“Sweet or savory?” he asked, his voice low and calm.
“Uh…savory,” I replied, too tired to argue.
He nodded, signaling for a server and placing the order in a language I didn’t recognize. I blinked at him, surprised yet again by the layers of Alexander Wright. There was always more to him than met the eye.
When the server left, he turned toward me, leaning slightly against the backrest. “So,” he said softly, his eyes meeting mine, “what happened today?”
Something about the way he asked—his voice steady, his expression open—made it impossible to brush him off. Instead of the usual,I’m fine, the words spilled out before I could stop them.
“Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong,” I admitted, pressing a finger to my temple. I recounted the disastrous morning: Gia’s meltdown, the chaos at the airport, the overwhelming exhaustion.
When I finally stopped, Alexander tilted his head slightly. “I like Nicola,” he said simply, a small smile tugging at his lips.
I smiled back, warmth filling my chest. “So do I. I’m lucky she came into my life when she did. It feels like I’ve known her forever, not just a few weeks.”
“She’s good for you,” he said, his voice laced with quiet approval. Then, with that easy, devastating smile of his, he added, “Well, I can’t fix today, but I can feed you. We’ll start there.”
His smile was disarming, bright enough to erase the lingering frustration from the day. It wasn’t just a smile; it washim. Pure Alexander—effortless, charming, and unexpectedly kind.
“Also,” he continued, a hint of uncertainty creeping into his tone, “I was thinking we should start the plan ahead of this race. Maybe post something? Get people talking before we show up together.”
I perked up at the shift in conversation, happy for a distraction. “Totally! We could do a soft launch.”
Alexander blinked at me, confused. “What the hell is a soft launch?”
“It’s like a teaser,” I explained, holding back a laugh. “You post something ambiguous, like a hand or the back of someone’s head—just enough to hint that you’re in a relationship but without showing everything. It’s mysterious.”
His brow furrowed, amusement flickering in his eyes. “How is it mysterious?”
“It draws people in!”
He rubbed a hand over his face.
“This will stir the pot, intrigue the media.” Honestly, Anna would be proud of me for thinking of this.
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Fine. Whatever you think is best.”
I leaned in, resting a hand on his arm. “This is going to be fun. Something different to focus on. Honestly, I’m excited to have an identity outside of ‘Mom’ for a bit.”
“You’re an amazing mum,” Alexander said, his voice soft with sincerity.
“I know,” I replied with a small smile. “But it’s consuming, you know? After I found out I was pregnant, my whole world shifted. It stopped being about me—it was all about Gia. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything, but sometimes…it’s a lot. Being responsible for an entire little human, knowing everything I do affects her.”
He nodded, his gaze unwavering. Then, under the table, his hand brushed against my thigh and rested there. It was meant to be comforting, I knew that, but the jolt of electricity it sent through me made my breath hitch.
I pulled myself together quickly. “Anyway, come here,” I said, grabbing his phone. I leaned into him, angling it to hide my face behind my hair as I snapped a photo. The image showed Alexander looking down at me, his face only partially visible, while my own stayed out of view.
“Perfect,” I said, showing him the screen. “Post it before tomorrow, and we’re set, we can take one for mine in one of the mirrors in the lobby, the pretty, big ones.”
He stared at the picture for a moment, then back at me, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You’re something else, you know that?”
I handed him the phone with a grin. “You have no idea.”
15
LUCIA
Ihad spent the entire night tossing and turning, only to wake up with dark circles under my eyes and the kind of exhaustion that no amount of coffee could fix. Today was qualifying day for Azerbaijan, and Alexander and I were making our first appearance as acouple. Nicola was staying back at the hotel with Gia, giving me the freedom to dive headfirst into this ridiculous, over-the-top plan of ours.
