CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN #2
I opened the bag to find four boxes inside.
I opened the first one, and it was a set of diamond solitaire earrings.
Next came a delicate bracelet with two solitaire diamonds on it.
Then came a diamond solitaire necklace. Finally, I opened a box that contained a stunning ring with a large aquamarine surrounded by circles of diamonds.
I looked up at him, shocked. “Why did you get me these?”
He shrugged. “Because I wanted to. And I knew they’d look beautiful on you.
” He stood up to come and put the necklace on me.
“If I’m being honest, I also knew it wouldn’t be long until some wealthy doctor at the hospital falls head over heels in love with you and wants to give you these kinds of gifts.
I wanted to be the one to give them to you.
” He fastened the necklace at the back of my neck and bent down to kiss me there, too.
“That’s kind of…”
“Possessive? Neanderthal-y? I know. I just couldn’t help it.”
“I was going to say nice or sweet.”
“Oh. Well, those are better than what I said.” He moved to put his hands on my shoulders but I turned in my chair to look up at him.
“You really threw me this party?”
He nodded, never taking his eyes off mine.
“A woman like you deserves to be celebrated. You’re amazing, and I wanted everyone, especially you, to know it.
You deserved a party every year of your life, sweetheart.
But from now on you’ll get them, whether I get to be the lucky bastard who throws them for you or not. ”
I got tears in my eyes, and for someone who spent a lifetime never crying, things had definitely shifted over the past few months. “Thank you.” I reached out and grabbed his hand. “This has been one of the best days of my life.”
His eyes looked suspiciously glassy then, and he looked away. But he didn’t let go of my hand. “I’m so glad. That makes me happier than you’ll probably every know.”
We stared at each other for a moment, and then the spell was broken as everyone started leaving. I wiped my eyes quickly, gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, and turned to go thank everyone as they left.
Carmen and the girls had moved everything inside and were in the process of organizing it as I stood at the door and told everyone goodbye and gave them a bakery box with a piece of cake in it to go.
Finally, it was just my closest friends and Paolo left in the house. “Could I see you outside, Jelly?” he asked me.
I nodded, casting a glance over my shoulder. I wasn’t surprised to see all the women’s eyes locked on me and Paolo.
“Sure,” I said. I felt his hand at the small of my back as he carefully ushered me onto the front porch. We sat on the front porch swing. It was that weird part of late spring where it was hot as hell during the day, but sometimes breezy and slightly chilly at night.
“Are you cold?”
“Not really.”
“You’re lying. Hold on. I’ll be right back.”
He was only gone briefly and then came back out with a sweatshirt blanket with West Bay University’s logo on it. It was part of the gift my friends from the hospital had given me. He wrapped it around my shoulders and the two of us swung on the swing and looked out at the starry night sky.
“I love your house. How are you liking it?”
I peered over at him. “I love it, too. Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”
“No,” he sighed. “No, of course not. But I was interested to hear what you’d say.”
“Well, get to it.”
“I wanted to tell you that my dad had tried to pressure me into a marriage with Gia Santoro. He told me our business was failing, and it needed an influx of cash that a partnership with her father would bring.”
My eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. Also, I found out it was all bullshit. He was lying. I spoke with my brother Raphael, and he said business has never been better. Anyway, I went to see my parents and confronted them with the truth. I stood up to them and gave them hell for the way they treated you.”
“I bet that went well.”
He chuckled. “It went better than I thought it would, but that’s a story for another time. I just wanted you to know that I stood up to them. I also told them they’d cost me a relationship with the only woman I’d ever loved. And I actually think they felt bad about it.”
I gave him a look.
“A little bad,” he conceded. Then he took a deep breath. “And I wanted to tell you the hardest part. Gia blackmailed me.”
I frowned and stopped swinging. “What?”
He nodded. “She said she was going to go to the hospital board and tell them about my extracurricular activities at the Salazar clubs if I didn’t date her.
She wanted me to be mean to you, to cut you out of my life.
