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Nova paces along the edge of the pathway.
She’s worried about me.
Again, I smile. And my heart feels light but also filled with so much love, it seems unreal. This kind of love doesn’t exist or isn’t meant for me. But it is.
I inhale a deep breath, my muscles relaxing as I do, and walk to Nova.
She glimpses me when I’m halfway to her.
“Did you talk to him?”
I nod.
“And?”
“And we’re good. He’s even cool with coming to visit in a month.”
Her face lights up in the best, most beautiful way. She sprints for me and leaps into my open arms. Her lips rain kisses on my cheeks and jawline as I spin her around in the air.
“I’m really happy it worked out. I was so nervous for you,” she says after I stop twirling and steady myself, while keeping her secured in my arms.
“I know.” I kiss her lips and rest my forehead against hers. “You brought me out of the shadows and into the light. You’re my good luck charm.”
“Aw.” She melts against my body and hugs her arms around my neck, kissing me passionately. “You’re my good luck charm, too. I wouldn’t be as confident in myself if it weren’t for you.”
“I think you always had it in you. You were just hanging around the wrong people.”
“True.” She stares into my eyes with so much love, my chest aches. “Are you ready for tonight?”
I nod.
“Are you sure?”
“Are you?”
Tonight is her fashion line pre-launch party, a teaser to get everyone excited for the real show next month. Gigi offered her the estate for the show, but Nova wanted a public venue. She’s tired of hiding, too. In a way, it’s a coming-out party for both of us. Coming out of our shells and reclaiming our lives without fear.
“I’ll have you by my side,” she murmurs across my lips.
“And Gigi.”
“And the protection she insisted on for the event. Never leaves home without it.”
I chuckle. “Nope.” Gigi will always be paranoid and famous. Nova, too—she just doesn’t realize how famous she is or always has been by association. She believes this fashion line will finally make her and her name recognizable. I love how unaware she is. If she weren’t, the fame might have gone to her head. I love her mindset the way it is. I love everything about her.
“I suppose we should start getting ready.” I kiss her, refusing to loosen my hold on her by even an inch. “A shower together, followed by a thorough towel drying of your incredible body, and—”
“And it sounds like we’ll be late.” She playfully bites my bottom lip.
“Fashionably late. Isn’t that a thing?”
Her eyes widen. “I can’t be late to my own show.”
“Okay. We’ll skip the towel drying part.”
She giggles, then jumps and wraps her legs around my waist. “We better hurry then.”
“That’s my girl.”
“One of them. The kittens are your girls, too.”
Nova, three kittens, my college best friend, and no more hiding—if someone told me a year ago, or even four months ago, this would be my life, I would never have believed it. The future is uncertain, that is for sure. You can’t predict it. All you can do is embrace the moments you have and the people in them and have faith that things will work out—sometimes better than you could have ever imagined.