CHAPTER 38
O n New Year’s Eve at Vailgate Castle, a long line of limousines and luxury cars dropped off dazzling party guests dressed in spectacular costumes paying tribute to The Great Gatsby theme.
Inside the Grand Hall, couples were dancing to a live band playing jazzy, upbeat classics. The men impressed in vintage tuxedos, while the women sparkled in gorgeous beaded gowns that shimmered with fringe, perfectly capturing the decadence and spirit of the Roaring Twenties.
The thirty-foot Christmas tree had been reimagined with all gold-and-black Art Deco decorations, adding to the timeless theme.
Suddenly, trumpets rang out. The band stopped playing. Everyone stopped dancing.
A wave of anticipation swept through the crowd as the lights dimmed and a single spotlight illuminated the top of the Christmas tree.
Ava’s heart raced. So far, so good, she thought.
She stood poised in a shimmering gold gown, the perfect mixture of vintage glamour and royal elegance.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she pressed the silver button on a sleek black remote control.
This was the moment of truth…
As the drummer began his dramatic drumroll, a golden, gilded, throne-like chair started slowly descending from the ceiling.
Perched regally on the throne was the queen with Stormy by her side.
The crowd gasped in awe.
The queen waved at everyone, excited. “Happy New Year’s Eve!”
Thunderous applause erupted.
As friendly photographers captured the moment, Stormy barked happily, his tail wagging.
The queen laughed, pulling him closer. “You’re a good boy, Stormy.”
Ava breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her mother’s throne descend smoothly. Even though she had tested it dozens of times herself to make sure it was safe, there was always a chance something could go wrong.
She smiled, thinking how this wild, grand entrance had, of course, been her mother’s idea.
Originally, her mother had wanted to fly down from the ceiling using the harness the tree decorators had used.
But when Ava had firmly vetoed that idea, together they’d come up with the plan for Ava to create a special throne her mother could safely sit on and slowly be lowered to the ground.
While her mother at first grumbled that sitting in a chair wouldn’t be as fun, she’d ultimately agreed after Ava had told her that this way, she could include Stormy, too.
Now, watching her mother pose effortlessly for pictures in her breathtaking gold-beaded gown, Ava marveled at how comfortable she was in front of the cameras.
It amazed her how her mother seemed to blossom under the spotlight, and because she embraced the media, they adored her just as much as she enjoyed them.
When her mother had first suggested hosting a New Year’s Eve party, Ava had been surprised.
They’d never done one before. While her mother insisted it was something she had always wanted, Ava knew her mother was worried about her and wanted to give her another project to keep her mind off of what had happened with Henry and Justin.
With Henry, she was mad at herself for wasting so much time on him.
But Justin? That was different.
That still hurt.
She couldn’t believe he’d just disappeared without saying goodbye and that now, he wasn’t answering any of her texts.
As she watched her mother’s throne almost touch the ground, she saw Edgar standing by to help her. Lydia was on the other side, waiting to take Stormy from her.
As soon as the throne hit the marble floor, Ava pressed the remote again—flooding the room with light.
The crowd cheered, clapped, and took more pictures.
When Lydia took Stormy from the queen and put him down on the ground, he raced straight for Ava, barking.
Ava stepped forward and held up her hand. “Stormy, no barking. Sit.”
Stormy immediately obeyed. He stopped barking and sat down in front of her.
“Are you trying to take my job?”
Ava spun around.
Her breath caught.
It was Justin.
He looked more handsome than ever in his tuxedo.
Her heart pounded. “You came…”
Justin smiled, nodding. “Your invite said it was going to be an amazing party. How could I pass that up?”
“You couldn’t,” the queen chimed in, joining them. “This is going to be our new tradition, having a New Year’s Eve party that’s all about new beginnings and starting the new year with the people you love. You both deserve one, and so do I.”
Ava followed her mother’s gaze and nearly gasped when she saw Samuel, from Skyline Restaurant, enter the room. He was pushing a silver cart with a gigantic Chocolate Fountain Cake.
Ava’s eyes widened as she watched her mother and Samuel light up the moment they saw each other.
“You two have fun,” her mother said with a twinkle in her eyes, “because I know I’m going to.”
