Page 8 of Aquarius Awakening (BLP Signs of Love #20)

It’s Showtime

Two Weeks Later

Today was the day of the show I had been waiting for.

My team and I stood in the large warehouse that would host our fashion show.

Two other brands were showing ahead of us today.

One was a men’s wear line, and the other was a women’s line.

No matter how many shows I put on, my nerves were always all over the place.

The models were all lined up, being tended to by a hair or makeup artist. I paced back and forth, ensuring every model had the right hair and makeup for their outfit.

Love Faith would put on the last show of the day, so we still had another thirty to forty-five minutes if the second show started on time.

The other women’s clothing brand was currently on.

Each brand would be allowed thirty minutes from start to finish for their show.

The actual runway experience would only be fifteen minutes.

“Models, if you’re finished with hair and makeup, please see Milani. She will direct you on where to go for your outfit,” I instructed.

I continued to inspect the makeup and hair while my stomach did somersaults. The cheers from the crowd let me know the first show was over. A deejay played soft music as an interlude between the next show.

“I have the first few girls all set up with the dressers. The seamstress is on standby in case of any last-minute adjustments. Everything is going well so far. Why don’t you get ready? I’ll keep an eye out for the rest of the models,” Milani offered.

“You’re right. Let me go get myself together,” I agreed as I walked off.

I was just in time as the makeup artist finished with the last model.

As I took a seat in her chair, I sat back and closed my eyes as she beat my face.

This would probably be the last bit of quiet I would get for the day.

As I sat with my eyes closed, I heard a familiar laugh that I hadn’t heard since high school.

I opened my eyes and looked around to see if I could figure out who it was.

When my eyes landed on him, a low gasp escaped my lips.

I couldn’t believe it was Jacob Grant, my former bestie from high school.

He was one of the models in the men’s wear line.

Time had been very generous to him. Long gone were his thick bifocals.

Jacob had definitely grown up. His pecan-colored skin matched the beige two-piece linen set he wore.

I only saw a side profile, but it was a perfect view.

Last I heard, he was acting in a very popular show.

I didn’t watch much television, so I had no idea if he was any good.

What were the odds that he would be here of all places?

“Alright. You’re all done,” the makeup artist announced.

I took the handheld mirror she held out for me.

After a thorough look at my makeup, I handed it back to her.

The woman staring back at me was the version I loved to see—well put together.

Slowly but surely, I was finding my confidence again.

The dark circles that were prevalent under my eyes a few weeks ago had since disappeared.

Peace had found me as I slipped into my new reality.

Not having to deal with Mason’s verbal abuse or worrying about another round of treatment did me good.

I thanked my makeup artist then made my way over to the dressers. While I got dressed, I wondered if I would get the opportunity to see Jacob. He and I lost touch after high school. I felt my cheeks flush as memories of my feelings for my high school bestie that I once had a crush on resurfaced.

Just as I finished getting dressed, Milani walked over to me. “It’s showtime!” she excitedly declared.

My nerves wouldn’t allow my mouth to open.

I nodded in agreement as I walked out of the dressing room.

My dressers checked every model, but I was on hand to assist. It was imperative that every model looked their best. We only had one chance to get everyone talking about this latest collection.

Our shows would give us buzz and free marketing if they caught the right person’s attention.

The exclusivity of the show was what drew in the crowd.

The first model made her way down the runway as I held my breath.

One by one, each of the ladies did an amazing job showcasing my team’s work.

After the last model, I made my way onto the runway.

I waved out into the crowd and smiled as if I were a model myself.

Once I was backstage, I let out the breath I had been holding in.

My team cheered me on, along with Imani.

“The show was amazing. See? You were worried for nothing. Did you hear the crowd cheering? Those people were giving you a standing ovation,” she excitedly said.

“I just need a minute to catch my breath. That was intense,” I admitted.

I felt a set of eyes on me as I spoke with Imani. Jacob and I locked eyes as he made his way over to me.

“Long time no see, beautiful,” he stated.

“Yeah, it has been a long time. I never expected to see you here,” I coyly replied.

My heart nearly stopped as he stood before me. The feelings that came over me were familiar yet surprising.

“I did it as a favor to the designer. Are you doing anything right now? I would love to catch up with you,” Jacob stated.

I looked over at Imani and Milani, who were practically gawking at Jacob.

“Nope. She isn’t doing anything. She is all yours,” Imani answered for me.

Jacob chuckled. “I’ll let you grab your things and meet you out front. Does that work?”

