The car stops, and I almost scream when I note the waiting patrons, undoubtedly angling for a selfie or two. My mouth is bone dry as I dig as deep as I ever have, knowing I’ll need every trick in the book to keep myself from falling apart on that red carpet.
“I’ll go on inside and prepare the VIP room, Emerson. I’m sure you’ll get word by then.” Beck reaches a hand across the car, placing his palm reassuringly on my knee. “It’ll all work out. Just you wait and see.”
His kindness is unusual, and I nod with a genuine smile as he slips out of the car. Hayley and I slide out after him, and she squeezes my hand as chants of my name fill the air.
I make my way through a handful of selfies, fighting the tears purely by drawing on my years of acting experience, and I’m moving on autopilot when a large hand thrusts a sheet of paper in front of me. Looking closer, I see haphazard scratchy handwriting that reads:
End game, Tink.
My heart seizes in my chest, and I look up to find navy-blue eyes filled with love looking down on me from the opposite side of the red velvet ropes that separate me from the crowd.
“Oh my God…” My heart stutters as I barely manage to draw a breath when without conscious thought, my body moves, and I throw myself head-first into his waiting arms. Cameras snap as he cradles the back of my head in his large palm, rubbing soothing circles as I inhale his grounding scent.
“I’m sorry I’m late, baby.” His words are a whisper by my ear, and I pull back to palm his cheeks, noticing a large bandage on the side of his neck as I do. “I once told you that wild horses couldn’t keep me away…”
He smirks as my concerned eyes flick between his. “Same can be said for dumbass would-be assassins.”
My hands roam across his features, checking for damage aside from the bandage on his neck as my mouth opens and closes, trying desperately to find the right words. To findanywords.
“How—I mean, when—I need to know…Oh my God?—”
He presses his index finger over my lips. The power in his gaze keeps me upright when my knees threaten to buckle from the relief of seeing him safe and in the flesh.
“Soon, baby.Soon.”
Before he can say anything else, Thom steps forward and opens the rope to allow his boss past the crowd, and chants from my gathered legion of fans greet our ears.
“Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her.”
He looks at me with mischief in his eyes. “They’re lookin’ for some real-life movie shit come to life?” Tugging me closer, he presses us firmly together with his arms locked around my waist before brushing his lips over mine and whispering, “Can’t disappoint your fans, Tink.”
Then his mouth covers mine as joyful tears spring behind my eyelids, and I hold him even tighter, grateful beyond words that he’s here.
That he’s whole.
And that we can finally be together for all to see.
When I break the kiss, a tall, dark-haired man in an immaculately tailored black suit stands at Ford’s side. He smiles with his eyes and jerks his head to one side, indicating that we should move things inside.
Ford wraps his arm around my waist, and I fit mine around him, enveloping myself in his soothing, familiar scent as we walk beneath the canopy and into Tryst. Hayley slips her hand into mine, squeezing lightly, and I return the gesture with a grateful heart.
The man in black has a quick word with some of the waiting Tryst staff members, who lead us to a small elevator to our left. Once everyone, including Thom and Kyle, has stepped on, the elevator begins to rise, and Ford nods at the man in black.
“Emmy, this is Vaughn Burton. He’s my…well…” He chuckles, and Vaughn joins him as he continues. “He’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to a brother.”
Vaughn’s midnight eyes flash with something akin to warmth, and I can tell this friendship is one that was forged in adversity. A friendship that’s more like family, like Ford’s relationship with Sutton North, and I extend my hand.
As Vaughn slides his large palm into mine, I smile brightly as I pump my arm up and down. “It’s truly a pleasure to meet you, Vaughn.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Emmy.”
The truth of his words shines from those jet-black eyes that hold mine with unflinching honesty, and my delight multiplies when I glance up at Ford as he watches us with a self-satisfied grin.
The elevator doors open, revealing an open-plan VIP area complete with scantily clad dancers and half-naked waitresses. Approximately two dozen VIP guests break out into applause once they catch sight of me, and even after all this time, I flush right to the tips of my toes.
“It’s just downright tacky if you ask me.”
We step off the elevator as a unit, nodding at several well-wishers as we pass them, and I glance up at Ford questioningly. He chuckles before shouldering Vaughn playfully.
