“It’s okay.” Kylie stared at the strand of hair she was twirling around her index finger, her tell for when she was analyzing something. “You were right. I run into these romantic adventures without thinking. If I would have taken more than thirty seconds, I would have realized Gustav wasn’t the type I want to spend my life with, cheater or not.”
“So, not a guy worth fighting for?”
“Not by a long shot.” Kylie laughed softly. “Heisa great cook though.”
“Ah, the way to Kylie’s heart…” Kylie playfully punched him in the shoulder, but she still laughed.
“It’ll be okay,” she said, releasing her finger from its chocolaty brown shroud. “We’ll be okay.”
“Promise?” Wyatt asked with a sad smile and Kylie nodded. “I just want her back. What if that never happens?”
“As long as you know you tried your hardest, did everything you possibly could, you’ll figure out how to move on.”
“I don’t know what to do, though.” Wyatt sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.
“Stop thinking, just feel.” Kylie’s advice was met with a snort.
“Yeah, I’m not feeling great right now, thinking seems like the better option.”
“No, you idiot, it isn’t.” Kylie groaned and rolled her eyes. “You’resupposedto feel like shit, you love her.”
He loved her.
Wyatt knew it was true, had known for a while. He wondered if Mia knew as well, and maybe that’s why she pulled away.
“Are you trying to think again?” Kylie asked, shaking her head in dismay.
Wyatt ignored her, mainly because she was right. He was making another jump of logic, an assumption based on what he thought he knew.
“She’s a big fan of yours, you know,” he said instead.
“Was the gift you asked me about for her?” Kylie asked, seeming almost amused. “A lover of historical romances with a head totally empty of all fluffy notions about love? Right.”
“It’s kind of weird, honestly.” Wyatt frowned, wondering how this was the first time the thought had occurred to him. “Mia’s a debutante. She spent her entire life in the world of titles and ballrooms. She hates it, couldn’t get away from it fast enough, but her choice of genre is full of all the things she claims to despise.”
“Are you serious?” Kylie was gaping at him, eyes wide.
“Yeah, she even has that special edition box set of your series in hardback, the one with the white, baby blue, and gold.”
“It’s periwinkle, and are youseriousthat she has the Gilded Gowns five-year publish-versary set?” Wyatt nodded. “That box set was priced over three-hundred dollars, Wyatt,withoutshipment costs.”
“Okay?” Wyatt wasn’t sure what about that information had caused Kylie to appear so scandalized.
“Oh, dear lord, have mercy.” Kylie dropped her head into her hands. “Mia is rational and calculated, but she spent aninsaneamount of money on books she could have easily read for a tenth of the price on her phone, or just gotten the paperback for much cheaper. She escapes from her reality, the one you claim she despises, by reading historical romance depicting an extreme version of that reality.”
“And…?” Wyatt had a hunch about what Kylie was about to say, but, in a much more real sense, he had no idea and needed it spelled out.
“Her head isfullof fluffy romance!” Kylie practically yelled at him, her hands flailing about, implying she was either over his density orreallyhungry. Maybe both.Most likely both. “She’s just waiting to be swept off her feet, for a grand gesture of love, Jesus, Wy.” Wyatt took a step back, sensing Kylie was about ready to smack him. “Turn off your brain for once and let your heart make the decisions.” Kylie pushed off the counter when the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of their food. “That’show you get her back.”
Let his heart make the decisions, now that was a novelty Wyatt wasn’t ready for. No, he couldn’t give up on logic yet, he just had to come up with a plan to win Mia back.
Titanic
Mia
It wasafter midnight and Mia was staring at a historical documentary about the Titanic. It was the only thing mildly worth watching at this hour, and it was exponentially better than lying awake in bed alone with her thoughts.
Today was supposed to be the first time she saw Wyatt since ending things a few days prior, but he had packed his days with meetings outside the hub, presumably to avoid her. Mia knew she should be grateful, but she couldn’t muster a positive notion regarding the situation no matter how hard she tried.