“I’m in a strange place right now. Everything seems uncertain.”
I can’t say I know what it’s like to have my heart broken, but I do understand what it feels like to hurt, and Kayla is in so much pain, it’s palpable.
I lean against the bathroom counter and pull her against me. The room is still steaming and the faint smell of her coconut shampoo is lingering in the air.
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily. Dev may be stupid enough to walk away from the best thing that’s ever happened to us, but I’m not. Fuck him and fuck this place. We don’t need any of it.”
Kayla hangs on my every word wide-eyed, trying to decipher exactly what it is I’m trying to say. I take a deep breath because here it comes.
“Marry me.” I clutch her face. “Leave the land that time forgot and travel the world with me. Be by my side. It’s what I want. It’s what I’ve always wanted.”
Kayla stands there gaping. I know my proposal is abrupt, but it’s what I want. And if there’s one thing about me, I always go after what I want.
“Reese, I can’t just up and leave. I have a job and house and bills to pay.”
“Kayla, I’ll take care of it. All of it.”
“I’m not a charity case, Reese.” She becomes defensive.
“I know you’re not. You’re the woman I want to be my wife. Isn’t that what couples do? Share their livelihood? What’s the point of having fame and fortune if I can’t share it with the people I love? I’ve been alone for so long. I’m ready for this.For us.”
The expression on Kayla’s face is one filled with trepidation. I know I just dumped a shitload on her. Marriage, leaving her home, her job, her family. But life is short, and if you don’t strike while the iron’s hot, you can miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And this is one opportunity I refuse to pass up.
“I don’t know what to say.” She’s clearly shocked.
“Say yes.” I shake her lightly. “Take a risk. Jump without looking. I promise I’ll catch you.”
Kayla deliberates for a long while. A very long while, just standing in my arms with heavy wet hair and her body wrapped in only a towel.
She closes her eyes and inhales, causing my heart to stop. Doubt suddenly pours over me. What if her sense outweighs my impulsiveness? What if one man isn’t enough?
Kayla opens her eyes, the flecks of gold piercing through her brown irises. Her gaze is heavy—unreadable. I hold my breath.
“Yes.”
32
Kayla
My life had transformed in a matter of days. A week ago, I was in the States, giving notice at my job and packing for an extended trip. Today, I’m on Reese’s arm, standing in a lavish ballroom, wearing a red cocktail dress, having a conversation with an Italian megastar whose name eludes me at the moment. I’ve met so many new people in such a short amount of time, it feels like my head is spinning. I plaster on a smile as Reece and the charismatic man discuss topics beyond my comprehension. But I guess I’ll learn. At least, I’m trying. Being catapulted into Reese’s world has opened my eyes dramatically. In the U.S., he’s popular. In Europe, he’s revered as a god. Racing is like a religion, and the people occupying this room are deities.
I continue to smile and nod as the handsome, olive-skinned man throws amicable digs at Reese in this thick Italian accent.
“...And I say…What is this? The Phantom. He smile. He never smile.” He laughs. “And now, I know. It’s you.” He addresses me. “You cause…How you say? -Shit-eating American?”
Reese shoves the man good-naturedly. “Shit-eating grin. The expression is shit-eating grin.”
“I still no understand.” He speaks with his hands. “Why would you eat shit and grin?”
The three of us simultaneously crack up. He has a point.
“Vanni!” someone calls from across the room. That’s it! Giovanni is his name. I file it away for next time.
Vanni waves in acknowledgment.
“I must go, bella.” He kisses my hand. I don’t think a man has ever kissed my hand. “It was a pleasure. Keep making him eat shit.” He winks and gestures at Reese.
I giggle. “Promise.”
