“Welcome to Oz, Marissa.”
I gaped at Emmie as she grinned and stepped back, letting me into the wonderland that the warehouse had been turned into. Fresh tears blurred my vision and I hurriedly blinked them back so that I could see what was in front of me.
Oh. My. Gosh. I’d just stepped into Oz. With a happy little twirl, I took everything around me in. There were trees, poppies, and… and… a freaking yellow brick road! I looked back at Emmie, convinced that I was dreaming.
“What’s going on, Emmie?” I demanded.
Emmie shrugged. “Someone wanted to give you your dream. And with a little help from everyone who loves you, and the Oz Museum, I was able to make it happen.” She stepped back and lifted a finger to her lips. “Shh. Do you hear that?” I frowned, not hearing anything. “Munchkins.”
It seemed like they suddenly appeared out of nowhere because I was suddenly surrounded by munchkins. Children in various ages all dressed up like the little people from my favorite movie. They all surrounded me and hugged me. A laugh bubbled up and I was unable to contain it as I hugged the kids back.
“Munchkins, munchkins!” a voice I knew well called out and when I looked around, I spotted Dallas, dressed up as Glinda the Good Witch. I had to press my lips together as I saw the tattooed blonde bombshell dressed up like Glinda in full costume—right down to the wings and wand.
The children around me drew back, making room for Dallas the Good Witch. When I glanced back to ask Emmie if this was for real, she was gone. Dallas tapping me on the nose with her wand forced me to turn my attention back to her and once again it was nearly impossible to keep from giggling at the sight of her dressed like this.
“How much did Emmie have to pay you to wear that?” I asked with a grin.
Dallas shook her head at me. “All she had to say was that this was for you. I—we…”—she nodded around her at everything— “…did this because we love you.” She cleared her throat. “Now listen up, Marissa Bryant. What you seek is at the end of the yellow brick road.” I giggled and she rolled her blue eyes at me. “Stop it. I’m trying to be serious.”
“Sorry,” I murmured, trying to keep my giggles from overcoming me.
“As you should be, bitch.” The munchkins all gasped at her use of a bad word and Dallas sighed loudly. “Where was I? Oh, yeah. What you seek is at the end of the yellow brick road, inside the gates of Emerald City. Along the way, you will run into friends who love you as much as I do. Each has something special for you that will make your decision easier to make.”
“My decision?” I couldn’t help but catch that odd choice of words.
Dallas tapped me on the nose again with her wand. “When a man loves you this much, Marissa, I don’t think it would be much of a decision to make.” She winked and stepped back. “Okay, munchkins. She must be on her way. He won’t like having to wait longer than he needs to.”
“Who won’t?” I demanded. “Wroth?”
Of course Dallas didn’t tell me whether it was or not. I just got another wink and then the sudden sound of a violin playing “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” filled the air. For real? This was really happening? I wasn’t in some kind of weird dream, was I?
“Follow the yellow brick road, Marissa,” Dallas commanded.
I stepped back. “Okay, then.” Grinning, I rolled my eyes at her and stepped onto the yellow brick road’s path.
One of the munchkins stepped forward and I was startled when I realized it was Lucy. “Follow the yellow brick road!”
“Lucy!” I hugged her.
Another munchkin stepped forward. “Follow the yellow brick road!”
“Mia!” I bent to kiss her cheek and she giggled but stepped back before I could hug her.
“Follow the yellow brick road!” the munchkins said in chorus.
“I am,” I told them. “See? I’m following the yellow brick road.”
“Good luck,” Dallas called after me and I waved before doing as I’d been so forcefully instructed to do.
Giggling like a child, I walked down the yellow path, passing the spot where the Scarecrow would have been with a nostalgic smile before continuing. A little farther and I saw a statue of the Tin Man and stopped for a moment to check it out.
Honestly, I’d seen better statues of Tin Man, but it was the thought that counted. I stepped closer, raising my fist to knock on his chest to see if he would sound hollow or not when a hand shot out and grabbed me. I screamed and stepped back, but Tin Man had a tight hold on my wrist.
