Page 11 of Forever Fighting
“I picked out that place for my honeymoon with Adam. His imprint will be all over it. Like a freaking werewolf fromTwilight.”
He’s confused, but at this point in our friendship, he knows better than to question my weirdness.
“It’s a different resort than the one you picked on a different side of the country.”
“Still Mexico.”
“Braelyn, you can’t be serious. That’s like saying I planned a trip to California and ended up in Boston, but it’s still the US.”
“Well, it is.”
He sighs. “I have to be in Vegas next week for the opening of Decision and then in Mexico for at least a week after that. I’ll be in Vegas on my birthday and yours while I’m in Mexico.”
“What will you do when you run out of boxing-themed titles for your restaurants?”
“Stop opening new restaurants. Braelyn, focus here. What if we went to Vegas, you attended the opening with me, and after we go on to Mexico? I work and get the restaurant where I want it to be while you relax in the sun.”
Our birthdays are a week apart, except I’m very much a Pisces and he’s very much an Aries. If you know anything about astrology, you’re aware of the massive difference between us. I’m the dreamer. The emotional one. Always forming strong connections. Roman is all Aries. Determined and intense and action-oriented. Pretty obvious if you know him. I get what he’s trying to do, and I adore him for it, but still…
“That makes no sense. Your resort is in Cancun. Vegas is in the opposite direction.”
“Kid, I adore you, but you have the world’s worst sense of direction. How about you leave the travel and planning to me? Just don’t say no. Be open to the idea. When was the last time you had a real vacation? Or the last time I did, for that matter?”
“You’ll be working in both places.”
“Yes, but if you’re there with me, it’ll force me to take breaks and relax more than I otherwise would.”
He has a point. It’s a serious one too. I haven’t had a vacation since I was in college and flew out to Rome to see him over spring break. No, wait, it was Paris the following year. But that was it. After that, our schedules never really aligned for me to visit him, and he came home to Boston often enough that I still got to see him. As for his last vacation… I’m not sure Roman Fritz has had a vacation since Nash died. They were on vacation at their grandparents’ Martha’s Vineyard estate when it happened.
“You’re serious?” I question, thinking this through. So very tempted by the prospect of turning something awful into something… fun. And doing it with Roman, who is one of my favorite people in the world. Maybe my favorite now that Adam shit the bed.
“Absolutely. In fact, it’s genius. Can you get the time?”
“My mother is the head RN, and when I tell her about Adam, I’m sure she’ll adjust the schedule.”
A strange sort of gorgeous evil smile curls up his lips. Roman Fritz is scary beautiful. The sort that puts male models and movie stars to shame because his look is effortless and his fucks to give about it are zero. The man literally has a bandaged-up cut under his eye and a fat bottom lip, and he’s still hot as fuck.
I digress.
“Stop smiling at me like that.”
He chuckles and takes a bite of his food before he washes it down with his wine. “Eat up, kid, and leave the details to me. But starting next week, plan to be away for the next two weeks.”
“Two weeks?! I’m not sure I can be gone for that long.”
“Fine. Ten days minimum but ask for two weeks. I’ve got you. You’re living here for a while anyway. You’ll be able to save the money you think you’re losing with everything, and you won’t have to pay any rent.”
I scowl. “I hate how well you know me.”
“Better than anyone. But with that, you can’t get all huffy about how much money I spend on this or about where we stay. It’s a business expense for me.”
“Fine,” I concede because really I’m not putting up much of a fight. I think I need to get away, and this is the perfect excuse and way to do it. “I’ll talk to my mom about the time off. And any expenses that aren’t business-related, I want to pay for.”
He doesn’t reply to that, and I know it’ll be a fight between us, but whatever.
This sounds way better than hanging out here and dealing with this aftermath. I still have a wedding to cancel, and considering people are likely RSVPing right now, it’s going to be ugly.
“Your fiancé showedup at my door,” Skylar says through a yawn. “Is it what I think?”
