"Of course not," Linda surged forward. "We also wanted to ask if you would be interested in posting the picture and tagging our salon in exchange for service. We would also love to take our own picture, but only if you're comfortable with that."
To our relief, Mila smiled and readily agreed. "Of course! I'm definitely going to credit you guys, and I'm fine with having my picture taken. Y'all have done an amazing job."
With happy yet tired smiles, we snapped away as she gave us different poses and allowed us to take close-up shots of her face and hair.
By the time I dragged my ass through my apartment door, we already had twenty new followers. Mila wasted no time in posting her pictures.
milamills:The drip is dripping.
Thanks so much to @m&mhairdesign in New Haven, PA for staying open last minute and making this tired gal feel 100!
MUA: Maria @m&mhairdesign
Hair: Linda and Maria @m&mhairdesign
Top: Gucci
Pants: Zara
I tried to keep my eyes open to read more, but the adrenaline drop had me crashing with my phone still in hand.
The next morning, I woke up to a slew of notifications. There were a lot of new followers, comments, and DMs. Mila's photo had over five hundred comments complimenting her look.
Our work group chat was also blowing up with excited and good-natured jealous messages:“I can’t believe you got to meet Mila freaking Mills!”Linda and I were absent from the conversation, too tired from our long night to respond.
I went to Mila's latest photo dump of the night and swiped through the pictures, noting that she continued to tag us.
She looked fucking good and flawless in all her photos, even the ones taken late into the night. In some, she posed alone; in others, she posed with Eden and her family. There were other notable models present, and she tagged them all; which meant those photos would end up on their profiles along with the tags about our salon. This was incredible. The likes and follows on our page kept growing.
I came to the last photo, which featured Mila, Eden, and Sofia. They all looked stunning, but my gaze was fixated on Sofia in a simple white dress. It beautifully highlighted her glowing, brown skin. In one hand she was holding a champagne flute, and my keen eye zeroed in on her engagement ring from Simon. It was nice.
And again, I felt nothing.
My perusal moved to the background of the shot before I did a double-take. My stomach both spiked and dropped.
In the background of the photo, I could see Simon and Barron. But it wasn't Simon who held my rapt attention. It was the figure standing beside him.
Brian.
Chapter 27
Brian
Eden knows how to throw a party.
The loud dance music drummed a steady rhythm in my chest as I leaned against the bar holding my fresh beer. The Homestead wasn't too packed, given it had ample space and this was a private event; but it had a helluva lot more people than your average engagement party.
The event started at 7 PM sharp and not a minute later, which surprised me. With Eden being in the entertainment industry, I figured that 7 PM was merely a suggestion and people would arrive fashionably late. However, by the time I arrived at 7:15 PM, her mom and Mike were already present and mingling with the growing crowd. They wore matching pleased-as-punch smiles, and Mike's arm was firmly wrapped around the pretty woman by his side.
I took a sip of my cold beer as I surveyed the select crowd of well-wishers. There were a lot of locals present; some Irecognized and had exchanged words with, and others were probably plus ones or out-of-towners. But one thing they all had in common; they all knew and adored the celebrated couple. The feeling was more than mutual from the way I observed Susan and Mike flit about from group to group, chatting with each one at ease. Well, Susan fluttered about—Mike was just dragged along for the ride. Although, from the beaming smile on his face, I had a feeling Mike would allow her to drag him to the ends of the earth.
A familiar tug pulled at my chest. I knew that feeling well. I’d been lucky enough to bask in the warmth of that feeling. And I never thought I’d experience it again. Mere months ago, that vision would have crushed me and sent me into a spiral of sex and self-pity. Now, that cloying gloom didn't feel so concentrated anymore. It was lightly spread around my soul, seeping out of the edges; releasing me from the burden and guilt that had weighed me down.
In its place was a melancholy acceptance and a sort of anticipatory keenness. I knew that a piece of my heart would always love and miss Hannah, and a small part would miss our life and the plans that died with her.
But I also knew that my heart was ready to move on—to let the brake down on a life that was idling needlessly, waiting on the sidelines for me to press down on the accelerator.
Hurting Maria and losing her before I fully had her was a tough pill to swallow. But without the kick up the ass it gave me, I never would’ve made the move to seek help. If nothing ever came from our brief dalliance, at least I could be grateful for that. Even though the thought of never seeing, speaking, or touching Maria again didn't sit right with me.