“Not so fast there, Dorothy.”
My fear instantly faded and I glared up at my brother. “You scared me to death.”
Liam grinned down at me, the silver paint on his face cracking just a little at the corners of his mouth. “Sorry, Ris.”
My eyes trailed over him from top to bottom and, unlike when I’d seen Dallas as Glinda, I couldn’t contain my giggles at seeing my big bad brother dressed up like the Tin Man. “I can’t believe you would dress up like this for me.”
His eyes darkened. “Believe it. I love you so much, Rissa. You are the most important person in my life. I would die for you.” Strong arms wrapped around me in a hug and I got to experience my first Tin Man hug ever, made all the better because it was one of the two men that I loved the most in the world. Stepping back, I was surprised when I saw the tears in my brother’s eyes that he was trying to hide. “All I’ve ever wanted for you was your happiness, Rissa. And if my dressing up like a freakin’ can of sardines will bring that smile to your face, I’d do it again and again.”
“Li…” I blinked back my tears, a sob choking me as I tried to hold it back. “I love you to, Li.”
He cleared his throat and offered me his arm, just as a violin started playing “We’re Off to See the Wizard”. “That’s my cue,” Liam informed me with a smile. “Shall we go see the wizard, Ris?”
“With you? I’d love to, brother mine.”
“I’m not skipping,” Liam muttered as we stepped back onto the yellow path.
“Agreed.” I giggled.
Onward we walked, and I tried not to skip as the music continued to fill the air. This was quite possibly the most fun I’d ever had in my life. The only thing that would have made it better was if Wroth were there with me, but he was in Emerald City waiting for me. It couldn’t have been anyone else, because Wroth was the only person I was ‘seeking’ as Dallas the Good Witch had said.
When the music faded and Liam stopped, I nearly pouted. I was having fun, so why did we have to stop? “Li-”
“Shh.” He covered my mouth. “Listen, Ris.”
I frowned and glanced around, not hearing anything out of the ordinary. “What? I don’t hear…” The rumble that came from a bush just a few feet away made me jump and Liam stepped in front of me to protect me.
“Come out of there,” Liam demanded. The bush shook and the rumble came again. Liam took a step closer to the bush and we both jumped back when a man in Lion’s costume popped his head up and then stood.
“Gotcha,” Axton said and chuckled as he stepped out of the bush. “Dude, you were supposed to be expecting it. Why’d you jump too?”
Liam laughed, shaking his head. “Just in the moment, man.”
I rushed forward, hugging Axton as I took in his costume. “I never imagined Lion and Glinda the Good Witch as a couple before.”
“Glinda’s pretty hot, huh?” He hugged me back and kissed me, tickling my cheek with his furry face. The violin started up once more and Axton offered me his arm. “Shall we?”
I was going to giggle myself to death before the day was over, I realized as I took Axton’s arm and then my brother’s and we continued on our way toward the gates of Emerald City in the distance. The yellow brick road wound round and round, making the walk toward the city a long one as we passed actors on wires dressed up as flying monkeys.
As we rounded a corner that was full of tall, fake trees, a witch’s cackle had my head snapping up and the Wicke
d Witch stepped forward. Honestly I’d never seen a more beautiful Wicked Witch. Or a more pregnant one. With green makeup on and a black dress stretched tight over her pregnant belly, Lana was the perfect Wicked Witch.
“Give me your shoes, bitch,” she commanded as she stepped forward to kiss my cheek. “No, seriously. Those are to die for. Hand them over.”
“No way,” I said and laughed. “You’re such a shoe whore. These are mine.”
“Damn. Okay then. It’s not like I could wear them right now anyway. I’d fall and break my neck with this belly keeping me so off balance.” She glanced from Axton to Liam, grinning. “Nice.”
Liam gave her a once over, whistling his own appreciation. “Back at ya, gorgeous. But don’t tell Drake I said that.”
When the music started again, Lana clapped her hands together. “Okay, let’s go. It’s not much farther now.” She linked her arm through mine and we walked ahead of the men as we drew closer to the gates of Emerald City.
