“I’m not surprised to hear that, but I am sorry.” Arnoldo studied me. “You couldn’t choose one of the other women who’ve loved you and would give you no trouble? A comfortable ornament who would settle into your life without a ripple?”
“As Eva says, what would be the fun in that?” My smile faded. “She challenges me, Arnoldo. Makes me see things … think about things, in ways I didn’t before. And she loves me. Not like the others.” I reached for my phone again.
“You didn’t allow the others to love you.”
“I couldn’t. I was waiting for her.” A thoughtful expression crossed his face and I said, “I can’t imagine your Bianca was hassle-free.”
He laughed. “No. But my life is simple. I can use complications.”
“My life was ordered. Now, it’s an adventure.”
Arnoldo sobered, his dark eyes growing serious. “But that wildness in her that you love is what worries me most.”
“Stop worrying.”
“I will mention this only once, then never again. You may be angry with me for what I say, but understand that my heart is in the right place.”
My jaw tightened. “Get it off your chest.”
“I sat with Eva and Brett Kline at dinner. I observed them together. There is chemistry there, not unlike what I saw between Bianca and the man she left me for. I wish I believed Eva would ignore it, but she’s already proven that she can’t.”
I held his gaze. “She had her reasons. Reasons I gave her.”
Arnoldo took another drink. “Then I’ll pray that you don’t give her more reasons.”
“Hey,” Arash shouted. “Cut it out with the Italian and get your asses in here.”
Arnoldo touched his glass to my bottle before passing me.
I finished my beer alone, taking a moment to consider what Arnoldo had said.
Then I joined the party.
4
“WHAT’S GOT YOU frowning, baby girl?” Cary asked, his voice low and sleepy from the Dramamine he’d downed at takeoff.
Staring at the choices in the dropdown menu my cursor hovered over, I debated which to pick. Engaged or It’s complicated? Since Married also applied, I thought All of the above should’ve been an option.
Wouldn’t that be fun to explain?
Glancing across the luxurious cabin of Gideon’s private jet, I found my best friend sprawled along the white leather sofa with his hands tucked behind his head. Long and lean, he was a pretty picture with his shirt riding high and his cargo pants riding low, exposing the amazing abs that were helping Grey Isles to sell jeans, underwear, and other men’s clothing.
Cary had no problem whatsoever accustoming himself to the luxurious conveniences of Gideon’s immense wealth. He’d settled immediately and comfortably into the elegant appointments of the ultra-modern cabin. And somehow, even casually dressed, he looked perfectly at home amid the brushed steel and gray oak.
“I’m trying to set up some social media accounts,” I answered.
“Whoa.” He sat up with effortless grace, his posture surprisingly and instantly alert. “Big step.”
“Yeah.” Nathan had kept me hiding, afraid to put myself out there and risk making it easy for him to find me. “But it’s time. I feel like … Never mind. It’s just time.”
“All right.” He set his elbows on his knees and tapped his fingertips together. “Then why is your face all scrunched up like that?”
“Well, there’s a lot to consider. I mean, how much do I share out there? I don’t have to worry about Nathan anymore, but Gideon is under constant scrutiny.”
With my thoughts on Gideon, I ran a search for his profile. It popped up with the little blue check mark that told me it was verified as belonging to him. The sight of his picture, a shot of him in a black three-piece suit and the blue tie I loved, sent a pang of longing through me. He’d been photographed on a rooftop with the skyline of Manhattan fuzzily out of focus behind him, while he was sharply and vividly captured by the camera’s lens.