67.3
Isabel
“Beer,” Summer says, handing me a glass. “It’s medicinal. Spending all night worrying isn’t going to do anything for you. We’ll go back to Venici in the morning.”
“Right now, you medicate with food and beer,” Phoenix says. “It’s therapeutic.”
“Fine, fine.” I study my menu, but my head is spinning, my thoughts focused on all of the things I need to say to Kev.
Why the hell didn’t I just tell him I loved him when I was in Venici?
Summer’s phone buzzes, and Phoenix groans loudly as Summer looks at the screen. “We said no phones during dinner,” he says, grabbing it from her hand.
“Give that back to me now,” she insists, slapping him playfully on the arm. “It’s important.”
“It’s important?” he asks, holding up the phone, but she snaps it out of his hand. “What do you think, Isabel? Summer buys us the next round of beers since she’s on the phone during dinner?”
Summer looks up from the phone long enough to glare at us, before burying her head and furiously texting.
“Yes, definitely,” I say absently, still thinking about what I’m going to say to Kev tomorrow. “The next round of beers is on Summer.”
“I’m going to remember you gave me grief about this,” Summer says.
“Why?” I ask. But I’m immediately distracted by the waitress coming over to take our orders, and then Phoenix orders more beer and he's telling me stories about their adventures over the summer.
I’m finishing my dinner and I’m on my second beer when Summer and Phoenix look up, their eyes focused behind me. I hear the chatter of other diners in the restaurant, people whispering and pointing.
“Isabel.”
I’d recognize his voice anywhere.
I stand up and turn around slowly, my heart beating wildly in my chest. “Kev.”
He’s standing there, holding a pink box. A few feet behind him are Alex, Nathaniel, and Max. The bodyguards stand there nonchalantly, but Alex looks like a kid on Christmas morning, her hands clasped together.
Kev steps closer to me and hands me the box.
The box. The one he sent me the first time. I shake it gently, listening to the rattle of the objects inside.
That fucker brought the box of sex toys with him to this restaurant, and just handed it to me in front of everyone.
“Flowers just seemed so boring,” he says. “And you left this behind.”
“You’re such a shit,” I whisper. “I’m not opening this.”
My hands are trembling.
“I hope not,” he says. “That would make headlines.”
“So you came all the way from Venici to return this?” I ask.
“I drove all the way from Venici because I have something to say,” he says. “Right here. In front of everyone.”
“So do I,” I blurt out, summoning every bit of confidence I have to ignore the stares of everyone around us. I can see people taking out cameras, but I don’t care. “I really fucked up by leaving, Kev. I – I want you. I don’t care about any of the rest of it. That’s all I know, and I –“
“Isabel,” Kev interrupts. “I’ve been with a lot of women.”
“A lot,” Nathaniel says from behind him, and Alex punches him on the arm.
“Shut up, Nathaniel,” Kev says. He clears his throat, looking me in the eyes, and everything goes still and quiet. Suddenly, it’s as if we’re the only two people in the world. It’s Kev and I, and I’m not scared anymore. I’m the calmest I’ve been in a long time. “I might have been with other women in the past, but I’ve never been in love. I never wanted to be in love. And then you ran into me in Vegas.”
“You ran into me,” I say softly. I’m standing here suddenly grinning like an idiot, unable to get this stupid smile off my face.
“Drunken disheveled Cinderella,” he says.
“Prince Not-So-Charming.”
“This is where I’m supposed to say something really poetic and meaningful,” he says.
I raise my eyebrows. “Meaningful and poetic doesn’t suit you,” I say.
“I’m not very poetic,” he says. He leans in close to me, his mouth near my ear. “But I have a big cock. Hopefully that makes up for it.”
I laugh, even as a shiver runs up my spine at his words. “I’ll have to let you know.”
“Does that mean you’re going to face all of the public bullshit and consequences with me?” he asks.
I take a deep breath. “I think it does.”
“Good,” he says. “Because I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather face a public scandal with than you.”
“That's…uh…sweet.”
