“If it’s meant to work, it will work,” Red said, his voice steady. “No matter what.”
“Well, you don’t know how much Fox prioritizes his work.”
Red hummed. “I know that I did nothing but prioritize work for years, until I realized that love is a better type of fuel,” he said. “I gave all of my blood, sweat, and tears to open up Red’s Tavern, but finally being with Liam means more.”
Cocoa suddenly perked up, her ears lifting as she looked behind us.
I heard a sound from behind me like someone was opening the door to the rooftop deck. It was probably some other hotel guest—two girls had been leaving the deck earlier when I came up, and I was shocked I’d had the place to myself for a couple of hours, anyway.
But when I turned around, my heart dropped right down in my chest.
“What?” I whispered, forgetting I was on the phone altogether.
I was staring right at Fox.
There he was, decked out in one of his suits, looking just as swanky as he had in the paparazzi photos I’d seen online last night. Cocoa went wild, whining a little and wagging like hell, so excited to see him.
A soft breeze blew across the rooftop and I broke out in goosebumps.
“You okay, bud?” Red said on the phone, sounding so far away.
“Red, I’m going to have to call you back,” I said.
“Roger that. Be good, Sam.”
I hung up the phone, sliding it into my pocket and taking a step toward Fox. He came over, bending to give Cocoa some love.
“Pardon my expression,” I said slowly, “but what the fuck?”
“I’m here,” Fox said softly.”
“You’re here,” I replied. “And I don’t know how.”
“The magic of aircraft is very real,” Fox said, a small smile on his face as he stood back up to face me.
My insides already felt molten, having him so close to me again.
There was no denying it.
I was totally, irrevocably, idiotically falling in love with him.
The realization made me giddy for a few seconds before it turned to abject panic, like taking a shot of strong liquor.
What the hell was I supposed to do? No matter how good it felt to finally admit that to myself, I wasn’t about to blurt it out to him. My heart always ran off to places it shouldn’t, way, way too quickly.
“God, it is so good to see you again,” he said, searching my eyes. “Why does it feel like it’s been a million years?”
Fuck. It was like he was reading my mind.
“I’d like to report a crime,” I said. “You look too good in that suit, and I’m pretty sure it’s scrambling my brain cells. Can you go downstairs and change into, like, cargo shorts and a parka, or something? Not that it would make you look any worse. Christ. Sorry. I’m being an idiot.”
I was rambling like a fool, my mind and my mouth suddenly totally disconnected.
“You’re being adorable,” he corrected.
He reached out, touching the side of my hip. He did it gingerly, like he wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, but couldn’t stop himself.
I felt like everything I’d built up in my mind over the past few hours had just dissipated into thin air, blowing away with the cool San Francisco breeze.
Sure, maybe I was growing up and enjoying my alone time more these days.
But that didn’t mean I wasn’t lighting up like a damn Christmas tree the moment Fox was with me again.
“I’m back because I want to be back,” he said simply. “I really shouldn’t be here. I should be in meetings with Chamberlight board members, convincing them I’m the best fit for CEO.”
“But you’re here,” I said. “Please tell me you at least remembered to stay hydrated and stretch your hips on the plane?”
He puffed out a laugh, squeezing the side of my body like it was a relief. “You know what? I actually did,” he said. “I thought of you when I did it, too.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Then clearly, I’ve impacted your life in some good way.”
He sighed, his face turning serious again. “You’ve changed my life completely, actually.”
My insides were nothing but butterflies now. Fox had been nicer and nicer to me as time went on, but this was something completely different.
“So you don’t know if you got the position yet? Are you going to be the CEO?” I asked.
“I have no idea, to be honest,” Fox said. “I’m... not even sure I’m going to go for the position at all.”
Realization spread through me in an instant, like lightning finally striking ground.
“No. No. Hell no,” I said, pushing away from him. “I’m not going to let you do this.”
“What?”
“You need to turn around, get back on a plane, and go follow your plan,” I said. “If you’re just here to appease me, or to make me happy, you’re going to regret it so fucking hard.”