I clear my throat. “And from there… well, I don’t think we all have to know everything that went on after that.”
“Yeah, let’s keep this PG,” Kira says with a chuckle. “So, it sounds like it started as a whirlwind romance. How did it become more?”
Kira digs a little further. I’m sure Beau told her to be patient and not push too much, but I don’t care. People are already saying shit, making up stories on the internet, so what’s the difference if I tell them the truth?
“Romy came to see me two more times after that,” I say.
She puts her hand on her swollen belly. “It was a fairytale. Literally. I was swept up in it. I mean—it’s what you think happens when a superstar is interested in you, right?”
I laugh. Romy faces me and touches my cheek. I kiss the inside of her wrist.
“And then…” I place my hand on her stomach. “Somewhere in those three visits, we made this little one.”
“He’s forgetting the part where he blew me off.” Romy shakes her head and rolls her eyes playfully.
Kira’s eyes widen, but I can tell she’s completely charmed by Romy. As she should be.
“Zander,” Kira scolds like a mother.
“I have no excuse other than I was a stupid man. But fate intervened because I ended up here on Plain Daisy Ranch, filming a music video for the song I wrote for her.”
I glance at Beau behind the cameras. I never asked him how he found this place. I figured he stayed away from Texas since that’s where we grew up, but how did he find this small town in Nebraska to film the video?
“And you haven’t been shy on socials, letting everyone know the new song is about Romy.” Kira smiles and looks between us.
“Yeah, it is.”
“That really is a fairytale, Romy.”
Romy shakes her head. “I’ve learned there’s no such thing as fairytales. But I think we come pretty damn close.”
“Did the two of you immediately fall in love when Zander arrived on the ranch?”
I can’t help the scoff that comes out of me. “Not at first. She was hell-bent on making sure I paid for blowing her off.”
“With good reason,” Kira says good-naturedly.
“I couldn’t resist in the end.” Romy looks at me, and I kiss her forehead.
Kira asks, “So do you want to fill us in on what you’re having?”
Romy looks at me because we discussed this before coming here.
“We’re going to leave a few things secret.” I wink at Romy.
“Fair enough,” Kira says, looking at the cards in her hand. “Zander, you’ve been a really private guy until now, so I have to ask—why are we doing this today?”
I look at Romy to answer.
“We’re sick of reading the lies about us?” Romy laughs. “Honestly, we’re giving the public our truth, and hopefully they reciprocate by allowing us to live our life with some element of privacy.”
I squeeze her hand. Romy’s so much better at this than I am.
“And how does it feel to be public?” Kira presses.
“Like I can breathe with both lungs.” Romy smiles at me.
“I used to think it was easier to stay quiet, but I met this really smart woman who made me see different.” I look at Romy—who’s given me the strength to live my life for real—and am overcome with gratitude.
