Page 34 of Billionaire Bachelor
“Hence, why you’re proceeding with caution,” Sylvie surmises.
I point to her. “Exactly.”
Sylvie sips her mimosa thoughtfully, nodding. “Okay, here’s my unsolicited two cents. Whether you realized it or not, you and Logan have always had this ‘will-they-won’t-they’ thing going on. IknowRyan picked up on it long before your New Year’s Eve make-out sesh, which is why he was so loud about the bro code nonsense. But regardless of Ryan’s misguided warnings, have you ever considered that maybe you and Logan are inevitable? Why fight it?
“Look at me and Hudson. I knew from the moment we met something was different about him. About the way he made me feel. That’s why it hurt so badly when I thought he didn’t want me. WhenI moved back to LA, I had no intention of ever seeing him again. But then all these years later, he was thrown back into my life. And as hard as I fought it, as many mistakes as we’ve both made along the way, I know this is how it was meant to happen. If I hadn’t left, we wouldn’t have Lily in our life. That’s not a reality I’d ever want to live in, and I can guarantee Hudson would say the same.
“So, I’m going to give you the same advice my brilliant cousin gave me in the not-so-distant past. You don’t have to make all the decisions right now, Rosa. Don’t worry about what’s at stake. Don’t worry about all the hypothetical what-ifs. You’re allowed to enjoy this experience, wherever it may lead you. Just focus on what you’re feeling in the moment, every time you’re with Logan. Focus on how inexplicably bereft you feel when you’re not together.”
“Man, this cousin of yours sounds pretty smart,” I sass, consideringI’mthe one who gave her that advice. “But how do you kn?—”
Sylvie holds a hand up. “Girl, don’t even try telling me you’re not missing him like crazy right now, because it’s written all over your face.”
“But that’s weird, don’t you think?” I ask. “We’ve only been exploring this new facet of our relationship for three days, Syl. Three. Days.”
She gives me a ‘Don’t give me that bullshit’look. “Rosalie, this has been coming for fifteenyears. You two have been carrying a torch for each other since day one. You’ve been suppressing these feelings for so long,of courseit’s going to be super-intense once you finally give into it.”
I think about that for a moment, tracing my finger on the rim of my glass. “There’s just so much on the line.”
“Nuh-uh,” Sylvie says, shaking her head. “We’re not doing that, remember? Look. If you want to keep it a secret for now, fine. That part doesn’t matter. Whatdoesmatter is how being with Logan makes youfeel. If you focus on that, the rest will work itself out.”
I nod, feeling the weight in my chest lift, just a little. Sylvie’s right. I’ve spent too much time worrying about what might go wronginstead of appreciating what’s already gone right. Logan’s promise echoes in my mind.Let’s just enjoy this—us—for what it is, one moment at a time. I promise, no matter what, I’ve got you.
If he’s willing to take this risk, I owe it to both of us to do the same. There’s no guarantee things will be easy, but the thought of walking away now—before we’ve even had a chance to see where this could lead—is infinitely worse.
By the time our food arrives, I’ve made up my mind. For the first time in a long time, I’ll stop overthinking and let myself feel. Logan deserves that.Wedeserve that.
As we finish our meal, Sylvie raises her glass one last time. “To orgasms and big dicks. May we always be blessed with both.”
I chuckle, clinking my glass to hers. “Salud.”
13
ROSALIE
The sleek downtownoffice of Maxwell and Company buzzes with energy as I step through the doors. My heels clack along the polished marble flooring in a steady staccato, mixed with the ever-present hum of conversation and keyboard clicks. Trish, aka our chaos coordinator extraordinaire, gives me a quick smile as I approach the reception area.
“Welcome back, Rosalie!” Trish says. “Did you have a nice mini vacay?”
Only if you consider countless orgasms with the sexiest man you’ve ever met “nice.”
Since I can’t say that without giving her all the tea, I go with, “Morning. I did. But I suspect you’re about to tell me I’m going to pay for having Monday and Tuesday off.”
Trish winces dramatically as she hands me a stack of messages. “I sent quite a few people to your voicemail and gave another few your email address, too.”
“Great,” I reply, stretching the word out.
“But the good news is, you only have one appointment today.Avery wants you to sit in on her Zoom call with Gabbie and Ethan Baldwin at two o’clock.”
“Damn, now I want a cupcake.”
“I know, right?” Trish laughs. “I could go for one of their piña colada tarts.”
Gabbie and Ethan are celebrity chefs who own Baldwin’s Sweet Temptations, my favorite bakery franchise. Every time I’m in Santa Monica, I have to stop by their original location for a cannoli cupcake, or if I’m lucky and it’s not sold out for the day, a slice of their triple chocolate cheesecake.
“Well…” I shake the stack of messages. “I suppose I’d better get to it. Thanks, Trish.”
“Anytime, Rosa. By the way, you had a delivery about half an hour ago. I put it on your desk. Be prepared for my inquisition once you get caught up.”
