Billion Dollar Boyfriend (Celebrity Love)

Chapter Thirty-Four

**One year later **

"I just saw Em and Raine walk in," Shelby reported, peering out at the crowd now assembling inside the El Rey Theatre music hall. "I can see Emily's ring and their goofy smiles from here."

There was no missing her best friend. Emily and Raine both looked tanned and blissfully happy, having just come back from a vacation in Antigua where they'd gotten engaged.

"I should go join them and let you get ready for the show." Shelby turned to face Aiden, who looped his arms around her.

"You're banishing me to the band room already?" he teased.

"How else will I get my spot in front of the stage?"

"I'll make everyone move for you." He sounded serious.

"You wouldn't dare," she chided. "There are people who flew here from the UK for this, you know. I heard some of your old fans lined up outside for hours to get a good spot."

"True, but they won't mind. This show wouldn't be happening if it weren't for you."

"Raine and me," she corrected him. "I may have pushed you to start performing again, but it was Raine who suggested you play this event."

The charity benefit concert Aiden and London's Lost Son would perform at tonight marked the debut North American show for the band, and it was the group's first performance together in years. It had been billed as a one-time event, since most of the band still lived in the UK and Aiden had remained focused on songwriting. He had spent much of the last year co-writing and recording songs with Shelby, and one song they'd written had been scooped up by a pop superstar whose new album was about to drop. The song had been released a month earlier as the album's first single, and it had soared up the charts to its current number one spot. It had come on the radio during Shelby and Aiden's drive to the El Rey tonight, which was no surprise since it had been on heavy rotation since it came out.

"I'm still giving you all the credit." Aiden tucked a strand of Shelby's hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes. He dropped his hand to her shoulder, then bent his head down to kiss her.

Shelby felt his hand tremble where it touched her, both while they kissed and after they broke apart. "Pre-show jitters?" she asked, touching his knuckles with her fingertips.

"Something like that," he acknowledged.

"You'll be great," she assured him, then gave him another quick kiss. "Go find your band. I'll be as close to the stage as I can be when you get up there, cheering you on."

When the house lights dimmed twenty minutes later, Shelby stayed true to her word. She stood in front of the stage beside Emily and Raine, watching with admiration as Aiden performed the songs that London's Lost Son had once been known for a continent away.

The band's set went by in a blur, and it seemed like almost no time had passed at all before Aiden announced their last song.

"We decided to end the show with a new song called 'City Lights.' It's a love song, and I co-wrote it with someone very special to me." Aiden took a sip of water, then continued. "I wouldn't be here tonight without her, and to be honest, she sings it a lot better than I ever could. Shel, do you want to come up here and help me out with this one?"

Shelby felt Emily give her a gentle nudge, and then she found herself being escorted to the stage by a security attendant. As she walked over to Aiden, she saw the rest of the band exiting the stage, leaving only the two of them in the bright spotlight as cheers echoed around her.

Although she hadn't been expecting to perform tonight and was a little dazed, Shelby waved at the crowd. She adjusted the microphone stand to her height, and Aiden picked up his acoustic guitar.

They'd performed this song together before at open mic nights, and Shelby slipped into its rhythm with ease. Aiden's eyes didn't leave her once while she sang, and he remained focused on her even as the last verse ended and he placed his guitar back on its stand, leaving her to belt out the final line a capella.

Applause thundered around her when she finished. She grinned out at the audience and then turned her to look at Aiden. He walked over to her, then knelt down on one knee.

Shelby's heart leapt, and she was sure it skipped at least two beats when Aiden held a velvet ring box out in front of him and reached to take her hand. She was already nodding, and her free hand came up to cover her mouth, before he even spoke.

"The night I met you, I knew my life would never be the same. You had me at 'personable' and your shared love of reality TV, and at how brilliant and beautiful you are, inside and out. You stole my breath away then, and now, and have during every single moment I've known you. And I know I'm the luckiest person living right now to have you in my life. You took a chance on getting to know me, and you kept taking that chance even when I probably didn't deserve it. You've supported me through a lot of craziness, and every day, even when I don't think it's possible to fall more head-over-heels in love with you than I already am, I do. Just like I am right now."

Aiden paused to take a breath, then touched his lips to the back of Shelby's hand. He raised his head up again, and his gaze locked with hers.

"Shelby, will you marry me?"

"One-hundred percent, absolutely yes," Shelby answered through the elated tears that filled her eyes.

Emily and Raine were the first to whistle and cheer, and then everyone in the music hall erupted into thunderous applause. Even with the din from the crowd, Shelby was barely aware of anything but the ear-to-ear grin she wore on her face, and the one Aiden had to match, as he got to his feet and took her in his arms.

~ * The End * ∽

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Wow! We've reached the end. To all of you out there who've been reading, voting, and commenting, thank you so much! I truly appreciate each and every one of you more than I can say.

A special thank you goes out to all who stuck with this story as I wrote it and posted each part. We made it, and the story is now complete! I'd love to know what you thought.
♥♥♥ - Jenn