Ash gestured over to our table, and a spotlight immediately lit our area. "From the moment I first stepped on the catwalk, the question I've been asked the most is whether I am gay or straight. Right here, right now, I would like to clear that up. To quote someone I respect the hell out of, I am a bisexual man. I got started in fashion because I wanted to impress a guy who I was sure was 'the one.' Dr. Cy Marshall, I fell in love with you when we were stupid boys. I just forgot to stop. However, I can't leave out my best friend, the canvas that every designer longs to work with, and the most beautiful woman in the world - even before everyone else knew it. Violet Dawson, for the first time, I can publicly say that not only are you my girlfriend, but you are the only woman I have ever loved this much. Then there's the man who made me realize that I didn't have to choose. Luke Barrett, I wanted to hate you, and instead I fell in love with you. Thank you for making me realize that I can reach for the stars and get it all. I won't say you're a better boyfriend than Cy, but you're definitely just as good."
Then Ash stepped back and let Leslie have the microphone. "Unfortunately, I don't have any big bombshells to drop," she said. "I have no idea how Ash does it. He makes dating three people look like the most natural thing in the world, and the young lady who might as well be his stepdaughter has inspired him to create more than ever before. As for me? I have to thank my boyfriend, Noah, for convincing me that I really could do this. When Ash offered me this job, I was sure there had to be a catch, but Noah pointed out that I had nothing to lose. All I could do was my best, so I did my best. Now, here we are. This might not be Ash's first Fashion Design Award, but it is mine. Thank you."
Ash simply pressed the little statuette into her hands, then whispered something in her ear as they made their way off stage. Leslie smiled at him, nodded, then headed back down. When the announcer took the microphone again, he rambled something out about how unexpected all of this was, then jumped right into the next category.
Beside me, Faith was looking back and forth as if she was confused. "And that's it?" she asked.
"For now," I assured her. "What you don't realize is that at least three television cameras are pointed right at us, and probably a dozen or more telephoto camera lenses. There will be pictures of our reactions. There will be headlines in the fashion magazines tomorrow. While we think this is no big deal, Ash just shook up the entire world. I won't be surprised if it ends up on cable news."
"Cool," Faith decided, and as far she cared, that was the end of that.
Chapter Sixty-Three
We lost in the loungewear category, but I wasn't surprised at all. Risqué didn't exactly have a large selection of loungewear, and what we had was not at all inventive. I had gone for tried and true over new and novel. Then there was the swimwear category. Faith got excited for that one, but I warned her not to get her hopes up. It was a good thing, because once again, we lost.
After that came the formal dinner, and then the dancing. The champagne began to flow freely, and while Violet was more than happy to grab a glass, Leslie waved it off, saying that she had already learned that lesson. When Faith kept looking at the glasses the waiters were carrying, Luke surprised me by grabbing one.
"You can have a sip," he told his daughter. Then he offered her the glass.
Faith sniffed at first, then took a very cautious taste, but shook her head. "It's not that good," she told him. "I mean, it's better than Mom's wine, but only a little."
So Luke took the glass back. "Good," he said before finishing it.
The best part, however, was when Noah asked Faith to dance. Luke tried to get out of it, saying he had no idea how to move to this music, but Violet wouldn't take no for an answer. Then there was Cy. He turned to me and offered his hand gallantly. When I took it, he led me onto the dance floor, asking if I preferred to lead or follow. Tonight was the kind of night I could follow.
I saw the cameras flash, which meant we were still being watched. That was how I talked Luke into dancing with me next. Then I claimed Violet while Cy took Leslie around the dance floor. Luke claimed his daughter, and since neither of them knew how to waltz, they faked it as best as they could.
It was an amazing night. I was happy about the award, but in that passive sort of way - I had all but expected it. For me, tonight was about celebrating Southwind. It was about telling the world that I loved these three people and that we weren't trying to hide it. Then there were the girls. I felt the same way about Leslie as I did with Faith. I wanted to take care of them, shelter them, and encourage both of them to grow as much as they could.
I could only imagine that this was similar to how Luke felt as a father. A toned-down version, to be sure, but the same sort of sentiment. My girls were amazing, I was in love, my home had been saved, and my life felt perfect. Everything I had wanted to accomplish in my life, I just had. Sure, I might chase other goals - but there was a big difference between a goal and a dream. These things? They were my dreams come true.
When Faith's feet started to hurt in her heels, we decided to call it a night. Violet had that sultry smile on her lips that said she'd had just enough champagne to reach tipsy. Cyan kept hovering, his hand resting almost constantly on my back. Luke spent most of his time with his daughter, but since Violet stayed beside them, it worked out well.
I asked Leslie if they were coming home with us or if she wanted me to send back the car. Noah said that he was more than happy to leave. It seemed the guy had already used up his allotment of people time. Leslie was in complete agreement, so we had the car brought around and headed back to the apartment that was really more Leslie's home now than mine.
Luke lost his tie two seconds after we were in the back of the car. The girls all stripped off their shoes. While those heels were beautiful, I could only imagine how brutal they must be. When Cy wrapped his arm around me, holding me against his side, Leslie flashed me a very proud smile. She knew how much this meant to me, and the honest truth was that it felt so good to have the world know.
But when we got home, there was another round of chaos. Leslie had to give Violet back all the jewelry she had borrowed. Faith needed help getting out of her dress. Noah was trying hard to be subtle, but he clearly wanted to get his girlfriend locked away in their bedroom. So, while the girls took care of all the things they needed to take care of, I headed into my room and kicked off my shoes, taking my time about hanging up my jacket, vest, and each piece of my tux.
It didn't take long before Cy joined me. "I just want you to know that I actually heard what you said," he told me. "For so long, I hated that you ran away to become a model, but it was the right call, Ash. This? It's exactly where you belong."
"No," I said. "I belong at Southwind."
He waved me down. "I don't mean the city. I'm not talking about the house. I'm talking at this point in your life. I'm talking about the man who walked up there and accepted the award like he deserved it. The guy who just proclaimed his love to not just one, but three people, without blushing, stuttering, or batting an eye. I think that all those years between when you walked away from me and when you came back were exactly what you needed, and as much as I missed you, I'm glad it happened this way."
"I didn't want to leave you, you know," I told him.
A sly smile touched his lips. "I have a theory. Actually, if I'm honest, it's Violet's theory. I don't think modeling was ever your dream. I think you did all of this to save her. You knew that she needed to believe she was beautiful to stop trying to starve herself to death. You figured it out and then you did something - and I love you even more for that."
"I couldn't say anything," I admitted.
He nodded, closing the distance between us. "You could've told me, but I get it. We both loved her. We both wanted to help her. You figured out how, and that's all that matters."
"No," I breathed. "Cy, it had to be my idea. She had to think she was helping me. If she knew that it went the other way around, she would've said no. She would've pushed us away. I knew that you would be okay, but she wouldn't have been. I didn't know if it would work, and I had no clue that I would love designing as much as I do, but as much as I loved you, back then, you were so much stronger than her."
His reply was simply to kiss me. It started soft, but he kept leaning in. My mouth parted, and his tongue swept through as his hand caught the side of my face. Before I knew it, my back hit the wall and Cy was right there, pressing his chest into mine. My hands slid up his chest, tripping over the heavy fabric of his vest, and I loved it. In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think that this was what he'd look like on our wedding night. My Cyan. My lover. One day, my husband.
Then the door opened again. The chuckle was feminine, which meant that Violet was here now. But when I looked up, I saw Luke right behind her. That was enough to make me pull my lips from Cy's, but damned if I wanted to.
