Lodged (Kinsmen Billionaires #2)

32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Ruin MacAllister

N ot sure how this happened, but I finally feel like things are looking up. Two weeks ago, the physical therapist said insurance had approved more sessions, so now I have three per week. Even though my ankle and shoulder hurt afterward, I can tell I’m gaining more mobility. I also get those days off from work since Rain was able to hire two more waiters. Again, I’m not sure how, but she says we can afford it.

Then there’s Gio. He’s been coming to the diner every single night, and I don’t know why, but I feel drawn to him—talking with him is easy. He listens, he doesn’t ask more than I want to say, and he puts a smile on my face every single time. At first, I was a little worried. Talking with him felt so natural that I wondered if maybe something was wrong with me. But then, as I got to know him, he’s just a genuinely nice guy. He works at the community college but decided to live in Azalea Creek.

“Raindrop!” I shout as I walk into the diner’s kitchen. We’re closing in half an hour, so the kitchen is officially shut down.

“What’s going on?” Rain turns to look at me, and her face transforms the moment she sees me.

“You won’t believe it,” I tell her, and she grins wide, just like me. “Gio, the guy who has been coming every night?”

“You mean the guy who has the hots for you? What about him?” I roll my eyes at her but can’t help but smile at her description of Gio.

“Yeah, him. He just asked me out.” I squeal in excitement, and Rain joins me.

“Finally,” she says, and I frown.

“What do you mean?”

“Ruin, the guy has been coming for dinner every single night for a month, it’s clearly not for the food.” I frown deeper.

“Hey, you’re an excellent cook. He told me so.” Rain rolls her eyes.

“Yeah, but that’s beside the point. He comes to see you, to spend time with you.”

“How do you know that?” Rain’s shoulders sag at my question.

“I love you, but I can’t believe how obtuse you are sometimes. Have you ever seen me sitting down with him or having dinner with him? No. He hasn’t asked for me to compliment me about my cooking skills. He asks you if you want to join him, not me, not any of the other waiters. You.” I feel my face burning, but it’s true. He never asks for anyone but me.

“You’re right. And as excited as I am about going out with him, I wonder if maybe I was seeing someone before the accident. What if I’m cheating on someone by going out with Gio?” I say quietly. I’d hate to hurt someone’s feelings like that.

Rain’s face turns serious. “If you were dating someone, don’t you think they would have been here since you woke from the coma? I think you should forget about the past and enjoy the present.” A bolt of electricity runs through me as I imagine going out with Gio.

“Where is he taking you?” Rain asks, and I feel butterflies take flight in my belly just at the thought of spending time alone with him.

“He only said we needed the entire day, and to wear something warm,” I tell her, and Rain wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t think I’m ready for more than a kiss.”

She hugs me as she speaks again, “I think that man is in no rush. He only wants to spend time with you.” I wonder how she is so sure about it, but I don’t ask. I just enjoy having my sister being my number-one cheerleader.

“So, Ruin has a date,” Rain shares with the family at breakfast the next morning, and my eyes shoot daggers at her.

“Is that so? Who’s the guy, and when can I talk to him?” River says, and Miles raises his hand.

“I’ll go with you to speak with him, Riv. We need to make sure he knows he can’t mess with Ruin.” Miles cracks his knuckles, and I roll my eyes.

“You guys know I’m twenty-four, right?”

“We know, darling. But is it smart to go out with someone?” Mama asks

“What do you mean? It’s not like I’m mentally ill, Mama,” I say in a defensive tone, and Mama sighs.

“We just want to make sure you’re being safe, Ruru. We just don’t want you to get hurt,” Miles says in a serious tone. I know they mean well, but I’m tired of being cocooned under their wing. Plus, Gio is the nicest guy I’ve ever met.

“She’ll be fine. Rain and I can vouch for the guy. He’s a regular at the diner.” Granny speaks up, and everyone turns to look at her.

“How come I’ve never seen him?” Mama asks, a smile appearing on her face.

“He comes for dinner every night, Mama. You’re long gone by then.”

“I’d feel better if I had a chance to talk to him. Where does he work?” River says, and I know he’s not going to let this go easily.

“He works at the community college. He’s working on developing a new curriculum.” I share what Gio told me the other day, pride filling my chest.

“Well, at least he sounds smart. He couldn’t be that bad, Riv,” Miles says with a shrug as he takes a bite of his breakfast. River releases a deep breath.

“Fine, but I still want to meet him at some point,” River says as he continues to eat. I shoot a pointed look at Rain, and she just shrugs.

“What? You can’t blame them for looking after you. And I’m just so excited you’re going out, Ruru,” she says in a more playful tone. I can’t help but feel giddy about it, too.

Gio asked if it was okay to pick me up at home. Even though I wanted to avoid the awkwardness of him meeting my brothers, I said yes because it’s better to get that out of the way. He’s here at ten in the morning, on the dot, and when I open the door, he has three beautiful flower bouquets in hand.

