Chapter Twenty-Seven
Dominic
Oh no. I can’t tell if she’s laughing with tears in her eyes because I’m crazy for thinking that she wants to be my girlfriend, or if it’s something else entirely.
“What is it?” I ask carefully, still holding her hand.
“I’m staying,” she says. “I’m staying right here in Los Angeles, too.”
“Wait, what?” I furrow my brow. I mean, I’m happy for all the selfish reasons, but also… “What about Miami? What about the apartment complex thing?”
“I’m still doing it,” she says, using the hand with the leash to swipe away her happy tears. “But I didn’t take their deal. I went back to my dad. I pitched it my way. And Titan Development agreed to build it here.”
I nod, a massive grin breaking out across my face. “Wait, really?! That’s amazing!”
“Yeah.” She takes a step toward me, tugging at my hoodie to pull me to her. “Dad will be a silent partner. No takeovers. No safety nets. Just backing the idea I already knew was right.”
“That’s so awesome,” I whisper, leaning down toward her.
“I don’t know how hard it’ll be,” she says. “But I know it’s mine.”
My forehead presses to hers, and I breathe in her sweet, now-familiar scent, closing my eyes. “I’m so glad you’re staying.”
“Me, too. But I’m also glad to hear you were willing to chase me across the country.” She giggles, standing on her tiptoes to press her lips to mine. She kisses me gently, and I linger there against her lips, letting joy spread through my entire body.
I knew I made the right decision.
I release her hand and wrap my arms around her, pulling her flush against my body. I deepen the kiss, my tongue running along her bottom lip. Nicole leans into it, letting me into her mouth. I thread my fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head.
This is worth staying in Los Angeles for the rest of my life.
We spend the next few minutes lost in each other, until Cocoa starts to whine and paws obnoxiously at my leg. I release Nicole and chuckle, shaking my head.
“I don’t think he’s a fan of me kissing his mom,” I joke, stepping away just far enough to grab Nicole’s hand again.
Cocoa looks up as she starts to laugh again.
I still have one more thing I want to tell her, but the way Cocoa is bouncing around means we need to do something else.
“Maybe we should take the little guy for a walk?” I suggest, nodding toward the gate to exit the courtyard. “We can finish our picnic on the beach?”
Nicole nods eagerly. “That’s a great idea.”
We spend the next few minutes cleaning up the picnic that never really got started, folding the blanket and stuffing it away. I sweep it up and carry it in one arm, while Nicole grabs my other hand.
I lead the way, though Cocoa knows exactly what we’re going to do, jutting out in front of me and jerking Nicole slightly.
She giggles, and I can’t help but laugh a little, too.
There’s something about the way that we work—all three of us—that makes me feel like we’re just one happy, somewhat chaotic, family.
“So.” Nicole looks up at me. “When I build the apartment complex, do you think you’ll want to live there?” Her eyes dart up to meet mine as I close the courtyard gate.
I nod. “Yeah, but on one condition.”
Her brow furrows. “And what’s that?”
“You’ll live in the building, too, right? Like, you should probably give yourself the penthouse or something. I can live right below you and then come up and bother you all the time. It only seems fitting.”
Her cheeks flush. “We could maybe make that work. I don’t know, though, it’ll take a few years getting it to the point that we can have tenants. We have to go through the entire development phase, you know? That takes a lot of planning, construction, and whatever else.”
I nod. “Yeah, we could totally be married by then.”
She stops, frozen on the street. “What?”
My lips part, but nothing comes out, and I find myself suddenly the one going red in the face.
“I just… I just mean… You know… Years… Years are a long time, and if we’re, like, serious…
You know…” I sound like I suddenly can’t speak, and Nicole bursts into a fit of laughter, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.
“Oh my gosh, that’s totally true. Who knows where we’ll be at that point.”
“I don’t know, but I hope wherever we are,” I say, my voice softening, “that we’re there together—with Cocoa, too.” I shoot her a wink and squeeze her hand, leading her down the boulevard.
