AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Um, we have heard from your ex-wife that you are working on reconciling and hope to be reunited soon.” He flipped through his notebook. “It was corroborated by your mother.”
Tully rolled his eyes, not even attempting to stop him from speaking.
“You wanted a quote. All of you, listen carefully and closely. I’m going to respond to that and I want to know you are getting this correct.” Mitchell pushed the anger down and took a deep breath. “Ready?” When they all nodded, he unclenched his fists and stepped toward the man who’d posed the question.
“Whatever Shawnee Deveraux and my mother have planned is between them. I have nothing to do with it. I divorced Shawnee because she was unfaithful, and before she thinks to come after me for slander, I have photographic proof I’m willing to provide, if that is the route she wants to take. I am not now, nor will I ever be, reconciling with that woman. My mother has picked her side and she is not in my life any longer.”
Questions started coming and he held up a hand. “Let me finish.”
They settled down.
“I am in love with a woman I met this past winter. She is the most giving, loving person I’ve met in my entire life. When we met, I was suspicious of her motives, but I quickly realized she didn’t give a damn that I had played professional ball. In fact, she seemed to not even know who I was.”
“She knew me,” Tully piped up.
Mitchell shot his friend a glare that was partially grateful as those gathered chuckled.
“My point is, this woman allowed me to be me. Not the me the media expects, not the me my mother wanted, but the true me. The one who loves his little sister and his friends. The one who played ball because of his love for the game and got into computer games for the same reason. The one who is more than willing to humble himself on camera to get the love of his life to come home to him.”
“Who is she? This woman who has won the heart of billionaire Mitchell Anderson?”
“Dr. Hope Roman, world-renowned science journalist. The most unique woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. My snowflake. My Flykra.” He pushed his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels. “More than that, she’s my world. I love her beyond everything I have and I will protect her with everything I have.”
Tully stepped up beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “As will myself and Mr. Conner.”
The reporter who’d first asked about the reconciliation nodded. “We’ll make sure to get it right.”
“See that you do.”
Tully paced him inside the house. “You have a set on you, my friend. I hope she was okay with being outed to the world as the object of your affection.”
He crossed his arms and huffed. “She has a problem with it, then she can fucking come home and yell at me!”
…
“Is he fucking crazy?”
João laughed and touched a button on his cell phone, replaying the interview at the part where Mitchell had announced to everyone that he was in love with her.
“Do you see it, Hope? Right there.” He tapped the screen. “Look at the determination in his gaze.”
“I don’t care, João.” She adjusted her headset, wishing she could remove it and talk to him, or punch him, without all the additional noise.
“Of course not, that’s why you growled like a jaguar when the man mentioned him getting reunited with his ex.”
“Will you survive if I push you out of this helicopter?”
The pilot and co-pilot laughed and she rolled her eyes because they were all on the same channel. This was their ride to the airport which was, in fact, where a waiting flight was taking her to the U.S. The return had been delayed because João had had an accident and she couldn’t have left him all alone. Not after how she had felt hanging upside down in her car, wondering, hoping, and praying someone would come help her.
“After all your nursing me back to health, now you want to push me out?”
“Kick,” she amended. “Plant the sole of my size-nine hiking boot in your ass and send you on your way. Don’t worry, I’ll toss out a parachute later.”
“How much later?”
“Next week.” Her deadpanned answer was met with more laughter from the crew.
The joking continued until they landed. The plane was waiting for them and powered up as they were hopping from the belly of their most recent transport. Bags in hand, she and João dashed up the stairs and stowed their gear. It didn’t take long until the door was secured and they were taxiing down another runway.
Once they were airborne, she stretched out, grateful it was far less noisy than in the helicopter.
