Tiffany cuts me off with a point of her long hot pink fingernail. “So you admit it then!”
“But no more. We fell in love. Now she’s mine. You won’t threaten her, and you won’t touch a hair on her head. If you do, you’ll answer to me. Understood?”
I look to Rawley. “Get her out of here,” I say, barely containing my temper. “Or I will.”
Luckily for Tiffany, my brother drags his witch off to calm down. Turning to Katie, I take her in my arms and lead her to a private corner of the yard to apologize. She’s trembling. With wide, glassy eyes she stares at me in disbelief, tears glistening on her cheeks, her pouty lip hanging slightly open as if she’s in shock. And she must be, after the torture I’ve put her through. She’s probably going to ask me to drive her to the airport right now, to leave here and never want to see me again.
What have I done to this poor girl by bringing her here?Chapter 15Katie
We fell in love.
The words swirl around my mind, making my head feel light, erasing every mean word the no-good, carb hating, busybody spewed at me.
We fell in love.
He loves me.
Or... did he just say that?
He shakes my shoulder. “Katie. Katie, did you hear me? I can call for a car right now if you want me to take you to the airport.” He runs his hand through his hair giving his head an agitated shake. “Or, if you want to go alone, I understand.”
My mouth finally begins to form words and they come out as a hushed whisper of disbelief. “You love me. You... love me?”
When his eyes meet mine, pain shoots through his gaze, making me think I’ve made a terrible mistake. That I misheard him. Or, that he was just tossing that line out as yet another line to solidify our fake relationship.
Or... did he just say those words to get Tiffany off my back?
We fell in love.
My tears of joy turn to tears of humiliation as he stands before me, frozen, speechless, his attention locked on the ground beneath his feet.
He doesn't answer me. He doesn’t look at me.
I feel my heart break into two pieces, one falling in each of my shoes. Expensive shoes, ones he bought just for me.
He loves me not.
In my mind the petal falls, only this time there’s no bonus love petal hiding on the back of the flower head, waiting to be discovered. He still hasn’t spoken. And I turn to walk away.
A firm hand grabs my shoulder, spinning me back. Strong arms surround me, pulling me close. His gaze burns into mine, his hands cupping either side of my face. “Yes, Katie Kat. I love you. I’ve loved you ever since you snuck into that buffet line in my hotel. I love you, and I want you for my own.”
And his lips find mine. He’s kissing me, and it's a kiss marking the beginning of something, and the end of something else.
Our charade is over.
Our love is real.
And Tiffany and every single one of her Instagram trolls can take to the internet and say whatever they want to about me. Because I’m the one who’s found the happy ending.
He loves me as I love him.
He pulls away, his hands still holding my face. His gaze should be happy, matching the elation that I feel, but it's not. His dark brow is furrowed.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” I search his eyes.
“It’s just that... well. This is awkward for a man like me to ask, but... do you feel the same way?” His brow knits as he studies my face.
A choked laugh escapes through my tears of joy. “Of course I do! I love you to the moon and back. You’re my…” I go to hold the word in but my heart wells in my chest so much I fear it will burst and it comes rushing forward, “you’re my daddy.”
And he’s kissing me again. A deep kiss with his arms around me. One that tells me he loves me, and he doesn't care who knows it.
The rest of the evening is spent snuggled into his side, his arm never leaving my shoulders. Tiffany and Rawley have disappeared, taking with them their sour air of disappointment and jealousy. Thankfully, the rest of the guests are polite enough to pretend the drama they witnessed never happened.
I meet his cousins, aunts, and uncles. His friends from college, from high school. They tease me for saying I’m from Ne-VAD-uh, I playfully reprimand them for mispronouncing my home state. He has such a full life here, such a loving community, I hope for his sake that one day he’ll make peace with the pain of his past and reconnect to his people.
Because it’s obvious from the smiles on their faces that they love him.