by Claire Adams
“That’s good to hear, sir. I know there has been a lot of wind in the area. Can I get you anything else to drink?”
“Nothing for me,” Emmi said.
“I’m alright for now. I think Ms. Shields is going to move back to the bed when we level off. But I’d like some lunch whenever you can manage it.”
“No problem. I’ll get it out to you a few minutes after takeoff.”
“You got the plane with beds?” Emmi asked excitedly as she turned to look at the back of the plane.
The bed area was behind a closed door, and it wasn’t anything fancy. There were two twin beds, and it could be made dark in that area so she could catch up on her sleep. Over the last two years together, I’d gotten to know Emmi really well, and I knew she hardly ever stayed awake on a flight. There wasn’t a difference in price to have the plane with beds, so I had our team find one. I could tell it made Emmi happy.
“Yes, so you can get some proper sleep.”
“I’m so excited. I’ll get to sleep while we fly,” she said and then caught herself. “Well, sleep in a bed. Thank you, Declan; you’re so sweet to me.”
“I need to be. I want you to be as happy as possible,” I said and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I’m really excited to see this finished project. Aren’t you?”
“Yeah, it seems just like yesterday that we were boiling condensed milk and eating Spam,” she joked, and we both broke out in laughter.
The memory of our time together in Breckenridge was still rich in my mind. It brought warmth to my heart to think that we had come so far from that time and we were still together. I knew something was different about the two of us together even back then. Together we fit so perfectly that our conversations were easy and comfortable.
We were quickly able to take off from Los Angeles, and I walked back with Emmi and got her settled in for a nap. As much as I wanted to stay back there and make love to her, she really did need some rest. We’d stayed up all night long making love and barely fell asleep as 4 o’clock in the morning came.
I was able to function just fine on a couple hours of sleep, but Emmi really did have to catch up a little. We had a huge event at the chalet later that night, and that meant sleep.
“I’ll wake you up when we get to Denver, then we are taking a helicopter over to Breckenridge,” I said as I kissed her softly.
“I love you,” she said and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I love you too. Now get some sleep so you’re not Miss Crabby Pants tonight.”
The flight was quick, and we landed in Denver about three hours later. I’d spent most of the flight looking over the newest project I was starting on my own. It was going to be a hostel-type hotel in Los Angeles and I hoped to build more in other major cities across the United States.
Traveling was getting more and more popular, and some young travelers were interested in cheap stays so they could travel more often. When I was younger, I’d stayed at many different hostels throughout Europe, and it always made me wonder why they hadn’t developed more in the United States. It was a new and exciting project, and I spent the whole three hours reviewing the research my team had come up with on the pros and cons of the project.
One of the big things I learned from everything that had gone on with Teddy was that I really needed to work harder on building my own company up and not relying solely on Teddy and our business together. Even though we had made up and things were better than ever between the two of us, I still had to think about my and Emmi’s future.
“Are you ready for the helicopter ride?” I asked Emmi as the plane pulled up to the unloading area in Denver.
“Nervous, but ready,” she said as she smiled at me.
The power of Emmi’s smile brought warmth to my soul. Anytime she looked at me with those big eyes and smiled, I swore I would have done just about anything for her.
“Let’s go open this resort.”
“This is really exciting,” she said as she practically jumped out of her chair.
“Well, aren’t you looking a little refreshed?”
“I’m so excited. I can’t believe I didn’t find the time to come see the remodel while it was happening. This is crazy. My heart is pounding.”
I grabbed our bags and we basically walked about a football field distance to the helicopter. It was exhilarating to feel the wind blowing against us from the propellers of the helicopter, and I held onto her hand to help her up onto the helicopter.
“My hands are shaking,” Emmi said as she rubbed them together while we waited to take off.
“This should be quick. There are some amazing views, too.”
The loud noise was calming as the blades spun and brought us up into the air. Emmi reached for my hand, and I held on tight to her to offer any support I could as she was still shaking.
“Is this your first time on a helicopter?” I said through the headset we had on.
“Yes,” she said as her voice shook. “How much longer will it be?”
“Just about twenty minutes. Hold on. I’ll keep you safe.”
“I know you will,” Emmi said as she turned and tried to kiss me.
Our microphones bumped together, and we both laughed as we pushed them out of the way and finally pressed our lips together. Her lips were even quivering as we touched, and I held onto her close until I felt her energy start to calm down.
When the helicopter finally descended toward the Breckenridge airport, Emmi had finally calmed down. Her hand was warm as she held onto me and we walked toward the waiting van that Teddy had sent from the hotel. It was a stylishly wrapped vehicle with the new advertising for the resort.
“Wow, this looks so great,” Emmi said as we climbed into the van.
“I was a little worried about having a van, but I was told there’s really no other option when you have to pick up people and their luggage.”
“It’s perfect.”