And with that, her mother walked toward Samuel, beaming.
“Oh my God…” Ava whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. “It’s Samuel. That’s who my mother dated before my father. That’s who she truly loved.”
“Is this a good thing?” Justin asked, confused.
Ava studied her mother talking and laughing with Samuel. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her looking so happy.
“Yes,” Ava said, thinking about it. “I think it’s a very good thing. She deserves to finally be happy.”
Justin turned back to her. “And what about you? Are you happy?”
Ava touched the new watch on her wrist as she met his gaze. “I’m working on it.”
“You’re wearing the watch your mother gave you,” Justin said, surprised. “I hope you didn’t lose your father’s.”
“No, it’s safely put away,” Ava said. “But I won’t be wearing it anymore. My father’s message of Time for duty is important, but I think my mother’s message is even more important.”
She carefully took off her watch and turned it over, showing him the inscription.
He read it out loud.
“ Time for love …”
Their eyes met.
Justin smiled slowly and looked into her eyes. “I like this one.”
She smiled back at him. “Me, too.”
“I saw your press conference.”
Ava cringed. “I was terrified.”
“I couldn’t tell,” Justin said. “You were amazing. You looked strong. Smart. Beautiful.”
Ava blushed. Her pulse quickened.
When she’d sent him the invite, she’d never expected him to actually come.
She told herself inviting him would be her closure.
A way for her to tell herself she tried, and then go on pretending everything was fine when her heart ached for something she couldn’t have.
The fact that he was actually here, standing in front of her, was still something she was trying to process.
“If I looked strong, I have you to thank for that,” she said. “You were right. Hiding from the press gave them all the power. I needed to take my power back.”
“Well, you sure did that,” Justin said, looking impressed. “And I also saw your interview talking to kids about the importance of science and math and showing them some of the things you invented. It was very cool.”
“Thank you,” Ava said. “They really seemed to enjoy it and so did I. I’m looking at creating some programs to help inspire students to go after their dreams. I want them to know they can be anything and do anything they set their minds to.”
“I think that’s amazing,” Justin said. “As a princess and future queen, children will look up to you. You could be a great role model for them. We need more positive and empowering people like you in the world.”
Ava smiled, touched. “Thank you. I will do the best I can.”
“I know you will,” Justin said with a warm smile.
“I invented something for you,” Ava said.
“Really?” Justin asked, surprised. “What?”
“You said you needed to be cloned to help more animals, right?”
Justin laughed. “Yes…should I be worried?”
Ava smiled back at him. “No, hopefully you will like it. It’s a work in progress. A pet matchmaker app I’m calling ‘VidPet.’ Shelters can have QR codes for each animal that people can scan for videos showing their unique personalities and get special training tips.”
“This is genius,” Justin said, impressed. “It will help so much. I can’t believe you did this. Wait until I tell my dad and everyone else.”
“How is working with your father?”
“I took your advice and told him I don’t want to be a full-time vet,” Justin said.
“Really? How did he take it?” Ava asked.
Justin grinned. “It went really well, especially after I hooked him up with a friend from college who is a perfect fit to work with him in his clinic.”
“So, what does that mean for you?”
“It means that I can get back to what I love,” Justin said. “That’s why I came here…”
Ava’s heart skipped a beat.
He looked into her eyes. “Because Stormy, clearly, still needs some work.”
Ava smiled, playing along. “He does. He needs a lot of work.”
When they glanced at Stormy, he tilted his head, listening to them. He was sitting calmly, perfectly behaved, acting like a little angel.
“But it might take some time,” Justin said. “A lot of time…”
Ava stepped closer and looked into his eyes. Nothing in her life had ever felt so right. “That’s okay,” she said. “Because someone once told me things that really matter are worth the wait…and worth running toward once you find them.”
When Ava kissed him, she found something she hadn’t even known she was searching for, something she never wanted to live without again.
As Justin deepened the kiss, Stormy raced around them, barking with joy.
Ava pulled back when she saw flashes from photographers taking pictures of them. She looked at Justin, smiled, and kissed him again.
She wasn’t letting anyone get in the way of her happily ever after.
As they kept kissing, Ava knew this was the beginning of everything…