As we neared the gates, a Green Guard stepped forward and kissed the Wicked Witch. “I heard you cackling and it was the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard, Angel.”
Axton and Liam snickered behind me and I turned to shush them. “Stop it,” I hissed at them.
When Drake raised his head, he glared at his two friends before that blue-gray gaze landed on me and softened. “Someone’s been getting anxious, Rissa.” He stepped back and opened the latch on the gate. “Better go find him.”
I didn’t need to know who the ‘him’ was that Drake was talking about. No one but one man would have ever thought to give me this experience and I couldn’t wait to tell him how much I loved him. I rushed past Drake and into Emerald city and stopped in my tracks at the sight before me.
Oh, Wroth…
Wroth
At the sound of the door opening, everything inside of me tightened. This was it. There was no going back now. The next few minutes would be the defining moment in my life. Would I spend the rest of my life with the woman I needed more than I needed air to breathe… or would she walk away?
I didn’t know what her answer was going to be, and the not knowing was making me shake.
Nervously, I tugged at the collar of my flannel shirt. There were pieces of straw sticking out from all angles, making me itch, which didn’t make my anxiousness any easier to deal with. With a groan I glanced down at the getup I’d put on just a little while ago. I’d refused to put a sack on my head to make the Scarecrow costume more believable. Hell, Emmie was able to give Marissa the entire Oz experience. She knew how much I loved her, so she would understand if I didn’t try to smother myself with a damned potato sack.
Around me, the rest of our friends sat around the arbor that Emmie and the Oz Museum had set up, all of them dressed up as a character from the movie. The munchkins were all sitting up front with their drama teacher in her own costume seated beside Dallas in her bulky Glinda the Good Witch outfit. The Demon’s Wings guys were all Green Guards and everyone else was dressed as Emerald City citizens. Yeah, this was as close to perfect as Emmie had been able to get and it was pretty fucking awesome if you asked me.
And cheesy. So damned cheesy. But it was going to make my girl happy and I would do anything to make her smile. Even dress up like a fucking Scarecrow.
The door opened and in walked the most beautiful sight I’d ever laid eyes on. Marissa was breathtaking in the simple white sundress and those killer glittery ruby heels. Her makeup was smeared a little, telling me she had been crying but the look in those blue eyes told me that they had been happy tears. I breathed a small breath of relief when I saw the beaming smile on that face that I loved so much.
Behind her an alluring Wicked Witch followed by a Green Guard, Tin Man, and Lion stepped through the door and I couldn’t help but grin at my friends and bandmates as they nodded their heads in greeting before taking the empty seats behind me. That just left me standing there, staring down at the girl who had the power to destroy me with one word in the next few minutes.
Her arms wrapped around me as soon as she reached me and my own went around her as I held her against me. The scent of her hair invaded my senses and I let it calm me as I tried to find the words I’d silently been rehearsing for days now.
With a soft laugh, Marissa leaned back. “I don’t know how you did this, but thank you. I’d thought that we were just going to go see the museum. And you gave me this.” Tears sparkled in her eyes and she blinked to keep them from spilling. “Thank you so much, Wroth. This means the world to me.”
I swallowed hard, trying to get the words—any words—out through the lump in my throat. “You are my world, Marissa. I would give you this and anything else you want.” I stepped back and pulled out the box that had been practically burning a hole in my pocket for over a month. When I dropped to one knee, Marissa gasped, her hands covering her mouth as the tears she’d been trying to keep at bay just seconds ago spilled free.
“I love you, Marissa. Then. Now. Forever. I gave you Oz, but all I want in return is you. Will you marry me, sweetheart?”
A sob escaped her and she shook her head, tears spilling faster. “I… You…” She shook her head harder and my stomach churned as I feared she was going to turn me down. No, no. I couldn’t possibly survive if she said no.
“Wroth…” She cleared her throat, swallowed hard, and I tried to hold my own tears back as I prepared for her to turn me down. “Of course I’ll marry you. I love you. Then. Now. Forever.”
