Part 25 (1/2)
The Hawks were still celebrating their first playoff game win, but even though Ryan's pitching was one of the major reasons everyone was on such a high, the main person he wanted to celebrate with wasn't there. He'd seen guys duck out of parties like this dozens of times over the years to go call their girlfriends and wives.
Now it was his turn.
He dialed Vicki's cell as soon as he walked out of the bar, but she didn't pick up. She'd promised to keep her phone somewhere she could feel it buzzing, even if she was working with her headphones on. Maybe she just needed to wipe the clay off her hands first. He couldn't stop worrying about James trying something with her while he was gone, even though the creep had definitely kept a low profile around Vicki the past few days.
When her voice mail beeped, he said, ”I have been thinking about you every single second since we hung up last night.”
Mostly, he'd thought about how easy it would be to let her to turn down the Italian residency so that he could keep skating through life. Just as easy as everything else had been for him.
But easy was overrated.
He wanted to earn Vicki's love. Wanted to know that he'd fought hard for her heart-and for her happiness-every single day.
”I'll be waiting in my room for you,” he told her, teasing, ”It will probably save time if you have your clothes off already when you call me back.”
The bar was only a couple of blocks from their hotel and he was just about to walk in the front door when a cab skidded to a stop in front of the building. The door was flung open and every wish he'd ever had came true as Vicki jumped out and into his arms.
She rained kisses over Ryan's cheeks, his chin, his eyelids, until he finally managed to capture her mouth with his. He never wanted to stop kissing her, never wanted to put her down, but the sooner he got her up to his room, the sooner she'd be naked and he'd be making love to her.
Hand in hand they walked inside, but instead of being able to head straight toward the elevators, a group of teenagers circled him asking for autographs.
When he hesitated, Vicki a.s.sured him, ”We have all the time in the world.”
Without once letting go of her hand, he signed autographs and took pictures with the kids and answered their endless questions until he was finally able to say good-night. When he realized that waiting for the elevator would only bring on a fresh rush of fans, he dragged her off to the empty stairwell beside the elevators.
As soon as the heavy metal door clicked shut, he told her, ”I want to go to Italy with you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered against his lips, ”Who needs Italy when we've got a stairwell in St. Louis?”
Of course he had to kiss her. And, of course their kiss quickly morphed into his pressing her against the gray painted wall so that he could get in closer to her.
When she smiled up at him, he realized the shadows that been in her eyes since she'd returned to San Francisco were finally gone.
”You don't know what it means to me that you'd be willing to give up so much for me,” she said. ”But you don't have to. Not this time, anyway.”
”A residency in Italy at a major museum is what you've always wanted. I've had the big prize, many times over. It's been fun, but now it's your turn. Why would you turn down the opportunity of a lifetime?”
”Because I've finally figured out what I want, Ryan. What I've wanted all along.” She pressed another kiss to his lips. ”You're hard everywhere I'm soft. You love a crowd, when all those people make me want to run in the opposite direction. You're easy and effortless, I'm always twisting myself up trying for something just out of reach. I thought those were all the reasons why we could never work as a couple. But I was wrong, so very wrong.” She moved her fingertips over his jaw. ”Our differences are exactly why we're so good together.”
”Two halves of a whole.”
”Exactly.” She smiled up at him. ”Which is why I want you, Ryan.”
”You have me. Forever. And you deserve Italy, too.”
”I know I do.”
He was transfixed by the look in her eyes that told him she finally understood-and owned-the depths of her own talent.
”All my adult life I've been striving for the big career, for the recognition. My ex fed right into this, both during our marriage, when success always seemed just out of reach, and then after our divorce, when I wanted to win just for the pleasure of spiting him and showing him how wrong he was about me. The call from Italy should have been the greatest moment of my life. But while it felt great to be wanted and respected, I'm finally listening to that little voice inside of me.”
She paused and pressed her hand flat to his chest, right over his breastbone. ”Every other word that voice says is your name, Ryan. The truth-my truth-is that Italy isn't a step up if it's also a step away from you and the future we're building together.”
”But will you be happy taking the San Francisco fellows.h.i.+p when you could have had Italy?”
”Actually, ” she informed him with a lift of one eyebrow, ”I can pretty much guarantee that I won't be getting that fellows.h.i.+p.”
”Screw James and Anthony. Your project is brilliant. The other board members will make sure you get it.”
She made a face. ”James came to my studio today. He had another charming offer for me.”
”That's it!” Ryan exploded. ”I'm going to k-”
”You don't need to do anything to him. I already did.”
She told him everything, every word, every nuance of her showdown with James. And then she told him about the phone calls she'd made to the other members of the fellows.h.i.+p board to tell them about what James had done, and likely to more women than her.
”Today when I was putting the finis.h.i.+ng touches on my project, I remembered something I knew a long, long time ago, but forgot somewhere along the way. From the first moment I picked up that ball of clay in Mr. Barnsworth's art cla.s.s, I loved the way it took shape beneath my fingers. As long as I have that, I'll always be happy, whether I'm making sculptures of poodles out in the garage or trying to sculpt water in some fancy art studio with my name out front in big, bold letters.” Her smile was radiant. ”Everything I ever wanted, everything I was ever looking for, was there the whole time. It was inside of me.” He could feel his heart beating through to her palm as she said, ”And you.”
”I know you wanted to go slow,” Ryan began, but even as he was saying the words, he'd reached around the back of her neck to undo her necklace and was already getting down on one knee.
Not both.
One.
Vicki opened her mouth, but no sound came out, even though his name was right there on her lips.
”I know it's only been a week since you came back to California. I know we've only had two official dates. Well, one, actually, since I mostly just ripped your clothes off and took you in your studio the other night, so it might not count as an actual date. And I also know we're in the middle of a dirty stairwell in a St. Louis hotel right now.”
Finally, laughter bubbled from Vicki's lips.
Because even when Ryan was down on one knee, he was still her friend.
Her best friend.
And he still made her laugh...all while making her burn hotter than she'd known her inner thermostat could go.
”I've already lost fifteen years without you. I'm not going to waste another second. You're everything I've been looking for. You're everything I've ever wanted.” Ryan looked at their linked hands, her sculpture come to life. ”That night we held hands in the water outside my house, I felt the same thing you did, Vicki. That nothing, not even water strong enough to carve cliffs, is as strong as our connection. Nothing is ever going to break us apart. Not jobs or miles or creepy b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. Make me the happiest man alive. Say you'll marry me and wear this ring.” His mouth curved up into another beautiful grin that took what was left of her breath away. ”Let me be the one for real this time.”
One more time, her whole world came down to her hands, to the deliberate way she held out her left ring finger for Ryan, to the cool slide of platinum across the heated surface of skin, and then to the scruff of his jaw against her palms as she held his face and kissed him.
”You've always been the one, Ryan. You always will be.”
A heartbeat later, he'd scooped her up into his arms and was practically jogging up the steps.
She was laughing even as she asked, ”What floor is your room on?”