“Good morning,” he says with a bright smile.

“Morning, Gio,” I tell him as I gesture for him to come inside.

“These are for you.” He gives me the largest bouquet of the three, a stunning mix of daisies, sunflowers, roses, chrysanthemums, magnolias, and mums.

“It’s a sunset bouquet. It reminded me of your hair,” Gio says as I take in all the gorgeous shades of orange and red.

“It’s beautiful, thank you.” I raise onto my tiptoes and give him a kiss on the cheek. I immediately regret it as my ankle screams in pain. Someone clears their throat behind me, and I know my brothers are here.

“You must be Gio,” River says as he extends his hand.

“I am. Nice to meet you,” Gio says, and River shakes his hand but doesn’t tell him his name. A silent conversation passes between them, but I don’t think too hard about it; I know River is just measuring Gio up.

“This is my brother River, and this is Miles.” Gio gives me a grateful smile as he removes his hand from River’s and shakes Miles’ hand.

“Nice to meet you both,” Gio says, and an awkward silence falls upon us.

“Anyway, these are for your mom and Granny.” He passes me both bouquets, and I give him an appreciative smile. I make my way to the kitchen to put the flowers in vases, but as I enter, I can’t help but chuckle. Mama and Granny are by the door, eavesdropping.

“I thought you wanted to meet him, Mama,” I whisper, and she shakes her head.

“I didn’t want to scare him away with all the attention. I’ll meet him when he drops you off later today.”

I make quick work of putting the flowers in water and join Mama and Granny, just in time to hear Gio say, “I know you don’t know me, but my intentions with Ruin are pure. She has told me about her accident, and I’ll let her set the pace—I’m not in a rush. All I want is a chance with her.”

Oh, this man—how can he be so amazing?

“She told you?” River asks.

“That’s good, Riv. It means she trusts him,” Miles says next.

“Listen, I have a younger sister. I’d give my life to protect hers. There’s no way I would hurt Ruin.” There’s a silent pause, and I look at Granny and Mama. They whisper for me to go save Gio. I nod, and after checking myself in the mirror one last time, I head back to the foyer.

“Have fun you two. We’ll have to go out for a drink one of these days,” River says as he shakes Gio’s hand again. Gio nods and shakes Miles’ hand, too. He then places his hand on the low of my back and guides me to the door.

Once we’re in his car, he starts driving and glances my way.

“You look stunning, Ruin. I’m sorry I didn’t say it earlier.”

I bite my lip as I smile. I wish I could remember if I was flirty with guys before the accident or not. But the way Gio makes me feel, I want to jump him and let him kiss me senseless.

“You look pretty dapper, too.” He gives me a wink, and I melt inside.

“So you told me to dress warm, but it’s not officially fall yet. I’m a little confused.” He chuckles at my question and reaches for my hand. His warm hand engulfs mine, and I feel safe and protected.

“Well, we’re going a little high today.” I frown, and he chuckles. “We’re riding a hot air balloon.”

I open my eyes wide and squeal in excitement.

“Not that I remember everything, but I think this is the coolest date someone has ever taken me to,” I tell him honestly. A pang of sadness hits my chest. It’s not fair to Gio that I’m still obsessed with remembering my past when he treats me like I hang the moon.

“I know you really want to get your memories back. Heck, if I were in your shoes, I'd feel frustrated, too, but I’m glad I’m the one you get to make new memories with.” His words settle in my chest, and the warm, fuzzy feelings bloom again.

“You’re right. I need to live in the present. And I’m thankful I’m here with you.” I squeeze his hand, and he squeezes mine back.

The rest of the drive passes in comfortable silence as Gio takes us to the fairgrounds, one of the few flat areas in town. A crew is already waiting for us. Gio helps me out of the car, and my jaw drops at the sight: a huge hot air balloon is being prepared for takeoff. The basket is large enough to fit four people, and from what I can see, it’s stocked with blankets and a picnic basket.

“Gio, I’m in awe. This is simply amazing. Thank you,” I say, hugging him hard. As soon as his arms wrap around me, I inhale deeply, and my senses are hit with the perfect mix of cinnamon spice and him.

“You’re welcome. Just wait until you see the views from up top.” He kisses the top of my head, and we make our way to meet the crew. After a crash course on things to do and not to do while in the air, it’s time to board. Even though I’m excited, I’m a little nervous, too.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I wouldn’t put you in danger. These people are professionals, and there’s a team waiting for us at the vineyard we're going to.” Gio gives me a reassuring smile, and I nod at him. As the balloon is released from the safety sticks, we start going up, and I hug Gio.

“I’m sorry. I just really want to hug you.” I can feel his chest vibrate with laughter.

“You won’t hear me complaining.” I hold him closer, and he squeezes me tight. I love this feeling of being surrounded by him.

