Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
FINN
The burger shop was close to campus and was pretty busy considering it had just opened.
Finn had already finished his food, but Gianna was such a slow eater that she was only halfway through hers.
She kept stopping for her milkshake, using the straw to get the cookie chunks out of it instead of eating the actual food on the plate.
He would have gotten a milkshake of his own, but honestly watching Gianna dance had been a treat all on its own.
He had never seen anyone move their body the way she had, in such a graceful manner.
The way she transformed into her dancer-self, getting into the headspace the moment the music began was exactly what happened to him the moment he entered the ring.
It was like everything around him disappeared. It was just him and his body. That seemed to be what happened to her as well. She fell into her own.
He cleared his throat, catching her attention. Whenever her blue eyes locked on him, it made him nervous. Having her attention was like having the spotlight.
“After our date night, I’ve come to some realizations about my life,” he said.
She raised her eyebrow. “Oh? Like what?”
“I think I want to take over the Kingsley empire,” Finn told her. “I am the Kingsley heir and it’s only right that I step up.”
Gianna nodded, taking everything in. “What made you change your mind? I thought you were completely against it all.”
He exhaled loudly. “I was. Shit, I’m still against how my father ran things.
But something about that night and seeing myself, it gave me a sense of accomplishment.
Our conversations too helped me realize that I don’t have to follow what anyone thinks about me.
This is something that feels right for me and I think I should give it a shot. ”
Her smile stretched across her cheeks. “Well, I think it’s a great idea. As long as it’s something you want to do, I know everyone will support you on it.”
“Will you support me on it?”
Fuck. He sounded pathetic asking her, but truthfully, he craved her support.
His stomach had been in knots since he decided to venture into the business side of the Kingsley family name, and he didn’t think he could do it without her there.
She had a way of calming him, of putting out the fire that threatened to destroy everything around him.
“Of course I will. One hundred percent I will be there every step of the way.” She grabbed his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “Speaking of, what is the first step?”
“I’m going to the office tomorrow with Valerio.
He’s going to get me caught up on all the investments and the business side of things.
” He ran his thumb over her knuckles. “And then I guess we’ll go from there.
I’m not anticipating that it’ll take me long to catch up on all of it. I trained my whole life for all of it.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Gianna said. “So, you’ll be staying here for a while then?”
Finn couldn’t help the smirk that settled onto his face. “Why? Were you betting on me leaving?”
She shook her head. “No, but I wasn’t sure if settling down long term was in your plan.”
Hell, he didn’t think it was either. Until recently, he didn’t know what the hell his plan was. He hadn’t even had a plan. He just went wherever the world pulled him, like a leaf in the wind. Now, he was making plans for the future, taking charge of his life. New motivations did that to a man.
To be fair, not having a plan hadn’t led him completely astray. He didn’t have a plan when he met Gianna and that turned out to be one of the best things that had ever happened to him.
“I’m staying, princess,” he told her, the certainty clear in his voice. “I guess that means I’ll have to find a place to live.”
“You’re going to move out?” Her eyes were wide. “What the hell? I actually don’t like this plan at all.”
“Why don’t you move in with me?”
The shock on her face matched the feeling he felt inside.
He couldn’t believe that he had dropped the question too.
So casually, at that. The shock wasn’t even from asking her to move in, but rather at how soon he was able to ask it and how comfortable he felt around her that he felt like they could live together no problem.
It should have terrified him how significant the relationship had become, how much Gianna meant to him. But it didn’t. Instead, it felt like it was exactly what should have been happening.
“Move in with you?” she asked, stuttering over the words. “Like live together?”
“I know. What a wild concept. It’s not like we’ve ever done that before,” he said, sarcasm thick in his voice.
She frowned. “That’s different. The way we live together now would be completely different to the way it would be if we really lived together. We would be alone and share a bedroom. I barely have space in my room for all my clothes now, where would I put everything?”
“I’d give you a whole room for your clothes, another for your studio. Hell, decorate it to your heart’s desires in whatever way you want. As long as you’re there, I would love it.”
“Well, now I’m dreaming about this home,” she said, her eyes glossed over.
Finn let out a hefty laugh, shaking his head. “Dream all you want, just make it a reality. Luckily for you, I don’t need an answer yet, princess.”
Gianna nodded her head, keeping her smile on her face. “What time are you joining Valerio tomorrow?”
“Too fucking early. I think the asshole is purposely making the time earlier just to fuck with me,” Finn said.
“Knowing Valerio, he probably is.”
“What are your plans for tomorrow?”
Gianna shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. I have class and then I’ll probably try to hang out with the girls. It’s been a while since we’ve had a girls’ night.”
“And tomorrow night?”
She rolled her eyes. “I just said girls’ night, you ogre.”
“You’re going to leave me without my fix of you?” Finn asked.
“You have me right now.”
“Not enough.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re clingy?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.
He snorted. “Clingy? Is that how I’ve been?”
“Mhmm. Totally clingy.”
“Huh, I didn’t know. I’ve never had anyone to be clingy with.”
Gianna shook her head with a smile. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Only for you, princess.”
Fucking hell, it was only for her.
He paid the bill when it came. They got out of the booth, walking towards the exit.
Finn held her hand the entire way, being the clingy man that she now labeled him as.
From the corner of his eye, he saw someone staring with wide eyes and an open mouth.
He probably should have looked closer, but his girlfriend had a way of keeping his attention always.
Still, he could have sworn that he recognized the caramel hair that sat with the pretentious pre-law students, thinking it looked a lot like Blair Adler herself.
It all slipped his mind the moment Gianna gave him a kiss, though. She got onto the bike with her helmet on and he did the same before revving the engine and taking off.
Finn shook his head, letting himself relax with her arms around him. He would hold onto that peace for as long as he could.