“Okay, Leo,” I say.
“Love you, honey.”
I’m relieved when I hear the same smile on my lips in his voice.
“Love you too.” And then I go off to get ready, one last task before I can go home.
THIRTY-FIVE
WILLA
Four hours later, and I’m in full Willa Stone regalia, my hair and makeup impeccable. I’m wearing a tight, cream-colored, floor-length gown with clear gems all over, adding flash and glam, and a cascade of pastel-colored butterflies moving over one shoulder and down to the floor, all the colors of my next album from the vision board I sent Harper represented. When I unzipped it from the bag, I gasped to see she had also added a few other small Easter eggs, like a paintbrush, a tiny peach, and even a little Ferris wheel. They’re not just personal moments, but now ones forever tied into the lyrics of my new album. Harper got a copy of the rough recording to help with her designs, and she completely understood the assignment. It’s almost as if Leo is here with me, and when I see the final product, my throat tightens with emotion. In addition to the photos Leo requested of me in the dress, I sent him a handful of shots of the individual icons on the dress.
You’re here with me in spirit
Always. You look phenomenal. Have fun tonight.
I love you, Willa. We’ll figure all of this out when you get home.
I also sent the girls’ group chat a photo, which resulted in a lot of caps and exclamation marks, and everyone agreed Harper absolutely killed it. Once again, I was reminded how nice it is to have a group of friends who I can send thigns to without having some form of underhanded comment or jealousy leaking in.
I’m still smiling at Leo’s message as we walk into the venue for my mom’s charity event before everyone arrives, through the back. In about an hour, I’ll make my grand entrance on the red carpet, something Mom requested since the press will absolutely eat it up. But until the perfectly timed moment, while everyone else starts to arrive, I will sit in a room in the back, waiting. Gabe decided this would be the easiest, safest way to get me into the building.
“Willa! Darling!” my mom calls, nearly floating toward me with a soft smile on her lips. She looks beautiful as always, with her dark blonde hair pinned up elegantly and in a navy dress, the color of the vague charity she’s sponsoring, though I couldn’t tell you what it actually benefits, clinging to the curves I inherited from her. There's not a single strand of gray, and her face is flawless, just enough work to keep her youthful, but not too much to make her look like she’s trying too hard—her words, not mine. She’s wearing jewelry with large gems on her neck, bracelets, earrings, and a ring, and the entryway lighting glints off them as she moves towards me. There’s another, slightly younger, woman beside her, an excited look on her face.
“Hey, Mom,” I say with a smile. “How are you?”
“You know, busy as a bee, but eager to get tonight moving along.” She gives me a quick kiss on each cheek before stepping back, and I fight the urge to pull her in for a big hug, the way I’veseen Mrs. King do to Hallie and Wren, even if she hasn’t seen them in just twelve hours.
I don’t know when I last actuallysawmy mom, but I remind myself that my mom and Mrs. King are different, and that’s okay.
“This is my co-chair for the event, Catherine. Catherine, this is my daughter, Willa Stone.” The way she says my full name rubs me funny, as it always does, a reminder of which version of me holds more weight for her. “She’s been dying to meet you.”
“Oh, gosh, Willa, I amsucha big fan. Can I get a photo?”
I nod, then take a selfie and have Gabe take a full-length shot with the kind woman. We chat a bit while Mom watches, occasionally smiling at people passing. Eventually, Catherine gets pulled away, leaving just Mom and me.
“How are you?” I ask, smiling at her. “How is the event going? It all looks so beautiful.”
She gives me a distracted smile and nods.
“It’s taken so much of my time, but I’m pleased with the exposure.” A beat passes before she adds, “For such a good cause, of course.”
“Of course,” I say with a small smile before her eyes narrow on me.
“You were out of the press for a while. Where have you been? Jackie said you ran off to some little town?”
“Yeah, I’ve been lying low before the next album is announced.” Unease fills my chest, but I push it aside, smiling widely. “It’s such a great little town. You should come visit! I can take you to the Mill; it’s this bar that’s so fun, and they have the cutest little coffee shop, and I can show you the Christmas tree farm I’m staying at?—”
“You’re staying at a farm?” she asks, her lip raising in disgust. I should have expected that; she may have grown up in a small,rural town, but that was never the life she wanted, not for herself, nor for me.
“I know, it sounds crazy, but it’s so gorgeous out there. I’d love for you to come. We could spend a weekend together. We haven’t done that in a long time, probably since I’ve been on tour, when you stayed with me on my stop in Paris.” We went shopping together and dined in fancy restaurants, but this could be a fun contrast to that, showing my mom the other side of my new life. “The holidays are huge there, lots of lights and a big festival. Maybe you could come then and?—”
My mom cuts me off with a sigh and a wave of her perfectly manicured hand.
“I don’t think I could make that work, Willa. I have a lot going on over the next few months.”
“Oh, yeah, of course,” I say with an easy smile, but disappointment moves through me.
