Terry and Ryder were lounging in a secluded corner, sipping on their beers while watching their mother laugh with Luther.
"It's about time she found love again," Terry remarked as they observed Celeste place her hand on Luther's arm.
"I know, right? Luther seems perfect for her," Ryder responded with a grin.
Turning his chair to face Ryder, Terry took another swig from his beer and set the bottle on the table. "How are you doing, Ryder?"
Ryder shifted slightly, "I'm good, Terry." His smile couldn't hide the curiosity in his eyes.
"I've never seen you this happy before. It makes me so glad that you found Isobel."
"Me too, brother." Though Ryder still seemed puzzled by Terry's words. "What's going on, Terry?"
Terry glanced down, rubbing his hands on his jeans. "Sam and I have been wondering about something." He then looked up at Ryder again.
"What is it, Terry?"
"I know all about your past."
Ryder nodded, "Yeah, I know you do."
"Well, Sam and I are concerned that... maybe... you might have..."
"An STD?" Ryder finished the sentence for him.
Terry exhaled the breath he'd been holding. "I'm sorry for bringing this up, Ryder. We're just worried about your health. And Isobel's too."
"I get it. And don't worry; I'm not upset. I understand why you'd ask." Ryder leaned back in his chair. "But no worries, I'm clean. I've been tested."
Another sigh of relief escaped Terry. "That's a relief to hear, Ryder." Placing a hand on his shoulder he added, "I love you, brother."
"I love you too, Terry."
"You two seem to be having an intense discussion," Celeste noted as she approached her sons.
Both men turned to face her.
"Our talks are always intense, Ma," Ryder said with a playful wink and smile.
"So, Rose, what do you do?" Luther asked, pulling out the chair next to her, Isobel, and the other women.
"I work with Isobel at the school. I teach choir and drama," Rose replied with a smile.
"That's fantastic," Luther responded warmly. "And Isobel, you teach art? Is that right?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I just started my fourth year."
"Very impressive," Luther remarked before turning to Beverly and Abby. "And how about you two? Are you teachers as well?"
"I'm the school nurse," Beverly stated proudly.
"And I teach Home Ec," Abby chimed in.
"That's wonderful to hear," Luther said, his eyes twinkling. "My mother was a teacher for forty years and she absolutely loved it."
Wren joined Terry and Ryder, who were seated in a corner amidst an intense conversation.
"What did you do?" Terry inquired.
"I did what any real man would do. I beat the crap out of them," Ryder said, gesturing towards Wren. "With his help."
Wren pulled up a chair and sat down. "We're talking about the scumbags at the rodeo, right?"
"Yes," Ryder confirmed, shaking his head. After a moment of silence, he added, "There's something I've never told anyone."
"What is it?" Terry prompted.
Ryder fidgeted and glanced over his shoulder to ensure no one else was listening. "The officer handling the case approached me later that day when I was alone. He warned me that if I'd gone any further, I might have killed the guy." He looked at Wren appreciatively. "Thank you for stopping me when you did."
Wren gripped Ryder's shoulder firmly, lost for words.
Ryder gazed at the floor briefly before looking back up at them. "I didn't want to stop. I wanted to kill him for what he did to Isobel."
"I would have felt exactly the same if someone had done that to Sam," Terry admitted.
"Same here, Ryder," Wren agreed.
Moments later, Bella Rose joined them. "We need to leave now if we want to make it on time."
Ryder checked his watch, "Oh wow, we really do. I didn't realize it was this late." He stood up and announced loudly, "Time to go!"
Isobel scanned the room as everyone began gathering their things.
"What's happening?" she asked anyone who'd answer.
Ryder walked over and encircled her waist with his arms. "The rest of your birthday surprise." He kissed her forehead and took her hand.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see," Ryder replied with a grin.
Luther and Celeste bid their goodbyes to everyone. Celeste gave Ryder a warm hug, followed by one for Isobel.
"You're not joining us on our adventure...wherever that may be?" Isobel asked as she embraced her tightly.
"No, not tonight. This outing is just for you kids to have some fun." Celeste grinned at her, embracing her once more. "Happy birthday, Isobel."
