The CEO's Redemption

by Stella Marie Alden

  “Uh, I think it was more than luck. The Big Guy who’s in charge upstairs decided I was worth saving. We had quite a long conversation about it in the ocean while I waited.”

  The doc’s brows crease, his mouth turns down, and he starts to type with his thumbs. “Did uh, He talk back?”

  “Well, I was rescued when thousands weren’t. I guess that was answer enough.” My eyelids get heavy and I yawn. In my dream I float amongst dead bodies with sharks circling under my feet and Isabella overhead, frantically waving.

  Chapter 19

  Isabella

  I wander the hallway, outside of Slate’s room while I wait for Grayson to arrive on the helipad. They say he’s en route but that’s the same story I’ve been getting for the last four hours. I swear, if they don’t tell me something more soon, I’ll buy the damn hospital.

  Retracing my steps, I pass people on gurneys until I get to the door of a small lounge that’s been turned into a common room for the less injured. Then, I turn and walk some more. Earlier, I

  handed out water and juice but volunteers have been pouring in from all over the US. Recently, I was relieved of duty and now, I’m antsy.

  So many drowned and so many injured. I can’t even fathom it, not even as I watch CNN play the wave footage repeatedly. Now, a nerdy-looking guy explains how the wave was started by the shelf of the ocean floor when it dropped several inches and displaced tons of water. Apparently, it was lessened some by the islands off the East Coast.

  If not, it would’ve been much worse.

  Dammit. What a day. I turn at the nurse’s station, yawn and continue to walk more. It’s amazing I can still stand. Surely, I’ll crash but not before I see Grayson.

  About an hour ago, a care-package arrived from Fed-Ex. Cherry sent some clothes so I changed out of my filthy yoga pants and bloody t-shirt. She also sent a blessed cell phone so I don’t have to borrow one every time I need to make a call.

  My mom has been texting constantly since she found out I have a phone. When she does so again, I sit in a folding chair in the back of Slate’s room. They moved him out of intensive care but what if it’s because there’s no room?

  If he dies, it’s all my fault.

  His heart monitor bleeps and I whisper so as not to wake him. “Hey Mom.”

  “Isabella? Is Grayson there yet?”

  I sigh. “No, Mom. Not yet.” My heart quickens when outside the room, nurses rush by and a loudspeaker pages Dr. Sandeep but no Grayson.

  “And Skye?”

  “She’s fine. Just all wore out. The pediatric nurses convinced me to keep her with them for a while. I’m supposed to be sleeping but I can’t.”

  Where is he?

  “Do you want me to come?” She means well but that would drive me crazy and I got enough on my plate.

  It doesn’t really matter, though.

  “All flights in and out of Miami are booked solid. You should come to the city after things settle down.” I want to spend time alone with Gray.

  Every damn moment of every damn day, I will thank God that he and Skye are alive. I’m not going to waste a second being unhappy. I’m going to live in an apartment close to his work. I’m going to find a job that makes me happy and only hang out with people l like.

  “-and Uncle Pete, too.”

  “Uh-huh.” I have no idea what she’s chattering about but that’s okay. It’s just great to hear her familiar, friendly voice in this sea of strangers.

  “Izzy?”

  “Hey Mom, Slate just woke up. I’ll call you later, okay?” It’s not true but I really need to close my eyes, if only for a second.

  “Okay. Text me and let me know where you’re going to be.”

  I chuckle. Since the tsunami, she thinks I’m sixteen again. “I will. Don’t worry. Bye. Love you. Say hi to everyone.”

  Then, I use the bathroom and check in the mirror. I can’t quite believe the confident woman who stares. Wherever she’d gone, she’s back and I’m pretty proud at how she kept it together, today.

  Chapter 20

  Isabella

  “Mrs. Patten?”

  Disoriented, I open my eyes and shake my head, no. Mrs. Patten is Grayson’s mother, a woman in her sixties who lives on an estate with tennis courts and stables.

  A wall clock’s bright red digits say it’s almost midnight. That’s a nurse, I’m in a Miami hospital, and Skye sleeps in a crib next to me. I recall they rolled her down somewhere around ten so I could nurse.

