Page 64 of The Edge Of Us

She giggled and smacked the sponge onto my cheek, completely unbothered by the fact that I wasn't even wearing foundation yet.

This had become our morning routine. Ever since Brittany and I started doing those "Get Ready With Me" videos-half wellness, half chaos-Astrid had decided she, too, was part of the brand.

Luxe Beauty had gone from a passion project to a best-selling line almost overnight. Every drop of serum, every lip tint, every moisturizer-it was mine. And now the world knew it. Our latest campaign had just hit Vogue's top ten, and the numbers were climbing faster than I could refresh my phone.

"You're going to be a CEO by the time you're five," I muttered into Astrid's curls, inhaling the warm vanilla scent of her baby lotion.

Kyle was already at school-thank God for Brittany, who had done the drop-off today-and I had a show to walk. My parents had to sleep in and since I was good on my own and decided to stay in NYC for a while. Louis Vuitton's Autumn Collection.

As Astrid babbled and climbed onto the vanity chair beside me, smearing a bit of highlighter across her chin, my phone buzzed. I reached for it absently.

Jasper: "Good luck today. You'll light up that runway. As always."

I bit my lip, a small, stupid smile tugging at the corners. My heart did that fluttering thing it had started doing recently-since Jasper began texting again. Nothing serious. Nothing deep. Just light, comforting little exchanges. A funny meme. A compliment. A late night, "You okay?"

Still... every time his name lit up my screen, I blushed like I was sixteen again.

And, of course, my mother noticed.

She walked in with a cup of coffee and raised a brow at my expression. "Jasper?"

I groaned. "Mom. Don't."

She chuckled, setting the mug down. "Just saying. A man who makes you smile like that without trying? Keep him around. Even if it's just for texting."

I rolled my eyes and stood, brushing mascara onto one eye while trying to keep Astrid from poking the other. "It's not like that. He's just... nice. Safe."

Her smile softened. "After everything, you deserve safe."

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of stylists, fittings, and makeup chairs. Brittany showed up backstage with her hair in a claw clip and iced coffee in both hands, as usual.

"Queen of glow," she smirked, handing me one.

"Queen of late," I replied, smirking back.

We posed for a quick selfie before heading out for our lineup. Everything about the show was crisp, refined, powerful. The LV team had outdone themselves. My look was bold-high-structured shoulders, a sharp cat-eye, and deep oxblood lips. I didn't even recognize myself in the mirror.

I looked like her. The Corine I used to be. The Corine I thought I lost.

As I walked down the runway, the lights blinding, the beat pulsing beneath my heels, I didn't think of the past. Not the betrayals. Not the silence. Not the months in a white room with nurses whispering behind closed doors.

I thought of Astrid giggling in my lap. Kyle's drawings taped to the fridge. Brittany sleeping over after our launch party, wine drunk and snoring into a throw pillow.

I was okay. I was healing.

But the moment I stepped into the post-show crowd and locked eyes with him-I forgot how to breathe.

Allen.

He stood toward the back, wearing that navy coat I gave him two Christmases ago. His eyes found mine like a magnet, and for a second, I felt the floor tilt. He didn't smile. Didn't wave. Just stared, like he wasn't sure I was real.

"What the hell?" Brittany whispered, appearing beside me. "Is that-?"

"Yeah," I choked out. "It's him."

I couldn't move. Couldn't think. Couldn't understand why he was there, in my city, at my show, looking at me like he hadn't shattered every soft part of me to pieces.

Before I could walk away-or scream, or cry, or crumble-Astrid came barreling out from the wings, Brittany's assistant chasing behind her.

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