Today was the day. Today will determine how I spend the rest of my life. Today is the day that I will ask Andrea Nicole Bennett to become my wife. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a nervous wreck. I had to keep my cool today. I had to figure out how to keep Andy here while I went out to the venue to make sure everything was perfect and make sure the florist delivered everything to the venue on time.
"Hello," I said in a nervous voice as I answered my phone softly since Andy was still sleeping.
"When are you going to be here?" Chris asked me, "They're asking me questions I don't have the answer to."
"I'll be there soon. Andy's still asleep. I'm getting ready wake her up and tell her I'll be back for her later," I told him.
"Calm down," Chris told me, "Everything is going to go perfect. The girls will be here soon and they'll be able to keep her occupied."
"They don't know what's happening do they?" I asked him curiously afraid that either him or Brandon had let my plan slip.
"Nope. No one knows except the guys," Chris answered, "And our parents and hers."
"Why am I so nervous? I've never been this nervous before," I asked my brother sincerely.
"Because this will be the first day of the rest of your life. Whether you like it or not tomorrow your world will be different. Tomorrow you're first priority will be Andy," Chris explained, "It won't just be you anymore. And I know it hasn't been just you for a long time, but starting tomorrow you'll be unified. Just take a few minutes, calm down, and breathe before you wake her up. If you get all nervous she's going to know something's up and she's going to worry."
"Calm down and breathe. I got it," I repeated, "I can't breathe."
"Cory! Just calm down," Chris instructed me, "I can't come down there and walk you through this. You have to be able to do this yourself."
I took a deep breath, "I got this."
"Good. Now, go wake up Andy and tell her that you'll be back for her this afternoon," Chris instructed me again, "Tell her you love her and give her a kiss goodbye. Just like always."
"Okay. I'll see you soon," I told him as I hung up the phone.
I gently laid my phone down on the nightstand and sat on the bed next to Andy. This was the last time she would be peacefully sleeping as my girlfriend. The next time I would see her in this state she will be my fiancée, my future wife.
"Andy," I softly whispered, "Andy, wake up."
"What time is it?" Andy asked groggily as she opened her eyes and stretched.
"It's ten in the morning," I smiled, "I've got to go get everything set up. I'll be back for you in a few hours."
"Okay," Andy said as she sat up in the bed, "Do I need to get you anything out for later?"
"Chris has everything there already. All I need when I get back here is you," I told her.
"Alright," she smiled at me, "Be careful. I love you."
"I love you too," I told her as I leaned in and gently kissed her lips.
With that I was up and out the door. My nerves hit me hard while I was driving down the road. All I could smell was the scent of Andy's perfume filling the interior of my car. I don't even know what I would do if Andy said no. I would probably have a nervous breakdown right then and there. I don't know what I will do with my life after that. She can't say no can she? Will she say yes? She has to right?
"You're here," Brandon said as I walked in the door of the venue, "They're asking fifty million questions and I don't have the answers they need. You need to go talk to them."
"Oh, okay," I said nervously.
"Calm down," Chris told me, "It's going to be fine."
"I'm trying to, but what if she says no?" I asked.
"She's not going to say no!" Brandon, Chris, Sid, Dustin, and Dean all shouted at me in unison.
"Look, I've known her longer than you have and I have never seen her this happy. She loves you. She wants to be with you forever. She wants to marry you," Chris said reminding me that he knew Andy several months before I even knew her name.
"How do you know she wants to marry me?" I asked him, "You can't be sure of that."
"I know," Chris said, "Kelly has told me."
"And Sam has told me," Brandon chimed in.
I just rolled my eyes at the guys and turned to find the manager to discuss details for everything tonight. I wandered through the venue for what seemed like hours before I found who I was looking for.
"You're Cory right?" a woman walked up to me and asked.
"Yes," I managed to spit out, "Are you Jennifer?"
"I am," she smiled.
"I was told you have some questions for me," I stated.
"I do," Jennifer said with a smile, "First, do you have the video?"
"I'll have to go get it," I told her.
"Second, do you have any plans for exactly where you want Andrea and where you will be coming from?" she asked me.
"I want her in the middle for sure," I told her, "Back here, but her friends can keep her there. I'll come out from here on the side and walk around."
"Okay," Jennifer smiled, "That sounds like a plan. This is the craziest thing I've ever agreed to do. The general manager thinks I've lost my mind."
"I can't even begin to explain how thankful I am that you agreed to do this for me," I thanked her.
"You should really be thanking Brandon. He really did some bargaining on your part," Jennifer told me, "He called me not long after you and really convinced me to do this."
"BMatt did that? Really?" I questioned her.
"Yes, he did. He told me your whole story. How you knew from day one that she was the one for you. How you have changed so much because of her," Jennifer explained.
"Wow! I would have never expected that from him. Chris, sure, but not BMatt," I said in astonishment as she smiled.
"How about you go get me that video and then you can relax for a while?" Jennifer asked me.
"Okay," I smiled as I turned on my heels to go find the video.
The second I entered the bus doors I noticed that something was wrong. Everyone was grouped around the table looking at something.
"What's going on?" I asked, my voice full of concern.
"We're in the news," Chris said, "The national news."
"What do you mean?" I asked as I grabbed the computer from Chris.
"Chris Lane and twin brother, Cory Shop at Tiffany's in Nashville" the headline read as tears started forming in my eyes. I knew it was a matter of time before Andy saw this and put two and two together. I had to do something.
"Why are you still standing here?" Brandon asked me, "Go get her so you can keep her from seeing this. We'll get ahold of the girls and fill them in instead of waiting for them to get here."
