Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Holy crap.” I hand the phone back to Sybil as I spot Miranda Kinkade whirling into my path like the hurricane she is. “Okay shoo, I have to work now.”
Sybil flits off and leaves me to rub elbows with one of my idols.
“Stella, you really have outdone yourself this evening.” Miranda gestures wildly around the gallery. “This is marvelous. Truly, you are one of the most gifted visual artists I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
“High compliments coming from you.” I offer her a shaky smile. Miranda has worked in the fashion industry and at some of the top women’s magazines in the nation. I’m honored that she would even show up to my little slice of paradise.
“Truly, you better batten down the hatches,” she says. “You will have Vanity Fair and Vogue at your door in no time.”
“Well, I’d be honored,” I confess. “But I think I’ll stick to what I do best.”
“Honey, that’s your prerogative.” She throws me a wink and breezes out of my life just as fast as she came.
I take a deep breath and look around the gallery to make sure everyone is comfortable and having a good time. And then it settles over me. These pictures on the wall are mine. These people came here to see them, and more importantly, they like them. It still feels surreal.
“You should be proud of yourself,” a deep, warm voice purrs into my ear from behind me.
I turn to find Sebastian with an expression of utter awe on his face, and it’s almost too good to believe.
“Did you call all of your contacts?” I accuse.
His lips tilt into a beautiful grin and his shoulders shake with laughter. “No, baby girl. This is all you. This is talent and hard work.”
“And one fine ass subject if I do say so myself,” Sybil announces as she rejoins us with Sariah in tow.
Sariah might be our daughter, but she is every bit the graceful worshipper of her ‘aunty’ Sybil.
“Mommy, Daddy!” Sariah does a little curtsy in her ballerina skirt. “Look what Sybil taught me today.”
She spins around with stars in her eyes before Sebastian scoops her up into his arms and kisses her cheek. She giggles and squeezes her arms around his neck, and they look at each other with so much love and mutual admiration that my heart practically melts all over the floor.
“She is such a daddy’s girl.” Sybil rolls her eyes.
“Hey, she loves me too, right?” I poke her belly, and Sariah sticks her tongue out.
“Of course, I do, Mommy. You make way better cookies than Daddy does.”
“Ha!” I smirk. “You hear that, Mr. Carter?”
“I won’t argue that, Mrs. Carter.” He leans over and kisses me while Sariah wiggles in his grasp. “You do make some damn good cookies. And beautiful photos. And even more beautiful babies.”
“I had some help with that,” I tease.
“You two are ridiculous,” Sybil groans and steals Sariah away. “I’m going to go show the mini-me all the amazing photos of me dancing.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing,” I call after her as she walks away.
Sybil winks and shrugs her shoulders. “You said she could be anything she wanted. I’m just feeding her dancing addiction.”
“We are going to have our hands full with that child.” I sigh as Sebastian pulls me against his chest and wraps his arms around my waist.
“I don’t doubt that for a second,” he agrees. “So does that mean you aren’t ready for another one just yet?”
I smile up at my husband, squeezing his fingers in mine. We’ve had five long years together, and it still feels like we are just getting started in some ways. Sebastian works with local soccer teams and runs mentorship programs, and I’m finally getting my gallery up and running. It’s taken a lot of hard work and uncertainty to get to where we are, but I wouldn’t trade a second of it.
There are some people who believe life is a series of milestones, meant to be achieved in one unfaltering order. But I disagree. Happiness is an ever-changing thing, and what I’ve learned along the way is that it’s not about the goal, it’s the journey that makes all the difference.
Truthfully, I’d much rather follow my heart than follow a dream that didn’t make sense. I had to get to where I am to figure out who I am, and it’s still something that changes daily. But there are a few things in my life I can be sure of. I love my husband and daughter more than anything else in this world, and if I had nothing else but them, I would be okay with that.