Epilogue
Celeste
Celeste's heels clicked against the pavement as she arrived at La Maison—the kind of restaurant that required reservations months in advance and had a wine list thicker than most legal briefs. Ruby had texted her that morning with simple instructions:Dress up and meet me at 7. I have a surprise.
After two weeks of the love of her life being gone to attend interviews in New York and have meetings with collectors who couldn't get enough of her work, Celeste would have agreed to anything. She missed Ruby with an ache that hadn't diminished even slightly over the past six months. If anything, it had gotten worse. Every night Ruby was away felt wrong, like Celeste was missing a limb.
It had been really easy to get used to waking up with Ruby's arm thrown across her waist and hearing her singing off-key in the shower.
Her phone buzzed.
Ruby: Are you on your way?
Celeste: Just parking. Be there in two minutes.
Ruby: Can't wait to see you.
Celeste smiled, touching up her lipstick in the visor mirror. She'd left work early to go home and get ready. Now she worean emerald dress Ruby loved, the one that made her eyes look darker.
Her hair was curled and pinned up, and from her body hung trails of the perfume Ruby had bought her last month, a scent so intoxicating it made Ruby bury her face in Celeste's neck every time she wore it.
The twins were at her parents' house for the night, which they'd been thrilled about. Luna wanted to show Nonna the new sketches she'd been working on—her artistic talent had only grown in the past six months, particularly with Ruby's encouragement and patient instruction. And Theo wanted Nonno to help him with his model rocket, a more advanced one that Ruby had bought him during one of her trips.
Ruby had moved in officially three months ago, though in practice she'd been living with them since that day at the airport. She'd rented a studio space downtown where she worked on her pieces, but she came home every evening to help with homework, make dinner, and tell ridiculous stories that had the twins in stitches.
She'd fit into their lives as if she'd always been there. The kids adored her, partly because she was fun and playful in a way Celeste sometimes struggled to be, and partly because Ruby made the best cookies and cupcakes in existence. Theo had declared her “the best second mom ever” after she'd stayed up with him all night when he had the flu, and Luna had started calling her “Mama Ruby” without anyone prompting her.
Celeste's heart still melted every time she heard it.
She locked the car and walked toward the restaurant, her stomach fluttering with anticipation. Two weeks was way too long to be separated from the one she loved.
The moment she pushed open the door, Celeste knew something was different.
The restaurant was not crowded with patrons as usual.
Every table was bare, every chair pushed in perfectly, except for the center of the room where candles flickered on every available surface. Flowers spilled from vases, roses with varying shades of white and red, and soft music played from somewhere, instrumental and achingly romantic.
And in the middle of it all stood Ruby.
She wore a suit—deep navy with a crisp white shirt, tailored perfectly to her frame. Her blonde hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and her eyes were bright with emotion and tightly strung nerves.
But it was what flanked her that made Celeste's breathing cease.
Theo and Luna stood on either side of Ruby, both dressed up and grinning like they knew the world's best secret. They held a hand-painted sign between them, Luna's careful lettering spelling out “Say Yes!” with Theo's enthusiastic stars and rockets decorating the borders.
Behind them, gathered like witnesses at the most important trial of Celeste's life, were her parents. Then there were Braden and Jackson, both beaming. Her siblings—when had Lauretta and Enzo flown in? She'd talked to them just yesterday and they hadn't mentioned anything.
Vittoria sat in a chair, her expression soft and encouraging. Wesley had come directly from the office, given that he was still in his work clothes. Ruby's mother Renee and her brother Ronan stood together with wide grins on their faces, next to Mary Norwood who was already dabbing at her face with a handkerchief.
Everyone she loved, gathered in one room.
Celeste's mouth fell open as Ruby stepped forward, her hands visibly trembling.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“So.” Ruby began. “I know we've only been together six months. Which, according to lesbian math, is basically forever but also somehow not nearly enough time.”
