Ella hung up the phone and then went over to the dress she’d been working on all week. She had no idea how this would work. If Tim came to get her, and she was locked in the attic, she’d be screwed. Her stepmom would just tell him that she wasn’t there. If he didn’t come to get her, she’d look ridiculous coming to dinner in her dress. But… she didn’t really have a choice. She needed to put it on now in anticipation of her stepmom coming to let her out. Would she just shove her back into the attic and lock the door when she realized Ella intended to go to the party?

Rome stepped out of the shadows once he was certain they were alone. There she was, standing by the fountain, her gown flowing around her, the moonlight casting a silver hue around her dark hair and making her skin glow in a soft light. She had spoken as if she were ordinary, perhaps even ugly, but even with the mask on her face, he could tell that Ella was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.They’d spoken to each other several times over the phone; he almost felt as if he knew her. Yet, as he approached, the ordinary words that would’ve normall

Blinding light had Ella covering her face and blinking. “Where is it!” her stepmother screeched, pulling the chain to the bare bulb above Ella’s bed but continuing to shine the flashlight in Ella’s face. “Where the hell is that gown?” she demanded.Ella hadn’t fallen asleep yet, but she had been on her way. Her thoughts had been on Rome, of how peaceful it had been to stand in the garden with him, to hold his hand, to kiss his lips. She’d been so relaxed; it had been like floating on a cloud, in the world’s best dr

Ella couldn’t believe Rome was crossing her yard. How brave must he be to dare climb over the tall barrier in the wall and make his way through rows of hedges and bushes as well. She muttered to herself, “My goodness!” watching him cross toward the yard.Resting her head on her hand, she considered what she should do. If she opened the window, she’d have to shout to him, but that wasn’t feasible. She could wake up everyone in the house doing that. 

The phone was ringing, but Ella wasn’t answering, and Rome started to get nervous. He had gotten to Mark’s apartment just after sun up because he hadn’t been able to sleep anyway. Mark was passed out in bed in his underwear. Rome only knew that because he went into his room to find his phone. Finally, he heard her sweet voice in his ear. It was a whisper, as if she was trying not to be discovered, when she said, “Hello?”