As we made our way back into the house, my eyes met Gavin’s from across the hall. He shot me the subtlest of nods, and I felt my heart flutter slightly.Avis wasn’t the only one who had friends who supported her. We all had each other’s backs. And for that, I was grateful.…Two weeks later, I found
AudreyI slipped the last button into place and stepped back from the model to admire my handiwork.The outfit was perfect, exactly what I had envisioned; every detail was a tiny tribute to my friends—the vibrant color reminiscent of Betty’s love for vintage fashion, the red beadwork inspired by Tin
“Audrey, where are you?” the stagehand’s voice rang through my earpiece.Shaking my head to clear my haze, I hurried backstage, where I was immediately thrust out of my thoughts and back into reality. Designers and models rushed about, making last-minute tweaks to hair and makeup.“Five minutes to s
AudreyI jerked my head up, and there he was.“Edwin,” I breathed, suddenly cringing at how desperate I sounded. I cleared my throat, taking in the sight of his stubbled face now that he had removed the blue surgical mask covering it. In the dim amber glow of the streetlights, he looked even more ha
“What about you?” I asked, eager to shift the focus off of myself. “Did you travel a lot?”He nodded. “My family went all over the world,” he said.“That sounds fun.”A scoff. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was ‘fun’,” he retorted. “It was always for my father’s business. My siblings and I were
AudreyI opened my eyes and immediately felt my stomach drop.We were standing on a narrow ledge high up on what appeared to be a church tower, the city of Paris spread out below us. The wind whipped around our shoulders, tugging at my clothes and hair.“Oh, Goddess,” I gasped, instinctively clingin
A pang of bitterness shot through me as I thought about Fiona, forcing him into a marriage he clearly didn’t want. And no one, not even his own father, would help him. He was trapped, alone…It was enough to make anyone bitter, I supposed.In that moment, I wanted to hold him, to be there for him. E
AudreyWe left a trail of clothes as we went, ripping and tearing like animals. I think I even heard the sound of a few buttons popping and clattering to the floor, but neither of us cared in our haste. We were too concerned with making it to the bed. And if we didn’t make it that far, then we would
“I think you’re going to change so many lives,” I said to Eliza. “Those kids are so lucky to have you.” Eliza looked down, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Audrey. Really.” Tina piped up next. “And my LGBT counseling department is finally off the ground! ” She paused, leaning into my mother, who was
Audrey After a long flight, we finally touched down in Italy. The sunlight streaming in through the plane window was a promising golden hue, and just the sight of it made me feel like my heart was about to leap out of my chest. “I might need a nap when we get to the villa,” Edwin yawned, shaking
And as I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn’t even speak. None of us c
Audrey Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last-minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through t
“There’s always time,” I whispered, grabbing the wrist of his free hand and pulling it close to peer at his watch. The movement caused him to topple forward, and he caught himself on his other palm, caging me against the hard wood of the vanity. “But maybe not enough time to waste right now.” Edwi
Audrey Before I could even answer his question, Edwin rushed past me and locked the door. When he turned back to me, he was grinning from ear to ear. The sight of that mischievous look on his face made my breath hitch. Once, it had been like pulling teeth to get the man to smile. And now here he
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I tore into the wrapping paper, revealing a soft red scarf. I could tell immediately that it was handmade—there were more than a few uneven stitches, and the outline was lumpy. It was far from perfect. But I loved it all the more for that. “Goddess, Edwin,” I laugh
Audrey The morning of the show was a frenzy. No, more than a frenzy. It was complete and utter chaos. I spent the entire morning from sunup to noon running endlessly from one end of the venue to the other, desperately trying to make sure every last detail was perfect. The racks were lined with c
“Uh… Yeah,” Malakai said. “Coffee would be nice.” A few minutes later, the three of us sat around the table, steaming cups of pitch black coffee in our hands. I kept it bitter, just in case Malakai was here to stir up more shit. It burned a little going down, but I sipped it anyway. Malakai look