Jules ducked inside. She took off her wig and tugged the pins out of her hair before changing into the dress she’d chosen for tonight. Then she styled her hair and touched up her lipstick before joining the crowd in the hallway. Everyone was hugging and celebrating as they prepared to head down the street to the restaurant they’d rented out for the night.
“Boo,” Sophie whispered in her ear, and Jules turned with a smile.
“Ready for this?” she asked.
“So ready.” Sophie wore red pants and a black sequined top, and it was all Jules could do to keep her hands to herself. Since she had no choice, she let herself and Sophie get caught up in the tide of people surging toward the back door. Her mom and grandma would be taking an Uber down the street since her grandma’s ankle still wasn’t one hundred percent.
She tightened her grip on Sophie’s hand as they stepped outside into the frigid night. They walked quickly to the restaurant, eager to get out of the cold. She desperately wanted to whisk Sophie off to a dark corner somewhere, but almost as soon as she’d hung up her coat, Jules found herself surrounded by castmates, members of the production company, and the press. Everyone wanted to talk to her, and she lost sight of Sophie after they got their first round of drinks from a waiter passing by with a tray of champagne flutes.
Jules had polished off three flutes by the time she made it over to her mom and grandma, who were seated against the wall. She felt those bubbles in her stomach as she bent to hug them both. They made her feel light and airy, like she could take on the world. Maybe she already had.
“Where’s Sophie?” her mom asked.
“I don’t know, but I need to find her.”
“Por ahí,” her grandma said, nodding toward the far side of the room, where Sophie stood with an older couple who were almost certainly her parents.
“Ahh, thank you. I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Take all the time you need,” her mom told her.
Jules squeezed her hand before she made her way across the room. She stopped in front of Sophie, catching her eye with a smile.
Sophie beamed, moving to stand beside her as she turned to her parents. “Mom, Dad, this is Jules. Jules, these are my parents, Donna and Rick.”
“Oh, it’s so nice to finally meet you, Jules,” Donna said warmly. “Sophie told us all about you at Christmas.”
“Likewise,” Rick said, extending a hand.
Jules took it and shook. “It’s great to meet you both.”
“Will you be able to join us for lunch tomorrow?” Donna asked, darting a worried look at Sophie, as if she wasn’t sure whether or not they were back together.
Jules was dying to answer that question, if only she could get Sophie alone for a few minutes. “I’d love to, but I’ve got my mom and grandma in town this weekend too,” she told Sophie’s mom apologetically.
“Oh, bring them,” Rick said. “We can easily change the reservations, can’t we, Donna?”
“Absolutely,” Sophie’s mom said, looking thrilled.
Sophie gave Jules a slightly panicked look before turning back to her parents. “Can you excuse us for a minute?”
“Of course,” her mom said, waving them off as she turned toward a passing waiter.
“Thank you,” Jules whispered to Sophie as she led the way out of the main dining room in search of somewhere more private. The restaurant was overflowing with partygoers, but she found an empty hallway near the kitchen that would have to do.
“Been waiting all day to do this,” she said as she brushed her lips against Sophie’s.
Sophie arched her back, pressing closer. “Been waiting all day for you too.”
For a minute, they just kissed, and Jules could get lost here so easily, but she had things to say, so she forced herself to pull back, hands on Sophie’s hips, heart jumping erratically in her chest. “I did some pretty big things during those weeks when we were apart.”
“I saw,” Sophie said breathlessly. “Tab showed me the article where you came out. I had no idea, and I’m so friggin’ proud of you.”
Jules nodded. “It was something I needed to do for myself, like you said, but I hope it also alleviates your fears that I’ll treat you like your last girlfriend did.”
Sophie shook her head, a brown curl falling across her eyes. “It was wrong of me to ever put that on you, Jules. That was definitely my issue, not yours.”
“Well, regardless, you inspired me to embrace my sexuality, you and Josie and Eve and all the people I’ve met at the stage door. I had no idea when I auditioned forIt’s in Her Kisswhat a personal journey it would become, but it’s changed my whole life.”
