There are so many people here; I never imagined there would be this many, and it excites me as much as it makes me nervous—because I did donate several of my photographs, after all.
But it’s not just the community center—just to be here, in my new life with Luke in Hawaii … it’s like a dream. I wake up every morning feeling a whirlwind of emotions all vying for my attention: excitement, happiness, eagerness, even nervousness, as I’m still adjusting to the shock of such a large move, not just in my address, but my whole life. A tiny part of me sometimes panics a little, being so far away from everything I’ve ever known, but the moment I look around me at the beauty of the scenery—mostly at the beauty of Luke Everett—that panic vanishes in a breath.
I’m definitely living a dream.
With Luke’s arm hooked through mine, we walk farther into the room, both of us dressed formally—me in a cute white dress that stops just below my knees and a pair of white heels with silver glitter around the toes; Luke is clean-shaven and dressed in a suit, and oh my God … I think I died when he first stepped out of our bedroom in the dress pants and white button-up shirt, asking me to help him with his tie.
I look up at him now to see him smiling back at me, proud to have me on his arm. I push up on my toes and kiss him lightly on the lips.
“You’re the most beautiful girl in the room,” he whispers onto my mouth.
I blush inwardly and peck him on the lips once more.
Melinda greets us, taking me into a gentle embrace.
“Oh, it has turned out so wonderfully!” she says with excitement, squeezing me with her thin, frail arms hidden in a pretty black and lavender blouse.
She pulls away, holding my hands in hers, smiling in at me with such kindness and adoration that I can’t help but smile back at her in the same way.
“I couldn’t be happier that you could make it,” she goes on. “And your photographs”—her eyes get wider and she shakes her head with admiration, tugging on my hands—“they are absolutely stunning, Sienna.”
“Thank you.” My face is too hot for me to manage more words than that.
I feel so nervous to have my photography on display, as if I’m revealing a private part of myself to the world. Having them on the Internet is one thing, but here, out in the open like this where people can walk by and I can physically see the expressions on their faces, puts a knot in my stomach.
Luke hooks my hip with his hand and pulls me next to him when Melinda drops her hands from mine.
He presses his lips against the top of my hair.
“I have no doubt,” he says, squeezing my hip gently, “that every one of her pieces will be sold.”
“Oh, I don’t either,” Melinda agrees eagerly.
“Yours will too,” I say, looking over at Luke, trying to take the spotlight off me some because it just makes me that much more nervous. “That’s a definite.”
He smiles and squeezes my hip again.
Alicia practically runs up, with Braedon close behind—her leg is out of the cast, but she’s still got a small limp. “You’re here,” she says and hugs me tight, even tighter than Melinda had. “So what do you think of the place?” She waves her hand about the room. “Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I say. “I mean … wow!” I gaze up at the brightly lit decorations. “I couldn’t have pulled this off. It’s awesome.”
Alicia purses her lips as if to say, Yeah, you probably could, and then says, “Of course, we couldn’t have done it without your help, though.”
“Oh, no,” I say, shaking my head. “I just steered you in a direction.” I gesture about the room again. “This was all you guys, and you did a fantastic job.” I look at Luke once more, gently bumping my hip against his.