Page 84 of Unraveling Rain
Ruin lifts her arms in victory. “Yes!”
Rain shakes her head at her sister’s antics, but they hug and linger there for a moment, clearly whispering something I’m not meant to hear.
I drift over to the stroller to check on the babies. They’re peacefully napping, noise-cancelling headphones on their tiny heads. Their cheeks are flushed from the heat but cooled by small fans clipped to the canopy. They’re wearing matching red-and-blue star onesies. They look adorable.
“Thinking about the future?” Gio asks, stepping up beside me.
“Yeah,” I say, voice quiet. “I want it all.”
Gio is surprisingly a very easy person to talk to—not the typical cool and aloof billionaire.
He nods slowly, eyes on his kids. “If there’s anything I can do to help you, and I mean anything…” He pauses to let his words sink in. “Just say the word.”
He hands me a business card, and I tuck it into my back pocket. No fanfare. Just quiet, solid support.
“Thanks, man. It means a lot.”
He takes a big sip from his water bottle. “Long-distance relationships aren’t easy. But I know you two can make things work. If Rain says she loves you, believe her. Just… give her time to let her feelings settle in. She has always been guarded, but with you?” He glances over, the girls still huddled in conversation. “It seems like she’s bloomed.”
My chest swells, and he pats me on the back.
“We’ll make sure to keep an eye on her while you’re in Raleigh.”
I sip my lemonade, savoring the refreshing flavor of raspberries, blackberries, and a hint of bitterness from the lime. There’s another flavor I can’t quite place, but damn—this is good. Joss was right. I need to ask Rain for the recipe.
“I appreciate it, Gio,” I say. “I know my time to go back to Raleigh is coming up soon. We haven’t talked about her moving, or even if she’s open to continuing our relationship long-distance. There’s a lot we need to figure out, but I hope we can make things work.”
Gio nods. “If your love is as strong as I think it is, you guys will find a way.”
I give him a half hug and thank him for chatting with me.
He claps a hand on my shoulder. “Anytime, Xander. You know, we’re just two lucky bastards living in the MacAllisters’ world.”
I throw my head back, laughing. He’s right. I’m just thankful I get to be a part ofherworld.
“The concert is about to start,” Rain says, wrapping her arm around my waist. I slide mine around her shoulder without thinking.
“Let’s go,” Ruin adds, falling into step with Gio.
We make our way to a shaded pavilion where the rest of the crew is already set up—River, Miles, Merlin, and Penny lounging in foldable chairs, a few extra saved for us. The air is cooler here, the breeze off the hill making the space feel like a secret retreat from the sun-drenched fairground.
After hellos and baby compliments, we settle into our seats.
The stage lights shift. A girl with curly blonde hair and big brown eyes steps up to the mic with a guitar slung over her shoulder. She strums a few chords, clears her throat, and smiles.
“Hello, Azaleans. How are we on this beautiful Fourth of July?”
The crowd explodes in cheers, and her smile grows.
“Okay, alright. You seem to be in good spirits. I have a couple of songs for you today, but before we start, let’s give a big round of applause to Dr. Gio Bianchi for sponsoring another fantastic festival.”
The crowd goes wild. Gio turns beet red. He grabs a hat from the bottom of the stroller and slouches lower in his seat, trying to disappear. But with a redhead like Ruin beside you—one who’s standing, clapping, and literally pointing at you—that’s an impossible task.
Eventually, Gio relents. He stands and waves, then bows. The applause fades. He sits back down, Ruin tugs him into a hug, and they kiss like nobody’s watching.
“Alright,” the girl says, adjusting her guitar strap. “Without further ado, my name is Meadow Smith, and this is 'Lover' by Taylor Swift.
She taps her cowboy boot against the stage and strums.