My heart raced as we drove toward the resort. It was exciting to know that everything was finished and we could finally accept guests. We had a weekend filled with some of the biggest social influencers and parties happening all weekend long.
As we pulled up to the building, it looked the same and different all at the same time. We had switched out the windows and upgraded everything to a more modern look. The driveway was the same as the van drove up and dropped us off at the top of the hill. The only change we made was we added a heating element under the driveway to keep it warm enough to prevent snow and ice from accumulated in that area. It was a high-tech solution to prevent us from getting snowed in, in most situations. Obviously, if there was 10 feet of snow, a clear driveway wouldn’t help if the roads in town were still not cleared.
“Emmi, Declan, you made it!” Teddy said as he opened the front door and greeted us.
“Daddy, this place looks amazing,” Emmi said as she gave her father a big hug.
Things between the three of us were great, and we had nearly forgotten about the mess when Emmi and I had first started dating. Teddy and I had continued on to finish this project and were working on three others throughout the country with similar décor. The smaller, modern resorts were going to be a whole new brand for us, and it was something new in the market that we both believed in.
“You two have got to come see all the final touches,” Teddy said as he guided us into the building.
I’d been there a few months before and of course seen all the pictures, but it was amazing how everything had come together. Every detail of the building had been redone without taking out walls or needing a huge remodel. The fireplace was refinished in a modern stone, there was a giant, clear slide that came down from the upstairs, and of course a hip sitting area with some floating chairs that were hanging from the ceiling.
“Wow, this is absolutely amazing,” Emmi said as we stood in the living room. “It’s exactly like I imagined it.”
“I know. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Every detail brings the co
ncept together. I’d really love to see some of the rooms,” I said as we put our bags down and made our way over to the remodeled stairway.
“I saved you the honeymoon suite,” Teddy said as he rolled his eyes. “I’m not going up with you, though.”
“We will be right back down, Daddy,” Emmi said and hugged her father. “I know you are still traumatized by your last visit to that room.”
I was glad she was the one joking with Teddy and not me. It was still really uncomfortable to think that I was actually sleeping with his daughter. I’m sure that would ever feel totally comfortable for Teddy, but he was handling it with humor and saw the fun in teasing us about the room.
As we walked up the stairs, we passed the entrance to the slide and looked down over the great room. The transformation was fantastic, and I couldn’t wait to use the slide.
“Look at the lights in the hallway,” Emmi said as we stopped to admire the lights on the wall that looked like they were floating. “They are so high-tech.”
“I really love those.”
We continued down the hall and heard some of the people in their rooms. The resort was booked solid for the weekend, and we could only hope that it was a sign of many busy weeks to come.
The door to the honeymoon suite was a solid black door with a sleek finish on it, the total opposite of the traditional doors which had been in there before. There was also a high-tech lock on the door, but luckily, it was left open for us as we walked right into the room.
“It’s so awesome,” Emmi said as we both stood there in awe taking in the room. “Is that a hot tub on the deck?”
“Yep, Rosa asked me what I thought would make the room extra special and I couldn’t help but remember our bath. Wouldn’t that be fun to do out on the balcony? I’m sure the honeymoon couples are going to have a blast in here.”
“And this bed, is it soft?” Emmi asked as she jumped onto the bed and melted into the plush fabrics. “Oh, this is amazing. I’m not leaving. Who cares about the party? Come here; I want to stay right here all night long.”
I couldn’t help but jump into the bed with her, and she was right. It was the most comfortable bed I’d ever been in. We pushed ourselves up and put our heads on the pillows as I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight. We had come full circle and were literally back in the same room we had fallen in love in.
“I’m so glad we got stuck here in that snowstorm,” I whispered as I softly kissed Emmi.
“Me too. I love you, Declan McMillan.”
“I love you too, future Mrs. McMillan.”
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BILLIONAIRE’S FAKE FIANCÉ
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Claire Adams
Chapter One
Gavin
It had been the weekend after a week of sobriety, as the past two weekends had been, and I still woke up on a Monday morning with a foggy head and a sharp ache. I reached for the bottle of Excedrin on my nightstand, groaning when it came up empty. My weekly grocery shopping trip had been the day before, and yet my basket had been full of nothing but protein powder, fruit, and eggs. The ache in my head forced me to sit up and lean against the headrest. Maybe I’d grab some painkillers on the way to mom’s. The thought made me chuckle; mom would want me to just take one of her painkillers and not waste my money.
I got dressed, slipping into a thick dark jacket on top of a light brown sweater. The weather in Fairbanks, Alaska changed from freezing to boiling at least three times in the course of a single afternoon, making it nearly impossible to plan an outfit. I looked for my belt, trying to remember where I had flung it the previous night as soon as I returned home after a late evening drinking with Ron. The asshole was taking advantage of my new diet plan; no sugary alcohol during the week, and only hard liquor on the weekends.
My cell chimed, and I unlocked it to find an incoming call from Ron.
