We crawl back into bed a few minutes later, with Stevie wrapped inside my arms, her tears drying, and her heartbeats lulling me to the other side.
Both of us sleep through the night.
Chapter 45
Stevie
Misty races toward me in a shocking red dress that matches her hair. “Bestie!”
Lex and I stroll into the Velvet Key, our arms linked together. We rented out the piano bar for the night to avoid getting hassled by photographers who discovered Lex was in town as well as overeager fans with grabby hands. It’s filled with an intimate group of people: friends, family, as well as Mr. Hamlin and his wife, Jane. It’s the perfect send-off as we celebrate our last night in Chicago before heading back to Los Angeles tomorrow afternoon.
“So good to see you!” Misty coos, leaping into my arms with a bone-crushing hug. She smells like Twizzlers. “Who would have thought you’d end up here?” She follows up the statement with a knowing wink. When Lex shakes her hand, she practically melts into the hardwood floors. “Oh! I wanted to introduce you guys to my new partner. Well, reintroduce, I guess.” Blushing, Misty waves a hand to a familiar raven-haired woman in a mustard-yellow dress. “You remember Natalie, right?”
My eyes pop as I glance across the bar.
“I know this is weird,” Misty says.
Weird because my best friend likes women? No.
Weird because I had absolutely no flippin’ idea? A world of yes.
The bombshell is a testament to how absent I’ve been over the last few months.
No…years.
I can’t wait to change that.
“Holy crap,” I breathe out. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
A shrug. “My love life seemed insignificant compared to yours.”
“Not true. I’m so happy for you.”
Natalie saunters over and gives us both a timid hug, paired with her Disney-princess smile. “Great to see you two again. Congratulations on all the success.”
“Thank you.” I hug her back, ancient high school memories spilling through my mind. “It’s kind of surreal.”
“From a stage performance love story to the real kind. It’s really inspiring.”
Lex and I share a glance. “Minus the tragic ending.”
Mr. Hamlin frolics into our four-person bubble with a dry martini filled with extra olives, showcasing a glossy pair of magenta suspenders. “Lexington,” he greets, grinning wider than I’ve ever seen and pulling Lex into a warm hug. “When is the wedding?”
My cheeks flush, my hand falling to Lex’s with a squeeze when the two men pull apart. “Oh, well, things are still kind of…new.”
“Nonsense. It all began four years ago on my stage. This has been a long time in the making.” He winks, turning to Lex. “Your television series was masterful. I’ve been dying to tell you.”
“Thanks, Ham. Great to see you again.” Lex straightens out his silver tie. “Writing it was cathartic. I loved it more than I thought I would.”
“Yes, well, you have many gifts. Perhaps you’ll have a hand in future screenplays. It would be a privilege to see more of your words come to life.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. Maybe doing something behind the scenes.”
“A smart move. I’ve dabbled in a few scripts myself, though I do prefer the magic of directing.” Mr. Hamlin smiles, rubbing his thumb and finger along his snowy beard. “I’m a bit of an extrovert. I enjoy expression through movement.”
“Are you still directing at the school?”
“Mmm, indeed. It’s my calling. The piano bar is lovely, but directing young talent and giving them power and self-assurance is my ultimate passion.” Another smile brings creases to the corners of his eyes. “My wife and I made a donation to your charity for underprivileged youth looking for purpose inthe arts.”
