He reached his hand back inside the car, and out stepped a girl in a gold dress with curls that cascaded down her back. She smiled brightly, unable to contain the excitement behind her eyes, even though grace was woven into her every move. She blinked under the lights but stood tall as Zay guided her out with quiet pride.
They walked the carpet side by side.
“Zay! Is this your niece?” one reporter yelled.
Zay paused, looked at Yana with a smile that softened every edge of him, then turned to the crowd. The pause between them all was imminent. Then, he turned to the reporter and grinned.
“No,” he said simply, “this is my daughter. Ai’yana Melendez.”
The crowd erupted. Questions flew at them like rice at a wedding.
“How old is she?”
“She’s beautiful!”
“Since when did you have a daughter?”
Zay laughed, his voice calm and unwavering. “Isn’t she beautiful? Most beautiful girl in the world.”
That was all they’d get. He’d learned to value privacy. The rest was sacred.
The cameras were flashing as they posed for more photos. Suddenly, a long black limo rolled up. The door opened, and time seemed to stand still.
Love stepped out like a vision. Her skin was kissed by the glow of the evening. Her makeup was soft and stunning, and her hair was sculpted in loose waves that framed her face with elegance. Her dark dress hugged her in all the right places—a shade of deep wine that made the cameras lose their minds.
Zay couldn’t look away.
When she stepped onto the carpet, reporters shouted questions to her left and right.
“How does it feel to see your book come to life?”
“Who are you wearing?”
“You look incredible!”
She stopped briefly to answer questions from a young reporter as Zay stood in place, watching her. He not only admired her look, but the way she carried herself with elegance and grace drove him crazy. He couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear as she turned and followed the carpet right up to where Zay and Yana stood. Her smile was delicate but certain. Zay reached his hand out to her without thinking. She took it like she’d always wanted to.
The three of them stood together like a family, reimagined.
The cameras went wild again with flashes that ricocheted off the velvet ropes. The questions continued, but they didn’t answer. They just smiled and waved, then walked inside.
The premiere glowed with gold-accented decor and glittering chandeliers. Many different celebrities of all aspects mingled, drinks flowed, and laughter carried through every corner. Waiters floated with trays of hors d’oeuvres. Inside the grand hall, love and art swirled in the air like perfume.
Yana’s eyes were wide with wonder as she took it all in.
Zay leaned in toward her and whispered, “Yeah, it’s nice, huh?”
She grinned.
They nibbled from small plates served by waiters in black tuxedos. It was the kind of fancy setup Love still wasn’t used to, even after months of adapting to this new world.
She excused herself for a moment, pressing a light hand to Zay’s back. “I’m gonna go speak to Malcolm. Be right back.”
Zay nodded and watched her glide away in that dress that hugged her like a memory.
She made her way across the room and greeted Malcolm near the bar. He was deep in conversation with one of the film’s producers, but his eyes lit up when he saw her.
“Love Tate in the flesh.” He grinned and pulled her into a one-armed hug. “You shut this whole premiere down tonight.”