  “Sorry. Yes. I’m Mrs. Patten.” Now that I’m more awake, I remember who I am and blink once or twice in the darkened room.

  A black nurse in light blue scrubs smiles kindly. “Sorry to bother you but there’s a Mr. Patten threatening a law suit—”

  “Where is he?” With a laugh, I jump up, full of energy.

  “Right here, babe.” My husband’s voice sounds from outside in the hallway and I’m so overwhelmed, I burst into tears as I run to his wheelchair.

  I grab him around the neck and kiss the living daylights out of him. The nurse grins, pushes us into Slate’s room, and closes the door. Then, my hands lock behind his neck. I don’t let go for fear I’ll wake in the helicopter, still searching the whole Atlantic.

  I put my forehead to his. “Tell me I’m not dreaming.”

  “Ah fuck, Isabella, I thought I might never see you again.” Bandaged palms cup my face, swollen lips kiss mine, and I finally start to believe he’s here.

  “I love you so much.” I will say those words over and over, for the rest of our lives.

  As close as possible, I snuggle to inhale his scent as my hands slide up and down his arms, things I thought lost to me forever.

  “I love you too.” His eyes soften as he stands.

  With our bodies pressed together, he kisses me again, more gently, sweetly. Then, he leans over the crib where the baby sleeps, kisses her nose and a tear drips down his cheek.

  “Hey, sweetheart.”

  With our fingers intertwined, his gaze comes back to mine, and we openly weep. When we’re done, I grab the tissue box, he takes a few, and we blow at the exact same moment. In each other’s arms we laugh, cry, hug and kiss until the nurse taps on the door.

  “Mr. Patten? You need to rest.”

  She grabs him by his bicep and leads him to the bed and as he lies down, Slate wakes up and says, “Hey, buddy, is that you?”

  I put a straw to Slate’s lips while the nurse tethers Grayson to an IV. We talk for a while about what happened when we were separated. Much later, I sit between Slate and my husband with Skye nearby, in a portable crib. When she fusses, I place her on Gray’s chest. He lifts her up and down until she squeals. Next, I hand her over to Slate so I can kiss my husband properly.

  When we break off, his eyes smolder when he whispers, “You and Skye were my only reasons for hanging on.”

  My lips go to his ear as I bend over the chrome bar. “Everyone else said it was impossible but I knew you were alive. I felt it here.”

  I tap on my chest, he grabs my hands and kisses them. “Babe? Things are going to be a lot different from now on. I swear I’ll never again take you for granted.”

  “Funny. I was thinking the same thing. All of our problems seem small now, in comparison. Speaking of problems, did anyone find… Xavier’s body?”

  “I called Paul and told him what happened. If they do, he’ll make sure it all disappears.”

  Grayson’s lawyer is amazing but still, I’m concerned. “What about Slate’s gunshot wound? How did you explain that away?”

  Eavesdropping, Slate barges in with a big grin. “I told them we had looters on the island after the quake.”

  Grayson glances over. “How ya doing, over there?”

  “I lost a lot of blood but the surgeon said I’ll recover fully. I can be driving by next week if you still want me.”

  “Of course, we do.” Turning, I explain to my husband, “Thank God Slate knew the pilot and convinced him to search for you.” />
  “It wasn’t me. The lucky bastard’s a millionaire, thanks to her reward.”

  “You did that?” My husband’s mouth drops open.

  “Uh huh. I would’ve given a billion.”

  Grayson squeezes my hand. “All the time I was in the water, I was thinking of you and Skye. I wanted to spend my life with you, not have it end there. I heard you talk to me. You urged me to hang on.”

  “I did, love, I did. I can’t believe how lucky we were. If Thomas hadn’t shown us how to climb those palm trees…”

  “Speaking of Thomas, I did see him and his grandmother in the helicopter, right?”

  “Yes. I sent them home right after we found you. And oh, I almost forgot, there’s one other thing I heard. It’s so strange.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You remember, when we first met how my best friend, Jeannette, the HR rep went missing? They found her body on Nassau. Apparently, she couldn’t get to high ground in time.”

