Page 67 of Say It Isn't So

Placing my hand on her back, I moved her to face me directly. “I hope you told him no.” I felt my jaw tick, so I commanded it to stop.Yeah, Frankie was right, I’ll never be bored with Bianca. Dare I say I might just have my hands full with her.

“Of course I declined before you came up and acted like a neanderthal, if you must know.” Then she reached up and trailed my jawline with her finger, amusement coloring her expression. “Who knew you were a jealous man, Knox Rhodes?”

Even to my own ears, my voice sounded gravelly when I answered, “I’m not jealous, Bianca. I’m a man who doesn’t like to share.”

She outlined my lips with her finger before pulling back and laying the same finger on her own pink lips. “When it comes toyour girl,” she said, her eyes turning dark—darker than their already liquid chocolate.

Man, did I say that aloud? What is wrong with me? It’s one thing to think it, but a whole other to say it aloud. I know the rules.

Before I could answer, she added, “I have to say, I don’t hate that.”

Snaking my arm around her waist, I pulled her close, our bodies touching. Her lips were a breath away from my own, but I didn’t dare press mine against them. “Yeah, well, I don’t think you would’ve liked seeing what I was about to do to that guy—”

“Raphael,” she said smartly.

I narrowed my gaze and continued, “—that guy, if he didn’t remove his hand from your body.”

Reaching up on her tiptoes, she whispered in front of my mouth, “I think I might’ve.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Rina

Hanging from myhotel room door was a sultry emerald-green dress that featured strategically-placed cutouts above my chest, below my chest, and around my hips. It was enhanced with shimmering bling.

Below the designer dress sat a pair of heels that were understated, but had bling to compliment the dress.

I looked away from my outfit for this evening and watched in the mirror as my hair stylist added extensions and fixed it in a sophisticated updo. Gone were the days when I had to do my own hair and makeup. Though there were times when I did, they were few and far between. Honestly, I was so used to it by now that when I was left to do it on my own, I usually grabbed a blow dryer and round brush and hoped for the best.

Sitting in the chair beside me was my mother, her eyes lit up as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. I let her borrow my experts to do her glam, too. You see, I was invited to theBellissimaMilan Fashion Week After Party and I got a plus-one.

I would’ve brought Knox, but he had already been invited. I just hoped Bianca wouldn’t be on his arm all night. There was nothing that would’ve made me want to expel my dinner faster than the sight of those two, pretending like they were anything more than a minor relationship snafu before the real deal.

Really, they were kidding themselves if they thought they’d make each other happy. Bianca grew up one way. Knox and I, a whole other way. I understood him. Bianca was like a sheltered little girl. Maybe she’d have fun playing with him for a while, and him her, but they were never meant to be more than that.

“What’s on your mind?” my mother asked, turning to me.

I kept my eyes focused ahead, but answered, “Knox.” I had nothing to hide or be ashamed of. I wanted to be with Knox again, so sue me. It wasn’t like exes could never get back together, and before you went thinking it, don’t—it wasn’t a bad idea. Second chances were rare, but we had been given one, and I was going to take it.

“Sweet girl, look at yourself. You can have any boy in the world.”

I clasped my hands together in my lap and pursed my lips. “I don’t want any boy in the world. I want Knox. He’s it for me, I’m telling you.” I looked out of the corner of my eye, and saw she was furrowing her brows.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to see you settle. Knox was your past and he was a good high school boyfriend, but now,” she paused. “Do you really think he’d fit into this world you’ve created for yourself?” If anyone knew, you’d think it’d be my mother, but she was wrong on this one.

I swallowed. I’d given this a lot of thought, and I needed to break up with him to figure out myself and see my dreams come true. But all of that happened and now when I went to bed at night, I did so alone. It made it feel just a tad less worth it. So nodding, I said without hesitation, “Yes. Knox is different. He’s made something of himself, too.”

“And he wants to be with you again? Even after you broke up with him?”

Why did that need to be brought up? I had broken up with him, but it wasn’t like I’d killed his dog. It was more like a separation than a divorce. What I was trying to say was that it hadn’t been permanent because we’d ran into each other here and now we could pick up where we’d left off. Only thing was, it would be better this time because we were better off than before. We weren’t the same two pathetic people from Minnesota. We’d made it. Hello, was no one listening?

Knox could’ve been happy, I knew, living in that disgusting apartment for the rest of our lives so long as we had each other—his words, not mine. But that wasn’t me, and he knew it. He’d always known I had big dreams and they weren’t pipe dreams, they were more than that. I wanted a better life than we had growing up. I wanted my child to have a better life one day.

Having parents who lived paycheck to paycheck and feared retiring because they didn’t have money saved? That wasn’t something I wanted for my child.

So I’d fixed my situation. And apparently, so had he. Maybe my leaving him was just the kick in the pants he’d needed; just look at how he’d gotten his life together.

“Not yet,” I said, finally answering her question about whether Knox wanted to be with me again.

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