CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Reynolds
As soon as I could, I extricated myself from Whitney, my parents, and all of my staff members, and friends.
I happened to meet Enzo’s eye as I scanned the fast-emptying club. He held up a glass and mouthed ‘congratulations.’ Then he smiled, winked and disappeared into the crowd. I felt a pit in my stomach but hid my reaction.
I wasn’t exactly scared of Enzo or the rest of the Salazars. But I was wary, that was for sure. I’d have to be careful not to cross any moral, ethical, or legal lines that I couldn’t come back from.
I thanked everyone one more time, then begged off, citing exhaustion. I conned my parents into dropping Whitney off on their way home. I ignored the looks they both gave me. I think they knew I was going to be with Nadine.
That dance with her in front of everyone hadn’t been the smartest thing I’d ever done.
But I hadn’t been able to help myself. I’d watched her all night.
I envied the Salazar men because they got to be with her.
I saw how she laughed with them and her friends, throwing back her head, her hair flowing down her back.
She was so lovely, so uncensored. She was just being herself and they were all getting the benefit of her personality while I stood with Whitney and Melda.
“It’s obvious you’re fucking that woman,” my dad had said when I finished dancing with Nadine.
I didn’t argue with him, and he sighed in frustration.
“You’d better do something to show that you care about Whitney,” Mom interjected. “People are going to be talking no matter what after that dance, but at least if you seem to care about your girlfriend, it will lessen the damage.”
“I agree,” Melda whispered as she walked by me to talk to one of the public relations staff members.
I just nodded. They were right. I knew they were. But I didn’t want to do anything with Whitney.
I did, though. I kissed her and thanked her in front of everyone. I hadn’t had the courage to look at Nadine after I did it. I didn’t want to hurt her, but I had to push those feelings away. It was, apparently, all part of the game of being a politician.
Later, on my way to the condo, I made some calls to organize a last-minute trip with Nadine. Then I stared out the window of the Rolls as Byron drove me across town.
“Congratulations, Reynolds,” he said.
“Thanks.” I felt numb. It had felt like such a close competition for so long that the actual win felt anti-climactic. Especially with how I’d won. Jasper Hill’s scandal almost made it feel like a hollow win.
Almost.
Having to work so hard to get elected, fearing that I might lose—that had made me see how much I valued both being mayor and West Bay.
I knew now that I’d never leave town. That I never wanted to go further in my political career than this.
And I’d be mayor as long as I thought I was doing good things for the city.
I’d continue to run for re-election as long as I was willing and able.
My smile froze as I realized that I might have to be permanently aligned with the Salazar family to continue getting elected.
And a woman like Whitney.
I sighed. A future with Nadine was more than likely not going to happen, even though I could see now that she and I were great together. That we could make it as a couple if it weren’t for the circumstances or my career and her past.
Still, I sure as hell could enjoy her in the meantime. She was mine for the next month.
And I was going to make the most of it.
***
“Oh my God.” Nadine stared at the jet out the window of the Rolls Royce. “You didn’t say we were going to fly,” she whispered, putting her hand over her chest.
“Have you never flown?” I was shocked.
She gave me a look. “Oh, sure. I’ve flown tons of places. I grew up in a single-wide with a single mom who had crappy jobs. We were at the airport every other weekend, Reynolds. Spain, Mallorca, Paris, London. We went everywhere.”
I rolled my eyes, trying not to grin. “Mallorca is in Spain, Nadine.”
“That’s what you chose to take from what I just told you? Seriously?”
“It’s not a big deal, I promise.”
She looked doubtful, but she opened the door and got out of the car.
Byron helped us get our bags out of the trunk.
Nadine had two pieces of luggage besides her massive purse.
I just had a duffel. I was planning on us mainly hanging out in bathing suits or, preferably, naked.
I thanked Byron, took all the luggage, and strode across the tarmac to board my family’s private jet.
It wasn’t until I reached the steps that I realized something was off.
“Where’s your guest?” the flight attendant asked.
I turned around and saw Byron trying to talk Nadine into following me. She was shaking her head, though, and seemed to be pushing past him to try to get back in the car.
“Jesus.” I was still trying not to be amused by all of this. I handed the bags to the attendants and turned to go get Nadine.
“Mr. Taylor?” one attendant asked. “We have some anxiety medicine on board. Would you like for your… friend to have some? Or should I pop some champagne?”
