His shoulder lifted. “What can I say? I’m an idiot.”
An idiot. A whoosh of relief washed over her. Sounded like an apology. Sort of. Maybe? It took all her willpower to not launch herself into his arms. “For the record, I said it would’ve been nice to be given a chance to try. Not that I actually did.”
“Do you still want to?” His voice was low and his gaze intense.
Want to try to love him? She crossed her arms, needing something to protect her from this raw conversation. “What kind of question is that?”
“An unfair one. But here’s the thing. Whenever I go anywhere in this town, I scan the crowd for you. The same thing happened after that first night we met at Lacey’s. I saw Amelie, and I immediately searched the space near her. Looking for you. I’m always looking for you.”
She wanted to pull his face down to hers. To taste him. But first, she needed to know. “Did you give shares to all the girls?”
He made a disgusted sort of sound. “What girls?”
“The other girls you’ve had. Like a thank-you.” She had to make sure she was the only one.
His hands found hers, and he stared deep into her eyes when he said, “There’s no one else.”
Her vision blurred, and she blinked. Everything he said melted her insecurities. But before she threw herself at him, she had one more question. “Why risk your company? Even now, you’ve given up control of your dream.”
“It’s simple. I realized I could lose my investors—hell, my whole damn company—but I can’t lose you. You are my dream.”
Epilogue
The unveiling of the Ferguson-Rowe Discovery Center took place on September twenty-ninth with over a thousand people in attendance. The dedication took place in honor of Vin’s father. His mother and sister both attended, as did Reece’s father, mother, Candace, and her brothers.
“You’re a real role model, Mr. Rowe,” Tonia said to Reece’s father.
Her father smiled. “Thank you. I understand you’re a kindergarten teacher. Sounds like you’re a role model as well.”
They discussed the pitfalls of public education and the differences in the school boards for Collier and Miami-Dade. A pregnant Candace chimed in about private schools and the benefits of being a stay-at-home mother.
As Reece mingled with the guests, she took the time to appreciate all she and Amelie had accomplished in the months since they’d decided to collaborate. They had staff and volunteers eager to help any child who entered the center, and the local elementary schools accepted their invitation to plan free field trips to the center.
Everything seemed to have fallen into place.
“You look pleased.” Vin joined her from behind.
“I am.” She soaked in the sight of the center and the people in attendance. “Look at all the possibilities.” Already attendees were asking how they could get involved, and Amelie had a sign-up list for volunteers.
“You’re amazing, Reece. I always knew that.” He kissed the top of her head, a move that still caught her in the heart.
“I didn’t. Not until you.” She’d grown accustomed to doubting herself, but once she and Vin started hanging out, she saw more in life than just trying to prove her worth. “Thank you.”
“I should be thanking you. You’re the one who motivated me to build my own company.”
“And those company shares are what funded this discovery center.”
“But I never would have thought to open a center like this. You’re a genius. And to think earnings from my company will contribute to this”—he shook his head—“it’s incredible. You’re incredible.”
She touched the #justlivelife band on his wrist. “You’re the one who told me to dream. I didn’t have one then, but I do now.”
“If this center is your dream, it’s a great one.”
She hoped he didn’t take this the wrong way, but she never wanted there to be another misunderstanding between them. “Vin, I know we’re still figuring things out, but this center is not my whole dream. Working with you, like this, through the center, is my dream. You’re on the board of trustees, so it’s like we’re partners in this.”
His expression turned serious as he stared into her eyes. For a long moment, he just looked at her, and she wondered what he saw. Had she said too much? About being partners? Over the past month, they’d shared quite a bit about each other’s lives. He’d implied, when he’d told her he didn’t want to lose her, they had a future. But they’d never really come right out and said they’d be together forever, even if her new discovery center linked their names together in a major philanthropic way.
“Come with me. I have something for you.”
She followed him out the back of the building into the parking lot.
With a lavish gesture worthy of a game show host, he swept his arm and announced, “This is the Sierra 1500 Denali.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
He ticked off the amenities on his long fingers. “High safety rating. Quiet, upscale cabin. Spacious front seats.”
“It’s a truck.” Why was Vin looking at her like that?
Sounding a tad smug, he said, “It’s a truck with a full-sized air mattress in the back and a full tank of gas.”
She caught on then. Sex in the back of a pickup truck in an orange grove. She’d toured an orchard once, and the fresh scents and the greenery had implanted that fantasy. The pickup truck had been her way of having outdoor sex, sort of private, and off the ground. “You bought a truck so we could have sex in the back of it?”
He kissed her on the tip of her nose. “I did, and it fulfills a fantasy of mine.”
She calculated the closest orange grove and their chances of entering undetected. “Can we leave right now?”
He chuckled. “Given our track record for staying at events, I think no one would expect us to do otherwise.”
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Acknowledgments
First and forever, thank you to all the readers and believers in the power of words. During childhood, I was told to color inside the lines. In my twenties, I was asked to think outside the box. In my thirties, I realized there is no box…and I wrote a song about it.
This is where I finally get to officially thank Ben Allen and Dan Shreve for tweaking the lyrics in my head and producing a shiny song I play on repeat and during every random road trip with my husband. Ben and Dan are brilliant musicians but also two individuals who took the time to work through a developing idea with me, and for their time and talent, I will always be grateful.
Behind every book I write, my editor, my agent, and my husband all deserve standing ovations. To my editor, Robin, who guides me with brilliance and patience. To my agent, Nicole, who inspires me in every way that matters in this industry.
Always, to Simon Cleveland, my first reader and my last everything.
About the Author
Marisa Cleveland loves to laugh, hates to cry, and does both often while enjoying the journey one sunset at a time with her husband. Expressing herself through writing, music, and dance is her lifestyle, and as a former gymnast, cheerleader, and dancer, she understands the importance of balance and encourages everyone to stay flexible.
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Reforming the CEO (South Beach) Page 18