of his way. “But that’s not the real reason I’m here. I grew up in this town, and in high school, I fell for the girl of my dreams.” His eyes connected with mine and he smiled at me. “She was the love of my life, but I walked away from her. Thirteen years later, I got another shot with that girl, but I screwed that up too. I’m here to prove to her that this time, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to show her I’m still the same person I was back then. It just took me a while to realize that I could surround myself with the nicest things, but it all meant nothing if I didn’t have her. She’s my best friend, the love of my life, and the woman I’m going to marry.”
I clasped my hand over my mouth as tears streamed down my face. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry right now.
“So, to prove to her just how much I love her, I’m going to sing her a song. I hope you’ll all bear with me and not boo me off the stage. This one’s for you, Anna.”
I looked around at the crowd, all of them smiling at me. This was so surreal.
“You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips,” Robert crooned. I snorted, trying not to laugh. Eric popped up out of one of the cardboard boxes with his own microphone in hand. “And there’s no tenderness like before in your fingertips.”
“You’re trying hard not to show it, baby,” Robert smiled.
Then Joe, Will, and Andrew popped out of their own boxes, taking me by surprise. “But, baby-“
“Baby, I know it!” Robert sang out. “You lost that lovin’ feeling.”
“Whoa, that lovin’ feelin’,” his brothers sang.
“You lost that lovin’ feelin’ now it’s gone, gone, gone, whoa-oh.”
Joe walked forward with his own microphone and knelt down to look at me, giving me a wink. “Now there’s no welcome look in your eyes when I reach for you.”
Then Andrew came forward, pushing his brother out of the way. “And now you’re starting to criticize little things I do.”
Will strutted forward, pointing out to the crowd like he was a rockstar. Robert slapped him upside the head, laughing. “It makes me just feel like crying.”
“Baby,” the crowd sang from behind me. I spun around and laughed as all the town chimed in.
“Cuz, baby, something beautiful’s dyin’,” Robert sang out.
“You lost that lovin' feelin’,” everyone sang. “Whoa, that lovin' feelin’. You lost that lovin' feelin’, now it's gone, gone, gone, whoa-oh.”
I pressed my hands to my face, laughing and crying as Robert knelt down before me, pressing his hand to his heart. “Baby, baby, I get down on my knees for you. If you would only love me like you used to do, yeah.”
He stood, his brothers coming up behind him to form a circle around him, swaying to the beat of the music. “We had a love, a love, a love you don’t find everyday. So don't, don't, don't, don't let it slip away.”
“Baby,” Robert cried, then Joe stepped forward, switching off with him.
“Baby-“
“Baby-“
“Baby!” Joe sang, closing his eyes.
Robert fell to his knees, “I beg you, please.”
“Please,” Joe sang.
“Please.”
“Please,” Joe sang, his eyebrows raised as he tried to hit the high notes.
“I need your love,” Robert sang, as each of his brothers stepped forward to take a turn.
“Need your love-“
“I need your love-“
“I need your love!”
Robert held out his hand to me, pulling me up on stage with him. “So bring it on back.”
“So, bring it on back-“
“Bring it on back-“
“Bring it on back!”
Robert pressed his lips to mine, wrapping his arm around my waist as everyone else sang. “Bring back that lovin’ feelin’. Whoa, that lovin’ feelin’. Bring back that lovin’ feelin’. ‘Cause it’s gone, gone, gone.”
He leaned his forehead against mine and whispered, “And I can’t go on, whoa-oh.”
He kissed me hard again as a round of cheers filled the air. Then, he grabbed my hand and spun me out, laughing at my shock, then spun me back into his arms and swayed with me as the town continued to sing.
“Bring back that lovin’ feelin’. Whoa, that lovin’ feelin’. Bring back that lovin’ feelin’. ‘Cause it’s gone, gone, gone.”
Robert had his hands wrapped around my waist and was holding me close as everyone cheered for the Cortell brothers and their amazing singing skills. Robert’s cold nose slid across my cheek and he whispered. “I’m here for good, and I’m not going