Chapter 39
Gio Bianchi
I t’s been two weeks since Ruin moved in with me, and waking up next to her every morning has been pure bliss. When I asked her to come home with me after dinner at her family’s place, I wasn’t sure if she would understand my intentions. I thought maybe she’d think I was inviting her just for the night, but the understanding Ruin and I share should have told me that she would grasp the meaning.
She packed her clothes, we moved things around in the master bedroom to make it ours, and the farmhouse became our home. The next day, she got a phone, and we drove to Raleigh, where she met with her school friends and former housemates. Everyone was shocked to hear her story, but no one batted an eye when they saw us holding hands. I guess we had been less than subtle all along.
I thought it would be hard for her to return to campus, but she was relaxed and happy the entire time we were there. We spent the night at my house in Raleigh, and when I asked her if she wanted to return to Wolfe, she surprised me when she said no.
“I think my priorities and dreams have changed,” she said, causing my heart to sink for a moment.
“After everything I’ve been through, I have developed a deep admiration for people who help others get back on their feet—physically and mentally. I think that’s what I want to do next. I want to help people the way I was helped. I know you were a big part in healing my heart and my soul, but the mountains helped, too,” she said, her eyes shining bright with the light of a new dream.
“Maybe we need to look into opening a safe haven for people who need to find themselves,” I said, knowing in my heart that I’d support her dreams and whatever brought her happiness.
“Would you do that for me?” she asked as she sat on my lap.
“The world is your oyster, baby girl. I’ll make sure of that.”
“Oh, Gio. You’re too good to me,” she says, hugging me. I hug her back, feeling all the love I have for her seeping through my pores.
“You’ve gone through so much, baby girl. I just want to make sure your life, ours, is as smooth as possible from now on.” Ruin melts in my embrace, and I hug her tighter, if that’s even possible. “I know this is all new and there’s a lot to think about and plan to make this a reality, but have you considered going back to school for something completely different than what you’ve studied so far?”
“Yeah,” she says as she releases a deep breath. “I know there’s going to be lots of changes, and I’ll have to start from zero if I want to become a counselor, but I think it’s worth it, you know?” She removes her arms from around my shoulders, and I immediately miss her warmth. She’s looking at me with those soulful eyes of hers, and I just know she’s going to do amazing things, no matter how long it takes.
“Yeah, baby girl. I know.” I give her a quick peck on the lips as I get up from the couch, carrying her bridal style.
“Gio, what are you doing?” Ruin asks with a nervous laugh, wrapping her arms around my neck again.
“We need to eat before the food gets cold. Then, I have some ideas on how to spend the night.” She giggles all the way to the kitchen, and my heart has never been happier. I get to make my dream girl’s dreams her reality.
On our way back to Azalea Creek, I make a detour, and it takes everything in me not to tell Ruin what we are doing. She had been practicing driving my car from our home to the diner and the grocery store. I want her to have a reliable car so she can feel safe while driving.
“Gio, what are we doing here?” She hesitates when she sees the BMW sign. They have an assembly factory in North Carolina, and I knew this would be the perfect place for Ruin to choose her next ride.
“You’ll see,” I reply as we drive into the factory. After I park, we are greeted by the Vice President of Public Relations.
“Dr. Bianchi, what a pleasure.” He shakes my hand, then Ruin’s, and guides us to a showroom featuring every single BMW model you could ever imagine.
“What are you all looking for?” he asks, and I look at Ruin.
“Her dream car.”
Her eyes grow as big as saucers, not a word coming out of her mouth.
“Excellent. I’ll give you both some time to walk around and see what tickles your fancy.” I nod as I murmur my thanks. Holding Ruin’s hand in mine, I start walking around the showroom.
“What kind of car do you want?” I ask her, and she still doesn’t say anything.
“You don’t like BMWs? We can leave. We don’t need to buy a car here if you’d prefer another brand.”
She stops walking and turns me to face her.
“No, it’s not that. I don’t know, Gio…this is just too much.”
“We’re together, right?”
She nods.
“Then it’s not too much, it’s what every person in a relationship would do. You need a car, we’re getting you a car.”
“But these cars are way too expensive,” she whispers, and I chuckle.
“They’re not that expensive. I’ve seen cars that go for millions.”
Her eyes widen again, and I bite my lip to avoid laughing. She’s so cute when she’s startled.
Slowly, we make our way around the showroom. Ruin sits in most of the cars, letting out plenty of “ohhs” and “ahhs” and repeating, “This is too expensive,” until she finally chooses the BMX XM—a slick, safe SUV model, perfect for her.
