Chapter 40 Elliot
ELLIOT
“We’re up in five!”
All you need to do is go out there and walk.
“You call this hair and makeup? This is a Renieri show, for God’s sake, not a circus. Fix this now!”
Just do what you’ve done a dozen times now, and be done with it.
“Where are my shimmery eyeshadows?”
Once the show is over, I’ll go home and tell Daniel about Claudia.
“Oh, Maria, what is this mess? Someone come and pluck this one’s eyebrows. They look like caterpillars!”
But what if it’s too late for that, and she’s already told other people?
“Bello, where is your belt?”
And what if he freaks out and leaves me?
“Bello?”
I would rather die than let that happen—
“Elliot!”
Snapped back to the present, I saw Vito was standing right before me, an irritated look on his face.
“D-did you say something?”
“I said a lot of things,” he grunted while wrapping a belt around my waist. “But it doesn’t matter. All that matters is you—” He tied it up. “—being fabulous.”
The reassurance in his eyes gave me a bit of confidence, and I managed to smile, grateful for his support.
“You’re going to be a star out there, okay?”
I nodded. “Oui.”
“That’s my boy.” With one last pat on the cheek, Vito let me go and moved to stand in the center of the chaos.
Clapping his hands, he got everyone’s attention.
“In two minutes, you are going to walk out there, and on the runway, I want you to remember one thing and one thing only,” he said, all eyes on him.
“That this is Renieri you’re walking for, darlings, and anything less than marvelous is unacceptable. ”
While the crew and cast cheered in response, I looked around in search of Claudia.
Spotting her at the other side of the room, busy giving directions, I took in a short intake of air.
This show was as important to her as it was to me, so there was no reason to worry.
She would do her best tonight, and so would I.
Daniel wasn’t here, and therefore, I shouldn’t worry about him, not now, not when it was my time to get out there.
Thinking that helped just a bit, but that was all I needed—a small push. My name was called, and I walked to the front, with Vito fixing my outfit until the last second.
“Elliot, be ready,” Claudia said as I stood still, my heart beating fast as I waited for her signal. “And it’s a go.”
“Wow them, bello,” Vito said right before I stepped out there.
One short breath, and that was it—the lights went back on, and with them, I began walking.
My nerves wavered with each step, until they were replaced with the familiar adrenaline of being at the center of it all.
I moved with confidence and elegance. One, two, three, I took long strides, every step well calculated as I strolled down the runway like I was born for it.
Keeping my head high and my shoulders straight, I approached the end of the course, where I’d make a small stop to show off the clothes.
It was the crème de la crème of every catwalk, where a model turns into a star in the sky.
But right before I reached the so-called heavens, I glanced down at the front row, only to be struck by a meteor.
Daniel?
My body froze.
Why is he here?
Why didn’t he listen?
Why did he—
Daniel
After checking my watch for the time, I put down my work and got up. If I wanted to make it to Elliot’s show, I’d have to leave now.
I grabbed my suit jacket that hung on the back of my chair, then put it on, when a knock came on the office door.
“Come in.”
“Mr. Williams, your father just faxed us a contract he wishes you to go over.”
“You can leave it on my desk. I’ll get to it tomorrow,” I said while fixing my tie.
Sherry’s brows rose. “Sir?”
“What?” I fixed my new wristwatch, a gift from Elliot for my thirty-fifth birthday. “I’m sure it isn’t urgent.”
She swallowed hard. “But your father—”
“Can wait one day.”
Surprise crossed her face before she collected herself back together and cleared her throat. “Mr. Williams, I… I hope it doesn’t sound off, but you’ve changed, sir.”
Curious to know what she meant, I frowned at her. “How so?”
“I don’t mean to overstep, of course, but as of late… you’re more laid-back.”
Scratching my jaw, I took a moment to consider her words. “Laid-back, you say?”
“I mean it in a good way, sir. It’s just that you seem happier.”
It wasn’t a surprise that the first thing that came to my mind was Elliot, who, without a doubt, made me a happy man.
“I guess you’re right. I am happier.”
Holding the files close to her chest, Sherry nodded. “I’m happy to hear that, sir.”
I didn’t know what came over me, but suddenly feeling in a particularly sharing mood, I said, “I’m actually going on a date tonight.”