I stared back at Nadine. Byron was attempting to block her from getting back in the car. She seemed to be putting up quite a fight, though. “Maybe both,” I suggested.
“On it,” she said and hurried away from the door.
I hurried back to the car to save Byron. I took Nadine by surprise. She was so busy arguing with Byron about why she needed to go back to the condo, she didn’t even see me. I reached down, grabbed her around the legs, and hoisted her over my shoulder.
“Reynolds!” she screamed and started beating my back with her small fists. I tried not to laugh. I didn’t want to piss her off more than I had already.
“It will be fine, Nadine. I promise.” I turned and waved at a laughing Byron as I boarded the plane with her.
I plopped her in one of the luxurious leather club chairs and kneeled in front of her. Her breath was coming so fast, I was worried she’d have a heart attack or something.
“The flight attendants are getting you something to calm you down, honey.”
“Don’t honey, me, Reynolds. I’m terrified of flying! How could you do this to me?”
“How was I supposed to know that? I had no clue.” I held out my hands in defense.
One of the two flight attendants came hurrying back with a prescription anxiety pill and some champagne. It was illegal for her to take someone else’s medicine, but I didn’t really care when faced with a panic-stricken Nadine.
They gave me a bottle of water for her, which she chugged after taking the pill. Then they poured her a tall glass of champagne.
It wasn’t long before she calmed down.
I took a glass of bubbly as well and strapped into the chair opposite her. The attendants stayed close, refilling both of our glasses a couple of times.
“Did y’all get the meal orders I called in?”
“Yes, sir. Are you ready for some appetizers?”
I nodded. I didn’t want Nadine to get sick from the alcohol. I knew she’d eaten some at the party, but that had been a couple of hours ago now.
She seemed to relax as we ate some hors d’oeuvres.
Until the pilot started taxiing down the runway and the attendants told us to buckle in.
“Oh, God.” She sat up, face turning very pale. “I don’t think I can do this, Reynolds.”
“Honey, you can. I know you can. Plus, I know you’re going to need to have experience flying in the new kind of life you’re starting.”
She took deep breaths and grabbed my hand, squeezing the hell out of it.
“Ouch! Shit, Nadine,” I laughed. “You’ve got some grip.”
“Yeah,” she gasped out.
“Mr. Taylor, you need to stay in your seat now. And seatbelts should be on,” one of the flight attendants added.
“Are you kidding? I’ve had my seatbelt on since the minute I sat down,” Nadine said, eyes wild as she continued to hold my hand in a death grip.
“Right,” she smiled. “Well, have a pleasant flight, you two. Once we’re at altitude, I’ll come back around to see if you need anything else.”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile.
Then the flight attendants disappeared, and we were alone.
Nadine closed her eyes and gripped my hand so hard it felt as if she might break bones.
But it was making me want to laugh. Not at her, but just at the situation.
I’d taken women away for the weekend before, and they had all been the same.
Sophisticated, used to flying, ready to do whatever I wanted to do, just basically acting as if they were pleased to be with me and nothing else mattered.
But I knew, deep down, that they were all hoping to get me to settle down with them.
They liked my money, my status, my position. I was never sure if they liked me.
Nadine was so different. She cared what I thought about her, but not enough that she didn’t act like herself at all times.
Yes, she’d been through etiquette lessons and things like that.
Her rough edges had been smoothed over. But deep down?
She was still that fun, feisty woman I couldn’t take my eyes off of.
And that differed from anything I’d ever experienced. I’d been with Nadine for over five months now, and I was still as infatuated with her as I’d been when I first laid eyes on her. On one hand, it freaked me out. On another? I just wanted to be with her and none of the rest of it mattered.
“Why are you staring at me?”
I chuckled. “How can you even tell? Your eyes are closed.”
“I can feel it.”
I couldn’t hide my grin. “I guess I’m waiting for when you open those pretty eyes of yours and look around. We’re up in the air now, Nadine. We’re headed someplace beautiful and fun, and it doesn’t matter that people are going to see us together. It’s… great.”
I sat back and put my arms behind my head. I felt like I could breathe, really breathe, for the first time in months. I’d won the election. I was going to remain as mayor of West Bay. I was with Nadine. I couldn’t be happier.
She finally opened her eyes. I saw them flit to the windows. The shades were pulled.