No one has a clue what we just did as we return to the party and separate, socializing once more.

Jason throws me many looks that make me ache for more.

Our sex life is stronger than it was when I first moved in. We experiment. That’s part of it. But I think the real reason is we make each other laugh.

Even when we fight — which we do pretty often since we’re both strong personalities — the battles often end with us cracking up because someone is being too dramatic or arrogant.

It makes for a very interesting relationship. Grams was right — it’s never boring.

And I’m able to travel when Simone needs me. I’m not at all the shows, but I’m at most. A lot of the work I do remotely.

I’m paid a lot better than I used to be, that’s for sure.

Simone walks up, glowing and slightly intoxicated. She touches my arm to interrupt my discussion with Mark. Then she calls out to the room, “Everyone, can you all follow me, please? I have a surprise for Sarah.”

“What? No! I don’t need anything,” I blush as she pulls me out of the room toward the stage.

Singing and dancing and pretty drunk as a whole, the dancers follow us.

Usher and Jason are together, talking heatedly about something I can’t hear but I know is music-related.

The record executives have their ties loose, their eyes on the dancers.

The engineers aren’t with us, so they must have been the tacos vs. burgers people.

Simone walks me to the center of the stage, which is exactly where I don’t want to be.

“Simone, stop it. You know I hate being in the spotlight.”

As if on cue, one ignites, lighting me up and blinding me. I squint against it and look around nervously as the party gathers in a semi-circle so they can all watch.

“What are you doing?” I whisper to her.

She steps back and Jason steps forward into the spotlight. He gets down on one knee and pops open a small velvet box with the most beautiful diamond ring in it. I clamp my hands over my mouth in shock. A hush falls over the stage as tears jump to my eyes.

Jason struggles against his own emotion as he begins, “Sarah Daly, I’ve never laughed before as much as I do since you came into my life. You drive me crazy, like really fucking crazy…”

Laughter ripples through our audience.

“…and I love it. I love you more than I could ever tell you in words. You’ve made my life real. You give so much and you’re so kind and I admire the fuck out of you. I need you. Will you please marry me? Please always stay by my side?”

Tilting my head, I joke, “I don’t knooooowwww…”

He grins, “Maybe think about it?” as people start laughing.

Losing the smile I hold his eyes as tears fall down my cheeks. I struggle against the knot in my throat and whisper, “I would love to marry you, Jason.”

He lifts me off the ground and puts the ring on my finger while carrying me as everyone applauds. Then he throws me over his shoulder and spanks my ass while people come over to congratulate us.

“Put me down!” I laugh. “I’m wearing a dress!” He sets me in front of Simone and turns to shake hands with Usher.

She grins like a devil at me. “Teehee.”

“So that’s why you weren’t surprised to see him here.”

She shrugs like, you caught me.

“But I don’t get it, Simone. This was your biggest concert yet. Why let him do this on your special night?”

Her eyes change. “All the times I’ve been on stage were special. I wanted you to be the star of the show for once.”

Unable to speak I give her a tiny nod and mouth, thank you.

She hugs me and whispers, “I love you, Sarah.”

I can only squeeze her back because the lump in my throat is too huge for little me.

Someone shouts to the engineers to run the music through the speakers. “Let’s move the party out here!”

“Fucking best idea ever!” Simone shouts. Off my look she smiles, “Just because I meditate doesn’t mean I have to stop swearing.” She starts to head off, then looks back over her shoulder to add, “Or drinking.”

I laugh and glance over to see my fiancé — oh, my God, Jason just asked me to marry him! — making his way back to me. “It so rare I see you cry,” he smirks.

“Well, it won’t happen again for a very long time, so...”

His eyebrows are high on his head. “Oh no?”

“Nope.”

“You wanna bet when it will?”

I cock my head at him. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s bet on the next time you cry.”

“That’s ridiculous. How would you possibly be able to predict that?”

He takes me by the hand and leads me away from the others. Not out of sight, just far enough that it’s a little private.

“Because I know when it’ll happen.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. When is the next time I’ll cry, Jason?”

His eyes grow serious as he laces our fingers together and rasps, “When you give birth to our first child.”

My lips part as a pang of longing nearly knocks me over.

A child? Me, a mother? I never thought I would have children.

Hell, I never thought I’d have a boyfriend, much less a husband who loved me and who I loved, enough to start a family with.

But Jason Cocker has changed all of that for me.

He’s changed…me.

“I can’t take that bet, Jason. I’d lose.”

He whispers, “I know you would,” and bends to kiss me deeply.

I return the kiss, and pull away to whisper against his lips, “You’re going to be such a great father.”

He smiles and surprises me as tears jump into his eyes. “I want that.”

“Me too,” I whisper, rising on my tiptoes to throw my arms around him in the biggest hug.

Eight months after our small wedding in Jason’s parent’s backyard, our son, Max Cocker, is born. And we were both right. I would have lost that bet.