Doll Face (Baby Doll #3) Page 18

  I balance the phone between my ear and shoulder, as I carefully tear open the letter.

  “Katie, what does it say? Don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me it’s not his heart that you broke or pictures of him and his new fling having hot straight people sex. I will need to see those right away.”

  “It’s two tickets.”

  “Tickets? What the—”

  “It’s a plane ticket for Vegas that leaves in an hour.”

  “Oh my God, I can’t even. You are packing, right?” Kiki asks as I’m pulling out an overnight bag and throwing random items into it.

  “Of course, I’m packing.” I grab lotion off the dresser and toss it into my bag as I race out of the room.

  “What is the other ticket? This is so exciting,” Kiki squeals.

  “It’s a ticket for the Supercross finals.”

  “The super whata? Oh, who cares, this is the most romantic thing ever.”

  I can picture Kiki twirling around with a drink in his hand and a silk robe on. I stop at the front door, with my hand on the knob. “What do I tell Ryan?” Turning around, I look at the small apartment that we have shared for the last month—at the life, we began to create together. At the lie, I have been telling myself each time I say that I want this.

  “Who the hell cares? Tell him that the sexy cowboy is back in town and you went to save a horse, and give him something else to ride.”

  “Kiki,” I scold. “I will call you back.”

  “You are still going, right?”

  “Of course, I’m going.” I flip over the electric bill that is in the pile of mail and jot down three words. I am sorry.

  Five and a half hours later I land in Vegas, and now I stand in the stadium that holds the races. The energy adds to the excitement surging through me. As the racers speed around the track, the announcer calls out that newcomer Nash is the one to watch. Even though I cannot see the faces of the drivers, I know Adam—I’m drawn to him like an invisible force, and I wonder if he can feel it, too. He races hard and fast, flying over the jumps. While others crash or fall behind, Adam pushes forward past the other riders. My heart races as I watch him whip around corners. He has my heart out there with him and always will. No matter why he brought me here, that is my truth.

  Adam wins. Cameras race to him, as he pulls the helmet off his head, and is illuminated on the jumbotron. My heart stops beating, and as I stare into those steel eyes of his, electricity surges through me. Oh God, I feel the threads tearing, my new world ripping away from me, to an unknown place. A reporter shoves a microphone in his face, even though he is not even off the bike yet. “Nash, you are one of the first in five years to have won the finals as a newcomer to the game. How does that feel?”

  “Fucking amazing,” he grabs the mic from the reporter, “but not as amazing as having my girl watch me win.” My heart shatters, and I can’t breathe. The final cut and Adam was the one holding the dagger. Kiki was right, he brought me he to show me he has moved on, he created the life of his dreams with someone else that is not me. I turn away—I can’t hear what he will say next because it will kill me. I push past the people out in the aisle and race up the steps. “Katie,”

  He calls my name. My feet freeze and my heart start to beat again. I slowly turn around to find that Adam has discarded his bike, leaving it and the reporters behind. I don’t realize I’m crying until the hot tears land on my chest.

  “Katie Bloom, I love you. I have loved you since the moment you crashed into my life,” Adam says into the mic. There are cheers all around me and someone pushes me forward, forcing my feet to move. I’m propelled forward and someone leads me out on to the race track.

  Adam stands in front of me; he still looks like the same boy I feel in love with. Do I look changed to him, do I looked cracked and damaged? I pull against the invisible rope that is tugging me closer to Adam.

  “Why did you bring me here, Adam?” I whisper, afraid of him telling me this is all some cruel joke. I refuse to look at him, afraid that I will fall off this world. “So that I can see how great you are doing without me? That I made a mistake that night, I let you go? Because point proven, I get it, but I can’t do this again. I can’t lose you again, because this time, Adam, it just will kill me.” I spin away from him, walking fast, so overwhelmed with emotion.

  “You think it was a mistake walking away that night?” he asks, and I can hear the sarcastic tone in his voice.

  Suddenly, I feel a new type of emotion—anger. I turn back toward him, letting it surge me forward, rearing its ugly head. “Of course, I do.” I stop walking and turn back toward Adam. What right does he have to mock me and look so good doing it? “I have spent the last year dwelling on the fact that I destroyed what we had, but it’s over and I have come to terms with that. I have been able to go forward with my life, and yeah it sucks, you not being in it, but I’m okay.” I poke him in the chest and he grabs my wrist, wrapping his hand around it, holding it to his heart that is beating as fast as mine.

  “Do you mean it? Did you really move on?” he asks, and my breath hitches and tears sting at the back of my throat.

