The only breather came when Oliver introduced the band, followed by a ballad where Grady sang a soulful, simplified version of "Give Me Another Tomorrow." Arabella swooned along with the rest of the ladies in the crowd, but when Grady looked down and caught her eye, she knew the lyrics were meant for her. When his rich, deep voice crooned the love song filled with regret and renewed hope, Arabella knew she'd never be happy without him. They'd been given a second chance, and she intended to tell him that she didn't care if Heartbeat decided to tour-she would go with him. It was about damned time she faced her fears and allowed herself not only to love, but to need.
And she needed Grady Heart.
Oddly, giving into the need felt like freedom to her, when she'd always thought that needing someone else was a sign of weakness, a shift of power that she wasn't willing to risk. Now she realized that wanting-craving-took a back seat to need. Arabella conceded that she wanted to be in Grady's arms, but she needed to be in his life. What else would really matter if they were apart? How could she fill that gaping hole? The answer was simple: she couldn't.
And it was about damned time she stopped holding back and loved him fully, completely, without hesitation or reservation. The thought caused a shiver of fear to slide down her spine, but she shook it off.
Arabella looked around and smiled at the joy the concert was bringing to the crowd. She laughed at two little girls holding hands and spinning around. A young couple to her left swayed to the music, arms around each other. In this fast-paced world filled with stress, music could ease pain, energize, and heal. The happy faces indicated that for the next couple of hours, the crowd could forget about everything except for dancing, singing, and having fun.
Music had gotten Arabella through some tough times in her life, and she wondered if Grady and his brothers understood the magnitude of the gift they were giving the audience right now. She also noticed young women in their twenties and thirties swaying, swooning, many of whom must have been Heartbeat's fans from back in their heyday. Arabella understood. Boy bands, teen heartthrobs, were often the first taste of young love that girls felt toward boys. Posters on bedroom walls. Writing their last names in their school notebooks, thinking that surely there was a chance of marriage or, at the very least, a kiss. A date. Fantasy? Yes. But the feelings for your first boy-band crush never truly go away.
///
Being a pop star, a heartthrob, meant giving a piece of yourself to the fans, giving up precious privacy and a normal life. She knew that it was difficult for people to sympathize with rich, famous celebrities, but Arabella saw things from the other side. Grueling days on the road, constant travel, and the pressure to stay on top wasn't easy. She remembered seeing the brothers perform when sick and exhausted but unwilling to disappoint a sellout crowd.
But what Arabella also knew was that when the Heart brothers walked off the stage, they were simply human beings, wanting and needing, feeling and hurting, just like everyone else. Looking back, she supposed that she still viewed Grady as being larger than life, even when they were together alone. She thought about the comment he'd made that all he wanted was to get back to her after the concert and she put her hand over her mouth, having a lightbulb moment. . . .
For the first time, she got it.
Arabella grinned when she heard the screams after Heartbeat launched into "Love Me." But instead of feeling the old jealous pang of resentment, her heart thumped with the knowledge that Grady loved her. She let out her own little scream and laughed, realizing that she could watch the concert and not worry about a damned thing, and just enjoy the performance like everybody else.
Oliver sang his bubblegum pop single "Will You Be My Baby," but his original high-pitched prepubescent voice had given way to a deeper tone that sounded a lot like Grady's. The audience ate it up, and Arabella knew that if Oliver really wanted to go solo, he could do it. In a rogue move, Oliver did a back flip and the audience went nuts.
"Thank you, Sea Breeze!" Oliver shouted to the crowd. "You've been amazing! Heartbeat loves you all!" he added as the brothers tipped their hats, bowed, waved, and then exited the stage.
Arabella knew they were saving "You'll Be with Me Always" for the encore. Whistles, wild applause, and cell-phone flashlights held high indicated that the audience had no intention of going anywhere. Rhythmic clapping mimicking a heartbeat started, and Arabella joined in.