Obviously caught off guard, Sherry’s eyes widened. “You are?”
Feeling like a schoolboy, I averted my gaze to the floor as my cheeks got warmer. “The truth is, I’ve been seeing someone for a while, and they make me incredibly happy.”
“That’s good to hear, sir.”
Glancing up at her, she seemed genuine enough.
“You see, this person, they make me want to be more… laid-back. And I am. I find myself doing things I never thought of doing before.” Such as agreeing to be his plus-one at the Renieri gala.
I thought Elliot would be happy. Erase that.
He was happy until yesterday, when all of a sudden, he changed his mind.
“That sounds lovely, sir.”
I nodded to myself, thinking back on Elliot and how he adjusted himself for my needs.
“It is, but there’s this one issue. You see, since the start, they have been very mindful of me and my needs, and I’m afraid it has made them unnecessarily conscious about themselves, and I hate that I’m responsible for that. ”
First, having an affair and then living together in secret, I’d ultimately put Elliot in a difficult situation.
And even though I grew more confident in my sexuality each day, he still had to hide a part of himself and slow down just to keep up with my sluggish pace.
It was unfair of me, and I hated that it was taking me this long to reach a point he’d long have crossed.
Having no doubt that if it weren’t for me, Elliot would have lived a proud life, was why I decided to go to the gala tonight and prove to him that I wasn’t as scared.
I might not come out on the spot, but at the very least, I’d be there to support him in an important landmark of his career.
“So what are you going to do?” Sherry asked, reminding me she was still here.
“Match their pace.”
Her expression hardened. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing.” I smiled at her and was ready to leave, but before I did, I stopped beside her. “Take the rest of the day off, go do something fun.”
After leaving the office, I had just enough time to stop by our home and change into something more elegant before going to the gala.
There, I was met with an impressive crowd and a large amount of press that came to cover the event.
I skipped the red carpet thing yet noticed the fans who were gathered at the sides, eagerly cheering and waving photos of Elliot.
My Elliot.
My first reaction was shock, as I never imagined he had his own fan base.
He’d been recognized a few times while we were out together, even asked for an autograph, but this?
This was insane. But then, my initial response transformed into thick pride that settled deep in my chest at the amount of love complete strangers showered my French prince with.
If only he could see it for himself. But knowing Elliot, he was probably deep in preparation for the show, as he always took his job seriously.
I admired his high work ethic at only twenty-one years old.
My siblings could learn a thing or two from him, that was for sure.
But all thoughts were gone once I stepped inside the first room, which was completely dark except for the big screens it had for walls.
And on those screens, black-and-white films were playing.
Films of Elliot in various outfits and locations, all shot around the city.
Feeling small in comparison to this remarkable exhibition, I was left in awe.
He was marvelous, so unique and gorgeous, I couldn’t believe he’d choose to waste his time with me.
In the midst of my admiration, a couple beside me whispered to one another, and being the proud boyfriend I was, I got closer in an attempt to hear what they were saying.
“Renieri sure knows how to pick them, don’t they?” the woman said.
“Definitely. This one might actually make it,” her friend answered.
I beg your pardon, he’s already made it. Tremendously so.
“You know, I heard he’s dating a movie star.”
Huh?
“Is he?”
“Yes. They met on the set in a production he’s in.”
What a load of crap. Elliot has never even filmed a movie.
“He does seem a bit dull, though, doesn’t he?”
Excuse me?
“Oh, absolutely.”
The only absolute thing here is your ignorance.
“And stupid, too.”
I nearly gasped at their audacity. How had their conversation shifted from being positive to so dismissive?
Pure jealousy, that was how. This pair of imbeciles didn’t even know Elliot, yet they spoke so freely of him.
Ha! What a joke. They should consider themselves lucky to watch him through a screen.
“You know how models are, pretty on the outside but nothing much going on inside,” the guy snorted.
“In Elliot’s case, I can assure you that he’s got both the brains and the looks,” I said, not caring that I barged into their private conversation when the two turned to frown at me.
“But clearly, it’s not the same for everyone.
You would know, wouldn’t you? As the pair of you seem to lack both.
” Not caring for their response, I moved on.
Although it did feel nice to put nasty people in their places.