Page 62 of Ignacio

“The whole time, he’s a monster who allowed an innocent man to go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. I think you got it.”

“I think I got it.” Ignacio looked at her with appreciation in his eyes. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t do much. You came up with the idea.”

“Because you pointed out what was missing.” He sat on the sofa, where Crystal had been sitting earlier. “Before I reach out to David, I’ll rewrite those parts and then send the pages to him for feedback.”

David was the screenwriter King had assigned to work with Ignacio.

“Does directing and writing give you as much excitement as acting?” Delta asked.

“Acting will always be my first love. I can’t believe people pay me to pretend, but filmmaking produces a different type of excitement in me.”

“I can tell. You’re passionate about it. I think we’re both lucky that we get to do work we’re passionate about.”

“Despite the drawbacks,” he muttered.

“What do you consider a drawback?”

“The usual stuff that people in our industry complain about. We have a lot of perks but very little privacy, every decision picked apart by the press and fans, and the media is constantly jumping to conclusions. I can’t have lunch with a member of the opposite sex without people assuming that we’re dating.”

Delta nodded her agreement. “I hate the need for constant security. I kind of liked not being noticed after my album didn’t do so well. But then the drawback was?—”

“Your album didn’t do well.”

“Exactly.”

They both laughed.

“You know what else I hate? I mean, it’s a small thing, but… I miss birthday celebrations.”

“What do you mean?” Ignacio asked.

“I used to love celebrating my birthday. My parents made a big deal out of it because my aunts died so young. ‘Every birthday is a blessing,’ my dad used to say. We didn’t always have parties, and when we did, they weren’t a big production, but it was nice having someone else do the planning, you know? Seeing how King Brockwell and his family planned the party for his mother made me think about those days. I don’t need a big to-do. Small and meaningful is just as beautiful, in my opinion. Like the time you arranged for a candlelit dinner on the beach for my birthday. Do you remember? You had a private chef prepare my favorite dishes, and we had a picnic under the stars.That was the last time anyone planned a birthday celebration for me.”

“You haven’t had anyone plan a birthday party for you—or anything since then? That was ages ago. We must have been what… eighteen?”

“Nineteen.” They were both working for her twentieth birthday, and for her twenty-first birthday, she went on a girls’ trip to Mexico. He met her there at the tail end of the trip to celebrate.

Once she became famous, her friends would show up to the dinners or outings she arranged, but no one took the initiative to make her feel special. As she became wealthier, people expected her to host extravagant parties and go all out, which meant she had to organize the event and cover the costs. She missed the parties from when she was a kid. They were magical and filled with love, and she felt special each and every time. It was her day.

“We need to do something special for your birthday next year,” Ignacio said.

“I didn’t mention it for you to do anything,” Delta said with a laugh. “It was just an observation that when you get to a certain level, people expect you to throw the party. I guess it’s because they think it has to be something big, you know? Not realizing it’s the thought that counts.”

“Which is why I’m going to throw you a party next year,” he said with conviction.

“Ignacio.”

“You don’t want a party?”

Delta paused, struck by a thought she had been avoiding. “Will we be together then?” she asked softly.

He looked deeply into her eyes. “I hope so. I still love you, Delta, and I want to be with you.”

“Nacio.” Her voice cracked.

Hearing the love of her life say “I still love you” made every fear, every doubt, every ache melt away. It was like returning home after being lost for years and feeling safe and cherished.

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