Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me in, and I held her tightly, feeling her heartbeat against me. She let herself fall apart a little, leaning into me, allowing the emotions to wash over her. As we stood there, holding each other in the middle of the warehouse with her dream blooming around us, I knew this was worth every minute.
The models moved one by one down the makeshift runway, and I watched Nina’s reaction, soaking in every little shift in her expression. She was entranced, her eyes following every line and detail as if each dress was something entirely new, a miracle she hadn’t made herself. She barely blinked, her hand clutched in mine, her lips parted in disbelief.
When a model stepped forward in a deep emerald gown—one she’d nearly scrapped because she couldn’t get the stitching right—her hand tightened on my arm. Her eyes glistened as she took in the way the light caught the fabric, accentuating every movement, making the dress seem almost alive.
“That one,” I whispered, nodding to the model as she reachedthe end of the runway. “That’s my favorite.”
She turned to me, surprised. “It is?”
“You stayed up all night on that one because you weren’t sure it was correct. But, Nina, look at how perfect it is. Exactly as you made it to be.”
Her eyes shimmered as she watched the model glide under the lights, the dress flowing with every step.
Dress after dress, she looked like she was seeing her dreams unfold before her. When the show ended, she turned to me, almost dazed, her hand pressed against her heart. “I… I never thought I’d see them like this. On a real runway. It’s…”
I reached for her hand. “You should get used to this. One day, it won’t only be us here; it’ll be the whole world seeing your work. They’re going to love it as much as I do.”
“Thank you, Ro.”
We stayed until the last model finished, then I took her hand and led her into the snowy night.
She slipped her arm through mine, leaning into me.
“Nina,” I whispered, glancing down at her. “One day, you’ll attend the fashion school you dream of going to, graduate top of your class, and open the boutique you’ve always dreamed of. The Elegant Wind, right?”
She smiled, a playful light in her eyes as she looked up at me. “I’d prefer if you said it in Italian.”
I chuckled, pulling her closer. “You’re going to open your boutique and call itIl Vento Elegante. Whether it’s five, ten, or twenty years from now, you’re going to have the biggest fashion show of your time. It’ll happen, Nina. I’ll be there in the front row, cheering you on because I know how hard you work and believe me when I say I love you the most in this world.”
She looked down, her voice soft, almost fragile. “You believe in me that much?”
I tilted her chin up, catching her gaze. “You’re everythingworth believing in.”
Her eyes glistened, and she drew a shaky breath. “But… what if it doesn’t work out?”
“Then I’d make it happen. I’d move mountains and burn down cities if it meant you’d get to live your dream.”
A tear escaped, and she smiled through it, her voice breaking as she whispered, “Thank you for believing in me.”
I brushed my lips against her forehead. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s that you’re magic. And when magic like yours exists, the world doesn’t have a choice, ithasto notice.”
Chapter Nine
RONAN
Present Day
ITALY
“You’re on a walk?” Lucio’s voice crackled with disbelief. “It’s nearly midnight, you’re in Tuscany, and you’re… on a walk?”
“Yes,” I murmured, shifting the phone closer as if his exasperation might reach me better. “I couldn’t sleep.”
A sigh came from his end. “You’re anxious about seeing Nina at her show.”
I stopped, leaning against a stone wall, the worn coolness of Florence’s ancient streets seeping into my spine. “Do you think she hates me?”
“I don’t think she could ever hate you, Ronan.”