I closed my eyes as relief washed over me, but a tear escaped anyway and I buried my face in her dress as I wrapped my arms around her waist and thanked whoever had sent this precious girl to me so that I could love and cherish her for the rest of my life. Soft fingers combed through my hair, holding me against her as my shoulders shook and I let the tears continue to fall. She was mine. Thank God, she was mine.
Behind me there came the shouts and sudden applause as our friends and family, rockers, roadies, and actors all congratulated us. It was a long while before I lifted my head though. When I did, it was to find Marissa smiling that one smile that I would have paid any price to have perfected on canvas so that I could have that sight forever. “Hi,” she whispered.
I cleared my throat. “Hey.” My eyes drifted closed as she wiped my tears away with the soft pad of her thumb. “Did you really say yes?” I asked, needing to make sure I hadn’t dreamed her answer.
She giggled. “Yes, I said yes. I love you, silly man. There was no other answer I could have given you.”
“When?”
“When will I marry you?” I nodded. “As soon as you want.”
Another breath of relief left me and I stood up, finally putting the ring on her finger. She didn’t even glance down at it, her blue eyes were glued to mine and I bent to brush a kiss over her soft lips. I’d sweated bullets over what ring to pick out for her, and she didn’t even care what it looked like. Damn, I loved this woman. “Now?” I breathed.
“Now what?” she asked, sounding dazed as I brushed my lips over hers again.
“Will you marry me now? Right now?” She gasped and took a step back, her eyes demanding to know if I was serious without her having to ask the question. “I told you a few days ago, Mari. The only man who will be taking your virginity is your husband. I meant that.”
“But… there are things that we need to do. Like find a minister and get the license and…” She broke off. “I’m sure there are other things that we would have to do. We couldn’t possibly…”
I grinned down at her and glanced over my shoulder to where Emmie and Natalie were standing with their clipboards in hands. Emmie nodded her head to the side and I saw a man in a suit step forward. Marissa followed my gaze first to Emmie and Natalie and then to the minister who pulled a Bible out of his suit jacket pocket.
Marissa snorted. “Of course we can get married today.” She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Okay then. Let’s get married.”
Chapter 16
M
arissa
I had to be dreaming. There just wasn’t any other explanation for how happy I was or for how fast everything was moving.
As Emmie snapped the last of the buttons on the wedding dress that she had had ordered for me, I pinched my cheek. When a shot of pain flash through me, I shook my head. “I still don’t believe it.”
In front of me, Layla, Lana, Dallas, and Harper gave me knowing grins. “Sweetie, it doesn’t matter how long you wait to get married once that ring is on your finger,” Layla informed me as she glanced down at the rings on her left hand. “When it’s the man you’ve waited your entire life for, it’s going to feel like a dream regardless if you wait an hour or a year.”
“But what about a honeymoon?” I asked and then blushed when I got another round of knowing smirks from my friends.
“Wroth can’t leave the tour right now for a honeymoon,” Emmie told me as she got the last button into place and came around to face me. “But he did ask me to get you guys your own bus. It’ll be waiting for you when you meet up with us in a few days. Tonight and tomorrow night you guys will be in the honeymoon suite at the Hilton.”
“But…”
“Drake will fill in for Wroth tomorrow night,” Lana assured me as she smoothed something through my hair and then placed a tiara on top of my head. “There. Perfect.”
“But…”
Dallas stepped forward and took my hands. Thankfully the Glinda costume was now gone because I doubted I would have been able to take her seriously if she were still wearing it. “No more buts, Rissa. You’re getting married, girl. There isn’t anything else to worry about but going out there and starting the rest of your life with the man who has proved above and beyond how much he adores you.”
I sucked in a deep breath in hopes of keeping my sudden tears at bay. “Okay. You’re right. This is really happening. Oh. Damn.” I fanned my hands in front of my eyes, trying not to ruin the makeup that Dallas and Layla had just applied for me. “I don’t want to cry again.”