Page 120 of Sweet Madness

Due to my family’s famous status, I couldn’t do a grand opening with the public, which is why tonight I only have my family and the press here. Tomorrow night, I will host a second opening for the public. I even got bestselling author Poe James to come and sign books for her fans. Since she’s still young, she’ll come with her parents and Aunt Kadra.

It’s crazy how she blew up. I had no doubt she would. Her book was brilliant, and I’m looking forward to the next one. I don’t doubt it’ll be another hit.

Yes, everything is going as planned, and my heart should be bursting with happiness. Yet, as I stand in the elegant foyer of the building, surrounded by the glittering lights and the buzz of excitement from my family members, my heart feels heavy with a different kind of emotion.

I’m heartsick.

I put on a brave face for the cameras and reporters outside while they capture every moment of the event for the world to see, but inside, I am struggling to maintain my composure and keep from crying. So I do what is expected of me at that moment. I smile, pose for cameras, and answer questions about Cosmic Chapters with practiced ease, all the while masking the turmoil brewing in my heart.

For so long, I am lost, and I find myself the moment I find him. I start to dream again with Shaw, and this dream is inspired by every second I spend with him in Canyon Creek. The pink tulips hanging from the ceiling and decorating every corner of this place remind me of our shared moments in his tulip field. The constellations projected on the ceiling and walls remind me of the freckles on his face that I love so much.

God, I miss him, and I don’t know if I’ll ever stop missing him, let alone loving the man.

I hope that if I pour my heart and soul into this project and give it all my time, once it’s done, I’ll have him back. But now, I am facing the reality of his reluctance to fight for the dream of us.

Is it all even real?

Does he really love me, or am I just a fool?

When the questions haunting my mind start to hurt, I move through the crowd of family members, my smile bright and my words gracious. Yet, my thoughts keep drifting back to him. Having had enough of pretending for one night, I walk away, needing a quiet moment.

I stand before a window overlooking the city lights of Paris. The twinkling stars above are as bright as the moon. “One, two, three…” I count the stars with no hope of him coming back. Taking a deep breath, I steel myself against the ache that threatens to overwhelm me. I can’t fall apart. Not here. Not now. I’ll do that when no one is watching.

Looking at the Paris skyline, I think of how this city means so much to my family. My father’s mother was born here, and my parents fell in love here. That is why I chose the City of Love for my first location.

My gaze is fixed upon the distant Eiffel Tower, shimmering under the night sky like a sentinel of love. The soft murmurs of admiration from the guests behind me are distant hums, overshadowed by the memories flooding my mind.

“Where are you, Shaw Bear?” I whisper, my gaze still fixed on the Eiffel Tower. “Why?” I choke out.

But suddenly, a hush falls over the room, and I sense a shift in the atmosphere. I can’t explain how I know it’s him before I even see him. Maybe I feel his soul, or maybe it’s just a crazy thought. All I know is that my attention is drawn away from the window. Turning slowly, my broken heart starts to beat faster as my eyes meet a figure standing at the entrance of the room—a figure clad in a striking black suit, his silhouette illuminated by the soft glow of the planetarium’s lights.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

It’s him.

He’s here.

The man I love with all my heart, the man I left behind at the ranch after he broke my heart by letting me go. Confusion and a rush of a thousand emotions sweep through me as I struggle to breathe.

My family parts, allowing him room to walk toward me. I tear my gaze from Shaw and look at my family members. They all wear different expressions on their faces. My sisters are all smiling wide, including Ambrose, who hasn’t had a reason to smile lately. My brothers look uninterested, but that’s nothing new. The three of them don’t care much for theatrics, and besides, Shaw isn’t someone they particularly care for.

Uncle Benji stands back with his wife and baby boy, looking at me with a knowing smile on his face. Then he winks. I can almost hear him saying, Told you so.

My aunt Mila and Willow are basically swooning over the scene while Raiza rolls her eyes with a smile on her lips, as if the scene makes her sick. That’s expected, though, since she believes love is a disease.

My uncles and cousin Azariel stare Shaw down as if he were the disease.

Then there are my parents. I’m shocked to find smiles on both of their faces. Mom’s smile is wider, while Dad looks almost relieved to see Shaw here.

Their gazes then leave mine and focus on the man I’m still sure is a figment of my imagination. Turning my face, I look at Shaw.

I close my eyes and open them, trying to decipher if it’s all a dream and if I’ve finally lost it.

“Moonshine,” the moment the words I’ve longed to hear again fall from his lips, my hand instinctively reaches for the window frame as I anchor myself against the wave of emotions threatening to consume me with just a simple word.

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