by Parker, Ali
She nodded. “I see.”
I looked at Mira and smiled. The conversation about the frequency of my visits was best left for another time.
“Mira, I wanted to say thank you for all you’ve done for me. I was kind of lost when I first bought that house. I had no idea what I needed to do to run it. You were a godsend, and I’m truly going to hate leaving you behind. You’ve been like family to me.”
Mira teared up a little. “Stop. I was only doing my job.”
I slowly shook my head. “No, you did a lot more than that. You were kind to me. You helped me that time when I hurt my leg and was laid up in bed for days. You didn’t have to do that, and you did it without me asking. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me over the last couple of years, and I am truly going to miss you.”
“Thank you. I’ll miss seeing your face around as well, and that big ugly dog.”
Sade laughed. “I have a feeling Leia will be picking up some frequent flyer miles as well.”
I nodded. “Indeed. Leia is going to miss the beach, but I know she’s going to love the property we’ll be living in.”
“Thank you again for letting me stay at the house. I promise I won’t throw any wild parties.”
I scoffed. “As if you would.”
“Hey, you don’t know my wild side. I do have a wild side.”
I laughed. “Sure, you do. A wild side that includes knitting a scarf with wild colors.”
She grinned. “You do know me.”
I ordered the best bottle of champagne and the filet mignons for all of us. I wanted to treat Mira to what I hoped was one of the best meals she’d had in a long time. I wanted to show her how special she was to me.
After dinner, Bentley drove Mira home before taking us back to my house. I sent Sade inside while I got into the front seat to talk with Bentley. As expected, he declined my offer to pay him. I insisted. It was a lot of back and forth, but I finally convinced him to take the pay for the next several months.
With that settled, I headed inside to find Sade. She was in the bedroom, already stripping off her clothes and pulling on her pajamas. She looked beat. We had gotten up very early that morning to fly back to Tahoe, and we’d been going hard all day. I was just as exhausted.
“It’ll be nice when we’re in one city for an entire week without having to worry about packing anything up,” I said.
“Yes. How often do you plan on coming back here?”
I smiled. “I expect it will be more frequent over the next few months, but as things settle, I won’t need to be here.”
“Once a month?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Possibly. I might need to make some day trips during the week to meet with vendors and such.”
She smiled. “I understand.”
We climbed into bed. I rested on the pillows with her snuggled up against me, her head resting on my chest and my arm around her. “What a day.”
She sighed. “No kidding. What a month. I feel like the minute I landed in Lake Tahoe for the first time, I stepped into some alternate universe. I still can’t believe this is my life.”
“Honestly, I can’t either. It was just a normal day for me. I can’t say what it was that made me look at you that first time, but the very second I did, I was captivated.”
She giggled. “I saw you talking to some people. I remember thinking you were gorgeous, and I wondered what color your eyes were. Then you turned to look at me, and I was entranced.”
“Did you ever think we’d end up here?” I asked.
“No!” she said a little too quickly.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“No, definitely not,” she corrected. “I just mean, I never, ever, ever thought I would be the girl that got the guy.”
“You’re crazy. I don’t know what guys you were around before, but they must have been blind or stupid.”
She looked up at me and smiled. “That’s sweet, but I’ve never been the kind of girl that attracted a lot of attention when I walked into a room.”
“I don’t know what rooms you’ve been walking into, but they weren’t filled with normal people,” I told her.
She laughed again. “I suppose. What about you? I don’t understand how you were single.”
I let out a long sigh. “I wasn’t interested in the women that were interested in me. Honestly, I kept my head down and ignored the women that tried to get my attention. Richie couldn’t understand why, but the women that I met—I don’t know—they just weren’t for me.”
“You didn’t date at all?”
“I dated, but it was all very tenth grade,” I explained. “I took them to dinner, sometimes a movie or to one of the charity events I was invited to, and then it was home. None of them were what I was looking for.”
“What were you looking for?”
“You.”
She raised up and kissed me. I kissed her back. The kiss intensified, both of us breathless by the time she settled back onto my chest. I ran my hand up and down her arm.
“I don’t know if it’s fate or kismet or just plain good luck, but I am so glad we booked our stay at your hotel. I sometimes think about the what ifs. What if we hadn’t planned a trip to Lake Tahoe? You know, we almost didn’t.”
“What?” I asked.
“We were thinking about going to Mexico, but the cost was a little too much, and my dad nearly had a conniption fit when he heard about our plans. We picked your hotel because it had good reviews and was a little cheaper than the other places. I just keep thinking, what if we hadn’t booked that hotel suite?”
I squeezed her close to me. “I don’t even want to think about that. I don’t want to think about the what ifs. You are my soul mate. I know that. I believe we would have found one another eventually, but I don’t like wasting time. I only wish I would have found you sooner. I suppose I found you when I was supposed to find you.”
“I think you’re right. It happened at the exact right time.”
I closed my eyes, relishing in the comfort and contentment holding her in my arms brought.
It was better than anything I could have ever dreamed of.
