Too Close

FIVE | EPILOGUE

EIGHT MONTHS LATER...

"Gianna, what's next for you? You've given your readers some range, will your next move be something completely unexpected or another complex romance?" The young man who was interviewing her asked as she was getting her makeup and hair looks switched.

She discreetly sniffed and wiped under her nose with a tissue, "I don't want to speak too soon, but I can say that it will be something special. It'll be something that I'll put a piece of my soul into, which my readers can take and hold it close to them. Something innovative and refreshing, for sure...something memorable."

Just as she'd wrapped up her answer, the crew was calling her back in front of the camera. She was honored to be Venus Magazine's cover girl of the month. Up until this day, she had to continuously pinch herself to be reminded that this was happening and that it was her real life. Whenever she posed for that camera or answered one of those questions, she felt a kaleidoscope of butterflies in her stomach. The flutter was different from the one she got from her husband but lingered the same.

"Over here, Gianna. Perfect." The photographer eagerly praised her as she posed fiercely. After snapping many candids, she and the creative director looked at the monitor to pick out their favorite flicks.

The sound of oohs and cooes caught her attention, making her look up from the tablet and into the crowd, only to see a familiar tall figure. There was a bouquet dangling from his hand and his aura demanded the attention of everyone in his presence.

Gianna attempted to hide her smile, her dimples betraying her efforts. She gave up, sitting down the tablet, and ran as fast as she could to him in her high heels.

Miles wore a wide smile, opening his arms for her to jump into. "You are captivating, as usual." He whispered as he held her close, the scent of the flowers mingling with her perfume.

"Flattery is your second language." Gianna chuckled, her laugh being music to his ears. "Hi." Her fingers found their way in the grooves between his.

"Wassup, mama." He replied, kissing her lips quickly but never lacking adoration. "Congratulations my cover girl." Miles passed the bouquet to her.

"Thank you. I love you." As he reciprocated the words of affection, Gianna pulled him away to the corner where her dressing room was. One of the assistants captured photos of them that would be useful in behind the scenes content.

"Where your eyebrows at?" He asked, making her laugh.

"They put makeup over them to match my hair." Gianna gestured towards the honey blonde braids she had that were styled artistically for her editorial shoot. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, just for this though."

"Hello, Miles. It's nice to see you." Her smile was moderate as she held a clipboard in the hook of her arm.

"Same here, Dessi." Miles said as he sat in a nearby chair, watching as an entire team changed Gianna's look for the last time today.

As Gianna went in front of the camera for the last look, her interviewer seized the opportunity. "Mr. Delgado, any thoughts on your wife's upcoming project?"

Miles looked at Gianna, his eyes filled with admiration. "Whatever it is, I know it's going to be incredible. My wife has a way of turning the ordinary into something extraordinary. I'm just standing on the sidelines and excited to see what she comes up with next."

The photoshoot was declared wrapped, and Miles escorted Gianna to his car, taking off for the rest of the day to spend it with her. They rejoined the real world after their honeymoon, Miles focusing on building his production company while Gianna continued to round out her brand as both an author and a personality. Finding a balance between their work and personal lives became a little more difficult as they acquired more responsibilities, but they both made efforts to make time just for each other.