We walk hand in hand, her fingers snug in mine. Something about the moment feels so incredibly right. But I’m still not ready to tell her what I have left to say.
Besides, she still hasn’t answered…
“You never told me if you want to be my girlfriend,” I say, keeping my voice as nonchalant as possible. I don’t want her to know that I’m basically shaking in my shoes right now.
“Oh, right.” Nicole peers up at me, a sheepish smile on her face. “Of course, I want to be your girlfriend.”
“Great. It’s official, then.”
She beams. “It’s official.”
“I’m about to drag you to absolutely every single NBA event with a plus one there is to go to.” I smirk. “You must suffer with me.”
She nods, giving me a salute. “I promise I will suffer through every single NBA event there is to attend—and I will also do my best to not remind you that my reputation is a dumpster fire.”
I chuckle, leaning down and planting a kiss on her forehead.
“No such thing as you and dumpster fire in the same sentence, unless it’s to say that you’re not one.
You’re about to be a big-time luxury apartment complex owner …
or whatever it is that your title will be.
I don’t understand how all that works,” I admit.
“You know…” Nicole pauses as we stop at the crosswalk. “I don’t understand all of it yet, either. But for the first time, that doesn’t scare me. I trust myself now.”
The weight of her words settles somewhere deep in my chest.
I look at her—not the version the internet decided she was, not the girl second-guessing every move—but the woman standing beside me now, steady and sure in a way that feels earned.
“Yeah,” I say softly, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. “I can see that.”
She smiles. “I just know that it’s probably going to be the second-best thing that’s ever happened to me. I feel it in my gut.”
“Yeah?” I tilt my head at her as we wait for the light to turn green. “Why is it the second best?”
“Because, obviously”—she pauses for effect—”you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Well, you and Cocoa. I think I love you guys the same… Just don’t tell Cocoa that, otherwise he might get his feelings hurt.”
She loves me.
I don’t think she realizes her slip-up, because nothing fazes her as the light turns green and we head out across the street. Cocoa is still prancing around in front of us, his little eyes already focused on the beach, where other dogs are running and playing in the sand.
“I brought a frisbee.” Nicole gestures to the basket I’m carrying. “I’m just not sure if I trust that I can let Cocoa off the leash to go and get it. Plus, I’m not sure how well it’ll fly, either.”
“I saw it.” I chuckle, thinking of the partially destroyed frisbee I caught sight of while we were picking up the basket. “I think we can probably make it work.” The words are genuine, though I have to admit that my mind just keeps running back to what Nicole said before we crossed the street.
I love you guys.
I know it may have been meant as casual, but it doesn’t feel casual, and it makes it way less intimidating to tell her what I’ve been planning to say all day.
When we make it to the sand, we both strip off our shoes and then find a new spot for the picnic. I take the leash from Nicole, and together, while managing Cocoa, we set up the picnic spot again. Nicole plops down and digs into the basket, this time pulling out a sandwich.
“Now you’re hungry?” I tease her, taking a seat as my heart pounds in my ears.
“Yeah.” She tilts her head at me, her cheeks blushing. “I was just so nervous to tell you about me staying, and I thought you were going—and I had no idea that everything would work out like this.”
I nod, pulling out a bottle of water and unscrewing the lid. “I do have one more thing I need to say.”
She pauses, her sandwich half unwrapped. “What is it?”
“Well…” I take a deep breath, gathering the courage. “I love you, Nicole. I think I might’ve started to fall in love with you right after Cocoa peed on my shoes, I’m not sure… But I’m head over heels in love with you.”
She holds my gaze for a few beats, and I wonder if she’s shocked enough she might just take off and run away. But instead, she tosses her sandwich back into the basket and lunges at me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I love you, too, Dom,” she says against my skin, pressing her lips to my jaw. “I’m so head over heels for you, too. This is seriously the best day ever.”
She leans back and I kiss her, closing my eyes and savoring it.
Here’s to LA. And to us.