Page 77 of Between Now and Always

“Because I’m sogladyou still have those kinds of dreams,” she says and her eyes mist over with tears and she brushes one away. A surge of tenderness washes over me and I wrap an arm around her.

“Don’t cry. I’ll cry, too. And I don’t have time to redo my face.”

She gives me a tremulous smile and shakes her head. “I’m so proud of you. The way you picked yourself up after everything.”

“Well, you’ve done the same thing. And you got your application in, right?”

Her smile dims a little. “Yeah. We’ll see. I wish I’d done it sooner. But, I’m glad I did. I don’t regret leaving medical school. I miss my mom. But, I can’t make her talk to me.”

“She’ll come around…and in the meantime, you have Jack,” I say with a waggle of my eyebrows.

“Let’s not go there tonight,” she groans, but she’s smiling and, her tears clearing away.

“Yes, not tonight.Tonightis going to be amazing.” I hop off the bed and gesture at my skintight jeans and the skimpy practically backless top she talked me into wearing. “Do I look okay?”

“Girl, you look like a fucking snack. He’s going to eat you alive.” She gives me a roguish grin.

I shiver at the thought and slip my feet into the sexy silver sling backs with the four-inch heel that I wore the night of the award ceremony. I’m just spritzing on some perfume when the doorbell rings.

“Since when does Uber ring the doorbell?” Porsha asks.

“I haven’t ordered our Uber yet.” I walk over to my bedroom window and peek outside. There’s a black Cadillac Escalade parked at the curb in front of my house. And the first thing I think is that my father has found me. My heart lodges in my throat, but I try to keep my face neutral

“Hmm. I’ll go—” I turn to an empty room and hear Porsha’s scream from our living.

I run down the short hallway of my apartment and skid to a stop when I her standing in front of our open door, holding a bouquet of flowers so big that it completely obscures her face.

“What’s going on?” I demand and then lean around her to peer at the man standing in our doorway. He’s huge and nearly fills the entire doorway. He’s dressed in all black and wearing sunglasses even though it’s dark now.

“He sent flowers, Beth,” she squeals the obvious and thrusts the huge bouquet at me.

I take them but put them down to question the man who brought them.

“Who brought flowers? Who sent you?” I ask him sharply.

“My name’s Tony. Mr. Bosh sent me to escort you and your friends to the show tonight.” He speaks with barely moving lips. How fascinating…

“You came for me? Because Carter sent you?” I ask him, saying each word slowly to make sure I didn’t misunderstand.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll drive you and your guests to the venue and make sure you find your seats,” he says in a clipped monotone.

“Oh my God! And he sent a fucking carriage!” Porsha squeals and We link hands and giggle like preteens. My heart is off on a wild gallop. The lasso I had wrapped around my expectations comes flying off andtheytake off, too.

Tonight, I’m going to take everything the world hands me, and wear it like a technicolor coat of dreams.

“I’ll wait by the car, come down when you’re ready,” Tony says.

“Oh, I’m ready. Right now.” I grab my purse and my keys and walk hand in hand with my best friend toward my destiny.

I Want to Sing to You

CARTER

“So, does she know you were at her wedding?” Dean asks from his perch on my desk.

“God, I’m sorry I told you that story,” I mutter and do one more push-up before I let my completely spent arms rest.

“Why? It’s a fucking great story.”

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