"Thank you so much, Celeste."
As Luther and Celeste departed, the rest headed to their cars. Abby and Beverly hopped into Wren and Rose's car, while Terry and Sam joined Ryder and Isobel in theirs.
"Come on guys, where are we heading?" Isobel pressed eagerly.
"We're almost there, Babe. You'll find out soon enough," Ryder said with a playful smile, glancing back at her. "Just be patient, Isobel."
To distract herself from the suspense, Isobel chatted with Sam for most of the journey. As she noticed the truck slowing down, she eagerly scanned the surroundings to see where they would turn next.
Driving down a lengthy driveway behind a line of cars, a large sign soon came into view: Ozarks Amphitheater.
"We're going to a concert?" Isobel asked with a grin.
"Yes," Ryder confirmed, turning to look at her.
"Who's performing?"
"Well, I heard that you've started getting into country music and absolutely adore Miranda Lambert."
Isobel's eyes lit up with excitement. "Are we really seeing Miranda?"
"Yes." Ryder's own excitement mirrored hers as he heard the joy in her voice.
They parked their cars and walked towards the entrance. Isobel spotted a sign indicating VIP access and realized they were heading towards it.
"Wait, we're VIP?"
"We are tonight," Ryder replied with a smile, pulling her closer and wrapping his arm around her waist.
Once inside, the group made their way down to the front near the stage's edge. The women followed the men, and Rose once again commented on Wrangler butts, pointing at the guys. Ryder and Wren heard her, grinning as they gave a playful shake of their butts while walking ahead. The women burst into laughter, continuing towards the stage with glee.
Everyone donned lanyards with badges hanging from them. Ryder turned to Isobel and gently placed hers around her neck. Isobel lifted the badge to see it read ALL ACCESS. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked back at Ryder. "How?"
"Terry knows the head of security here and he hooked us up," Ryder explained.
Isobel turned to Terry, throwing her arms around him in gratitude. "Thank you so much."
"You're very welcome, Isobel. Happy birthday," Terry replied warmly.
Security opened a chained-off section, allowing the group to enter. They were guided behind the stage where several band members were hanging out, snacking and drinking a variety of beverages. Terry spotted his friend and walked over with Sam for a chat.
Isobel gazed around and spotted several people with guitars, a couple with fiddles, and one guy tapping drumsticks against his shoe and leg rhythmically. Ryder heard her gasp and turned just in time to see Miranda approaching a table laden with fruit, cookies, sandwiches, brownies, among other treats.
"Ready to meet her?" Ryder asked Isobel, who nodded enthusiastically, her face lit up with excitement.
Ryder signaled to the others to follow, and they all made their way to the country star.
"Hello, ya'll," Miranda greeted as they approached. "I hope ya'll are having a fantastic time so far."
"Yes, ma'am, we sure are. Thank you," Ryder responded before pulling Isobel forward. "It's my fiancé's birthday. She adores you and has always wanted to meet you."
"Well hello there, fiancé! Happy birthday," Miranda said warmly, extending her hand to Isobel.
"Thank you. I'm Isobel," she replied while shaking Miranda's hand, trying hard to keep it steady.
The rest of the group introduced themselves one by one, each shaking Miranda's hand. Terry and Sam rejoined just in time for introductions as well. They all took photos together and chatted a bit longer until it was time for Miranda to head to wardrobe.
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I hope you enjoy the concert. John, Karen, Kim, Phil, and Jimi will be out soon."
"Thank you, Miranda. Lovely to meet you," Isobel said, shaking her hand.
"Oh, come here," Miranda pulled her into a warm hug. "Everyone deserves a hug on their birthday," she declared in her thick southern accent.
After Miranda left, the group began chattering excitedly about their encounter with her.
A bit later, the members of Little Big Town appeared. They took turns introducing themselves to Karen, Kim, Phil, and Jimi and spent some time chatting with them.
Finally, John Michael Montgomery came out. Isobel wasn't very familiar with his older music, but everyone else was thrilled to meet him. He stayed and visited for over twenty minutes before having to leave to get ready for the show.