Chapter 62
Sade
I stretched out on the lounge chair on the back patio and watched Leia race around the backyard. I had the stark realization that this would be one of the last times we were there. I knew there would be plenty of visits, but it wouldn’t be the same as actually staying there.
I was excited and sad at the same time. I knew Trent was anxious to settle down in Fresno but hoped he wasn’t rushing things. I didn’t want him to have regrets. I knew he loved living in Lake Tahoe and loved the water.
He came out of the house to sit down on the chair next to mine. He was shirtless and wearing only a pair of basketball shorts. We had both decided to spend a leisurely morning before heading back to Fresno. He smiled at me.
“It’s a nice day,” he commented.
“It’s a beautiful day. Are you sure you want to leave this?”
He pushed up his sunglasses. “I am absolutely sure. Wherever you are is where I want to be.”
“Why haven’t you asked me to move here?” I asked.
“Do you want to move here?” he asked with shock.
I shrugged. “I would love to live here, but—”
He grinned. “Exactly. I know you’ve worked hard to get that job. I know you love your job, and with only just getting it, I know you can’t exactly transfer. I didn’t offer to have you move here because I didn’t want you to feel torn.”
“Thank you. That is very thoughtful, and I appreciate the sacrifice you are making.”
“It’s not a sacrifice. I get to be with you. That’s what I want more than anything else in this world. If you move to Podunk City, USA, I’ll be right there with you.”
I laughed. “And build a hotel?”
He shrugged. “If I have to. I don’t want to be anywhere you aren’t. I will follow you to the ends o
f the earth.”
I got up and moved to crawl over him. I straddled him, kissing him deeply to show him just how much I appreciated his sacrifice. I leisurely kissed him, exploring his mouth with my tongue. Once I had sated my need for him, I slid off him, curling next to him in the lounge chair.
“I love you,” I said. “I don’t know if I’ve said that today, but I love you.”
“I love you. As much as I like lying here with you, we don’t have much time before we’re supposed to be at the hangar.”
I sighed and got to my feet. I was looking forward to going home and building our lives together there, but I was going to miss the view. I went inside and tossed in the last few things I was taking with me. I was leaving a few things as well for those trips back.
Trent came into the room and grabbed the duffel bag he was taking. The boxes stacked in the corner would be picked up by movers and driven to the new house, along with the other boxes. I walked out of the room and waited by the front door for him.
“Ready?” he asked, calling Leia.
The dog bounded toward us. She was going to be crashing at the condo until we could get into the house.
“I think she’s happy to be going along this time,” I said.
“I’m happy to be taking her. I’ve missed her.”
We walked out to the waiting car. Bentley took our bags and tossed them in the trunk before getting in the front seat. Leia must have been able to sense something big was going on. She was bouncing around in the car, looking out every window before rushing back to lick Trent’s face.
“The helicopter ride should be interesting,” I said with a laugh.
“I should have sedated her.”
“She’ll be okay,” I assured him.
When we got to the hangar, Trent asked me to take Leia aboard while he talked with his driver. I watched out the window. The two men seemed very serious. Trent leaned forward and hugged the man before walking toward the waiting helicopter.
Once again, I was slammed with guilt. His driver was a close friend, just like Mira. He was leaving behind the small family he had created for himself. He climbed inside and took his seat. Leia had settled and was sitting on the seat next to mine, her head resting in my lap.
“Are you okay?” I asked in a quiet voice.
He smiled. “I’m fine.”
“You two were close.”
He nodded. “We were. We are. He had a rough go of it. We met during physical therapy shortly after I got back. We hit it off. I promised him I was going to hire him when I got on my feet. He was at a really low point in his life when we finally met again.”
“I’m glad you were there for him,” I said with a smile.
He smirked. “I think he was there for me. I’ll admit I was feeling a little sorry for myself. It was him that gave me a reality check about my situation. It was the tough talk I needed to pull my head out of my ass.”
I laughed. “Then I owe Bentley my thanks as well.”
“He’ll be around when we come back for a visit,” he said.
“What? Really?”
“Yes. I’ve paid him his usual salary.”
“Oh, that’s nice.”
He shrugged. “It’s for him and me. I need a driver, and I trust him.”
I smiled, watching him stare out the window. Looking at him made my heart swell with love and pride. He was good to his very core. I had seen the way he was with Mira and Bentley. He was the same way with the employees that worked for him at the hotel. He was kind and never treated anyone like they weren’t valued and appreciated.
He had more money than most people in the world, and yet he acted like he was just like everyone else. He didn’t talk down to anyone, and he always asked instead of ordering people about. I admired him. He’d had some tough times, but he had overcome.
“You’re looking at me funny,” he commented.
I smiled. “I’m sorry. I was just admiring you. You’re an amazing man, and I can’t believe you’re mine.”
“I am yours. I will always be yours.”
I knew he was telling the truth. Trent was the kind of man who loved forever. He would never cheat on me or walk away from me. I knew that in my very soul.
