27. Este
ESTE
M y book tour started around Thanksgiving and goes until Christmas, which means I still have a few more weeks to go.
Lainey got the next book in the series published so quickly that I could barely believe it, and my audience had gone crazy for the new material and the beautiful, redesigned covers of the previous books.
My royalty checks were nothing short of astounding as fans flocked to bookstores.
I’d also had Lainey release a small book of my sketches, which was a must-have for fans.
I’m writing the final book in the series while I tour, and it’s going to be incredibly hard saying goodbye to Kai, Liam, Kai’s twin, Kennedy, and Bono the Dog, but it’s time.
Their stories have come to a close, and they deserve their happily-ever-afters.
Plus, I’m ready to get back to the self-help genre, and I’ve compiled dozens of hours of voice notes for a book about healing from losing a spouse to violence.
Lainey’s already excited about it, but she’s keeping me so busy, I hardly have time to get a word on paper.
Dom decided to come with me on tour. First, we asked Mallory and Jamie, who are disgustingly in love, to stay at the house with Reed until Christmas Eve.
Reed promised she was okay with the arrangement, and we video call all the time.
Dom moved all his patients to telehealth, and he spends a lot of time on the hotel Wi-Fi while I explore cities with Lainey.
I get the better end of the deal, for sure, but he loves his practice and his veterans.
I think the most challenging part of the whole thing is missing out on part of Reed’s senior year, especially when she’s continued to grow as a star volleyball player for her school and is filling out college applications.
Missing part of the last year she’s with me breaks my heart.
I must cry at least once a day just thinking about it.
She and Daisy remain a rather hot item, and it seems like her fellow students are here for it, so I haven’t had to pummel any bullies yet, but I’m still ready to.
I’m in Chicago today, and Lainey has taken me to the Willis Tower, which I gather Chicagoans still refer to as the Sears Tower, given that I’d heard people fighting about the name in line.
We go up the fastest elevator I’ve ever been in, and suddenly we’re on the 110th story.
We walk out onto a glass observation deck.
It’s a clear day at sunset, with a great view of the beach.
If only it were summer, I’d be on that beach, but it’s a cool Illinois December.
I had to buy a wool peacoat specifically for my tour in the Midwest.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, as if to myself as I peer out at the vibrant mix of amber, tangerine, peach, and violet that streak across the breathtaking Chicago skyline—one of the coolest skylines in the United States.
“I’m here!” Dom calls as he steps out onto the observation deck and slides his arms around me from behind.
“Missed you by seconds when you left, so I took the next cab. I didn’t make it in time to catch your elevator since my taxi driver took an unusual route here, but I’m here now.
Couldn’t miss the chance to kiss you a hundred and ten stories in the air. ”
He spins me and gives me a deep kiss that I feel all the way to my toes.
I’m vaguely aware of Lainey taking photos of the exchange, which she’ll probably post on my blog.
I’ve been too busy to get all the images I want, so she walks around with a Nikon around her neck to capture all the lovely moments of my book tour.
She effectively writes my blog for me, since I’m staying so busy.
We stand with our arms around each other, staring out at the magnificent sunset and skyline for several long minutes, swaying to the music in our heads. Ever since Dom saved my life, I haven’t had a single doubt about us or our love. He’s the other half of my heart.
The tour guide gets antsy and tells us we’ve run out of time. He has a room full of people wanting to see the same view.
I wave goodbye to the sun-drenched skyscrapers, a little morose to leave such a stunning place, but I only have an hour and a half until my sold-out book signing.
Just last week, I turned thirty-five on tour, and Lainey surprised me with a fancy catered dinner at the hotel for me and Dom, along with an expensive bottle of champagne.
For old time’s sake, Dom poured it into my belly button, and then we had some of the best sex of my whole life. Dom still makes my spine tingle, and my toes curl every time we’re together, and sex has never gotten tiresome.
“I love you,” Dom whispers into my ear before we exit the glass enclosure. I twist and tiptoe to kiss him softly, and then Lainey tugs my hand impatiently. We consistently nauseate her, but she’ll find the love of her life one day, too. Then, she’ll understand.