  “Wait, so you think she was with Xavier?”

  I shake my head back and forth, still not able to believe it. “I guess. He could be quite a charmer when he wanted to be. We may never know. She was a single mom, always strapped for cash. Sad, though.”

  “Sorry hun.”

  “Thanks. I always figured Xavier murdered her. I can’t believe she left and never said boo.”

  While I ponder her misfortune, the doctor comes in and shoos me out of the room. Both Slate and Gray pout when I return so I give them the chocolate bars I bought in the machine. “Don’t tell me, the doctor’s keeping you both another night.”

  Slate groans. “Not only that, he says I can’t pilot for at least two weeks. How will we get home?”

  I smirk. “They do have these things called commercial flights.”

  Horrified, Slate’s mouth drops open. “Are you kidding? That’s not safe.”

  “After all that’s happened, I guess we’ll chance it.” Laughing, I hand him a cell phone all set up for his use. “Here. I thought there might be some people worried about you. I called Jack. He sends his regards and suggests you brush up on your skills.”

  “I’ll never hear the end of this.” Our friend tries to sit upright so I rush over and push a pillow behind his back.

  My voice cracks when I recall what happened right before the storm. “I never got a chance to tell you. I, ah… I can never thank you enough. You took a bullet for us.”

  “My job, Isabella.”

  “No, not a job, more like family.” I reach out to hug him but he expertly avoids me with a fake cough.

  When I put my hands on my hips, he sends me an impish grin. “You know I’m there for you guys. Always. And tell your husband he owes me, big time. I lost my favorite Grateful Dead t-shirt. Irreplaceable, had it for years.”

  “I’m right here, you know.” My husband shoots Slate the look and they both chuckle.

  Chapter 21

  Grayson

  At the altar of the local Presbyterian church, my hands sweat as I wait for the organ to start playing Here Comes the Bride. A few friends and family fill the church while the police stay out front to keep the paparazzi at bay.

  I made a lot of promises to the good Lord that night in the ocean so I figure I need to make good on a few. It’s true I’m not much of a church-going man but when I asked Isabella if she would tie the knot in a church, she agreed.

  If God can make an earthquake, followed by a tsunami, and yet miraculously save my stupid ass, I guess I might be a believer.

  I remember how I tried to explain it to Isabella as we sat on our front porch, right after we bought our new house.

  “It’s no big deal. I just want to restate our vows.” I wave at the kids who pass by on their way to the local park.

  “But why? You know I hate crowds. I barely survived the last wedding.”

  I roll my eyes. “It wasn’t really a wedding, hun. It was our engagement party.”

  “Thank goodness Uncle Pete is a preacher.”

  “That’s just it. Don’t you want a church wedding? White dress, the works?”

  Her brows crease and her mouth puckers as she thinks. “Nope. Not really. Why do you all of sudden?”

  “I, ah, kind of made a few concessions to ah, God… when I was stuck out in the ocean.”

  Her brows raise. “Seriously?”

  “Hey. I just don’t want to mess with Him, okay? The odds of me being found were one in a million and if I just happened to promise to go to church, occasionally, then maybe I should make good on my half of the bargain.”

  She stands, laughs, and leans over to kiss me. “My mother will be thrilled.”

  Now here she comes, walking down the aisle in a stunning silk dress hugging her in all the right places and my throat gets tight.

  I thought saying our vows again would be old hat, but since the whole ordeal in the ocean, I’m a different man.

  Her uncle Josh takes her hand, places it in mine, and her uncle Pete says the same lines he said a year and a half ago but this time it means a whole lot more.

  “Do you Grayson Patten, take Isabella Harte as your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, ’till death do you part?”

  “I do.” I stare into my beautiful bride’s eyes and I cannot believe I’m still here to share the rest of our lives together.

  After she says her vows I step up to the podium to say my little speech.

  My mom is out there in the audience and in some way, I know my dad is there, too. I guess God, in his infinite mercy, didn’t send him to hell.