I settled into the seat, my hand idly rubbing over Leia’s head. When we touched down, there was a car waiting for us. I nearly burst into laughter at the look on the driver’s face. Trent hadn’t yet hired a permanent driver, nor had he bought a car for the driver to use. The car waiting for us was a nice town car with all the perks.
“I didn’t realize you had a dog,” the man said, looking at Leia.
“I have a dog,” Trent said dryly, obviously unfazed by the man’s disgust.
I went around to the other side when it became clear the driver wasn’t going to open the door for me. “Come on, Leia,” I said nice and loud.
Trent looked over the top of the car and smiled. “I believe we’re ready to go.”
The man groaned before getting into the driver’s seat. It was a very quick ride home. The man had found some shortcuts I didn’t know existed in his haste to get us out of his car. The entire way home, Trent and I had to fight to hold back our laughter. Leia was completely oblivious to the man’s dislike of her and occasionally leaned over the backseat to pant next to his ear.
By the time we got to my condo, the man was the one foaming at the mouth. Trent grabbed our nominal luggage while I called Leia to follow me upstairs. She waited while I opened the door. The moment I had it open a crack, she used her giant head and shoved the door open, racing into the small condo. I winced when I heard Khloe shriek.
Trent joined me outside the front door, a grin on his face. “Leia is making all kinds of friends tonight.”
I laughed. “Did he say anything to you?”
He smirked. “He mentioned he was taking the car to be detailed, and if there was any damage to the backseat, he would be billing me.”
I burst into laughter. “And what did you say?”
He chuckled. “I essentially told him I would be happy to pay for any damage she may have caused.”
“Essentially?”
He slowly nodded. “Yep, essentially.”
I knew he wasn’t telling me the whole story, and that was fine. We walked inside to find Leia on my couch with Khloe underneath. Khloe was complaining about Leia’s dog breath and ordered her down. Leia bounced off and gave herself a self-guided tour of the small condo.
“That dog knows how to make an entrance,” Khloe said, getting to her feet and wiping off her face.
“She missed you,” I told her.
Khloe rolled her eyes. “Leia misses everyone.”
“She’s a happy dog who loves all humans, and the only way she knows how to tell them is with her tongue,” I suggested.
“I’m going to put these in the room and make sure Leia isn’t getting into any trouble,” Trent said.
I kicked off my shoes and glanced over at the TV and smiled. “Trent will want to watch this.”
“What? Really?”
I nodded. “Yep. He is officially a Pitch Perfect fan. I told him there were two sequels, and he was very excited.”
Trent came back into the living room wearing a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. Leia was right on his heels. We settled in on the couch, all three of us, with Leia squeezing herself in between me and Khloe, who was on the far right. I noticed Khloe absently stroking Leia as we watched the show.
In that moment, I felt like I had my own little family. We weren’t in Trent’s big fancy house, but we were completely comfortable and content. Leia was snoring away, happy to be with her humans as well. It would be a tough week or two while the house was made ready, but Leia was a good dog, and with Khloe and Trent’s flexible schedule, they could make sure she got plenty of exercise.
After the movie was over, Trent took Leia out for a walk while I got ready for bed. Just like a little kid, Leia insisted on sleeping with us. I was sure she was a little nervous about the cha
nge in scenery. Trent had told her she couldn’t climb on the bed, but I couldn’t resist the puppy dog eyes and let her come up.
“Is this what it’s going to be like when we have kids?” he asked in the dark room as we lay next to one another.
“Which part?”
“You’re going to be the softie, and I have to be the bad guy?” He laughed.
I grinned. “Probably.”
“We’re going to have the most spoiled children on the planet. I suck at being the bad guy.”
I giggled softly, not wanting to disturb the now sleeping Leia at our feet. “We’ll call my dad. He’s really good at being the bad guy.”
“Good plan. Instead of the threat to tell dad, we’ll say we’re going to call grandpa.”
I couldn’t stop smiling as I drifted off to sleep. Kids. I hadn’t even thought about myself having kids, but suddenly, the idea was very appealing.
I wanted a family with Trent. I wanted the total package.
Chapter 63
Trent
I had been up since five. I was anxious for the day. It was like a kid going to Disneyland for the first time. Sade came out of the room, dressed in her usual scrubs, her hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Hi!” I said, a little too perky after three cups of coffee.
She stopped walking and looked at me. “You look like you’re spun out. Like you’re about to burst at the seams.”
I grinned. “I am. I’m excited.”
She laughed. “I can see that.”
She gave me a kiss that started out as one of those quickie goodbye kisses and then transformed into something much more enthusiastic.
“You better go,” I said breathlessly. “Otherwise, I’m going to drag you right back into that bedroom and bury myself deep inside you.”
She stepped back, her hand on my chest. “I see many late days in my future.”
I winked. “So do I.”
She laughed, patted Leia on the head, and grabbed her purse and lunchbox before heading out the door to work. I felt a little guilty that she had to work every day while Khloe and I hung out at her place. That was only going to happen a few more days.