I handed her a Vodka and cranberry, and we sat on the plush couch and I told all. By the end of it, we were both yawning and had gone through a couple crying jags. It was almost cathartic, getting it all out to someone who knew me. Someone who’d known me almost my entire life and wouldn’t judge, question, or see me in a negative light. Gin was just there for me, and now, I’d be there for her as she healed through her experience. Maybe I could get her to go see Anita Shofner, too. Therapist extraordinaire. I’d bring it up later but not now. I wanted to let her get settled first.
“So you’re going to be okay here?” I crossed my fingers and hoped she really would stick it out.
“Mia, I needed this change. It was time to leave it all behind. The crummy job, the feelings of uselessness, missing you, and living in the same shithole day in and day out. It was time for an adventure. I’m ready to see where life takes me here in California.”
“I’ll tell you this. If I’ve learned one thing from this year, it’s to trust the journey.” I pointed down to my foot, and she grinned wickedly at the tattoo I’d come to make my personal theme song.
“Any tattoo parlors in the area?” She waggled her eyebrows, the impulsive minx.
I nodded, hooked my arm and waited for her to slip hers through it. All thoughts of going to bed gone with the mere suggestion of getting her inked up. “Yes, I do believe there is one.”
Ginelle grinned beautifully. She’d always been lovely, and now she was here, with me, about to start her life over. And this time, I’d be there to help her.
“Lead the way.” She gestured to the door, and a feeling of absolute light rushed through me.
“This time, I will lead the way.” I meant every word. After ten months of doing what I was told, going here, there, being hired to be something to save someone else, I was tired of following. From here on out I was the leader of my own destiny.
The End
Mia’s journey is continued in:
* * *
Calendar Girl: November
(Coming Soon!)
* * *
Keep reading for an excerpt!
Excerpt From October Calendar Girl #10
“When are we meeting with your friends?” Wes asked, a hint of irritation in his tone. His reaction to seeing Anton again and meeting Mason was odd. My guy had always been really down to Earth and comfortable in his own skin. Only after the experience in Indonesia, he still hadn’t gotten completely back to his easy going self. His therapist assured me it took time and to continue to give him something good to focus on.
“This evening we’re meeting with Anton and Heather. He’s planned dinner for us at his pad. Mace and Rach don’t come in until later in the week.” What I didn’t tell Wes was that Anton had offered us the use of his penthouse in Manhattan for our stay, but I knew Wes wouldn’t be thrilled. When we were in Miami, he liked Anton well enough, but that was when we were just admitting our love for one another. We were too busy worrying about what the other thought to be concerned with anyone else around us.
Taking our time, we unpacked, showered, and made love. I could feel the tension seep right out of Weston’s pores when he released inside of me, words of love spilling from his lips.
While I lay there catching my breath, a Mia blanket over my man, I felt Wes lift my left hand, bring it to his lips, and kiss each finger. Then the sneaky bastard slid something weighted over my bare ring finger.
“When are we going to get married?” he asked out of the blue. We were both naked, had just had some intensely pleasurable, drowsy after-travel-sex, and I lay limp on top of his chest. I’d ridden him for all I was worth and would likely have the finger print marks on each hip to prove it.
I blinked and pushed my hair out of my face, setting one hand on top of the other over his heart. I liked feeling his heart beat under me. Reinstated the fact that he was alive, his heart was pumping, and it belonged to me.
“Is that a proposal?” I smirked.
His eyes narrowed, and he tipped his chin toward my hand. I looked down at the band of diamonds sparkling back at me.
“We’ve already discussed this.” He added, “You know that you’re never getting asked. You don’t have the option to decline.” His words were firm, and unrelenting.
Pushing up, I sat naked on top of him and focused all my attention on the most exquisite ring I’d ever seen adorning my finger. It was a single band of diamonds all the way around. It wasn’t ostentatious like most engagement rings. No, this one was simple yet sparkly. A hundred twinkly diamonds filled the inside of a band that wrapped all the way around my finger. It wouldn’t get caught on anything. I could still ride Suzi without worrying about my riding gloves…it was simply perfect.
Tears filled my eyes. “So you’re really not going to ask me?” I choked back a little sob while staring at what was obviously an engagement ring.
He sat up, looped an around my back, pushed into his heels, and propelled us backwards until he was sitting up against the headboard.
He tunneled his fingers into the back of my hair, keeping my face level with his. “Do you really need me to ask?” His eyes were a brilliant green as he forced me to look him in the eye.
“Need, no. Want…kind of.” I admitted while water leaked from my eyes.