Page 160 of Beautiful Lies

Knox chuckles. “Looks like your cousin still needs convincing.” He turns his gaze back to me.

I roll my eyes but humor him. “What is this special occasion?”

“You have an interview tomorrow morning at eleven a.m. sharp.”

My eyes fly wide. “What? An interview? With who?”

André Nebruski, the creative director at the Lyceum Theatre.”

The world drops out from under me. A rush of heat floods my chest, my pulse spiking so fast it hurts. “What are you saying to me?”

“Interview. With André Nebruski.Tomorrow.”

A trembling breath escapes me. André Nebruski. The man whose set designs I used to study frame by frame on grainy YouTube videos. The man whose lighting concepts I traced in my sketchbook until my fingers cramped. The man who shaped half the modern theatre world with nothing but vision and genius.

He’sthename. My north star. My impossible dream.

And Knox just… handed me a seat at his table.

My head is so light it feels like it may turn into air, but I manage to stand. “How? André Nebruski is… my idol. I never sent an application or my portfolio.”

“I did.”

I freeze, and everything in me just stops. “You… you what?”

“I sent pictures of your portfolio to him.” Knox nods with deep masculine pride. “I have a friend who has a contact in the theater business. They managed to get me in touch with André. I know how badly you want to work on Broadway and at the Lyceum in particular, so I set the ball in motion.”

“Oh God Knox…But…butmy portfolio isn’t finished yet. I had one more painting to do.”

“You have enough, and they’re all perfect.”

“But—"

“No.” He places his hands on my shoulders to steady me. “Relax. I got my contact to take a look at your work before I sent them to André. Her name is Daisy Tomlinson. The name may ring a bell.”

My jaw drops.

“Daisy Tomlinson?” I squeak, emotion rushing up so fast it nearly breaks me. “No way. No way.”

“Yes way.”

My hands tremble, and the tremor shoots through me. “Knox, she studied under André. She’s one of the top stage designers in New York. I wrote an essay about her in college. She’s…she’s the reason I even thought I could do this. You gotherto look at my work?” My voice thins to a fragile thread.

“I did, and she loved it.” His eyes soften in a way that hits me deep. “So did André. He was thoroughly impressed. He said he’s been looking for young designers with a fresh vision.”

“That sounds exactly like you,” Mia chirps. I’m so stunning and excited I almost forgot she was there.

I glance at her with tears filling my eyes, then back at Knox, my throat tightening with all my hopes. “Knox…I can’t believe this is possible. And André seriously agreed to an interview based on seeing pictures of my work?”

“He did. But we have to get everything to his office tomorrow. He’ll look over everything then interview you. I know it’s short notice, but he’s travelling and?—”

I throw my arms around him. “Oh, Knox. This means everything to me. Everything.”

He holds me, pressing his forehead to mine. “I know, love. I know.”

My eyes sting as my vision blurs. “You’re the best.”

“I try.”