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She gave an exasperated sigh. “Cameron?—”
“I know, I know.” I was kidding… mostly. I stood up, giving her a hand. “Let’s go congratulate your sister.” Audrey had performed tonight, one of her first roles on broadway. How fitting that they’d both ended up here together.
Ella interlaced her fingers in mine, giving me a warm smile as I kissed her knuckles. “I’m so proud of you, you know,” I mumbled against her hair. “You did it.”
She still enjoyed being behind the scenes better than being on stage—which was fine with me, because I had her all to myself that way. Her and her beautiful voice, which she’d slowly gotten more comfortable sharing with me. Ella liked to blame it on being clumsy, but I was okay with that. As long as I got to catch her.
And fuck, listening to her sing for me… That was the biggest prize.
“I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Nonsense.” I slid my hand onto the small of her back as I guided her out of the theater. “You didallof this without my help.” I gestured around us at the theater. She’d worked under some big names over the last few years and had been recognizedas an up-and-coming talent on the broadway scene. The show was new, but she knew she couldn’t turn down this job.
She shook her head. “No. I don’t mean that. Just… in all the little ways. You being there for me? Holding my hand. Encouraging me. Loving me. You give me the strength, every day.”
I kissed her cheek. “I love you too, baby.”
Ella gave me a small smile, her eyes filled with longing—need—as we headed to the spot where we were meeting Audrey. Maybe she wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted to seem.
Her sister stood, her fiancé standing at her side, a giant bouquet of pink roses in her arms and still wearing the dress she’d worn in the final number. She wasn’t the lead role—notyet—she was living her dreams just like Ella was. And one day, I was sure she’d get there.
Just like I knew Ella would win a Tony Award forBest Costume Design in a Musicalone day. She’d told me all about them—dragging me along to them this past summer, and I had absolute faith in her.
“You were spectacular!” Ella launched at her sister, enveloping her into a big hug as the girls both squealed.
“Thanks to your help! Look at whatyoumade!” Audrey did a twirl, as if there hadn’t been multiple fittings and dress rehearsals.
For them, none of that mattered. It never had. It was about being here, being together, and their bond that never wavered or lessened, no matter how much time had passed.
“We’re pretty lucky,” her fiancé mused at my side, and I had to agree.
“The luckiest.”
After they’d excitedly babbled on for a few minutes, Ella came back over to me, her smile wide but her eyes drooping.
“Want to go home?” I murmured, cupping her cheek.
She nodded sleepily. “Please.”
We had someone waiting for us to get back to, anyway.
I unlocked the front door with the keypad, letting Ella in first as a barking came from the other room. Our beagle puppy came into view, wagging his tail excitedly.
“Hi, boy.”
He’d carried one of Ella’s shoes in with him, a sight that made me smile. Those damn shoes.
“Bruno!” she scolded, taking the shoe from him when he dropped it.
“Maybe we should start locking him up when we leave,” I offered, dropping to my knees to scratch his head.
She frowned. “But then he’d be sad.” Ella joined me on the floor to give him love, her dress pooling on the floor as she stretched out her legs.
“What?” She raised an eyebrow at me, obviously catching me staring at her, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. Four years, and I didn’t think I ever would.
“Are you happy?” I asked her, rubbing Bruno’s belly. “Here? With this life?”
She made a face. “Of course. Why do you ask?”
