The people smiled and the woman standing next to me said, “I’d heard a rumor about you two.”
“Tonight we start with Let’s Face the Music and Dance.” Ryder counted out the beat and his band started playing.
Ryder had such a wonderful voice. It was smooth and suave like one would expect from a 1940s and 1950s crooner. At the same time, it could be sexy rough singing country rock. On occasion, he sang to me while making slow sweet love, and other times, when I was resting on the couch, he would sing to the baby. God, I was so lucky to have him.
He followed his first song with Nat King Cole’s, When I Fall in Love. As he sang, many of the seniors danced while others hung out around the edges of the room. It reminded me of a high school dance. I guess at any age there were the popular folks and the wallflowers.
“When is Bobby Darin?” Harry called out at the end of the song.
“How about Call Me Irresponsible?” He looked at me and winked, as it was a song he recently practiced that seemed to fit us. Of course, I didn’t think he was irresponsible, impractical or unpredictable now. I knew he adored me.
They played a few more songs, and then Ryder asked, “So how many of you here spent a lifetime with your soulmate?”
Several hands rose in the air. “There’s nothing like a lifetime of love,” Harry said.
“So, you recommend it?” Ryder asked.
“If you can find the right woman,” one of the ladies called out. “Don’t settle for just anyone.”
“How will I know she’s the one,” he asked.
He often talked to the audience, but I’d never heard a conversation like this. Then again, we were at a senior center where most of the songs he sang were about love. Although most songs in any genre were about love, weren’t they?
“I knew my Jeannie was the one when I couldn’t go a minute without thinking of her,” a man said.
“If you can’t stand the idea of not waking up without her, then she’s the one,” another man called out.
Ryder seemed to think about that as he strummed his guitar. “Good to know. Thank you. I’ve got a new song for you, but I like to think that if Sinatra had heard back when, he’d have added it to his song set.”
Ryder started the song and immediately, there was something familiar about it. He came in with the lyrics, singing about love and soulmates, and of two people joining together to make three.
My knees went weak as I realized he wasn’t just singing about us, but that this was the tune he was playing the day I barged into his room while he was playing naked.
When the song ended, the room clapped.
“That’s a mighty fine song there, Ry,” Harry said. “Bobby Darin would have done it justice.”
Ryder laughed, and then looked at me. “Can you come here, Trina?”
My heart stopped. “Ah…no…I don’t speak—”
He reached out his hand to me. “You don’t have to speak.”
“Go on honey,” a woman urged me.
I tentatively walked toward the stage. I took his hand and he helped me onto the stage.
“What are you doing?” I said under my breath.
“Confessing my undying love for you,” he said grinning.
“I’m dying right now.” I could feel my cheeks were hot and probably as red as beets.
“Look at me, honey. Don’t worry about them.”
I did as he asked, looking into his brilliant, loving blue eyes. He smiled, and while holding my gaze, he leaned slightly toward the mic and spoke, not sang, familiar words. “My heart beats for you, my breath breathes for you, my life I give to you.”
My heart was so full. I had an urge to grab him and hug him and tell him how much I loved him, but my limbs were paralyzed because there was a group of people watching us.
“Katrina Lados,” Ryder said, as he dropped to one knee. “Will you marry me?”
Holy moly cannoli. My mouth gaped and my heart started beating a million miles a minute.
In one hand, he had a pretty ring and his other hand took mine. “I have you, baby. You won’t ever be alone or feel alone. I’m going to give you so much love, you’ll forget that you ever went without it.”
“If you don’t marry him, I will,” some woman called out.
There was terror at the suddenness and the ramifications of agreeing to forever, and yet, there was such happiness and relief too.
“Yes,” I blurted. “Yes, yes.”
He grinned and stood up, putting the ring on my finger and then pulling me in for a kiss. In the background, I think there was clapping, but in that moment, there was just me and Ryder.
“I love you so much.” I said to him. I was close to the microphone, so my words echoed through the room, making me flinch.
“You’re getting the hang of this public speaking thing,” he said.
“Are we in public?” I tried to joke even though I was embarrassed.
He laughed. “Yes, so behave.”
“I ain’t misbehavin’.”
“I love that song,” Harry said.
“One more then,” Ryder said. “Then I’m taking my lovely lady home.” He winked at me and I left him on the stage to sing one more song.
An hour later, we were home, and Ryder was doing delicious things to my body.
“You’re not going to get tired of having just me?” I asked, as his hands massaged my breasts.
“No. Will you get sick of my dick?”
“Never.” I reached down to stroke it, marveling at its length and firmness. Even if I bought a sex toy, nothing would be as perfect in size as his real deal.
“How long have you been planning this,” I asked.
He repositioned himself over me, his face directly