“Just give me a couple of minutes. I’ll be right there,” I assured him and rolled my eyes at my sister.

I watched Jacob as he walked over to the section with the brand he’d walked with. When he was out of sight, my sister asked, “Who is that fine man?”

“That’s Jacob Grant. Remember him from high school? We used to hang out all the time,” I said.

“Wow. That’s little nerdy Jacob? He looks very different without those bifocals,” she commented.

“Girl, cut it out. Let me get changed since you volunteered me,” I said.

Imani rolled her eyes. “Going out with Jacob will be better than hanging with Milani and me. You can do that anytime. How often do you see an old friend pop up out of nowhere?” she asked.

I ignored her while I changed my clothes.

Imani knew I just wanted to do something low-key tonight.

The past few weeks had been so stressful that I needed a minute to recover.

While I could admit it was nice to see Jacob, I didn’t feel compelled to do anything other than to climb into my bed.

Although tired, the idea of catching up with Jacob piqued my interest. I didn’t know what to expect.

My curiosity got the best of me as I kept my word and headed to meet Jacob.

Twenty minutes later, Jacob and I were seated at this cute coffee shop that wasn’t too far from the warehouse. We gave our order at the register and then took a seat. The server would bring our drinks over to us.

“I’m really surprised to see you. How has life been?” Jacob asked.

“Life is good. I can’t complain. I got married five years ago. Love Faith is doing well. How have things been with you?” I asked.

“Everything is cool with me. The show just got picked up for another season. I split my time between here and Los Angeles to maximize work opportunities. Is your husband the clown you were dating in high school? You know? The reason you stopped speaking to me?”

“No, I did not marry that loser. And our not speaking was both of our faults. I was dating ole boy, and you were in a very serious relationship yourself. Whatever happened to old what’s her face?”

“Actually, we were engaged and had a little girl together. Unfortunately, she passed away while giving birth to our daughter,” Jacob sorrowfully replied.

The server walked over with our drinks before I could respond.

“Sorry for the wait. I have a strawberry matcha and a mocha cappuccino,” she said as she placed our drinks on the table.

After we thanked her, I made sure she was gone before continuing the conversation.

“Jacob, I’m so sorry to hear that. You must be devastated. How old is your daughter?” I sincerely asked.

“Baby girl is five. My mom is helping me raise her. We try our best to keep her mother’s memory alive.

It’s challenging with my hectic work schedule.

I’m just grateful that I get to do what I love to provide for the people I love.

My mother has been a godsend. Enough of the sad stuff.

Do you and your husband have any children? ”

“Nope. No kids for me. Truthfully, we recently decided to separate,” I disclosed.

Jacob took a sip of his drink, and I did the same. I had no idea what made me share that information.

“Separated, huh? I would say I’m sorry to hear that, but that would be a lie. Call me crazy, but I think we were supposed to see each other at this point in our lives,” he surmised.

“What makes you believe that?” I asked.

Jacob gave a flirtatious smile that woke up an urge in me that I hadn’t felt in a while.

“I’ve thought about you over the years. When I saw you today, something came over me. Those thoughts of what could have happened between us back in the day surfaced again. What if we were supposed to end up together after all?” he asked.

I nearly choked on my drink. As I cleared my throat, I looked at Jacob in surprise. Our attraction was never said out loud. It was one of those things that was understood. I saw past Jacob the nerd, and he saw past the version of me that I portrayed to the world.

“You never told me you thought of me that way,” I uttered.

“I was your nerdy best friend. When would it have been the right time to tell you I liked you? Shit, I’ve always had a thing for you.

I loved Geneva, but I never got over the possibility of you and me.

I know you aren’t divorced, but would you be open to spending time together?

As friends, of course. We can catch up for old times’ sake,” he offered.

The sensation of his touch caused a puddle to form in the seat of my panties. I found Jacob attractive, but I never thought of us together. He was my safe space, and I left it at that.

“I’m blown away by all of this. I had no idea you ever felt that way. I’ve never experienced separation or divorce before, so I don’t know how it will end. I’m not ready for anything other than a friend right now. If you’re cool with us rekindling our friendship, I can do that,” I offered.

Jacob’s perfect smile with all his pearly whites crept across his face.

While I only offered him friendship, Jacob made me feel as if I’d offered more.

We continued to sit in the coffee shop, catching up on the years we missed in each other’s lives.

It was nice to catch up with Jacob. Our conversations were always top tier, and time hadn’t changed our dynamic.

Regardless of what Jacob wanted for now, it was nice to have a good time with a man who enjoyed my company.