She flutters her eyelashes at me. "And who’s the recipient of all the techniques I learn from the books?"
"I’m not complaining, at all." I cup her cheek. “You should know, I donated my hair to a charity that makes wigs for women with alopecia. I’ll also be contributing twenty-five percent of my company’s monthly profits to funding research for this condition.”
Her chin wobbles. “Liam, I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything.” I kiss her again before I pull back and pick up her phone. I switch to the camera and hold it up in selfie mode so we’re both framed on screen. "There’s one thing you can do though; I think you should share another video post."
A line forms between her eyebrows. "Now?"
"It has to be now."
"But this feels too intimate," she protests.
"Nothing you post will take away from what we have, baby."
She searches my features. "I don’t want to share us with the world," she finally admits.
"But you need to—for yourself and for others like you. You can inspire so many more women and men out there by showing this condition is not the end of the world. You can continue to live a full, happy life on your own terms, without having to be defensive. Just by being yourself, you can give hope to so many others."
She sits up, places her Kindle on the coffee table, then slides back into the circle of my arms. "Are you always going to read my thoughts before I’ve even had a chance of forming them in my mind?"
"Always."
She chuckles. "So confident."
"As are you."
She searches my features, then nods. "You’re right, I need to do this, but it’s the last post I’m going to share about us. This, what we have, is too personal, but I know by sharing us, it sends out a sign that nothing changes when you decide to live with this condition."
I pull her closer and kiss the top of her head. "I love you."
"I love you."
52
Isla
"Will the two of you stop breaking the internet, please?" Zara waves her phone in my face. We’re on the patio of Liam’s—I mean, my and Liam’s—townhouse that looks out on the rolling slope of Primrose Hill. Turns out, we’re also close to Summer and Sinclair's home and Karma and Michael’s place. The rest of the Seven, too, have opted to set up homes in and around the area. It’s nice to have our own little micro-community here, especially with Karma and Summer giving birth before the year is out. Some of the other wives of the Seven are pregnant, too, so we’re going to be knee-deep in babies very soon.
"Earth to Isla." Zara touches my shoulder.
I blink. "I’m here… just trying to come to grips with everything."
"You mean your newfound stardom?"
I glance at the screen of the phone which is open to my social media where we posted the video of Liam and me that we recorded in his study. The video has done almost as well as the one of me revealing my real look. That was a week ago. All of the videos on my feed are continuing to rack up hits. I’ve been receiving invitations to speak about alopecia, to become a spokesperson for it, and even an offer to write an autobiography, all of which I've turned down.
I’m not going to rush into anything. For now, I want to focus on my husband and myself. And while I’m not going to share any more videos of the two of us, I’m going to continue to talk at strategic intervals about my journey up until now, and moving forward on my feed.
"I’m glad my videos seem to have resonated with so many people, but what matters most is that I dared to face myself," I murmur.
Zara tilts her head. She stays that way for a few seconds, then nods slowly. "That’s very mature of you."
I raise a shoulder. "I was so worried about putting up that video where I told everyone about my condition but now, I’m glad I did it.”
"Whatever you decide is right for you is the right thing to do."
I smile. "Thanks."