I didn't even say a word. I ran out to the car, jumped in, and sped down the road. The entire time there I was trying to think of what I could do to kill time so everything could be set up. Andy isn't going to know what to do with me being here so early to get her. I've got to like take her out for dinner or something to keep her occupied.
"Hey!" I said as I walked through the door to our room.
"I wasn't expecting you this early," Andy said as I walked over towards her, "Good thing I got ready early."
As she stood my heart skipped. She was gorgeous. She always was, but that dress was a perfect fit.
"Want to go get something to eat before we head to the venue?" I asked her.
"Do you have time to do that?" she asked me.
"Would I have asked if there wasn't?" I asked her rhetorically.
"Point made," Andy laughed, "Let me grab my phone and we can go."
"I'll get it," I volunteered, "Where is it?"
"It's on the charger next to your side of the bed," Andy said as she went and stood by the door.
We spend the rest of our afternoon enjoying each other's company. I really couldn't have asked for a better day. She really was taking my mind off of everything I had planned this evening. Before I knew it we were pulling into the venue, but we got stopped at the gate by security since everyone was starting to arrive for the show.
"Do you have VIP Parking?" the security guard asked.
"Artist crew," I told him as I showed him my badge.
"Go right ahead, sir," he said with a smile, "Have a good show tonight."
"Thank you," I said politely as I took my foot off the brake and eased up to the busses.
I quickly jumped out and ran around to open the door for Andy as she was gathering her purse. We started walking towards the door when several fans shot around the corner yelling at me. I pray to God they don't say anything about that article and picture that I saw earlier.
"Hey!" I greeted them as they ran up to me and Andy.
"Is that your girlfriend?" a girl asked me.
"Yes, she is," I answered her.
"She's gorgeous," the girl said.
"Thank you," Andy said as I turned to her.
"Will you take a picture with us?" another one of the girls asked.
"Sure," I told them.
"I'll take the picture," Andy volunteered.
"No!" the girl cried, "We want you in the picture too!"
"Really? Me?" Andy asked curiously.
"Yes," the girls all said together.
Andy and I took the pictures with them before heading inside. Andy took her normal seat in the VIP room waiting for the doors to open before she sat down. She was floored when the girls walked in and surprised her. How they managed to keep this all a secret will forever astonish me. Just about thirty minutes before the doors opened there was a knock on the door and Sid answered it.
"I'm looking for an Andrea Bennett," he said.
"She's right here," Sid said as he opened the door and pointed to Andy.
The look on her face when he walked through the door with a dozen roses for her was classic. She was completely surprised, which was exactly what I was going for.
"Cory Alexander Lane!" Andy exclaimed, "You shouldn't have!"
"Well, since I haven't said it all day, Happy Valentine's Day. I love you," I told her as I leaned over and kissed her for what seemed like the millionth time today.
"What does the card say?" Kelly asked her.
"I don't know yet," Andy told her, "Let me open it first."
Everyone laughed as she opened the card. Tears started forming in her eyes as she read what I had personally written on the card.
"What does it say?" Kelly asked impatiently.
"Andrea, I can't begin to explain how much it means to me that you made this drive to spend today with me. I love you more than words can express. Thank you for making today the best. Love you forever, C," Andy read word for word as she choked back tears.
"That's so sweet. Chris, why can't you be more like Cory?" Kelly joked.
"Sorry," Chris said with a laugh, "Guess I'm not the romantic type."
Everyone sat around talking and having a good time until it was time for my plan to go into action. Kelly and Sam took Andy to the back of the venue to see my friend Tyler's set and watch ours too. My nerves were sitting in while I was standing at the side of the stage watching Andy as I waited for my cue.
"So, I'm going to change things up a little bit tonight. A good friend of mine is going to come out here and sing a song for ya'll. Are ya'll okay with that?" Tyler asked the crowd as they erupted in cheers, "Here he is! All the way from Nashville, Cale Dodds!"
Everyone started cheering as the first few chords of 'That's When I Knew' started playing and a large screen dropped from the ceiling. I watched as Andy's mouth hit the ground when the screen started playing a montage of pictures of the two of us together. Her hand rested on her chest as tears started forming in her eyes yet again.
I started walking out on the stage and Tyler said, "And I give you Cory Lane."
Mic in hand I walked out towards the center of the stage. Andy stood there paralyzed. I jumped down off the front of the stage, climbed over the barricade and started walking towards her. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, glistening in the spotlight that was shining on her. I stopped as I reached her, as the music stopped I began to speak.
"Andrea, that night two years ago in Cleveland you changed my life in more ways than one. Just like that song says, lightning struck and there was nothing I could do. It was love at first sight and I didn't even know your name. My world stopped that day. I had found everything in my life I didn't know was missing. I've fought for you, for us since that first day. There was no option to me. I fought not to lose you. I can't imagine what my life would be like right now had I not met you that night. We've had our ups and our downs like every couple, but the past two years have been the best of my life. You've made me into the man I always wanted to be. I can't imagine what my life would be like without you in it," I said as I pulled the box out of my pocked, opened it, and got down on my knee, "Andrea Nicole Bennett, will you marry me?"
I looked up at her, tears still glistening in her eyes, and waited for her answer. Everyone around us had their cell phones out and was recording this moment. I waited and waited. I felt myself shaking. I was afraid of her answer, but I was over the worst part. I just needed her answer. As much as I wanted to look around at everyone else, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. It seemed like it was taking years to hear her answer.
"Cory, I don't even know where to begin with you," Andy said as my entire world came tumbling down.