Page 68 of Wanted

“No, it wasn’t in my plans. I’m not her client.”

“But I am,” he adds. “Well, my company is, but I’m the CEO, so we’re invited and I wouldn’t attend without my wife.”

That leaves me speechless. When Catherine ordered the soaps, she never told me we would also be there, so I made no plans for it.

I’ve been definitely living one day at a time lately, not knowing what the next day awaits for me. Someone pass me a GPS, please. It would be good to know where the next stop is in this crazy race my life has become.

“You have your resources, I have mine,” I say, ending the discussion. “My suitcase is like Mary Poppins’s bag, surely I will find something appropriate in it.”

I keep walking along the narrow cobblestoned alley without paying much attention to the elegant stained glass windows. There are people around, some very stylish, shopping at designer stores, others just hanging out and taking photos. They all look so carefree, for a moment I feel envious of them, to be able to walk and just enjoy the moment. But immediately, I remember nobody’s life is perfect. Sometimes we keep quiet, put on a good front, and move on, not letting ourselves be defeated by life’s crazy circumstances.

I sit down on one of the benches that are surrounded by flowerpots in the middle of the alley and I close my eyes for a moment. I need it. To calm down, compose myself, and gather my strength to deal with Lionel again.

Many people think that because I’m a small-town girl, who hasn’t had the opportunity to see the world, I’m stupid. On the contrary, never judge a book by its cover, because appearances are deceiving. I’m a pretty quiet girl, but I know how to stand up for myself.

And it’s time to stand my ground.

“Hvezda.” I hear him call me by the nickname he gave me and although I don’t admit it, I love it. It is unique, our thing. “It seems I always mess everything up…”

“Not everything,” I say without opening my eyes.

“Listen.” He puts his hand on my leg, approaching me. “I can’t help wanting to lay the whole world at your feet, to share everything I have with you, share who I am.”

“I don’t need your money and you know it. I can manage on my own perfectly.”

“What is the use of having a lot of money in my bank account when I can’t share it with you?”

Now I open my eyes and turn around, ready to face him in more ways than one. His beautiful brown eyes look at me with a mixture of concern and angst reflected in them.

“Oh, yeah? Since when? Because until a few weeks ago you asked me for money to pay your expenses, not only that but every expense of the house you made me rent because you were saving your money to buy the vineyard. Now I think it was another lie. Tell me, Lionel, since when do you want to share everything with me?”

In the end, money is the least of our problems, what really bothers me is the mistrust. Why not sign a prenup before the wedding to protect his fortune? Why did he do everything in such a strange and inexplicable way?

“Motherfucker,” he growls under his breath.

I remain silent, waiting for him to think about his defense. After a few seconds, he opens his mouth and starts. “I don’t want to lie to you, Stella, there are things I can’t explain because right now I don’t have the answers.”

It’s so frustrating when he replies without actually answering anything.

“Is that your excuse? That you don’t know what you were thinking when you made me fall in love with lies?”

He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes, as I did a little while ago.

“It isn’t an excuse, maybe one day we will find those answers together. For now, it’s the best I can offer you.”

I look at him and snort. No, it’s not enough.

“I need more than that, Lionel, and you know it.” Hot pure rage begins to run through my veins. “And don’t use what happened as an excuse, we both know you didn’t lose your memory.”

He looks at me, God, he has the most beautiful brown eyes I’ve ever seen. Every time he looks at me like that, the effect is the same, a thousand butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

“No, I didn’t lose my memory or plan to use it to justify what happened. But we also agreed to start again,” he tells me. “We can’t move forward if every time we take one step forward, we end up taking two steps back too. And you agreed to grant me a do-over.”

I look at him, lightning coming out of my eyes.

“Don’t use my words against me,” I reply and he smiles. Damn, the man knows how to use his weapons.

“You leave me no other option, baby.” He comes closer to me, his closeness overwhelms me, clouding my mind, and when he kisses me softly on the lips, I’m unable to function correctly. “Listen, let’s enjoy the day, but humor me please, and let me buy you a couple of things here and there, not because I don’t value what you work for but because I want to do it. Maybe one day we’ll feel comfortable enough to share everything.”

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