Once we’ve gained enough height, the pilot tells us it’ll be smooth sailing for about thirty minutes until we start our descent. I exhale slowly and gently untangle myself from Gio. Placing my hands on the rail, I take in the view: an endless green tapestry, with various shapes and textures forming the lush canopy of the Blue Ridge mountains.

“This is breathtaking,” I say quietly as I enjoy being here with this amazing man.

“It truly is,” Gio says ,and when I look at him, his eyes are on me.

We chat about his project at the community college, and I tell him about my progress in therapy. The time goes by way too fast, and before I know it, we’re landing in a gorgeous vineyard. The main house looks like an Italian villa, and I can’t believe he took me here.

“Did you know I love Italy?”

He shakes his head.

“Well, I’ve always wanted to visit,” I tell him as we make our way to the villa.

“Maybe one day we’ll go,” he says nonchalantly, but my heart latches onto his words. I hope so, too.

“Welcome to Villa Tuscany,” a girl, probably around my age, greets us as we enter the main floor of the villa.

“You must be Ruin and Gio. What a pleasure to have you here today.” She shakes our hands as she leads us to a table with six wine bottles lined up alongside tasting glasses. “My name is Aria, and I’ll be your wine tour guide today.”

She beams at us, and I smile back. I don’t see anyone else around. Did Gio plan this to be an exclusive tasting? How much does this cost?

One by one, we taste the wines produced in the vineyard. Each has its own subtle notes and unique production time.

“I really like this Bella Misto,” I tell Aria as I finish my second glass of the delicious wine.

“That’s actually our best seller. The perfect blend of fruity and mineral notes makes it the ideal wine to go with any meal,” she replies.

I reach for another refill, but Gio intervenes. “Easy, sweetheart,” he says, and I give him a sheepish look.

“Why don’t we grab a bottle of Bella Misto for our lunch? Then we can head back home.” I smile at his idea, and Aria opens a bottle for us. Gio grabs it, along with two wine glasses in one hand, and takes my hand with his free one.

“Where are we having lunch?” I ask, confused. I thought we would eat inside the tasting room.

“It’s a beautiful, sunny day. I thought you’d like to eat in their gazebo.” Gio points to a white gazebo that sits atop a hill, surrounded by a wildflower garden. Inside, a table and two chairs are already set for lunch.

“You are so thoughtful,” I tell him as I grab his arm and pull him closer to me. “Thank you so much for taking such good care of me.”

He kisses my hair, and I feel the butterflies in my belly again.

“You’re welcome. I thought about laying out a blanket for a picnic, but then it dawned on me that it wouldn’t be the smartest idea to put too much weight on your ankle as you get up from the blanket.”

He truly takes care of me. Butterflies take flight in my stomach as I get lost in the thought—how is it possible that I’m having lunch in such a beautiful setting after a hot air balloon ride with the most handsome, smart, and all-around amazing man I’ve ever met in my life? How is this real? Maybe after the hardest moment of my life, the universe has decided to give me a reprieve and sent this angel my way.

He pours our wine, and we enjoy a spread of Italian treats—everything from pasta with meatballs, to lasagna and even gelato. It’s a feast.

“Do you think we can walk around the vines before we head home?” I know he’s asking if my ankle can handle it. I had therapy yesterday, and even though I’m a little sore, I don’t want this date to end.

“I would love that.” He gives me a big smile, and we head toward the rows of vines at the bottom of the hill. There’s a nice breeze making them sway. The birds are chirping, and the smell of dirt and fragrant flowers mix in the air. It’s the perfect day, and I’m not sure how I got this lucky. Being here with a man who doesn’t care about my flaws or shortcomings, who wants to spend time with me, and who lets me be me. I always thought this only happened in the movies, but I guess I’m living my own.

“Where did you go?” Gio asks, bringing me back to the moment.

“I was just thinking how much I’m enjoying being here with you—and how lucky I feel to have met you.”

His eyes soften as he gently places my hand in the crook of his elbow.

“I have no words to describe how happy I am to be here with you, Ruin. I feel like I’ve been looking for you my whole life.” His eyes fill with emotion, and I smile at him because I feel the exact same thing.

He wipes the moisture off my face and leans down, brushing a featherlike kiss on my lips. I feel electricity going from his lips to mine, and I want more. Without thinking about whether I’m going too fast or being reckless, I press my hands against his chest and grab his sweater, pulling him closer to me. Gio groans as I feel his dick pressing against my middle. The kiss grows passionate, almost desperate. I can’t get enough of him.

Slowly, Gio starts to break the kiss, and I whimper. He chuckles, and the vibration does delicious things to my libido, which until now had been non-existent.

“It’s not our last kiss, sweetheart. I can promise you that.” He gives me a peck on the lips, and we continue our walk.

I can’t wait to tell Rain how amazing this day has been.