We skate the encore, arms entwined. I can feel the vibration in his hand, the tremor he’s trying to hide.
When we take the final bow, he leans in and whispers in my ear, “You’re incredible.”
Chaos reigns backstage. Castmates swarm us, high-fiving and shrieking. Someone brings champagne, and Zev lifts me off my feet, spinning me until I’m laughing and squealing. I catch Fowler’s face in the crowd—he’s grinning, eyes wild, but there’s a tenderness there, too, like he’s proud of me for something bigger than just a show.
I glance back at Connor, who’s already looking at me, expression soft and vulnerable in a way I’ve never seen. He mouths something I can’t quite hear, but I think I know what it is.
I duck away from the crowd, heart racing, mouth tingling, and for a split second I let myself imagine what it would be like ifthe story didn’t end here. If the Princess got to keep her Prince, and maybe the two knights on the side, too.
Not love. Not yet. But something close enough that I ache for it.
Don’t screw this up, I think, not sure if I mean me or them or the whole universe. Because I want this, more than anything.
The flowers are still clutched in my hand. I run my fingers over the white rose, careful not to bruise the petals.
Tonight, the story ends with the Princess getting everything she wants.
Maybe tomorrow, I’ll believe I deserve it.
I’m rootingaround my hair for all the hairpins when I notice the dressing room has mostly cleared out. Even Connor’s already left for the night. So I nearly jump out of my chair when Zev appears, at least two heads taller than any other member of the cast still lingering.
Zev makes his way past those castmates right over to my dressing area. “Incredible show, Grace!”
I drop my hands and turn to him. “Thank you!” I stand and meet him halfway. He wraps me in a brief hug.
Zev looks exhausted—probably from a full day of coaching high schoolers—but there’s a warm to his tiredness. But he smiles for me. “Just wanted to pop in and tell you that. And offer to walk you home if you wanted.” He eyes the flower bouquet. “Those are pretty.”
“From Connor,” I offer and then turn my head back to him. “You can absolutely walk me home if you’d like. But I need to get these pins out first.”
“Yeah, sure, let me help.”
Zev follows me back to the hair at my dressing space. I sit, and we work together to find and remove all the pins holding my hair up in princess fashion. His fingers are gentle. My skin tingles where our hands accidentally brush. A flush of warmth and, dare I name it, joy fills me whenever I look up and see us together in the mirror’s reflection.
When the last hairpin is finally freed from my hair, Zev holds it up between his thumb and forefinger. “You know, I used to have hair longer than this. Eighth grade. Got gum stuck in it and had to chop it all off. Think it was for the best.”
I can’t help but giggle. “I can’t imagine that on you, honestly.”
He chuckles. “That’s probablyalsofor the best.”
I swallow, suddenly shy. “I liked having you in the audience tonight. You always clap loud enough to make up for the people who don’t. I can always tell where you’re sitting.”
He shrugs, but his ears turn pink. “You’re genuinely phenomenal, Grace. You belong here at Reverie.”
I’m not sure what to say to that level of compliment, so I rise up onto my tiptoes and kiss him. Zev pulls me in with a gentle arm around my waist, but he doesn’t force me to stay. The kiss is quick and sweet, his chocolate scent enveloping us. His hand slips up the back of my neck and tangles in my hair for a moment before he pulls away entirely.
Zev grins. “I should come backstage more often.”
“Hmm, yes.” I feel a little dizzy with Zev’s alpha presence and the kiss—in the best way. “Let’s head out of here.”
We head out into the night. The arena’s security lights make everything look dreamlike and blue. The sidewalks are mostly empty around the parking lot, and the humid air soft and still. Zev doesn’t rush. He matches his steps to mine, which I appreciate, because my legs are barely functional after six hours in skates.
We make quick work of the short distance between the arena and my apartment building. The same walk I did with Fowler this morning, but in reverse and with much less limping. But I find departing from Zev to be nearly impossible. It’s like magnets are holding us close together and, somehow, Zev is able to break the pull.
He leans his forehead against mine. “I should probably let you get some sleep.” He murmurs it, but makes no move to step away.
I laugh, giddy. “Maybe just another minute.”
We kiss again, this time with some unseen electricity zipping between us as we stand there tangled under a streetlight. Too soon, Zev walks me the rest of the way to the apartment building’s main door and then disappears to his car.
