Clarissa and Sonya chat for a few more minutes, but none of the words register. My entire body is shaking. It’s starting to hit me that readers around the world are going to see my name, my face, and my designs. A tear rolls down my cheek. Then another. And another. Everything Artem said to me five years ago has been vanquished. I am a success. I’ve officially made it.
At some point, Liz takes my phone and wraps up the call on my behalf. She gives me a bone-crushing hug and hands me a box of tissues. “You know, you could have a poster-sized image of the cover made up to go next to your painting of Sam.”
“I don’t need a giant picture of myself.” I cackle.
A door opens and closes. “Min, I’m home,” Sam shouts. “I picked up the dog treats for Lillian, but I couldn’t find the brand of frosting that you wanted. So I got—” The items in his hands fall to the ground in a clatter. He rushes over to us. “Is everything all right? What’s happened?”
“I’m fine,” I croak out, looking at Sam’s concerned face over Liz’s shoulder. “These are happy tears.”
“Happy?”
Liz releases me and passes him her phone. “Your girlfriend is on the cover of one of the fashion industry’s largest publications!”
The deep-set frown on Sam’s face transforms into a wide, brimming smile. “Blimey, that’s brilliant! Well done,Min!” He returns the device to Liz and scoops me into a hug, spinning me around the room. We lean against the center island. “How should we celebrate?”
“How about by doing this.” I tilt my head up and meet his lips. He takes his arms and wraps them around me, pulling me tighter into his warm body. My arms slide around his neck. He responds by kissing me deeper. My heart is pounding in my chest. Happiness radiates through me.
Both Sam and I have had a wonderful last few months. Our relationship has continued to grow as we’ve fallen deeper in love with one another. He’s recently finished the non-commissioned officer’s course and is only a week or two away from officially becoming H-Cav’s newest riding master. I couldn’t be any prouder of what my man has accomplished.
As we break apart, our noses nuzzle. I smell a few of the woody notes of Sam’s aftershave and a hint of gingerbread. “For real though, Min... this is something huge. Shall we go out to dinner tomorrow?”
“I’d like that.”
Liz dry coughs, reminding us she’s in the room. “I get the hint. I know you two need somealonetime. I guess I’ll be going into town by myself to get those magazines.” She glances at her watch. “Is two hours enough?”
“It should be.” I giggle.
“Don’t forget that McMillian and Alice will be over at four and your sisters are coming down from your father’s place on the five p.m. train into Paddington.”
“We won’t,” Sam says.
“Have fun, kids.” Without turning around, Liz exits the kitchen, leaving us alone.
“Now where were we?” Sam asks.
“At the part where you were going to plant a trail of kisses up my neck.”
“Right, how could I forget?”
Later that evening,I stand backstage, proudly watching Celine and the other members of the Gloucester Gate Dance Studio’s intermediate/advanced ballet class change formations in “Waltz of the Flowers.” It’s the school’s annualNutcrackershow and one of its largest fundraisers of the year.
“Thanks again for agreeing to do this.” I hug Corinne.
“Of course. It gave me the perfect excuse to pop over to London and see you.” I release her. “I just wish I could stay longer. There is so much we need to catch up on.”
These days, Corinne is now principal dancer with the LA City Ballet. If LABT hadn’t folded, she might still be dancing with them.
On a whim last month, I sent her a DM and asked if she might be willing to consider appearing as the guest principal dancer in the Gloucester Gate Dance Studio’s production ofNutcracker. To my shock, she immediately said yes.
Our conversations may have started out as being all business, but they quickly transformed into something much more personal. There was a lot of emotional baggage to iron out, but I’m so happy we’ve been able to overcome our differences and reconnect. It’s brought the closure to the LABT chapter of my life that I didn’t know I needed.
“Celine is the girl in the blue?” Corinne asks as she comes to stand beside me.
“Yes, she is.”
“She’s talented. Reminds me a lot of another dancer I know.” She elbows me.
My cheeks warm. “Maybe a few years ago, but I don’t dance like I did when I was in the corps.”
