Page 40 of The Pumpkin Spice Proposal
Ben was quiet for a moment, then leaned forward. “You want to know what I think?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me, regardless.”
“I think you’re terrified. Not of commitment or small-town life or even my sister’s questionable taste in reality TV.” He grinned briefly, then grew serious again.
“You’re terrified of being happy. Of choosing something just because it makes you happy, not because it’s expected or impressive or what Alessandro Marrone thinks success should look like.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? When’s the last time you made a decision based purely on what you wanted? Not what would advance your career or earn approval or look good in the press?”
I thought about the flour fight in Lily’s kitchen. About spending four hours on a cardboard Halloween costume. About the way my chest felt when Olivia called me family.
“This was supposed to be simple,” I admitted.
“Love never is. Whether it’s fake or real.”
“It’s not?—”
“Don’t.” He held up a hand. “Don’t insult my intelligence by claiming this is still fake. I saw you yesterday at the school. The way you handled that heritage project conversation? That wasn’t fake. That was a man making promises he intends to keep.”
My phone buzzed against the coffee table. A text from Lily.
Olivia wants to know if you’re still coming to help with her project this afternoon. No pressure, but she already told her class you would.
I stared at the screen, torn between the life waiting for me in Milan and the life asking for help with a second-grade heritage project.
“The technical director position,” I said slowly. “It’s in Milan?”
“Milan. Great opportunity. Exactly what you said you wanted when you got here—a way back into racing without the driving.” Ben’s voice was carefully neutral.
“Stable career, good money, your father’s approval.”
I typed back.
I’ll be there at 3.
“But?” Ben prompted.
“But Olivia has a school project that suddenly includes Italian Christmas traditions. And Lily needs help setting up for the Harvest Gala tomorrow. And I promised some lady I don’t even know that I’d fix her garden gate before winter.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Since when do I have a list of weekend projects?”
“Since you started building a life instead of just existing between races.” Ben’s smile was gentle. “Those aren’t obligations. Those are reasons to stay.”
“Same thing.”
“No, they’re not. Remember when you were supposed to attend that sponsor dinner in Monaco and you flew to Switzerland instead to test a new setup?”
“That was different.”
“How?”
I didn’t have an answer. Or rather, I had an answer I wasn’t ready to voice. In Monaco, I’d had nothing to lose. Here, I had everything to lose.
“The Harvest Gala is tomorrow night,” Ben said quietly. “The whole town expects a proposal.”
“I know.”
“What are you going to do?”