“The sun’s going to be out until almost six today,” he said. “Perfect day for an afternoon on the lake.”
“I guess I don’t really have an excuse,” I said. “Meet me at the docks around noon. I’m spending some time with mom first.”
“Tell Mona I said hi,” he said. “I hope she’s feeling better.”
I shrugged. “She has her good days.” We said goodbye, and I slipped my phone into the pocket of my jeans. I hoped today was one of those good days.
I left my room and crossed the upstairs hallway toward a spiral staircase in the middle of my house. The bottom floor was an open layout with rich, red carpeting and a soft gray coat on the walls. Every table and surface top was smooth marble, with wooden touches on the ceiling that led toward a kitchen that was fit for a palace.
It was way too extravagant for my tastes, but this house was the only one that was immediately available and had an empty lot big enough to build another house. I had made the decision early on to redecorate the inside and make it simpler, turn it into a house fit for a single guy who didn’t even want to spend much time in it, but time had passed, and every estimate I’d received for an indoor remodeling had made me wince. Not that I didn’t have the money for it, but I didn’t feel as if that money was mine to spend.
I opened the door to my protein powder pantry and picked out a flavor I hadn’t yet tried, a banana caramel, and made a quick protein shake. I would squeeze in a workout between seeing mom and meeting Ron, so I made another regular vanilla protein shake and placed it in the fridge. I downed the banana caramel in the time it took for me to exit my house and walk across the few short yards it took to reach mom’s house.
It was much smaller than mine, with a one-story layout and simple decorations that only a mother would think of. A fountain in front with a bird house at the top, and beautiful flowers blooming from top to bottom in thick vines that hugged the red brick walls: I had spared no expense to make sure her house was exactly how she wanted it.
She had been diagnosed with cancer not too long ago and had fought against the idea of me building her a house while trying to convince both herself and me that she would be fine living in an assisted housing. I had quickly won that argument, and she had fallen in love with her house in less than a day.
I knocked on the front door and was greeted by Karen, her live-in nurse.
“Mr. Hayward,” she greeted me with a smile. An older woman, possibly five or 10 years older than my 55-year-old mother, with aging hair that made her seem wiser and a pair of thin glasses, pushed to the bridge of a button nose. She was short and plump, and despite her age, she always seemed to have the energy of a 20-year-old in their prime.
“I tell you all the time to call me Gavin,” I reminded her.
“Yeah, yeah, Mr. Hayward was your father.” She smiled and showed me inside. There was a plate of breakfast, still hot with steam, on an otherwise empty wooden table in the living room, and the TV was playing mom’s favorites soap operas. Karen was beyond good to mom, always making sure she had food available in case her appetite ever resurfaced, and she was constantly cleaning the house top-to-bottom. She began reading to her as well when mom’s vision started to worsen. I took a small bite from one of the pancakes on the plate, delighted when a touch of cinnamon and sugar filled my mouth.
“I think I’m going to have to keep you around to take care of me when I’m older,” I joked. Karen rolled her eyes and led me toward mom’s room.
“If I’m still alive by then, just euthanize me.” She opened the door slowly. “It’s one of the good days.”
I pushed past her to see my mother lying in a bed far
too big for her frail body. She was losing more weight as the days went on, and her beautiful black hair was thin and stuck to her skin with perspiration. She was breathing heavily in bed with eyes shut in pain.
“Mom,” I breathed. Her eyes, as light blue as mine, opened, and she immediately fought to lean on her elbows. “Don’t move,” I said. “You’re in pain.”
“I’m fine.” She shook her head. “I can still get up when my only son visits. I was just about to get up and go watch ‘Days of our Lives’, actually.”
“That trash?” I laughed. “I don’t know what’s worse for you, daytime drama or cancer.”
“The cancer,” she said, but her face held a soft smile. “Definitely the cancer.”
“Well, you’re going tomorrow to see Dr. Lemonis to see if it’s gotten better,” I said because I couldn’t handle it if it had gotten worse. “I know how much you like seeing him.”
“Only because his ass is cuter than both you and Karen, and you two are the only people I even see anymore,” she said.
“Yes, we know you really like his ass,” Karen said as she placed a cup full of pills and a glass of water on mom’s nightstand. “You stare at it every time he makes a house call.”
“House call?” I asked. “How many times has he visited you at home?”
“Just the once.” Mom coughed into her elbow. “I thought I had the flu.”
“You didn’t tell me this.” I groaned. “From now on when you think you even have a fever, you have to call me.”
“I’d be ringing your phone all day, Gavin,” she said. “You might as well put me in that giant house of yours that you live in all by yourself.”
“You know I already tried that,” I said. “You’re the one who refused to move into it.”
“Only because I didn’t want to be in the way when you eventually moved a woman into it.” She took her medicine with a smirk. “It’ll still happen.”
“There’s no woman,” I said for the millionth time. “Really, mom, you have bigger things to worry about.”