Chapter 22
The espresso machine in this blue and white villa kitchen is much louder than I realized it would be.
And my room is right off the kitchen with the door wide open where Reid is snoring loudly.
Grimacing over the rumbling of the maker, I glance toward the door to find he hasn’t stirred one bit.
He must be feeling absolutely awful this morning after everything he drank yesterday.
Once we got back to the villa it was almost comical trying to get him to find his own bed and get his shoes off. I got him to lay down in bed—even if it was my own—but he immediately rolled on his side and slung a strong arm around my chest, muttering an endearing, “please stay with me,” in my ear.
And I did. Without hesitation. I stayed with him all night long, his arms wrapped around me and his breath on my neck. It was totally worth the kink in my neck when I woke up this morning and tiptoed out of bed.
Despite myself, I smile at the sight of him curled up on the bed, a leg hanging out of the white sheets, a look of peace on his sleeping face.
Once the espresso cup is filled with liquid heaven, I dump it into a cup with ice and top it with milk.
I don’t want to drink cold coffee in the morning, but I can’t bring myself to use the steamer in case it wakes Reid up.
I’m quietly putting a straw in the cup when he finally stirs, groaning softly as he wakes up.
When he cracks open his blue eyes, I see the brief confusion that crosses his face as he takes in the room, then finally remembers he’s not at home and relaxes. His gaze finally lands on me in the doorway and I arch an eyebrow at him.
Reid lets his head flop back onto my pillow and rubs at his eyes.
“Good morning,” I chirp, much too enthusiastically for how he’s likely feeling. I lean a shoulder against his door, crossing one ankle over the other. “How are you feeling?”
He groans. “Not good.”
“Do you need coffee?”
“I think I need an IV and an ice bath.”
“All I have is ibuprofen and an espresso machine.”
He lifts his hands, rubbing at both his temples. “Why am I in your room?” His voice is deep and rough and laced with sleep and it’s somehow even sexier than normal.
“Why do you think?” His eyes fly open again and he looks at me in alarm. I scoff. “Wow, don’t look so appalled by the idea of sleeping with me.”
“I’m only appalled that I can’t remember any of it.”
Well that answer was . . . oddly endearing. I sigh. “Don’t worry, nothing to remember. You just got so drunk at the bachelor party that you forgot how to get back and got lost on the streets.”
He’s quiet for a moment, likely trying to piece the night back together. “Did I do anything embarrassing last night?”
“Like what?”
“Like confess my undying love for you?”
I smile at the thought. Though he didn’t confess his love, he was very open about his feelings. But that is a secret I am holding close to my heart, because if I remind him he has the chance to challenge it or deny it or take it back, and I’m not prepared to handle any of those reactions.
So instead, I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “You played a lot of Creed.”
“Oh, good.”
“Good? I said Creed.”
“Yeah, I heard you.” I stare at him for a moment. After a beat of silence, he looks at me again. “What? I like Creed. Sue me.” I let out an amused laugh. He throws the blanket back, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. “You don’t like Creed?”
I shrug. “I just haven’t ever really formed an opinion on them, I guess.”
“Well, you should. ‘Higher’ is an incredible song.”
“Not sure I’m familiar,” I say, lifting my coffee cup back to my lips.
Without hesitation, he loudly sings the chorus in his raspy morning voice. “‘Can you take me higher? To the place where I long to be.’” He pauses to do a guitar riff.
“I don’t think those are the words,” I interrupt.
“How would you know?”
“Because you played it six times in a row last night before finally falling asleep.”
“Ahh, so you are familiar.”
“Yeah, I just wanted to hear you sing it.”
He laughs, a deep, raspy rumble that has a warmth pooling in my belly. This one I can definitely not blame on the coffee since it’s iced today, so I sit with the unavoidable reality that Reid makes me feel like this. Giddy and nervous and happy and warm.
My mind swirls back to our talk last night, and standing here in his doorway, just the two of us, it feels like the right time to bring up our conversation. So I draw in a breath for courage, open my mouth, and—
“Jane!”
And I get interrupted by Kate. As always. I snap my mouth shut, my nostrils flaring as I take a calming breath and turn to face her in the kitchen. She pauses, looking around me into my room. I don’t miss the way her lips press into a hard line.
“Why is Reid in your bed?”
“Because he got too drunk to find his own last night,” I answer nonchalantly.
She turns to me now. “What are you doing in here now then?”
“Asking Reid if he needs coffee or if he’s calling it quits.”