“Are you all ready?” The vice president asks as he returns to find us inside the vehicle.
“Ready for what?” Ruin asks, panic rising in her voice.
“For a test drive, or course,” he says simply, and she looks at me expectantly. I give her a reassuring nod, and she takes the fob key from him. This surprises me, considering I practically had to beg her the other day to get behind the wheel to drive us to her family’s place. But maybe all she needed was a little push. I can’t begin to imagine how traumatic that car crash must have been for her—especially after losing her dad the same way years ago.
“Simply follow the blue arrows, Miss. They’ll take you to the test drive zone.”
I murmur my thanks, and Ruin buckles her seatbelt. I do the same. She squares her shoulders, and after a few deep breaths, she presses the ignition button, and the car purrs to life.
“I got this,” she murmurs to herself, and I give her hand a gentle squeeze. When she looks up at me, I say, “I’m so proud of you.” Right on cue, my girl blushes a pretty shade of pink.
“Oh wow. This is nice,” she says when the console lights up. I have to admit, it’s a cool car. I might have to get one for myself.
“Whenever you’re ready,” I tell her gently, and she shifts the gear to drive. She drives us out of the showroom, and once we are on the test drive road, she takes one more deep breath and starts driving faster. The more laps she does, the more comfortable she gets.
After twenty minutes, she parks the car, turns to face me, and says, “I’m ready.” A huge grin spread across my face as I lean closer and kiss her.
“I knew you could do it. I’m so damn proud of you Ruin,” I tell her, my voice thick with emotion.
“I’m not going to pretend it was easy, or that I almost didn’t back out in the showroom. But whenever I’m with you I feel invincible, and all of my sad memories don't scare me as much when I know I have the best man in the world cheering me on.”
I kiss her again because I can’t believe this is my life. I’m in love with the most amazing woman on Earth, and she loves me back.
“Now there’s only one more thing you need,” I say, removing my lips from hers, and she frowns.
I take a small velvet box out of my pants pocket. Ruin gasps, and I move my chair back as far as it can go to kneel.
“Ruin, you are the reason I wake up in the mornings and the reason why I go to bed with a smile on my face. You have changed my life for the better, showing me the importance of following my dreams without compromising my happiness. I want to build a safe haven for others with you; I want to help students reach their full potential. But most importantly, I want to build a home and a family with you.”
Tears begin to run down her cheeks, and I smile at her while gently wiping them away.
“Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and be by my side for the rest of our lives?” I ask as I take out a four-carat diamond in an oval cut, mounted on a simple white gold band from the box.
We’re still inside the car, and if Ruin says no, it’ll be the most uncomfortable moment of my life—not to mention the saddest. I watch her expression shift from surprise to understanding, then awe. And when her gorgeous lips part and she begins to speak, I hold my breath.
“Yes, Gio Bianchi. I’ll marry you and be the happiest woman in the world with the most amazing man by my side,” she says, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Her hands come up to frame my face, and we share a silent moment, letting our tears flow freely—happy tears, this time.
After a few beats, I place the ring on her finger and hold her neck with my hand, bringing her lips close to mine. I kiss her gently, unhurriedly, showing her all the love and adoration I feel for her.
“But how? When did you get this?” she asks, admiring the big rock that fits perfectly on her finger.
“I got it last year, after our trip to New York.” Her mouth drops open and she wraps her arms around my neck. I wasn’t sure the ring would fit, and I was ready to have it resized, but my guess was correct. The ring fits her perfectly.
“Thank goodness you found me, Gio. Thank you for never giving up on me. On us.”
I breathe her in, thanking my lucky stars and my guardian angel, because the only ruin in this life would have been to have to walk this Earth without her.
“Are you ready to head home?” I ask, trailing kisses down her neck. I know this is a big step for her—not only did we get her a brand-new car, but we also got engaged. I’m such an ass for overwhelming her with so many things at once, but I couldn’t help myself. I want her to have everything her heart desires, and I want her to know she’s mine. The least I can do is distract her with kisses and caresses.
“Keep going, Professor Bianchi. Your ministrations are calming my nerves.” I smile against her skin—she knows me well.
“I’m glad it’s working.” I say as my hands travel down her back and grab her delectable ass.
“Okay, okay. I think we’re done here.” She tries to get away from me, but I don’t care if anyone sees us. We just got engaged, after all. I don’t think anyone would blame me for wanting to be all around this woman.
“Are you sure?” the smirk she gives me makes my dick twitch.
