Page 16 of A Geek Girl's Guide to Kissing a Video Gamer
He scoffed. “They’re only the best movies ever.”
“AndThe Breakfast Club?”
“Do you even need to ask?”
Wow, she really liked him. They had more than a few things in common. He made her feel so at ease, and she didn’t feel like she had to be anyone other than herself. “Good answer.”
“How aboutLabyrinth?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. “Oh yeah. Love it.Better Off Dead?”
He nodded. “We have a lot in common. I don’t think pretending’s going to be all that hard.”
Her pulse jumped because she’d been thinking the same thing. She and Buck were the very definition of opposites attract. No, that wasn’t true. She tried to like the things he did, and he made no effort to like anything she did. She’d been so focused on the business and having someone next to her that she hadn’t examined the relationship like she should have.
Dipping his hand into the backpack, he pulled out a small velvet box. “This didn’t belong to the ex. It’s actually why I was a little late.” He popped it open, and a ring with a modest diamond shimmered in the light coming through the window. “I hope it’s okay.”
Her mouth dropped open. When he’d asked her ring size, she hadn’t expected him to pick out something so…perfect or expensive-looking. Well, expensive to her.
“I love it.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I mean, love it. It’s so pretty.”
“I was hoping you would.” He plucked the ring from the box and took her hand. “It reminded me of you. Simply beautiful.”
What could she say to that? Thanks? Seek medical attention; there’s a chance you might have a concussion? Buck had taught her she needed to lose some weight before anyone looked her way twice. Which was why she knew Xavier’s compliments were out of kindness. “Uh…”
He caught her gaze and held it, slipping the ring onto her finger. “You are. Just accept it as fact.” He winked.
“Thanks,” she said, just above a whisper—the best she could manage given the house-sized lump in her throat. How was she going to handle parting ways with this man after this weekend ended? Her past crush was roaring to the present and zipping right on past into something else.
If someone had asked if she could fall for a guy in just a few days, she’d have laughed at them. Now, she wasn’t so sure. When he looked at her, butterflies tickled her stomach. His touch set her skin on fire. He was kindhearted and sweet. What if… Again, her thoughts were going places they didn’t need to go. She needed to pull herself together.
They’d go to the conference, she’d get her company back, and then she’d pay Xavier back for his kindness. He’d get her best artwork ever for the game he was developing. Maybe someday…but now wasn’t the right time.
Chapter 10
The flight to St. Augustine was amazing. At first, it had felt a little weird putting an engagement ring on Sadie’s finger. Marriage wasn’t something someone went into flippantly. For him, it meant commitment and a lifetime of loving someone. Only, it hadn’t felt impulsive. It had felt likehisring belonged onherfinger. All he needed was the wedding band to seal the deal.
By the time they landed, Xavier felt like he’d known her since he was a kid, which made the feeling even stronger. They shared so many things in common beyond just movies, like their ideas of relationships and kids. She wanted one, and he wanted three. The compromise was two. Of course, that was just in case anyone asked. They didn’t want anyone to question their engagement, and that was definitely a topic to discuss before marriage. Or, so he told himself.
Once they checked into the hotel, Xavier and Sadie picked rooms, and he unpacked while Sadie freshened up. She looked great to him, but he wasn’t in a hurry. If it made her happy, he didn’t mind. Then they went over to set up her table for the show the next day.
A couple of years had passed since he’d been to an exhibition here. At the time, the organizers were working to make ittheplace where illustrators showed off their talent and companies scouted.
“Wow.” Sadie looked around the exhibit hall. “The last time I was here, there were maybe a hundred people. Now it’s huge.”
Nodding, Xavier shifted the banner Sadie would be using from one hand to the other. “Yeah, but you’re the best one here.”
She touched his arm. “Doubtful, but thank you.”
He winked. “Absolutely true.” He tipped his chin to the letters marking each aisle. “You said aisle four, right?”
“That’s the one. Unless Buck was lying—”
“Xavier?” A familiar voice called from behind them. “Xavier Parker?”
Immediately, his pulse jumped. Kim. Slowly, he turned and came face to face with the woman who’d broken his heart. She was on the arm of Garret Ward, the developer ofHadley’s War, a military RPG game. From what Xavier knew, the man was a good guy. He certainly deserved better than Kim, but maybe she’d changed her ways. Maybe.
“Hey, Kim,” he replied.
