Honey, I Love Your Love the Most

Finishing the show after spotting her in the crowd is probably the hardest thing I have ever done. I tried my hardest not to rush through. I still wanted to give the fans what they paid to see because they deserve it but it took every bit of my will power not to bolt from the stage. The whole time I had visions of her just leaving before I had a chance to talk to her.

As I walk towards my dressing room a million thoughts start racing through my head. I told one of the road crew members to keep Katherine busy just long enough for me to talk to Savannah. I don't even know what I'm going to say to her, to be honest. This all happened so quickly I didn't have time to think up anything good.

Once my dressing room is in site I start to feel sick. I have waited over three years for this moment and now I'm about to back out because of my nerves. I just stood up and sang in front of thousands of people yet I can't open this damn door and confront my biggest demon head on. I take a deep breath and take my sunglasses off so I can run my hands over my face. I tuck my sunglasses onto the neck of my shirt and put my hand on the doorknob. I force myself to turn it and walk inside.

The first thing I see is Savannah standing by the refrigerator with one hand on her head and one hand holding a mostly empty beer bottle. Her head shoots up as the door opens and her face goes pale like she's seeing a ghost. All I can do is look at her. It's really her. A small part in the very back of my mind thought maybe this was just a girl who looked identical to the girl I once loved. I thought there was no way this was really her. I would walk into my dressing room and it would just be some fan girl who thought she was going to get lucky with someone famous. But that part of my brain was very wrong because here she is standing right in front of me, neither of us able to get a single word out.

She takes all of me in, looking from my eyes all the way down and back up. She then tips the beer bottle to her lips and swallows the rest in one drink.

"I'm.. Sorry I drank your beer I just.. Couldn't do this without a few." she doesn't look at me the entire time she speaks and I'm just so in awe of her voice that I barely even comprehend what she said. After a few minutes of more awkward silence on my part she speaks again. "Are you going to say anything?" she fumbles with her hands nervously and looks down at the floor.

"I think I need a drink." I walks over to my duffel bag on the floor and pull out a can of Coke and a bottle of Jack Daniels. I pour a little Coke in the glass and fill the the rest to the top with whiskey. I stare at the wall behind her head as I drink from the glass and the burn of the liquor eases my nerves to the point where I feel like I can talk without making an ass of myself. That's when I really look at her and see the ring on her left hand. I lower the glass and look into her eyes for the first time.

"You're married." I say as more of a statement than a question. She looks confused and then looks down at her hand that's in plain site with a giant rock on the ring finger.

"Engaged, actually." she bites her lip nervously and I can't help but think of how damn cute she looks right now even though there's a strange aching feeling in my chest. Did I really expect her to still be single after all this time? "Are you with anyone?"

"I am actually. Katherine. Been together for about two years now."

"That's awesome. I'm happy for you."

"Is he good to you? Your fiance?" even if she left me and broke my heart, she still deserves to be treated well and if I can't have her, that's what matters.

"He's very good to me. Sometimes too good." a smile breaks out on her face and I can't help but feel a little jealous.

"That's not even possible." her face turns serious as she looks at me.

"I'm so far from being good, Eric. I'm lucky he even wants to be with me at all. A lot has changed since we knew each other."

"You're still you. That sure hasn't changed." that gets a slight smile out of her which causes me to smile also. "Are you going to tell me why you're here?" she pauses for a moment before shrugging her shoulders.

"I didn't have a plan, or a reason. Andrew, my fiance, was coming to Vegas for his brother's bachelor party. I saw you were going to be here the same weekend and I decided to come. I wanted to see you. I don't know why, or why now, but I just felt like I needed to. I didn't expect any of this." she motions with her hands towards me and her surroundings. "I thought I would just come see you play and go on with my life."

"I'm sorry I interfered." I feel guilty now. She had all of this planned out so she could move on with her future and I kind of ruined that.

"Don't be sorry. I'm glad you did what you did." she looks down at her feet. "I'm glad I'm here with you now." I walk over to her and brush a piece of hair behind her ear. When she looks up at me there's tears in both of her eyes and in that moment I'm in the past three years and we are sitting on the sand by the pond. She reaches out and takes one of my hands in both of hers and looks from my eyes to my lips and back up. I take a step forward and she matches it by taking a step backwards. Two more steps and her back is flat against the wall with our bodies only inches apart.

"How long are you in Vegas?" I whisper.

"Just tomorrow night. Then we leave the next morning." her voice is soft and I know she's nervous being this close to me.

"Meet me at the bar I saw you at this morning tomorrow night at 8." I move away from her and reach for a beer out of the refrigerator.

"I might be late depending on Andrew's plan." she says as she makes her way towards to door.

"Just make it there." she takes one last look at me with her hand on the doorknob and I feel like I need to do something to convince her to show up tomorrow. "You look better than I remember, by the way." I call out as she pulls the door open.

"So do you, Eric. So do you." she gives me one last smile before pulling the door closed behind her and I'm left in the room alone to sort out what just happened.