“Wait a second.” Dom walks over to the worker by the elevator and hands him something that looks like cash. He nods knowingly and gives a thumbs-up.
Dom pulls me back out to the observatory. “Baby, this is the right moment. I can’t miss it.” Then he gets down on one knee as I take a step away and press my back against the glass wall. Oh my God. My stomach twirls, in a good way, and my heart thunders loudly in my ears. Is this really happening?
My hand flies to my mouth as Dom pulls out a ring box from his jacket and opens it. The box shines like a spotlight on the stunning ring inside it.
“Este. Plum .” He winks at my pen name. “Please tell me you’ll be my wife?
Since the day we met, you’ve lit up my life with laughter, love, and a joy I’ve never experienced before.
Every day with you is an adventure, and I want those adventures to continue forever, you and me—and Reed, too.
I spoke with her this morning and got her permission.
She sends us two enthusiastic thumbs up and five out of five stars. ”
We both laugh at Reed’s response. It’s very her.
My eyes focus on his as tears gather in them.
“So, what do you say, baby? Will you do me the honor of marrying me?” His clear green eyes stare into my own, looking more vulnerable than he ever has, asking me to be his forever. It’s all I’ve wanted since the first moment.
Sobs burst from somewhere deep inside my chest as I hold my hand over my stunned mouth, and all I can do is nod as Dom takes the ring out of the shining box and places it on my finger. My vision is blurry as I glance down at the cushion-cut, square diamond on my hand, and then I reach out for Dom.
I fling myself into his arms and kiss him with every ounce of love I have, and the room full of tourists erupts in applause.
Lainey is sniffling back tears, too, but she’s taking photos, so we do the quickest engagement shoot known to man.
We shrug off our jackets. Dom is dressed nicely in slacks and a light blue collared shirt, which happens to match my pale blue blouse.
I’m glad I put on makeup and curled my wild hair today, as Dom puts his arm around me with a huge grin.
We cycle through several poses with the sunset and skyscrapers behind us until Lainey determines we have some great shots.
“We gotta go,” Lainey finally calls. She’s been holding off the elevator attendant for a couple of minutes now. We give each other one final kiss, hold hands, and get into the elevator headed down. The attendant presses a button in the elevator and then steps out.
“I’ll catch the next one,” Lainey says as the doors close. We’re alone in the elevator, and Dom’s mouth descends on mine, while his hands slide up the front of my shirt. We’re both needy and overjoyed, but we can’t go directly to our hotel.
“I can’t believe we don’t have time to make love before your book signing, fiancée,” Dom tells me before he devours my mouth.
The elevator opens with a ping, and I imagine we look mighty disheveled as we step out. I smooth my hair and blot my lips, if there is any remaining lipstick on them. Probably not.
As we wait out front in the cold for Lainey, I turn to Dom and cup his cheek with my hand. “I can’t wait to be your wife. And I was thinking, I want to knock down the old house at Holland Creek and build a new one. With you. For our family.”
Dom grins down at me and nods. “If you’re sure that’s what you want, I can have a construction crew in there as soon as next week. Once we get the house built, I’ll sell mine. Finn’s been asking about buying an acre of the property and building on it, so I’ll sell him my place instead.”
I beam. “Perfect. Let’s build our house from scratch and make it exactly what we want. And I was thinking, could we put the largest possible tiny house on the property for Reed if she wants it, or put an apartment above the four-car garage?”
“We’ll hammer out all the details,” Dom promises. “And we’ll involve Reed, too.”
“Yay, fiancé.” I giggle as the word leaves my lips, and it feels so good to say. It feels right .
I’m almost late for my book signing, and I don’t stop smiling all night long. I feel exuberant and filled with hope—all of my dreams are coming true. What more could a woman ask for?
When the event is over around nine, I barely say goodbye to Lainey as Dom appears. We clasp hands and race back to our posh hotel to consummate our engagement.
The door to our room has been closed only an instant before Dom practically slams me against the wall beside it and takes my mouth with his.