As I end the call, music begins to play. I’m oddly calm as the emcee strides to the center of the stage and greets the audience. I peer out at them as much as I can while remaining hidden. Most people in attendance are women, although I see a few men scattered throughout. The emcee speaks into the microphone, but I can’t make out her words. She talks for several minutes and then leaves the stage. A song comes over the loudspeakers, and one of the models sashays onto the catwalk, wearing a fabulous evening gown.
“Cami.” Arms wrap around me from behind and Leo’s woodsy, masculine scent fills my nostrils. A bouquet appears in front of me, clasped in his hands. “I’m so sorry I’m late.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “There was a car accident and I got rerouted. Then, when I arrived, the paparazzi swarmed. I don’t know what Lena did, but they’re like ravenous wolves out there.”
I relax into him. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
Thank God, I don’t have to do this alone. Today might be my time to shine, but it wouldn’t mean anything without someone to share it with. I turn just enough to press a kiss to his lips, then I place the flowers aside and settle against his body to watch the show. It’s a whirl of color, beautiful women, and all-out magic. I’m pleased I hired an event manager because it means I can enjoy my moment without having to troubleshoot every little issue that comes up. Plus, with Leo at my back, I have absolutely no desire to move.
His breath stirs the hair beside my ear. “I love you, Cami.”
I press a hand to my mouth, and happy tears fill my eyes as my heart overflows. Now, this evening is perfect. “I love you too.” I tilt my face so I can see him. “Even if you were late.”
He nips my mouth. “I’ll make it up to you a thousand times over as long as you keep loving me.”
“I will.” I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’ll feel this way about him forever. Nobody else has ever lit up my life the way he does.
We kiss. Softly at first, but the heat between us grows until we’re making out like giddy teenagers. I don’t know how long we stay that way, but the clearing of a throat drags me back to the present. The event planner is standing in front of me, grinning mischievously.
“Time to take a bow,” she says.
“Really?” That went fast.
She gestures for me to step onto the stage. Leo steps back and I take a deep breath and stride onto the stage. When I reach the center, I sweep into a deep bow. I straighten, and the emcee hands me the microphone. I freeze for a few seconds, paralyzed by the faces swimming in front of me, but then Leo appears at my side and squeezes my hand, reminding me where I am.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming,” I say, managing to pick out Tony’s face in the crowd. Enya is beside him, and I speak directly to her, both as a way to soothe my nerves and because I hope she understands how much her support means to me. Like Leo, she refuses to let me downplay myself, and thanks to her, I finally feel like I can cross off that third item on my list—make a friend.
“This show is a dream come true for me, and I’m so glad you took the time to be here tonight. I’d like to thank the team who made this possible. I won’t mention you all by name, but you know who you are, and I think you’re wonderful.” I smile up at Leo. “My handsome other half has been behind me, encouraging me the whole time.” His expression softens and he mouths “Love you.” I turn back to the audience. “I hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves. If you spotted any designs you simply must have, there’s an order center in the back right corner of the hall.” I gesture to it. “Or you can order online at Camile Couture dot com. Have a lovely rest of your evening.”
I hand the microphone back to the emcee. Leo and I walk hand-in-hand off the stage. He draws me into a corner away from everyone else and pins me to the wall.
“I want a private viewing of the collection since somebody distracted me from the show.”
Excitement fizzes throughout my body, and my nerve endings come alive in each place he touches. “That can be arranged. But the models might not be available.”
He rubs the tip of his nose against mine. “There’s only one woman I’m interested in stripping those outfits off.”
My breath stutters as he lays a hand possessively on my hip. “Two hours,” I say. “Then we can get out of here.”
He smiles so tenderly it makes me weak in the knees. “No way in hell are we rushing away. Not when you’ve worked so hard for this. I can wait however long it takes.”
“Just remember you said that.” I kiss him once more. “Because I’m going to be obsessively checking orders all night.” If I hit the right threshold, my investors have promised enough capital to open my own designer boutique. Although if the orders go well enough, I might not need their contribution.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he says. “You can bask in your glory all you fucking want. You deserve it.”
I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. He’s right. Idodeserve it. And even if my family aren’t here and some people will always think poorly of me, I have Leo, and he’s all the family I need.
EPILOGUE
Jimmy
A parade of hot women in front of me all night, and the only one I’m interested in doesn’t realize I exist except as a little brother figure. Enya Sears, the leading lady in my fantasies of relationship bliss, claps loudly as Camile takes a final bow and leaves the stage on Leo’s arm. I bet they’ll be getting it on tonight. Meanwhile, I’ll be alone in my cold bed, reliving tonight’s events over and over and playing out a dozen what-might-have-happened-if scenarios in my mind.
What might have happened if I’d reached over and put a hand on her thigh?
What might have happened if I’d been brave enough to go in for a kiss as we left?
What might have happened if I’d finally gotten the guts to tell her how I feel and ask her on a date?
Hell, I don’t know why one woman scares me so much. I can take punches to the face seven days a week, but put me in close proximity to Enya and my brain shuts down. Maybe it’s because I’ve had a crush on her since I was eighteen and saw her on television at a pay-per-view fight event. She’d looked like the kind of cute college girl I’d imagined meeting when I left school, but then she’d downed her opponent with a perfectly executed roundhouse kick and I was a goner.
