Page 141 of See You There

Her sister pulled back with a laugh. “Ow! Those rollers are still hot.” She gestured at the three-inch rollers covering Dahlia’s head.

Hannah was dressed in a black, beaded gown, her hair and makeup flawless. “Are you going to offer me one of those?” She pointed at the glasses of champagne sitting on the coffee table in the large main room.

She handed her sister a glass. Hannah looked nervously at the sofa. “I’m afraid to sit in this thing. It’s shedding beads.”

“Do you want a robe, honey?” the hairstylist asked.

The look of relief on Hannah’s face was almost comical. “That would be great.”

“I don’t put on my dress until a few minutes to go, and we still have a couple hours. Might as well be comfortable.” Dahlia was babbling, but she couldn’t quite take it in. Her sister washere. In her hotel room, looking as beautiful and glamorous as any of the other attendees would.

“Lia, now that your sister is here, do you want me to order some more food?”

She met Hannah’s amused eyes. “Yes, please.”

Dahlia waited to speak to the hair and makeup staff until Beau stepped away to make his phone call. She was essentially done until it was time to put on her gown.

“Could you give my sister and me some privacy? We have time, right?”

The makeup artist consulted her watch. “I’ve got at least an hour.” The hairstylist nodded, and when the door clicked shut behind them, Hannah started clapping.

“This is amazing! Just like on television!”

Dahlia smiled, but now that the shock of seeing her sister had worn off, she had questions.

“I’m so glad you could make it after all. But how did this all happen?” Hannah flicked her eyes to Beau. “He won’t say anything,” Dahlia assured her.

Dahlia knew what her sister’s answer had to be, but it still hit her like an axe in the chest.

“I got a call from Luke Bloom. He said it would make you incredibly happy to have me here. I explained to him I have like a zillion kids and couldn’t exactly pick up and go to a party in another state. Next thing I know, he’s sent a plane for me and my entire family. When we got here, there was a hotel suite, a nanny and a stylist. I’m Cinderella today!”

Dahlia pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth, hard. She couldn’t ruin her makeup.

Of all the things Luke could have done, this was by far the most thoughtful. He knew how much she wanted her sister to be with her, and he had made it happen.

“Are you sure—” Hannah began, but Dahlia shook her head.

“I can’t think about that tonight. I’ll cry and wreck my makeup. Let’s talk aboutliterallyanything else!”

The next hour flew by. With her sister there, Dahlia’s appetite returned, and she finished her salad and ordered another bottle of champagne. She was feeling pleasantly fizzy when it was time to get into their dresses. The glam team touched up both their hair and makeup before Beau led them to the elevator. Impulsively, Dahlia caught and squeezed her sister’s hand.

“Did you ever think this would be us one day?”

Hannah shook her head, eyes wide.

As they left the lobby, Beau updated them on the order of reporters she could expect on the red carpet. Elizabeth and Simon were already waiting in the car.

Dahlia’s nerves were back as the limo slid quietly through Atlanta’s city streets to the Fox Theater, where the debut was being held. The limo pulled to a stop, and through the heavily tinted window, Dahlia could see the crowd and the constant flash of cameras. Her mouth went dry.

“Do you want your sister to walk with you?” Simon asked, but Hannah immediately shook her head no.

Before she was ready, it was time, and the door swung open. Simon stepped out and extended his hand to help her out. For a second, she was blind and deaf as flashbulbs went off and people shouted. Which was the only explanation for why she didn’t realize Victor was charging at her until he was within a few feet.

“You stupid little whore!” Victor raged, but he barely got the words out before Brady was suddenly in front of him, blockinghis view. Along with two other men, they hustled him backwards and out of sight. The whole thing had only lasted a few seconds, but Dahlia was shaken.

Brady rejoined her just as Elizabeth and Hannah exited the car. He wasn’t even out of breath, and if it wasn’t for the shocked faces around them, she would have thought she’d hallucinated the whole thing.

“I didn’t realize you were still going to be here,” Dahlia said.