�Constant Change� Chapter 14: Epilogue

Epilogue-

Dear Diary,
Oh jeehz. I am so in love with Dan Miller. He is so freakin� perfect. I love it. I never thought I could forgive him that day when he told me he had a girlfriend. And now look at me. Who would�ve known that two and a half years later this would be happening to me? He�s in the band O-Town (with Ashley) and I am the girlfriend of a rock star. This is awesome�

�Valerie? Are you in here?� Dan called from the front of the tour bus.

I shut my diary and pushed it under the pillow. �Yeah, in your bunk,� I called back.

I heard Dan�s heavy footsteps approach the bunk. He pushed back the curtain and looked me straight in the eye. His eyes sparkled with a hint of mystery. Those eyes intrigued me.

�Hey baby,� I said as he hopped up next to me. He kissed my neck and held me in his arms. We laid there for a few minutes.

�Val, I love you,� Dan said quietly.

�I know you do. I love you too,� I replied wondering what he was getting at.

�Could you deal with this lifestyle for an extended period of time?� he asked breathing on my neck. His husky voice and warm breath made my skin tingle.

�Sure,� I replied carefully. I felt his lips smile on my cheek.

�Would you be my comfort, my confidence, my inspiration, forever?� Dan asked.

�Of course,� I replied pulling his hand close to me. I kissed the back of it and intertwined my fingers through his.

�Would you tell your friends �I had Hawaiian pizza with tomatoes with him�?� he asked.

I was suddenly aware of how close we were. It felt good to have his body pressed against mine hugging me tightly to him. I felt safe, secure, and truly loved. The feeling was overwhelming. My knees felt weak. I was sure that if I was standing upright, I wouldn�t be able to hold my own weight. I could feel the goose bumps form over my body everywhere he touched me. This is what I wanted love to feel like.

�Would you?� Dan asked again bringing me back.

I laughed slightly. I had hoped that he had forgotten about that conversation. I should have known that he wouldn�t. He was too perfect to forget about something like that. �Yes,� I told him.

Dan shifted so that he was sitting up and looking down on my face. His eyes searched my face trying to find out what was going on in my head. I smiled at him giving him a hint.

�Valerie, would you be my wife?� Dan asked taking a ring box out of his pocket and slowly opening it up.

I found myself sitting and staring at the ring. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever had the pleasure to lay my eyes upon. I felt the tears well in my eyes but they wouldn�t fall. I looked up at Dan�s eyes. They now let me know what that mystery was. He was glowing. He knew what my answer would be. My heart told him exactly what he wanted to hear. He, too, was welling up.

�Yes,� I said. �Yes.�

He took the ring and placed it on my finger. I embraced him. I felt his tears fall on the back of my neck. I didn�t know what to say, do, or think. My heart took over and let Dan know what I was feeling. I pulled away from him still holding his hands. Our eyes met and locked. In that moment they exchanged every word I couldn�t say.

Dan spoke almost silently. �I love you, Valerie Ford. I love you with all my heart.�

I wiped a tear away from his cheek. �I love you, Daniel Miller. I�ll always love you.�

He took me back in his arms as we lay on the bed. Together, we fell asleep smiling. My dreams were enchanted with images of my new fianc�e. I knew his dreams were enthralled in me too.

Dan asked me to marry him today. I couldn�t believe it. I was completely shocked. I should have seen it coming with all his questions that led up to it. But, I didn�t. I think that�s what makes it even more special for me. I know that he feels the same way I feel about. It makes me scared to think that he could be as wrapped up in me as I am in him. It�s exhilarating though. It�s so great to know that he will always be on my side. I love him more than he will ever know.

Ashley sat across from me at the table in the tour bus that night. He had a look on his face that I couldn�t read. I knew that Dan and I were together because of him and I could never thank him enough. I still remember that day we kissed on the couch in my living room. I had such mixed emotions about it. I tried to tell myself that it was nothing but I could never shake the feeling that I had liked Ashley.

I turned the engagement ring around my finger. I wondered if Ashley knew. I subtly put my hand on the table making sure that the diamond showed. It took Ashley three seconds to gaze down at it. He knew, all right. It was written all over his face now. I could tell he wasn�t as ecstatic as I was about it.

�So, Ash�� I started to say but couldn�t think of anything else.

�Dan asked you to marry him,� he said flatly, his eyes never leaving mine.

�Yes,� I replied. �He did.�

It took Ashley a few moments to respond. I thought he would lash out and scream or something equally dramatic. I had no idea what to expect so I kept my fingers crossed and myself prepared for what he was about to say. I clenched my teeth and knuckles together.

�I�m happy for you,� he said genuinely.

My jaw dropped. I was totally beside myself. I had not expected that. Not in a million and a half years had I expected Ashley to be happy with that. He laughed at me as I stared at him with an open mouth.

�Didn�t expect that, did you?� Ashley asked nonchalantly.

�No,� I replied.

�I really am happy for you. I gave up hope of us ever being together the moment I told Dan to make it better between the two of you,� Ashley said.

�Thank you, Ash. You will never know how much you have given me,� I said.

�Val, it says it all over your face. You are glowing with happiness. And I�m happy that Dan brings you that,� Ashley told me.

�Thank you, Ash. Really. Thank you.�

Ashley was okay with Dan and I getting married. I was in more disbelief about that than I was when Dan asked me to be his wife. Ashley really changed. I couldn�t stand him when I first met him and now I feel so close to him. Almost like a long lost brother. I love that boy to death. I�m so happy that he�s happy for me. It takes a load off my chest.

I stood in front of Dan in a daze. I couldn�t quite figure out how to tell him that Ashley was okay with our engagement. I was still shocked that I was engaged. It hadn�t even been twenty-four hours and already Ashley was okay with it and I had a ring on my finger.

�Ashley is okay with us getting married,� I blurted out.

Dan took one look at me and gave me a huge hug. �That makes me feel so much better.�

�Me too,� I said muffled in his chest. �Me too.�

He took my hand a lightly traced his thumb over my palm. Then he traced the diamond ring on my finger. He looked in my eyes and smiled. �I�m so glad that this is how our story ends.�

�But it�s not ending,� I replied still smiling at his gorgeous face. �It�s just beginning.�

Dan was as shocked as I was about Ash�s approval of our engagement. I have never felt more love for any man than I do for Dan. I told him that our story isn�t ending, that it�s just beginning. I truly believe that. I think that there will be many more memories and things to share in the upcoming years. Dan, I love you with all my being. I will never forget these perfect moments in this constantly changing life.
Love,
Valerie Miller (That has a nice ring to it, doesn�t it?)

~*~

THE END!

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