Page 74 of Lessons in Touch

My phone rings just as I finish applying lipstick. I answer it with a smile, knowing exactly who it is.

"Rose, darling!" My mother's face fills the screen, radiant and healthy in a way I haven't seen her since childhood. "Look at you. You look absolutely stunning!"

"Thank you, Mom." I hold the phone at arm's length so she can see my evening dress. "How are you feeling today?"

"Wonderful. Your father and I just finished a lovely walk on the beach. Can you believe it? On the beach! I thought I would never get to see the sea, let alone live in a villa on the beach!"

My chest is warm with pride. The house I bought for my parents in France does, indeed, overlook the Mediterranean Sea. After spending all her life in a cramped apartment, my mom now has a beautiful garden terrace where she spends her mornings reading.

"Where's Dad?"

"Right here, love." His familiar voice comes from off-screen before his face appears beside hers. "How's our successful daughter tonight?"

"Nervous," I admit. "Tomorrow is my first day as a marketing manager."

"At Devereaux Enterprises," he says with obvious pride. "Our little girl is running a division of one of the most powerful companies in America!"

"I'm not running it yet. I'm starting at the bottom of management."

"But you'll earn your way up," my mother says firmly. "Just like you've earned everything else."

I think about the past two years. Graduating summa cum laude from Wolfswood. Claiming my inheritance from the family trust. Building relationships with my cousins and extended family. None of that was handed to me.

"We're so proud of you," Dad continues. "Not just for the success, but for who you've become. Strong, independent, generous."

"Speaking of generous," Mom adds with a knowing smile, "when do we get to properly meet this senator of yours?"

I laugh. "Gabriel sends his love. He's getting ready for tonight's gala."

"I still can't believe our Rose is dating a United States Senator," Dad shakes his head in wonder.

"He's still the same man who helped me find my confidence," I tell them. "The political career is just a bonus."

We talk for a few more minutes about their life in France, their new friends, the trips they're planning now that they are both retired. When we hang up, I sit quietly for a moment, overwhelmed by gratitude.

Two years ago, I was a student afraid of my own shadow. Tonight, I'm attending a charity gala in Manhattan as a Devereaux heiress with the man I love.

The sound of the front door opening interrupts my thoughts. Gabriel's voice carries through the penthouse.

"Rose? Are you ready?"

"Almost!" I call back, taking one last look in the mirror.

The woman staring back at me still surprises me sometimes. I've learned to appreciate myself rather than hide.

I walk out to the living room where Gabriel is waiting by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Central Park. He's adjusting his cufflinks, looking devastating in his black tuxedo. When he sees me, he's breathless.

"You're going to cause several accidents tonight," he says, and his voice is low with appreciation.

"That's the plan." I walk to him, enjoying the way his eyes follow my movement. "You clean up pretty well yourself, Senator Thorn."

He pulls me close, careful not to wrinkle my dress. "Are you ready for this? The photographers will be relentless."

"Let them photograph us." I smooth his lapel. "I'm not hiding anymore."

The gala is everything I expected and more. The ballroom glitters with crystal and gold, and tonight it’s filled with the most powerful people in New York. Gabriel keeps his hand on my back as we move through the crowd, introducing me to politicians, business leaders, and philanthropists.

"Rose Devereaux," people say when we're introduced. "The Devereaux heiress. I've heard so much about you."