She insisted that I take her out and show her the town, take her to the hospital gala, and so on. ”
“That’s… awful!” I couldn’t believe it.
“Even worse,” he continued, “she said she was going to tell the hospital that you were a stripper at Sugar. I know it wasn’t true, but I didn’t think you being a hostess there was going to go over any better.
I was afraid it would ruin your chances of getting a job anywhere in West Bay as a PA, to be honest.”
“And that’s why you went out with her, put up with the mean things she said about me, and went to the hospital gala with her.”
He nodded, looking off in the distance. He told me all about Nico providing the tape that effectively ended Gia’s blackmail. And that he’d confronted her with it at the hospital gala.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“Before I had a way out, I was afraid you’d want me to stand up to her no matter the consequences. After the hospital gala, I was just biding my time to decide what to do to get your attention. It was only a couple of weeks ago, you know.”
“And this was it?” I gestured towards the back yard where the party had taken place.
“Yep. Some of it, anyway.”
“This… this was wonderful, Paolo. Thank you. But why’d you do it? Why not just let me go?”
“I couldn’t.” I went on to tell her how Gia had shown up suddenly at Cayenne and then surprised me months later at the benefit with my parents there.
“It messed with my head. I’d had no clue who she was, or I never would’ve let the blowjob happen.
Believe me. And I was scared you wouldn’t believe that I didn’t recognize her. ”
“And why are you telling me all of this?” I asked softly.
“Because I want another chance. But even if you don’t give me another chance, you still needed to know that you weren’t totally wrong about me.
I am a halfway decent guy. I just got sidetracked by fear.
Fear that the family business was going to fail.
Fear that Gia would expose me to hospital administration.
And the worst fear of all; fear that you would get hurt. ”
“Thank you. For telling me those things. Also, for the party and the gifts. My goodness. Thank you for all of that.”
“Go on a date with me. A real date. Like dinner and dancing or whatever you want. I just want to be with you.”
I studied his face.
“I’ve been miserable without you. Please go out with me. Give me another chance.”
“I want to say yes. But I don’t want it to be because I feel overwhelmed right now. Can I give you an answer at work tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
Before I could move, his arms went around me and pulled me to him.
His strong chest felt so good against my cheek.
And his scent. My God. It was an aphrodisiac.
I would tell him they needed to bottle it and sell it except I was pretty sure it was just his dryer sheets.
Somehow on him, though, they smelled fan-fucking-tastic.
I leaned back and he dipped his head down to kiss me. Before I knew it, we were going at it. I could never just kiss him once, calmly, and back away like a normal girl. Nope. I kissed him, threw my arms around him and climbed in his lap.
“Whoa.” Carmen’s voice broke through the atmosphere.
I lurched away from him and straightened my dress back out.
“Jesus, Jelly. I’m not your grandma. You could keep kissing him, you know.”
I laughed then, feeling ridiculous as all my friends started leaving one by one until all that remained were Nadine, Nia, and Paolo.
“I’m going to go.” He gave me a hug. “I’m glad you enjoyed your day, baby.”
“Thank you for everything.”
I watched him leave. He held up his hand in a casual wave as he got in his car and pulled away from the curb.
“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!” Nadine was jumping around. “Did he ask you out? What did you say? Let me see that jewelry!”
“Calm down, girl,” Nia groused. “Do you think he deserves to be let back in the inner circle of trust?”
I frowned. “Have you watched a spy movie lately?”
“Yes.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, does he?”
“I’m not sure,” I cried, frustrated. “He asked me out, and I told him I’d let him know tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Nadine cried. “He threw you a party and bought you those great gifts and you still didn’t forgive him?”
“Tomorrow?” Nia said. “I think you should make him suffer for at least six more months for what he did to you.”
“I’m picking up very different signals here,” I laughed, and the three of us walked inside to open some of the gourmet chocolate and wine for our slumber party.
I had a big decision to make, and I wasn’t sure which direction I was going to take.