“I mean, I’m ready to drive back home.” She rolls her eyes at me and motions for me to head to my car.
“Yes, ma’am.” I give her one more kiss before getting out of her car.
We drive back to Azalea Creek, and I follow her the entire time. I think she was going forty-miles an hour for the first mile or two, and then she started feeling more comfortable. We cruised down the highway and made it home right before dinner.
She called me from the car and asked if we could share the good news with the family. I chuckled but, of course, agreed—I was just as excited to marry her and tell the entire world that she had said yes.
“Hello, dear Gio. What a pleasant surprise,” Jossie says as she opens the door. Ruin raises her left hand instead of hugging her mama, and Jossie immediately shrieks. Everyone comes quickly to the foyer.
“What happened? Is Ruin okay?” Miles asks, confused by the commotion. “Oh damn, she’s more than okay. Look at that rock,” he answers himself as Ruin wiggles her fingers at him. Then he shouts, “Rain, come on over. Ruin has something to show you.”
I chuckle at his antics, but I’m happy no one seems to be surprised. I know this has been a crazy year for all of us, and Ruin and I have spent more time apart than together since we met, but it just felt right to ask her to marry me today.
“Oh my. We have a wedding to plan,” Rain says as she and Ruin melt in a hug.
“Where’s Granny and River?” I ask.
“Granny is napping. She’s going to be so pissed she missed this,” Miles says with a grin. “And River is out in the orchard.”
I nod. He’s always working.
“Congratulations, Gio. Welcome to the family. Thank you for loving my girl so much.” Jossie comes to hug me, and I can’t help but feel a lump in my throat. I feel so loved by Ruin’s family, and I can only hope the love of my siblings and their partners is enough to show her we also have a family from my side, too.
“Okay, so details?”
Ruin and I frown at Rain as everyone makes their way to the living room.
“I mean, when are you planning to get married? Where? Details,” Rain explains, and Ruin and I chuckle.
“We got engaged a couple of hours ago. Relax, Raindrop,” Ruin says, and Rain huffs in frustration.
“How can you be so calm? You’re marrying the love of your life,” Rain says as she gets up from the couch.
“I’m calm because I know he’s the love of my life. This is the biggest news of the day but maybe not the only news.”
Everyone looks at us expectantly.
“I drove my own car here,” Ruin announces, clapping her hands. A deafening silence fills the room, and I just hope they don't screw up this moment for her. She’s so proud of herself, and so I am. After a beat, Jossie and Rain are the first to smile and rush over to hug her, while Miles heads to the window.
“Hot damn, that’s your car?”
My girl gets the pretty blush on her face she gets when she’s the center of attention, and she simply nods. I hug her close to me, and she giggles against my chest.
Rain cranes her neck to take a peek at the car and nods. “Yup, it’s the perfect car to go along with that rock, Ru. Good job, Gio.”
She smiles at me, and I return it in kind. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Ruin.
“And also—” Ruin starts talking, but Jossie interrupts her.
“What? There’s more?” Jossie holds her chest, and Ruin laughs.
“It’s nothing like that, Mama. I promise. It’s just that I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do now that my life is in order. I was talking to Gio about wanting to open a place for people who have been under a lot of stress or have gone through difficult situations like I did. I want to go to school and become a therapist. I envision that place here in the mountains; maybe it’d help others like it helped me.”
My heart bursts with pride for this woman who decided to dedicate her life to helping others overcome hardships. Every time I think there’s no possible way to love her more, she surprises me, and my love for her grows.
When no one else says anything, Ruin starts fidgeting with her hands under the table—a telltale sign she’s nervous. My thoughts go from pride and love to downright murderous. If they make Ruin feel bad about her decision, I’m not sure I can keep it civil. I know my face betrays me, because when I look at River, he clears his throat and says, “Right. Well, even though it’s a surprising change, I have to admit I’m so proud of you, Ruin. Your heart has so much love to give, and I’m sure you’ll help lots of people. I think this is great.”
I nod at him as the others murmur their agreement. My Ruin takes a deep breath and releases it with a big smile on her face.
“I’ve been thinking we can open such a space on part of the land I bought. We can bring in some medical staff to help Ruin and, of course, we can open it once she’s done with school. So there’s no rush, but you are going to have plenty of work for the foreseeable future,” I say as I point to Miles, who gives me a salute.
Not only do I want to build a rehab center for Ruin to run, but I also want to build our dream house, the one she sketched in our bucket list notebook. There’s plenty more to come in Azalea Creek.