It’s so damn good to be home.

Back onstage, back with the band. Guitar in my hands and lyrics on my tongue. I serenade the crowd with all the gusto I can muster, sweeping my eyes across the massive crowd. It’s hard to make out any faces with the bright lights streaming into my eyes, but there must be twenty thousand people out there, sitting on picnic blankets and listening to us perform.

I’m still in shock Aiden was able to pull this off. I don’t know how he managed to get our spot in the lineup back, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn it included a heavy amount of ass-kissing. For a man of few words, he can really turn on the charm when necessary.

We play a few of our modified Lacey songs, plus two of our tightest covers, revving up the audience until they’re swaying and singing along with us. I signal Aiden with a nod before we start the next number and his fingers go still as I step up to the mic.

“Thank you!” I call over the applause. “Man, you guys are awesome. We’ve only got a few more songs to play for you tonight, but this next one is particularly special to me.”

Wolf-whistles and catcalls erupt.

“See, I wrote it about girl I didn’t want to say goodbye to…”

There’s a collective awwww.

“I don’t know where she is or if she’ll ever hear this… but Felicity, wherever you are in the world tonight… this one’s for you, baby.”

I know she’s gone, but it doesn’t matter. I conjure up an image to hold in my mind — deep amber-gold eyes locked on mine, long thick braid hanging down her back like a rope, out-of-practice smile tugging at her mouth. Grabbing the mic, I close my eyes and sing to her.

Just to her.

“Why would I look at the stars, when I could look at you?

Why would I close off my heart, when you’ll just break through..?”

The crowd is utterly silent. Totally transfixed.

“’Cause I got too close to the flame

Blinded my sight, ruined my name.

Wasn’t till I saw you that it hit me,

I was burning up…

For a girl named Felicity.”

I think I hear some commotion at the base of the stage, but my focus never shifts from the song.

“Why would I tear you apart, when I could walk away?

Why would I tell you the truth is, I just want to stay?”

Aiden and Linc come in stronger as I belt the last verse.

“‘Cause I got too close to a star

Singed on my mind, scored on my heart

Wasn’t till I left that it hit me,

I was in love…

With a girl named Felicity.

A girl named Felicity….”

I hold the last notes, making her name last. When I finally fade out, the audience reacts so intensely, I think they must be cheering for someone else. It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that they’re screaming for us. After I left LA, I thought this part of my life was over. That I’d never be up here again, feeling this unbelievable rush, sharing my words with a swaying ocean of strangers.

This is what music is supposed to be. It’s not about buying the right wardrobe or attending the hottest parties or having the most followers on Instagram. It’s this. This feeling when the air turns to fire from the notes leaving your fingertips, when your heart expands past the limits of your chest cavity and connects to every other person out there listening.

“Thank you,” I say, my eyes opening. “Thank you all so much.”

I can barely hear my own words over their roars — they’ve overwhelmed the sound system. Most of them are now on their feet, flailing their arms out at me. Almost like they’re pointing at something… desperate for me to take notice…

My chin swivels.

My heart fucking stops.

She’s standing there barefoot in a gauzy white dress, looking like a goddamned angel sent straight from heaven. Her eyes are on mine and her expression is full of so much shock and joy and longing, it damn near brings me to my knees. I can’t imagine what my own expression looks like.

Felicity.

The crowd has fallen silent, waiting breathlessly to see how this is about to play out. The air thickens with tension, an electrical charge running through the entire amphitheater.

“Hi,” she whispers, taking a tiny step in my direction.

I don’t respond. I can’t. I’m too busy swinging my guitar around my back, closing the distance between us, and sweeping her up into my arms. Our lips crash together and I kiss her her until I’m absolutely sure, without a shred of doubt or uncertainty, that she’s actually here with me.

The crowd goes wild, screaming so loud the whole sky seems to shake.

I barely hear them.

She’s here.

She’s back.

She’s mine.

* * *

“I thought you were in LA!”

“I thought you left Nashville!”

“You came back?”

“You didn’t leave?”

We both laugh as we fire questions at each other too rapidly to answer. I’m still holding her close, my hands on her cheeks, my forehead pressed against hers. Her arms are so tight around me I can barely breathe, as though she’s afraid to let go.

“Uh, guys?” Linc appears a few feet away, grinning like an idiot. “Not to interrupt, but… you have an audience. Literally.”

Felicity makes a small squeak of concern as we turn to look out at the crowd. They’re on their feet, clapping and screaming, thrilled beyond belief that they’ve just witnessed a real-life love story playing out onstage. The cheers are deafening. I hold Felicity’s hand tight in mine as we walk over to the microphone at center stage.

“Sorry about that, y’all. I wasn’t exactly expecting my girl to surprise me up here… Forgive us if we got a little carried away.”

More applause rattles the sky.

I glance sidelong at Felicity and see she’s blushing all the way to her hairline. She’s not wearing a stitch of makeup. Her hair is in a messy fishtail braid, half falling out. Her bare toes press against the surface of the stage. Her dress is a size too big on her willowy frame, probably borrowed from Carly’s closet.

She’s never looked more beautiful.

“Ladies and gentleman… please welcome Miss Felicity Wilde!”

I think I see Felicity’s eyes flash with concern, but I’m already turning back to the audience. I drop my voice to a conspiratorial whisper as I lean into the mic. “Y’all, this girl here… I’ve got to tell you, she has one of the prettiest voices I’ve ever heard. And I’m thinking, since we’ve already got her up here… if you guys make enough noise, we might just convince her to sing one with us!”

I feel her tense at my side. “Ryder! No. I can’t.”

“Baby.” I lean over and bump my nose against hers. “Listen to them.”

A chant has broken out.

Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing.

“All these people…” Concern is written clearly on her face. “All these lights and cameras…”

“I’m right here. I’m with you.”

The chant increases in both volume and speed.

Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing.

There’s really no other choice, at this point. Her head nods, she gives a small smile, and with a newly determined set to her shoulders, she brings her lips to my mic.

“Hey, y’all. You’ll have to bear with me — I’ve never performed in public before. But I’m so happy to be here with you.” She glances at me, eyes so bright they singe me. “And with him.”

They scream her name.

Later, I’m going to make her scream mine.

I grin wolfishly, feeling like I’m on top of the damn world. Flying higher than I’ve ever been before.

“Nashville, you’ve been absolutely amazing tonight. This is our last song for you…” Covering the mic, I call back to Lincoln and Aiden. They nod, both fighting grins of their own as they take in the sight of the adoring crowd. I bring my gaze back to Felicity’s and hold it as my voice booms out.

“If you know the words, please sing along with us… This one’s called Faded by the great Bethany Hayes…”