  “Yes. No. I don’t know.” I swallow down the lump growing in my throat.

  “Because I haven’t.”

  And with those words he has me now completely undone, and before I can reply he has me in his arm and is kissing me, reminding me what I have been missing. His tongue finds mine and melts my insides, then solidifies me again, only to melt me once more. Somehow I break through the haze with the help of the cheering audience.

  “Wait, Adam, it’s not this simple,” I say, still gripping onto his shirt, not ready to let go of the feel of him.

  “Of course, it’s this simple.” He smiles and leans forward again, but I stop him with my hand on his chest.

  “No, it’s not. I’m in a relationship with someone.” I spit out the words that are like a weight dragging me down to drown me, and I know I will be dying, fighting to survive once this moment is over, when Adam walks away from me.

  Adam’s grip on me loosens as he sets me down, and I’m starting to feel the water rising around me. “Well, shit, that does make things a little more difficult.” He runs a hand over his head.

  “A little.” I laugh on the words because if I don’t, I will curl up in to the fetal position and start to cry.

  “Do you love him?” he asks.

  “Do I love him? It’s complicated.” I don’t love him the same way I love Adam, that fast, desperate feeling, the passion. But Ryan is a good man and he fits perfect in my life, in the direction I’m going. He is safe and predictable, but do I love him? No.

  “It’s not complicated, Katie, damn it. Do you love him?” My head spins, and the auditorium feels like it’s getting smaller. The urge to run slams into me. “Katie?” Adam yells, my name breaking through to me.

  “No. I don’t love him, not the way I love you, I could never love anyone like that,” I shout back. Adam falls to his knees and the crowed goes nuts. I look over my shoulder at the stands, and there must be thousands of people—far from the dozen that used to watch him ride in Phenix City. “Katie Marie Bloom,” I hear Adam say over the roar, and I look back down at Adam not sure what he is doing.

  “Adam, what is going on?” My legs feel wobble like at any moment they might give out on me.

  He smiles that cocky smile of his and takes my hand in his. “Katie Marie Bloom, will you marry me?” Adam reaches into his pocket and produces a small, red velvet box. Oh God, I never expected this, not in a million years. This is not part of the plan. But isn’t that how Adam Nash does things? He never did anything that was part of a carefully laid out plan

  “I … I …” I look to the ring then to Adam.

  “It’s pretty simple, Katie. You can say no and go back to your life, forget I ever existed, be happy, be successful, or you can say yes to me. I’m not sure where we’re headed, but we will be together. I can’t promise you a predictable future, or one that wil
l be laid out in front of you. But I can promise you that I will spend every moment of my life loving you and trying to make you happy in any way I can. It’s not always going to be easy; we are going to fight like hell, but I can promise you we will also make love like it’s the last time, every time. So what do you say, will you marry me?” He opens up the box, and nestled inside the velvet is a small gold ring with three emeralds in the middle of it. Not a traditional ring, but perfect all the same. “It belonged to my grandmother. My mom gave it to me the night you left. She said that you were the one, and it’s been with me ever since. If you don’t like it, we can get something else.”

  My legs give out under me, and I slide to the ground with Adam.

  “It’s perfect,” I say through the tears streaming down my face.

  “Is that a yes?”

  I nod my head. “Yes, Adam Nash, I will marry you.” I’m back in his arms and he is holding me like he will never let go and God I hope he never does. I’m not sure what the future looks like, or even what the next few moments will bring. Life is unpredictable, and I know that better than anyone, but I know one thing for sure—I’m on this journey with Adam and I’m excited for what the future will hold … the good and bad. Reaching up, I pull him down to meet my lips. “Mine,” I whisper before pressing my mouth to his.

  The End.

  I have to say a huge thank you, thank you, thank you, to the readers who waited ever so patiently for Doll Face to be released. I also have to give a big shout out to all those bloggers and reviewers who help out—for an author it means so much. To my family who always supports me no matter what. To my daughter who waited patiently while I finished “one” last chapter. My husband who influenced this book and named Adam Nash. To Jessica Lee Alton whose words are inspiring, for reading the sex scenes without any hesitation and ensuring me that it would all be okay. Thank you to Regina Wamba for the beautiful cover art, you are a true genius in what you do. Thank you to my wonderful editor Melissa Ringsted for her expertise, kind words, and making this even more then what it started out as—you are a writer’s gift. And to all those who suffer in silence, who look like they have it all together on the outside, but on the inside you are coming apart—this book is for you.

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