Wild Open Hearts (Bluewater Billionaires) - Kathryn Nolan Page 0,66

job in makeup?” he asked. “I’ve been wondering.”

“Oh,” I said, surprised. “Well, I love makeup and I always have. The beauty industry is a source for a lot of harm in this country and in many others. And I thought, if I could have an impact on one bad thing it could do a lot of good. Cosmetics is a $170 billion industry. It gets a lot of attention, it’s on every television screen and magazine. If I could create a cosmetics company that was dedicated to values of justice then maybe other industries would follow.”

I tapped my beer against Beck’s. “It’s why it’s more than one dog that you rescue. Just like Wild Heart is more than one sale of lipstick. It multiplies, radiates, expands every day.”

Beck looked at me. Looked down at the remaining half of my cheeseburger.

“Luna.”

“Beck.”

“I have an idea.”

“What is it?” I leaned back on my palms, content with the sun warming my legs and this man’s palms gripping my knees.

“I want to take your picture for Instagram. With the burger.”

36

Beck

“But you caught me at a low point,” Luna said, pointing at the grease dripping from my cheeseburger. “This isn’t for public consumption. I still can’t believe you saw me doing that on our first date.”

“Could it be for your fans?” I asked. “And I’m honestly asking, not judging.”

Luna bit her lip, putting down the burger. She moved to braid her hair but I caught her fingers. Brought her hand to my mouth and kissed her palm instead.

And then I kept holding her hand.

Holding Luna da Rosa’s hand. When was the last time I’d experienced handholding?

It was romantic—just our fingers, sliding back and forth. Her bare thigh beneath my palm under the table. When I’d seen her sitting at this table, about to stuff a burger into her mouth, I’d sworn it was a waking dream.

But no.

Luna was sitting on a shitty lawn chair, holding a burger while wearing a ratty old sweatshirt.

I’d never seen anything more lovely in my life.

It was all of my hopes and all of my fears—letting her see the passion I had for her. Recognizing those same feelings in her eyes, the openness of her body. I could read her body language pretty well now and Luna was giving me all the green lights.

But she’s still a fucking billionaire, an ugly voice chimed in. Easy to forget when she was dressed in a ragged sweatshirt that looked like it was from my closet. At the end of the night though, when I drove her home, it would be to her mansion.

“You mean tell my millions of Instagram followers that I almost became an actual hypocrite and ate all of this meat?” she asked me.

“Yes,” I said.

Luna’s lips started to curve, head tilting. I could practically see the gears turning in her head.

“It’s almost too honest. Which means Jasmine would hate it,” she said. “Which makes me want to do it more.”

“Trouble in PR paradise?” I asked.

“Concerns,” she said. “I’m having concerns. But that’s not up for discussion tonight. Not on our first date.” She chewed on her lettuce, thoughtful. “What would I say though?”

I lifted a shoulder, let her mull it over.

“I guess…” Her fingers tapped on the table. “I guess it’s a reminder, right? I can take ownership of the ways that I’ve turned my back on my values. Let money take priority. And I can still be that girl at eleven who became a vegan and meant it. The people who hate me now, who think I’m a fraud, they can’t…they can’t…”

“They can’t change you,” I finished.

Her lips transformed into a full Luna-grin.

“I like it. The universe is telling me yes,” she said.

“You can’t say no to that,” I said somberly. I grabbed her phone.

She looked down at herself. “Tell me the truth. Does this old sweatshirt and basketball shorts make me look trendy? Because I’m trying really hard not to try hard and by not trying hard I’m cooler than everyone else?”

“Sure,” I shrugged.

“Beck.” She laughed.

I reached forward and tucked a strand of wayward hair behind her ear. Swiped my thumb across her cheekbone. “When I saw you tonight you looked so lovely, I thought you were a dream.”

She swallowed hard. “So I do look okay then.”

I chuckled. “Hold up the burger. You’ll walk me through how you look like, you know, you do?”

“Like an Instagram influencer,” she teased. “If we were doing that it’d take hours. But I think your point is that I should be myself.