  The microphone squeals, the minister turns some knob, and I clear my throat.

  “I ah.. Oh hell.” This is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

  A few titters in the audience remind me I’m in church and my face heats.

  “Sorry about that. I mostly wanted to thank you for sharing this day with us. As you all know, we had a pretty close call earlier this summer. What you probably don’t know is we were having a tough go of it in our marriage. We forgot why we fell in love and what’s really important. It took a deranged psychopath, an earthquake, and a tsunami to set our heads on straight.”

  I glance over to Isabella who beams at me, more beautiful than ever.

  “So, ah, well that’s it except for one thing. Don’t waste a damn second of your life on the unimportant shit. Don’t be like we were. Trust each other, love each other, and spend time with each other. Tell the person you love she’s beautiful every day and tell her that you love her.”

  Isabella runs up to the pulpit, throws her arms around my neck and kisses me. “Party at our house in five!”

  Then, the organist plays a traditional processional march but me and my very untraditional bride rush down the center of the church, shake hands with the pastor, and jump into my car, cans rattling from where they’re tied to the bumper.

  In the rear-view mirror, Slate laughs his ass off.

  Chapter 22

  Isabella

  I guess we could’ve had the party at ‘The Abbey.’ the local country club. That’s where all my neighbors have their nice affairs but I wanted something more personal so I had it catered at our home.

  My back yard is filled with guests when Melanie, in a pink halter dress, walks down our steps, Gabi on her hip.

  I set down my wine, jump out of my lounge chair, and wrap my arms around them. “I’m so glad you came!”

  “I brought you this.” She hands me a bucket of purple mums and a bottle of deer repellent.

  “Lovely, and thoughtful, too.” Laughing, I put her gifts on a table with the others.

  Then, I grab Gabi and place her in the swing next to Skye where my awesome new nanny gives pushes.

  “I got them, Mrs. Patten, Mrs. Quinn. Go enjoy your party.” Lillia smiles as Gabi squeals with delight and sings Winnie-the-Pooh along with my daughter.

  The kids set, I hand Mel a glass of sparkling cider, grab a light beer, and ask “Want to have a l
ook around? Wait. There’s Kit, and his wife. Let’s say hi.”

  Mel drags me across the lawn and she hugs this large man with thick dark hair. “It’s good to see you.” She turns to me. “Did you guys meet?”

  I smile at the tall, dark, hockey player. “I did but I never got a chance to thank you for letting us use your place. I’m so sorry about your island. Did you get it fixed up?”

  “Yeah. The hardest part was getting the new plants put in.” His brows raise. “I figure I needed a few more full-sized palm trees.”

  I nod and try not to grin at his dry humor. “Good point.”

  His lovely wife with slightly oriental eyes nudges him. “I told him I would rather have a thirty-foot replica of the Eiffel tower, complete with steps.”

  Smiling, the Olympic star shakes my hand. “I’m Sonya. I can’t imagine how awful it was for you.”

  “Thanks.” I hate to rehash that day, so quickly change the subject. “C’mon, let me show you around. This is our back deck and this is the husband that comes with it. I lean over to kiss Gray who shares a beer with one of our neighbors.

  “Be right back, hun, going to show off the house.”

  “Not so fast.” He grabs my waist and our eyes meet with this heated desire that’s been insatiable since we almost lost each other. Suddenly, it’s just me and him, and a promise of hot sex later tonight.

  Melanie clears her throat, opens the back door, and eyes the stainless-steel stove and black granite countertop. “Beautiful kitchen.”

  “I had to hire a part-time chef.”

  She rolls her eyes at me. “Even after all my lessons?”

  “Yup.” Proudly I open the door to my home office with an adjoining door to Grayson’s. “This is where I spend almost all my time.”

  “No wonder you both seem so happy.”

  “Check this out.” I open the door to the downstairs bathroom with a hot tub for two and a shower with so many sprayers, I lost count.

  Glancing at myself in the bathroom mirror, I run a finger through my shorter, blunt cut and smile at the new me.