Unfixable (19 page)

“You’re not listening. I’d be giving everything up if I walked away from
you
.”

Shane’s throat works with emotion. He starts to speak and stops, leaning down to mold his mouth to mine instead. We both groan in our throats at the contact, lips pressing and opening. Around us, flashbulbs go off and cameras roll. People shout questions in Italian and English. Ignoring them all, he lifts me off my feet, deepening the kiss for a moment before pulling away.

“You won’t regret it a day in your life. I won’t let you. Do you hear me?”

I press my forehead against his and nod. “Yes. I’m listening now.”

“Good.” He lays one more hard kiss on my lips, then sweeps me up into his arms. “Let’s go home, then.”

“Where’s home?” I ask, laying my head on his shoulder.

“Wherever you are, girl.”

Epilogue

Shane

I glance down at Willa as we climb the stairs to Ginger and Derek’s Chicago apartment. It’s Thanksgiving, a holiday I’ve never had cause to celebrate before, and the first time I’ll officially meet her family. And the first time she’ll meet her niece, Dolly. Willa thinks I’m nervous, I can tell by the way she keeps squeezing my hand comfortingly, smiling up at me, teeth showing and everything. If she does it one more time, I swear, I’m going to kiss the bloody breath out of her. She’ll never even see it coming.

In reality, I’m not nervous at all. I’m damned relieved I’ve finally been given the chance to bring her home for a visit. Relieved I’ll finally have the chance to look her sister and brother-in-law in the eye and reassure them I’ve been looking after her properly. If she knew that was my intention, she’d probably swing right for my jaw.

Hell, now I’m smiling, too.

In the last three months since Willa showed up in Italy and turned my world from black and white to color, we’ve been all over the world together. Singapore, New Delhi, São Paulo. In between races and training, we’ve been in Dublin, making sure the pub survives in my absence.
Our
absence, really. It hasn’t been the same since the day she walked in. I didn’t want to see it at first. It was difficult to withstand all of her beauty when I’d never witnessed anything like it before. My first instinct had been to push it away. Pretend I didn’t see.

A surge of panic finds my stomach, the way it always does when I imagine where I’d be if she’d never won that contest, never walked into my inn. Or if I’d managed to push her away before I saw underneath her fear to the courageous girl beneath. A man walking around without a heartbeat. Going through the motions. That’s who I’d be.

Her hands tightens in mine again and she smiles up at me, with teeth and everything.

Right. That does it.

We reach the top of the landing, and I drag her up against me. “Are you trying to drive me mad, girl?”

Her lips part, and I have the urge to nip the bottom one, so I do, loving the way she gasps when I lick the spot to soothe it. “What gave you that idea?”

“You’re smiling up at me like I’m some kind of hero for bringing you home. Dammit, Willa. I should have had you here months ago.”

She slides her fingers into my hair and the world steadies itself again. “We’ve been busy. They understand. And you’re forgetting it’s just as much my decision as yours.”

“It’s my racing that’s kept you away. Racing, the pub—”

“I’ve loved every minute. Being with you, taking pictures. You know I have.” She settles her taut, little body against mine and we both sigh. “Every.” Kiss. “Single.” Jesus, tongue this time. “Minute.” I want her now,
here
. I
always
want her. But I know it will have to wait. She’s sacrificed everything for me, and now it’s my turn to step up. Her family is waiting for her. I don’t do well being away from her more than a day. I can only imagine what nearly four months was like for them.

Reluctantly, I set her away from me and take her hand. I can see excitement curling the corners of her mouth as she leads me to the door.

“Ready?” she asks and I nod, finding it difficult not to smile when she looks so happy. I’m going to bring her home more often. Every month until racing season starts again. If she can fit it into her school schedule, that is, which she’s registered to begin in the spring. In Dublin. To be with me. She’ll tell me I’m being ridiculous, planning the frequent trips, but I’m going to insist. It’s the least I can do since she’s given me a reason to wake up every morning. A reason to rush to bed every night. Good Lord, I really need to stop thinking of taking her to bed, or I’ll never make it through this meeting.

Willa knocks on the door. Almost immediately, a man answers. I know it’s Derek right away because he’s not smiling. At least, he isn’t at first. When his eyes find Willa, he can’t seem to help it. I know the feeling too well. A woman joins him at the door who I assume is Ginger, a chestnut-haired baby propped on her hip. Ginger is gorgeous. Almost as gorgeous as Willa. And that’s saying something.

“You’re late,” Ginger says, with a lift of her chin. “My chicken pot pies are getting cold.”

Willa wrinkles her nose and groans. Dammit, my girl is adorable. “I just landed and you’re already trying to kill me with your cooking?”

Ginger drags her inside. At the last minute, Willa latches onto my hand and pulls me in with her. “Now, that’s just not fair. Look at Derek, he’s healthy as a horse.”

Derek isn’t paying the women any attention, though. He’s too busy trying to size me up. Willa has told me numerous stories about him. His unique personality, his protectiveness when it comes to her and Ginger. Now, I know they’re all true. He’s kind of a bad ass. Well, so am I. And it’s my job to protect Willa now.

“Took you long enough,” he says.

My first instinct is to tell him Willa and I make decisions for ourselves, but like I said, I understand. Being without her…it’s not something I want to think about. “Won’t happen again if I can help it.”

His frown eases just a little. “These girls do things when they’re good and ready, don’t they?”

“Amen to that.” I reach out to shake his hand. He considers me a moment, before taking my offered hand. And gripping it hard enough to snap a weaker man’s bones. “Shane.”

“Derek.” He lets go, crosses his arms, and watches his wife. I get the feeling he watches her most of the time and reckon I do the same with Willa. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better place to rest my eyes than on her.

We’re distracted when the women fall silent. I glance over to find Willa enfolded in a hug from Ginger, both of their eyes closed as if absorbing strength. Dolly is silent between them, as if she can sense the importance of the moment.

“Bring her home more often,” Derek says in a quiet voice, and I nod once.

After a moment, Ginger backs away with a watery smile and hands the baby to Willa. Immediately, the baby’s hand gets tangled in her gorgeous hair and she laughs, long and hard. It makes everything inside me relax and tighten at the same time. Derek and Ginger exchange a look, then glance over at me.

At least, I think they do.

I’
m
looking at Willa.

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Acknowledgments

To my husband Patrick, who brought me to Dublin for the first time to meet his family six years ago, thank you for sharing that part of yourself with me. And to our two-year old daughter Mackenzie, who is currently wreaking havoc on the city as I type these acknowledgments, thank you. I love you both.

To Heather Howland, who gave me the freedom to send Willa somewhere new and outside of her comfort zone to give her a story, thank you so much.

To Ellie Brennan, for working so hard and helping those early chapters take shape, thank you.

To Cari Quinn, whose kindness and honesty kept me motivated throughout this process, thank you.

To Fiona Clarke, real, live Irish girl from Wicklow, who told me when my Irish slang sounded too American, thank you. Your help was invaluable.

To fabulous author Sophie Jordan, who cover quoted this book, I’m so glad to know you. Your support and encouragement has been unexpected and amazing.

To Edie Harris, for giving me some insightful feedback and calling Willa’s story, “grip-me-by-the-throat, steal-my-breath romantic.” That email gave me the positive kick in the ass I needed. Thank you.

To everyone who asked for Willa’s happily ever after.

About the Author

NYT and USA TODAY bestselling author Tessa Bailey lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, she enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

www.tessabailey.com

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