“That it has,” Sophie agreed. “And mine too.”
Jules closed her eyes, kissing Sophie deeply and thoroughly. “Want to say those three words again? The ones you said yesterday?”
“I love you,” Sophie murmured against her lips, spreading warmth though Jules’s body.
“I love you too,” she said, tears spilling over her cheeks. “So much that my heart hurts when we’re not together.”
Sophie lifted a hand to brush away Jules’s tears. “Then we’d better stay together, hadn’t we?”
“Yes.” Jules melted into her, forehead resting against Sophie’s, bodies pressed together everywhere. God, she could hardly wait to get her alone later, but a waiter pushed past them, giving them an annoyed look and reminding her of her surroundings. “Ready for me to reintroduce you to my mom and grandma? Because they’re dying to welcome you to the family.”
“Oh God,” Sophie said, grinning. “Yes, I’m ready.”
“And then we’d better introduce them to your parents, so we can officially agree to that family lunch tomorrow.”
Sophie nodded. “Yes.”
Jules brought her lips to Sophie’s, capturing her mouth for another searing kiss. “I’m going to show you just how much I love you later tonight.”
Sophie gasped. “Counting on it.”
Before they could get carried away—because they were standing in a cramped hallway outside the kitchen, after all—Jules pulled back, threading her fingers through Sophie’s as she led her into the dining room packed with cast, crew, and family members. Her mom and grandma rose from their chairs as they approached.
“Mami,” Jules said. “Abuelita, you’ve already met Sophie, but I haven’t been able to introduce you properly, because I really want you to meet the woman I love.”
As her mom and grandma threw their arms around Sophie, Jules saw her past collide with her future. She joined them for a group hug, her whole life wrapped up in that embrace, with Sophie’s warm eyes and soft lips at the center.
“I love you,” she murmured. “I love all of you so much.”
Epilogue
Three Months Later
Sophie woke in the red-tinted refuge of Jules’s bed—theirbed. And then she snuggled against the woman behind her, because it was Monday, which meant it was their day off. No show tonight. There was a warm, furry presence against her stomach, and she knew before she opened her eyes that it would be Pippin. He’d cuddled with her almost every night since she moved in with Jules a few months ago.
Smiling, she pushed back the curtain to peek outside. The April morning shone through the window, spilling warm sunshine across her pillow.
“Bright,” Jules mumbled as her arm came around Sophie’s waist, drawing her close.
“Do we really have to go to that party tonight, or can we just stay in bed all day?” Sophie asked, rolling to face her.
“Both,” Jules said, one hand toying with the hem of Sophie’s sleep shirt, grazing the skin beneath. “The party doesn’t start until seven. That leaves us hours and hours to stay in bed. A whole day’s worth, really.”
“Mm, I like the way you think.” She liked it even more when Jules’s nimble fingers slipped between her thighs, lighting her up as brightly as the sun outside the window. Sophie rolled to her back so Jules could ride her thigh, a position that had always been her favorite.
“Together,”Jules had said that first time, and it was a concept they’d embraced in every aspect of their relationship since their reunion on opening night. She rolled her hips against Sophie, a soft whimper of pleasure escaping her throat as her fingers brought Sophie ever closer to her own release.
They lived together now, sharing what had been Jules’s studio apartment. They performed together every night at the Sapphire Theater, portraying Bianca and Melissa’s love story for one sold-out audience after another. And right here, in their red-curtained bed, they came together, hands clutching at each other as they rode out their release.
“I want to do that a few more times before we get out of bed,” Jules said, her voice soft and breathless.
“I like the way you think.” Sophie tugged at a caramel-brown strand of Jules’s hair.
One thing would be changing soon, though. WhileIt’s in Her Kiss’s initial run had been extended and Jules had recently signed a new contract as Bianca, Sophie had begun auditioning again. She was ready to spread her wings, eager to see what else Broadway held in store for her. With the role of Melissa under her belt, a door seemed to have opened, and she’d already auditioned for several parts she would be absolutely thrilled for the opportunity to play.
Despite their plans to spend the day in bed, eventually their empty stomachs—and an equally empty pantry—drove them outside. They got breakfast at a place down the street and wandered through Prospect Park together, enjoying the sunshine. Jules was texting with her grandma, which Sophie found endlessly adorable, and when she sent her a selfie of the two of them, Sophie decided to send one to her parents too. They were happy, and she wanted to share it with the world.
Before she got the chance to hit Send, her phone rang with a call from Estelle. A thrill raced down Sophie’s spine as she pointed to her agent’s name, catching Jules’s attention before she connected the call. Jules beamed at her, holding up two fingers crossed for good luck.