"This has been the best birthday ever." Isobel stood on her toes and kissed Ryder. "Thank you for everything."
Ryder wrapped his arms around her, "You're welcome. This has been pretty amazing, hasn't it?"
The group discussed each of the stars as they made their way back to their special section for the concert.
"I can't believe how down-to-earth they all were," Sam said as security allowed them into their section.
"I know. They're so... human," Rose laughed.
The men headed off to get drinks while the women stayed near the stage. Abby and Beverly were flirting with a couple of cute cowboys on the other side of the fence. When Ryder and Terry returned with drinks in hand, they handed them to the girls.
The venue had filled up quickly; standing room along the front of the stage was packed shoulder to shoulder. Their section was located at stage right, and they were the only ones there. The women stood along the edge of the stage while the guys stood back behind them.
As stage lights brightened, band members took their positions. John Michael Montgomery started with "Be My Baby Tonight." The crowd went wild at the opening notes and everyone sang along. Isobel didn't know the words but swayed along with Sam and Rose as they rested their arms on the stage. She could hear Ryder, Terry, and Wren singing loudly behind them, making her laugh.
John Michael belted out "Sold" followed by "I Can Love You Like That," with the audience echoing every lyric. After a few more songs, the band struck a chord that rang familiar to Isobel. As soon as the lyrics began, she recognized it: "I Swear," a song Ryder had once serenaded her with. She turned to find Ryder approaching, pressing his chest against her back and enveloping her in his arms. Isobel held onto him, swaying gently to the melody. Ryder's voice was soft and intimate, his breath warm on her ear.
Isobel let her eyes close, her head resting against Ryder's chest as his voice filled her senses. The song concluded to thunderous applause and cheers that echoed through the amphitheater. John Michael wrapped up his set, and the stage transitioned for the next act. Little Big Town emerged to an uproarious welcome, kicking off with "Boondocks," a tune Isobel knew well enough to belt out with gusto. They followed up with hits like "Good as Gone" and "Bring It On Home," wrapping up their set after three more crowd-pleasers.
The guys rushed off for refreshments, returning just in time for Miranda's grand entrance. The crowd went wild at the sight of her mini skirt and fringe-covered shirt as she strode onstage with her guitar. "Hello, Ozarks!" she greeted, earning an explosive response from the audience.
Miranda launched into "Kerosene," a song Isobel and her friends sang word-for-word. Next came "Only Prettier," one of Isobel's personal favorites, along with hits like "Heart Like Mine," "The House That Built Me," and "White Liar." The group danced and sang along euphorically while Miranda roamed their end of the stage, sharing moments of connection.
Mid-performance, Miranda extended the microphone towards Isobel, amplifying her voice throughout the theater. Announcing Isobel's birthday, Miranda led everyone in a heartfelt rendition of "Happy Birthday," bringing heat to Isobel's cheeks from all the attention.
Miranda closed with crowd-pleasers like "Famous in a Small Town" and "Gunpowder and Lead," joined by Little Big Town onstage to everyone's delight. The finale saw both acts jamming together before Miranda made her way back to Isobel's group for final farewells.
"Thank you, Ozarks! Ya'll are amazing! Good night!" Miranda declared, taking a final bow before disappearing backstage alongside Little Big Town.
The group meandered toward the trucks, Ryder gripping Isobel's hand firmly amidst the sea of people. Once settled in the trucks, Isobel and Sam chatted non-stop, their eyes glued to the photos on their phones.
After dropping Terry and Sam off at their truck, Ryder drove Isobel home. He walked her to her door, waiting as she fumbled with the key. When she finally opened it, Ryder pulled her close, kissing her passionately, his tongue gently teasing her lips.
"Happy birthday," he murmured, brushing his fingers along her jawline. "I hope you enjoyed yourself."
"It was amazing, Ryder. I had an incredible time," she said, leaning in for another kiss. "Thank you for everything."
"Anytime, Isobel."
He bid her good night before climbing into his truck and driving off. Isobel stepped into her townhouse, locked the door behind her, and headed straight to her journal to chronicle every moment of that unforgettable evening.