Page 172 of Dream Chaser

She cut the call, then exhaled slowly. “Okay. Ready. Your mom asked to take some pictures of the event for them, if you don’t mind. I might be too busy.”

“Of course, amor.”

My parents adored her. Mom had taken Nova under her wing, doting on her whenever we visited. Last year, my parents had spent two weeks with us in Emerport—their first trip overseas.

Nova’s relationship with her own mother was strained. Melissa refused to accept that her adult daughter had chosen her own path, but Nova had made peace with not having her mother’s support and approval.

We headed into the gallery. Immediately, Lilian, Aeterno’s creative director, pulled Nova aside.

A text came in as I stood by the wall, people-watching.

Manu: Felicita a Nova de nuestra parte.

Congratulate Nova on our behalf.

He attached a picture of his little family—him, Camila, and their tiny newborn daughter.

I thanked him and focused my attention on Nova, radiant in her red dress as she chatted with a group of people.

“Stop staring.”

I turned. Asher smirked, cocking a brow. “You’ve got hearts in your eyes, bro. Couldn’t be more obvious.”

Shrugging, I pocketed my phone. “Not trying to hide it. And you’re not one to talk, Mr. Almost Married.”

“True.” He slid his fingers through his hair, his engagement ring catching the light. “So, that party after. Are you proposing tonight?”

I shook my head. “Tonight’s about her and her success.” I’d had the ring for months—a heart-shaped diamond surrounded by rubies, the closest I could find to the ring she had pinned to one of her Pinterest boards—and its moment would come on our trip to Costa Rica this week. Taking a week to ourselves in January was our tradition. Nova didn’t suspect a thing, but I knew we were both ready for the next step.

Our relationship was my safe haven. My source of calm. My push to do better.

The woman currently explaining the story behind one of her photographs made me fucking unstoppable.

“You owe me a tour of the new office, by the way,” Asher said just as the door slid open and Kaia strolled in.

“After my vacation, mi niño. Once the renovations are done.”

Taking on more clients after getting certified to represent tennis and baseball players meant a much bigger workload for all of us. I’d hired additional staff, and in no time, we’d grown out of the small office housing the agency in its first years.

Cris said Ignacio still bitched about my undeserved success to everyone who’d listen.

I didn’t care.

“Oh my God, the photographs are amazing,” Kaia said as she joined us. “Do you think we could buy the one of you on the bike, Ash?”

“We’ll ask Nova,” Asher said. “When she’s free.”

That wouldn’t happen for a while. More and more people entered the gallery. Scarlett, carrying a bouquet of red roses, then Eleanor and Miles. Those two had been together since Nova’s birthday two years ago. I’d caught them making out at the office, but I wasn’t one to judge—not when I’d accidentally outed Nova and me at a meeting, calling her amor in front of everyone.

That day, she made sure I was Mr. Guerrero each time she spoke to me at work. That night, I made her call me Ale.

I called it a win.

***

Hours later, only our group lingered at the gallery.

Nova leaned her head on my shoulder, smiling. “Most of the photographs have been sold. I think it was a success.”