Making My Way to You

Chapter 21

March 2013

Lils! Baby, I'm home...." Cole called out walking into the house. He tossed his keys into the bowl on the counter.

A few seconds later the brunette beauty came flying down the stairs and flung herself into his arms. He had to steady himself as her body weight caught him off guard. He grinned as her lips found his.

When she pulled back her eyes were sparkling. "Hi."

"I like comin home to that. You should greet me like that more often." He laughed.

She squirmed and he let her slide down his body. "If you play your cards right I will." She winked. She headed for the fridge and got him a beer. She twisted off the top and handed it to him. He got settled at the counter as she opened the oven. The smell of chicken filled the room. "Baby, that smells like heaven." He took a pull from the bottle.

"Good. It's your mama's recipe." She smiled over her shoulder. "I got it from her the other day. I wanted to make your favorites you've been working hard."

"You could possibly be the best wife on the planet." He tipped his bottle in her direction. Her laugh rang out as she started on the mac and cheese. "That's what I was goin for. How was your day?

"Good. Great. Better than great." His eyes were shining.

"What?" She looked up from stirring the mac and cheese.

"Kerri got  us a showcase...."

Delilah's mouth fell open. "What?! Are you serious?"

"Yea." He was beaming.

She came around the counter and kissed him hard. "I'm so proud of you, Cole. You've worked so hard for this. I can feel it. This is it."

"Me too." He wrapped his arms around her. "I could get a record deal outta this."

"When? Where? Tell me everything."

"It's next month her in town. Joe's."

"I will be there will screaming the loudest."

"I know you will.... I was thinkin.... our anniversary is next week... do you wanna go outta town....or what?"

"Let's stay here. Dinner, low key....nothin fancy."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea. We've been gone so much, let's stay at home."

"Done."

March turned into April in the blink of an eye. They had celebrated their anniversary with a low key dinner. Cole had posted a picture of them at the restaurant. "Can hardly believe it's been a year since I married this beautiful creature and became the luckiest man on the planet."

Delilah watched Cole pace the dressing room and popped another chip into her mouth. "Will you relax? You're gonna be fine." She dusted off her hands and stood up to wrap her arms around his waist. "Cole, stop. Listen to me."

He looked at her. "This is big, Li. This is a showcase. The first time..."

"Baby, I know. I couldn't be any prouder of you." Tears filled her eyes before she could stop them. "You have worked so hard to get here. The fans....the fans already love you. They are gonna love it. I promise. They will love it just as much as I do. Just as much as I love you. Now stop pacin...you're makin me sick to my stomach." She goosed him in the side before letting go of him.

Cole sighed and pulled her back into his arms. "I love you too. It's just nerves. I don't want to let anyone down."

"Baby...." The ringing of her phone stopped her mid-sentence. She held up one finger and pulled it from her purse. It had been ringing all morning just like Cole's. Everyone wanted to say congrats or how proud they were. She glanced at the display. "It's your brother ." She slid her finger across the screen. "Hey Jay."

"Hey Lila. How's Cole?"

"Pacin. Drivin me crazy. We're at the showcase."

"Let me talk to him."

She passed the phone to her husband. "He wants to talk to you."

Cole took the phone. "Hey Jay."

"Relax, bro. I know you're nervous. Just treat the crowd like you do every night. You'll be fine. I swear. I just want to say I am so proud of you. We all are. You are so talented, Cole. So go out there and do your thing. We love you."

Cole hung up and handed her back the phone. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled. "That help?"

"Always. Hearin how he believes in me...it makes me want to do this."

"We all believe in you, Cole."

"I know."

When I've been gone, when I'm right here,
the minute my eyes open in the morning.
Out on some highway, or pulling in the driveway.
Clear blue sky or when it's thunder storming.
My mind just can't escape you,
the first time I touched you, that's when I knew.

I want you trust me, I want you to love me,
I want you to need me like I'm something you can't lose.
I want you to save me, I want you to crave me
Even when I can't find my way to you.
If you ever once doubt, anything I'm about,
All it ever comes down to, girl I just want you.

When you get rattled, or you're coming all unraveled,
when your holding everything together for me.
The way you revealed me, the way that you feel me.
The way you know I'm holding something inside.
Don't know what time has for us,
but as long as I'm here, one thing I'm sure of

I want you trust me, I want you to love me,
I want you to need me like I'm something you can't lose.
I want you to save me, I want you to crave me
Even when I can't find my way to you.
If you ever once doubt, anything I'm about,
All it ever comes down to, is girl I just want you.
Yeah, I just want you [x2]

Tears filled Delilah's eyes. She knew instinctively he had written it for her. Luke wrapped an arm around her waist. "He's proud of this song. When we were writing he kept saying he hoped you liked it."

"You helped him write it?" She looked up at her brother. He nodded. "Yea. Cole's a hell of a song writing and singer. It's his turn. He'll walk away tonight with  a deal. I know it."

"I hope so. God, I hope so. He deserves it." She sent up a silent prayer.