Sophie tugged at the zipper of her evening gown, the silky fabric slipping through her trembling fingers for the third time.
She caught her reflection in the bedroom mirror.
The elegant midnight blue dress Cassia had lent her contrasted beautifully with her skin, but the half-fastened back ruined the effect.
“Come on,” she muttered, twisting awkwardly to reach behind her shoulder blades.
Her borrowed dress shimmered subtly as she moved, the material clearly expensive and well-chosen. Cassia had insisted that she take it when Sophie admitted she hadn’t packed anything suitable for hosting a high-end pop-up dinner. It was perfect…
If only she could get the damn zipper up.
Sophie abandoned the struggle momentarily, taking in her full reflection. Her hair was styled in a careful updo, though it had taken three tries. Her cheeks were flushed with a mix of effort and nerves. Everything looked in place. Everything felt off.
“Good evening, and welcome to my special Bear Creek dinner,” she practiced aloud, squaring her shoulders. “Tonight’s menu draws inspiration from the natural beauty and bounty of these mountains, from the clear streams to the forest floor, culminating in the vineyard’s harvest.”
Her voice faltered on the last word. She sounded rehearsed, stilted. Tito would have called it “inauthentic.” The thought of him made her stomach tighten. Stop it.
She wouldn’t give him one more ounce of her doubt. Not tonight.
This dinner wasn’t about Tito. It was about moving forward, proving to herself, and maybe the world, that she had something real to say with her food.
Sophie took a sip of water, only to spill a drop on the bodice. “Perfect,” she muttered, blotting quickly. She eyed her hair again, considering tugging out a few strands to soften the look. Was she overdoing it?
Her pulse quickened. There’d be food journalists, local influencers, and possible publishers. If she failed tonight...
Stop.
“This is your night,” she told her reflection. “Not his. Yours.”
She returned to the zipper, trying again. Still stuck.
A knock at the door made her jump. “Sophie?” came Nero’s calm voice. “May I come in?”
“Yes,” she called, suddenly very aware of her half-zipped state.
Nero stepped inside, looking effortlessly elegant in a three-piece charcoal suit. He paused, eyes widening as he took her in and swallowed hard. In an instant, she felt confident and desirable.
“You look beautiful.” And she believed him.
“Thanks,” Sophie replied, gesturing helplessly. “But I have a slight wardrobe malfunction.”
“May I help?” he asked, already setting a small velvet box on the dresser.
“Please.”
She turned, revealing the zipper. His fingers brushed her back, sending a thrill of pleasure coursing through her. “A thread’s caught,” he said, gently working it free. “There. Perfect.”
“Thank you. I was about to cut myself out of it.”
“Now that would be a tragedy,” he said lightly as he pressed his lips to her skin. “The color suits you.”
“It’s a beautiful dress.” Sophie smoothed her hands over the gown. “I’m very nervous.”
“I’d be concerned if you weren’t,” he said. “Important endeavors deserve respectful anxiety.”
She smiled despite herself. “Respectful anxiety. I like that.”
“You’ve prepared beautifully,” he went on. “Your menu is impeccable. Tonight, you will be brilliant.”
His belief in her, as steadfast and honest as always, soothed away her nerves.
“I’ve been practicing what to say, but everything sounds off.” Imposter syndrome was threatening to derail her. As it often did.
“You’re overthinking,” Nero said as he stroked the nape of her neck. “Your enthusiasm for the food will speak louder than any script. These are your fans. They are already under your spell.”
She nodded, the last of her tension easing. “You’re right. I just need to be me.”
“Exactly. That is more than enough.” He glanced at the velvet box, his expression shifting. “I have something for you.”
“Is this what you wanted to show me?” In her nervousness, she’d almost forgotten that he had something he wanted to share with her.
“It is.” Nero reached for the velvet box on the dresser. “I finished this piece yesterday,” he said, as he held the box in his palm. “I wanted you to have it tonight, for your special evening.” He held her gaze as he offered it to her.
