Page 57 of Waiting for Acceptance (Nashville Nights #5)
LAUREN
I really wish I had someone to talk to about the fake part of my fake relationship right about now.
Fitz has been staying at my place more often than not, because who wants to sleep at a hotel every night?
It’s just been an unspoken understanding since the first time I told him to stay, but he still has things at the hotel.
Which is where he currently is to get things he needs to go line dancing tonight, meaning I’ve been alone with my thoughts for a tad too long.
Ginny makes the occasional noise when she scratches her kitty tower or starts chasing reflections around the room, but she isn’t exactly the best at keeping me out of my head about what’s going on with me and Fitz.
I know Ruby would have great advice on the matter, but things just feel too messy with how everything started between us, and the fact that Tank practically hated him in the beginning.
If they found out we’ve been lying this whole time, what would they think of him? What would they think of me?
Fitz comes stumbling back through the door with a huge suitcase, a duffle bag, and a rather large cardboard box in hand, causing me to turn on my barstool and stare at him.
“Um… Did you rob someone on your way in?”
“Ha. Ha. Very funny.” He kicks the door closed, flinching when it slams. “Oops, sorry.”
“Seriously, Fitz, what is all of this?” He drops the bags on the ground, carrying the box over to the counter to set it down before walking over to me.
“Well, I’m not going to be in town much longer, and I’m here most nights anyways so I was going to ask you if I could just stay here?
Just until it’s time for me to go back to New York.
” My stomach plummets when I think about the fact that he’s supposed to be going back to New York soon.
Our “agreement” isn’t going to be up for a while, so technically we’ll still be together, but we never actually discussed what would happen when he goes back.
I would assume he’ll be insanely busy running an entire freaking real estate empire, meanwhile, I’ll be where?
My same position at Coleson, just under the new company name?
“If I misread the situation I am very sorry. I can take all of this stuff back before?—”
“No! No. Sorry, I just…zoned out. Of course you can stay here.” I smile at him and he steps up between my legs.
I’m still in an oversized T-shirt and my underwear, since I always do my hair and makeup before getting dressed, but Fitz looks like a freaking stud in his dark wash blue jeans, cowboy boots, a belt buckle with a bull on it, and a T-shirt that says Outlaw Rodeo .
“There is no way I bought that shirt for you. I would have remembered it in the pile of clothes.”
“What? This old thing? I’ve had it for ages.” He winks at me and I roll my eyes. “It was between this one and the Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy shirt.”
“Okay, Cowboy ,” I tease, hopping down to get myself dressed for the night. Once I have on my new top–courtesy of Fitz–jeans and boots, I call Fitz into the room and give him a little spin.
He leans on the door frame and whistles, taking me in. “Damn, Trouble. You sure you don’t want to just stay home and dance?”
“You’re going to learn that if I spend any amount of time making my face look this good, I’m not staying home.
” I circle my face with my finger and he pulls his arm, which was previously hidden behind the wall, into the room with a cowboy hat in his hand.
He puts it on his head and I think I actually die.
“Fine by me, you can do your due diligence and save a horse when we get back.” He walks into the room and dips me, kissing me as I try not to giggle against his lips.
Oh, I’m definitely riding this wannabe cowboy later.
“Take a picture with me?” I ask, pulling my phone from my back pocket.
“Have I ever told you no before?” A wide smile spreads across my face before I reach up and kiss him on the cheek.
We take a few pictures in the mirror, obviously needing proof of his get-up.
Vincent Fitzgerald, the man who never leaves home without his suit or cropped slacks, looks like a Wild West wet dream.
I send one of the photos in the group text to the girls and tell Ginny goodbye, but before we make it out to the Uber Fitz ordered us, I check my phone one last time and smile to myself.
Tay
Oh, he’s going to fit in juuuussst fine. smirk emoji
“Why are your hands so sweaty?” I look up at Fitz, holding his hand as we walk into Knockin Boots together.
“Why are you pointing it out?” he growls into my ear and I smile.
Aww. Is he nervous?
“There they are!” Taylor smiles at us when we finally reach them at the bar. “Loving everything about this.” She waves her hand up and down, gesturing to our outfits.
“Right?! I didn’t even have to dress him.” I shoot him a playful look and he shakes his head at me.
“So, how was dinner last night?” Shane asks, sipping on her soda.
“We can pour it out right here if we need to, then dance the night away to forget about it,” Ruby suggests and I smile, looking over at Fitz briefly before turning back to them.
“It was horrible. They literally talked about me as if I wasn’t even there, and basically tried to coerce Fitz to agree with them about how I should have done more with my life.”
“What, from the bottom of my heart, the fuck?” Taylor snaps.
“But then …Fitz kind of went off on them. He told them everything I wish I’d had the guts to tell them over the years. He stood up for me and I finally made the decision that I’m done with them. If they want me back in their lives, they can work for it. I’m done.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Ruby wraps her arm around my shoulder and we all take a shot before hitting the dance floor.