,” I say.

He nods silently, staring down at the watch.

“I mean, if you hate the engraving, if it’s too much, I’m sure I can get it removed…”

“I love it.” He presses his finger over my lip. “The watch. The engraving. The guitar. You. I love you more than I knew possible, Tru.”

My heart is racing behind my ribs. I take hold of his hand on my mouth and kiss his finger. “I know I didn’t buy you a house…” I smile lightly. “But I was hoping these gifts would go to making up for the last twelve years of missed birthdays, like you’ve been doing for me.”

“They surpass them. But like I told you in Paris, I got all my twelve the moment you agreed to be mine.”

I slide my fingers between his, linking our hands. I glance at the clock. “We should get going.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” I give him a teasing smile, getting off the bed.

“Hold on,” Jake says. He takes his watch off—the one that probably cost ten times more—and puts on the Rolex. My heart fills with happiness, fitting to burst in my chest.

“I’m ready now.” He stands, taking hold of my hand, and I lead him out of the bedroom.

“You gave Dave the night off?” He doesn’t sound pleased.

I pull out of the drive, waving bye to Jackson. “Yep.”

He sighs loudly.

“Jake, I’m out with you. Nothing is going to happen to me. I wish you’d relax on this.”

Dave is waiting at the party with everyone else. No way was I having him or Ben working tonight. They are guests at Jake’s party just like everyone else. They might work for him, but they’re his friends too. More like family at times. They’re both bringing their wives, who I’m looking forward to meeting.

“I’ll never relax when it comes to your or our baby’s safety.”

He sounds pissed. I don’t want him worked up tonight of all nights.

“I know. I’m sorry.” I soften my tone. “In the future I’ll consult you about this kind of thing, okay?” I give him a quick doe-eyed look.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he says, trying to remain pissed off, but I can see him giving in already.

“Like what?” I give him the same look again.

“You know what. The wide-eyed, gorgeous stare. The one you think gets you out of everything.”

Grinning, staring out at the road ahead, I say, “It does get me out of everything.”

“That’s the fuckin’ problem,” he mutters. Reaching over, he starts fiddling with the iPod.

“Can you put on some of the songs we used to listen to when we were kids?” I’m feeling a little nostalgic after our trip down memory lane.

Jake scrolls through the listings, and then I hear the Doors’ “Touch Me.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Starting the night off as you mean to go on, Wethers?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” He grins that fuck-hot grin of his, making me squirm in my seat. I want to pull the car over right now and do what we did after the show at the Wiltern. But I somehow refrain from doing so and step on the gas, heading downtown to Pizza Hut.

I see his face light up as I pull into the parking lot at Pizza Hut.

“I’ve got my old Strat back, a vintage Rolex on my wrist, and now I’m gonna be having Pizza Hut with my hot girl. Could this birthday get any better?”

Turning the engine off, I whisper, “I hope so.”

With butterflies swarming my stomach, I climb out of the car, lock it, and put the keys in my purse.

Jake meets me around the front of the car.

Looking at the darkened windows of the building, he says, “Sweetheart, it looks closed. Don’t worry, we can go somewhere else.”

He starts to turn back to the car.

“No, let’s just check it out.” Taking him by the hand, I lead him toward the door. “It’ll be open. This is Pizza Hut, they never close. Maybe the lights just went out or something.”

“Pizza Hut in the dark…I can work with that,” I hear him say from behind me, with sex in his voice.

I resist the urge to turn around, knowing my face will probably give me away if I do.

I push open the door and lead Jake through. “Hello?” I call out to let Stuart know to flick on the lights.

On cue, all the lights flash on, and we’re met by our family and friends, calling out, “SURPRISE!”

The look on Jake’s face is amazing. He looks overwhelmed and surprised, but best of all, happy. He looks so very happy.