Sophie’s heart quickened as she accepted the box, its velvet surface soft against her fingertips. The box was the wrong size for an engagement ring. Wasn’t it?
“Open it,” Nero whispered.
She lifted the lid carefully. Inside, nestled against cream-colored silk, lay a necklace of exquisite craftsmanship. A perfectly formed heart of polished gold, its surface adorned with small rubies. As the fading light from the window reflected off the rubies, it was as if the heart was beating.
“Oh, Nero,” Sophie breathed as her finger hovered over the piece. She was almost afraid to touch something so beautiful.
“It’s called From Our Heart to Yours ,” he said softly.
“The plans I saw that first night you showed me your workshop.” Sophie looked up at him, her eyes wide.
“Yes.”
“You made this? For me?”
“I did.” His fingers brushed against hers as he carefully lifted the necklace from its velvet nest. “I finished setting the last stone just hours ago,” Nero continued. “I wanted it to be perfect for tonight.”
“It is perfect,” she whispered. “Just like you.”
“Sophie,” Nero said, his voice taking on a quiet intensity that held her enraptured. “This necklace is more than a gift. It’s my pledge to you.”
He moved closer. “From the moment I literally stumbled into your life at that wedding expo, my world was complete,” he said.
“I recognized the bond we share. But since then, I have seen your creativity, your strength, your honesty, and your integrity. With this necklace, I promise to support you always. To walk beside you through it all.”
“Nero…” She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you. For everything.”
His arms tightened around her possessively, and she rested her head on his shoulder as she took a shuddering breath. For a long moment, they stood there, her soft curves pressed against his hard, toned body. Two people. Fated together for eternity.
How lucky she was. How loved she was.
When she pulled back, she wiped her eyes. “I’ll ruin my makeup.”
“You could never be anything less than beautiful. May I?” he asked, lifting the necklace again.
Sophie turned, gathering her hair. The cool heart touched her skin, warming almost instantly.
“There,” he murmured, his breath against her neck.
She crossed to the mirror. The pendant nestled perfectly at her throat, catching the light with every breath.
But what struck her most was the reflection staring back: no longer anxious, but calm and ready.
Nero stepped behind her, their eyes meeting in the mirror. He rested his hands lightly on her shoulders, and Sophie leaned back slightly, feeling the solid strength of him supporting her.
“Perfect,” he murmured.
Sophie turned in his arms, tilting her face up to his. “Kiss me,” she said, no longer caring if he smudged her makeup.
A small smile curved Nero’s lips as he leaned down, one hand rising to cup her cheek with exquisite gentleness. His lips touched hers in a kiss that was tender yet charged with emotion. A physical affirmation of the pledge he had just made.
Sophie kept her eyes closed for a moment, savoring the sensation. When she opened them, Nero was watching her with such open adoration that it nearly took her breath away again.
She straightened her shoulders, feeling a new confidence flow through her. “I’ll wait for you downstairs,” Nero said as he dropped a kiss on her shoulder.
“I won’t be long.” Sophie slipped her feet into the borrowed heels that matched her dress, took one final glance in the mirror, and nodded at her reflection, her eyes drawn to the ruby heart.
“From Our Heart to Yours,” she muttered as she touched her fingers to it.
Dragging her gaze from the mirror, she gathered her small evening purse, checked its contents one last time, stepped into the hallway and made her way downstairs.
Nero stood near the front door with his back to her, but he seemed to sense her approach and turned to watch her.
Heat flared across her skin at the way his eyes devoured her body.
How easy it would be to reach for his hand and pull him into her arms. To abandon their planned evening at the restaurant and tumble into bed instead.
But that was not going to happen. Not now… But afterward…
“You look amazing,” he murmured as he picked up her shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“So do you,” she replied, her fingers tracing the buttons of his waistcoat.
“We should get going,” Nero said, though his eyes held a promise for later that made her pulse quicken. “Everyone will be waiting.”
Sophie nodded, her hand instinctively touching the necklace at her throat. The weight of it felt right, like it had always belonged there. Like she had always belonged here with him.
And she knew in that moment, no matter what, she always would.