She waves a hand at him. “You look fine, Reid. Drink some water and move on.”
“Thanks, Kate,” he calls behind us.
“Anytime!” She focuses on me again. “I need you to go get the champagne.”
“Don’t you mean Prosecco?” Kate stares at me as if awaiting me to further explain. So, in a state of people pleasing panic, I do. “It’s just that champagne is from France and Prosecco is from Italy. So since we’re, you know, in Italy, I assume—”
“Jane, if I wanted Prosecco I would’ve said Prosecco. I have an order placed for champagne that I need you to go pick up,” Kate says.
Lydia strolls past, casually stopping in front of a mirror to check her makeup. I gesture a frustrated hand toward her.
“This really feels like a job for your maid of honor.”
“Jessica and I have plans to sightsee today,” she says, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
“I want to go sightseeing today.” I know my voice sounds whiney and petulant, but how am I the one who keeps getting sucked into doing these ridiculous tasks?
Kate grips my hands. “Jane, come one. I need your help. Please? You can sightsee as you get it!”
So many emotions are swirling in me right now, from frustration to anger to humiliation that she’s so willing to belittle me so easily. Especially in front of Lydia and Reid and everyone else who can hear us in this villa.
“I’ll go with her.”
I jump at the sound of Reid’s voice directly behind me. I spin and face him and come face to face with his muscular chest. I finally drag my gaze up to his face. He winks at me quickly then looks up at Kate.
I turn around with a quicker pulse and a heat on my cheeks. Kate is staring at me like she’s trying to piece together a puzzle, and I vaguely wonder if she’s remembering our conversation at the spa yesterday.
“I guess Jane wouldn’t be strong enough to carry all of the cases.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Kate,” I mutter.
“Please just be back in time for the group dinner we have planned.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” I offer.
Reid walks over, offering me a hand to escort me out of the room.
“Do you even know where we’re supposed to be going?” I ask Reid as he takes our group rental car through the winding narrow streets. My hands are a little bit sweaty at how much he’s weaving around these streets, especially as a low fog is starting to settle in.
“I do, actually.” He keeps his hand on the wheel but uses his other to pick his phone up and wave it at me, showing the GPS map directing him.
“Just admit you’re dumping me in the middle of nowhere. My anxiety can’t handle the unknown. Be upfront about my ultimate demise.”
“How would you prefer, instead, if we did something fun?”
“Over death? Yeah, that sounds great.” The corner of his lips pull up and I tamp down the stupid fluttering in my stomach.
I hate how much I actually love making him smile.
“Where exactly is this fun though? I just feel like we’re getting really far from the villa and I can’t imagine Kate has some order this far away. ”
“Oh, yeah, we’re not going there.”
I whip my head to look at him. “What?” Panic seizes me. A pit of nerves form in my stomach. If we don’t come back in time with the thing she sent me out for, I’ll have her wrath to contend with. “Where are you taking me?”
“It’s a surprise.” Before I can panic further, he deposits his phone back in the cupholder and rests a hand on my thigh.
With just the feel of his hand on my skin, I can feel my stress easing ever so slightly.
“Hey,” he says gently, “this is my idea. It’s my fault.
If she’s mad when we get back, let me handle her. Okay?”
“Okay.” My voice is quiet, nervous.
He gives my hand another squeeze. “I’ve got you. I’ll always fight for you, remember?”
He gives me a warm smile and just like that, all my worries melt away. I don’t know what it is about him that makes me feel like it’s okay to be myself. To not be perfect. To make mistakes and let people down.
God, I am so in love with him. Like head over heels, think about him when I hear love songs, am willing to tell Kate that I am in love with him level of love. Which is a true tragedy considering he has every capacity to break my heart.
But if he does, then that’s a problem for future Jane.
Present Jane is going to soak up the fun with Sexy Chef Reid while she has the chance.
Future Jane can drown her sorrows on Lola’s couch with a pint of ice cream and a hundred spicy margaritas and remember the days she made Reid laugh and smile.
So before I can think better of it, I listen to that impulsive little voice in my head and interlace my fingers with his.
Reid looks down at our hands briefly, and for a moment I feel like a monumental fool for grabbing his hand, for putting myself in the path of potential rejection.
But then his thumb strokes small circles on the back of my hand and he looks ahead again, a look of contentment on his face.
And just like that, it’s like this is the most normal thing in the world.
It feels like two puzzle pieces clicking together.
It’s like my hand was meant to be in his and his smile was meant for me and my heart was always meant for him.
It just feels . . . right.