by Claire Adams
“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 four 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 warmed 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 ten 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 needed 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 concept 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 never 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 more busy weeks to come.
The door to the honeymoon suite was a solid black door
with a sleek finish on it. 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 snow storm,” 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 CONTRACT
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 © 2016 Claire Adams
CONTRACT VOLUME I
Chapter One
August 2014
Dax
“Ladies and gentlemen, after a long and arduous process, it is my pleasure and honor to welcome the newest member of the NFL family into the fold tonight,” Commissioner Goodell said as he scanned the room of high-level executives, club owners, and athletes. “It’s taken more than two years to get to this point, but it’s been time well spent! Please join me in welcoming Dax Connor, the new owner of the Chicago Storm!”
The crowd went wild as I turned and high-five my best friend, Finn O’Brien, then walked across the stage and accepted a number 0 jersey with the Storm logo on the front and my name across the shoulders. I smiled as I shook Goodall’s hand and then raised my arms over my head in a victory salute to all the members of the NFL Owners’ Club who had supported my application and then worked to convince the holdouts that I deserved the franchise.
“Thank you all,” I said leaning into the microphone. “I know there’s been a lot of talk about what it means to finally have two NFL teams in Chicago, and that there’s no way any team could compete with the Bears, but I promise that we will all work to bring you the best possible team we can, and that we’ll strive to make sure the Storm players are the best of the best in the NFL!”
The crowd was on its feet clapping and cheering as I held up the jersey and pumped my fist a few times for good measure. The flashes from thousands of cameras lit up the room as the press joined the frenzied action and tried to get shots of everyone in the room. From where I stood, I could see several people gathered in a tight knot at the edge of the room, throwing skeptical glances my way, and I knew that they were the holdouts who’d been strong-armed into agreeing to award me the franchise. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Finn shooting me a thumb’s up before turning slightly and flipping the bird to the group in the corner with a wide grin.
“Screw it,” I muttered as I smiled back and shook the hands of those who were cheering my success. “Those old bastards can rot in hell for all I care.”
“Great, isn’t it?” Goodell said, smiling as we descended the stairs from the stage and the roar of the crowed swelled.
“Just fuckin’ awesome,” I said dryly, but he didn’t hear the distain in my voice because he was swallowed up by the crowd as we hit the bottom of the stairs. I smiled and shook hands as I worked my way across the room. I knew that at least half of these people hated me for having done what had once been deemed impossible, and the other half were looking for a way to worm their way into my new organization.
I didn’t trust a single one of them, but I knew better than to publicly voice my thoughts. Instead, I smiled and made inane small talk with the drunken has-beens and wannabes, and flirted with the women who rested their hands on my arm as they spoke. I knew what they wanted, and while the idea of taking one of these gorgeous and well-manicured ladies to my bed appeared to be a good idea, I knew better than to give in to the siren call of wealth and power. I’d worked way too hard to squander this all for a quickie that would likely result in bad press for the team when their rich husbands found out and sought revenge.
I scanned the room looking for Finn in the crowd, but he’d disappeared again. This whole night was the result of a bet we’d made several years ago when we’d sold the online gambling company we’d created. We were two poor-but-smart kids from Back of the Yards Chicago who’d done the impossible: made a fortune and gotten out. We’d sold the company for almost ten billion dollars and split the profits equally between us, thinking now we’d kick back and take it easy, but we’d spent our whole lives hustling on the South Side, and it wasn’t long before we were both itching for a new challenge.
Finn was a multitasker, and as a result he always had side deals going, but I was more of a single-issue hustler in love with the thrill of risk-taking. Finn always came up with the wildest ideas, and I’d calculate the risk involved as well as the potential payout, then we’d make a bet and I’d get to work. More often than not, I won the bets. Partly because I was far more patient about long-term payoffs, but as we got older, I found that I needed bigger and bigger bets in order to feel the thrill that accompanied winning. Finn was more than happy to supply me with ideas.
Acquiring the franchise that allowed me to create the Chicago Storm was the culmination of a bet that Finn and I had made the week after we’d sold the business. Tonight, we’d celebrate my win, and Finn would pay the wager of five million dollars. The money was nothing to either of us. It was the honor of winning the bet that mattered most, and even when he lost, Finn still acted like he’d won. Some things never changed.
I headed for the bar to get a refill on my scotch before I went looking for my date, who had somehow disappeared into the throng of people. I’d brought Gram with me since she’d been the one who’d raised me and encouraged me and Finn to push beyond the limits of what other people imagined we could do. Plus, she was a huge Chicago Bears fan, and she wanted to meet the players.
“You seen my grandmother?” I asked one of the security guys hanging around the bar. “Small, older woman with red hair dressed head to toe in blue and green?”
“Over there,” the mountain of a man said as he pointed toward the circle of Bears players gathered around a corner table. I nodded and headed toward the table, but a tall, dark-haired woman wearing a black evening gown that looked like it had been made out of ace-bandages intercepted me.
“Congratulations,” she said unenthusiastically.
Thank you, Mrs. Lasky,” I said staring at her without blinking. She was beautiful in a severe way that made me think of ice or the sharp edge of a knife. Her shiny, black hair and blood red lipstick gave her an otherworldly appearance, but I knew she very much of this world of football since, as the sole heir to the Halas legacy, she owned the Bears.
“I guess it’ll be good for the league to have both of our teams playing,” she said as she took a sip of champagne from the thin flute in her hand, leaving a crimson print on the rim of th
e glass that matched the color of her pointed nails. There was nothing soft about Joanna Halas Lasky.
“I guess it will be,” I nodded, wondering why she had stopped me. She’d been the biggest detractor, but now she seemed downright friendly — for her.
“Mr. Connor, it’s no secret that I don’t like you or your team,” she said staring at me without smiling. “I didn’t want you here, nor do I think you are what the NFL wants in terms of an owner, but the deed is done, so we must all live with this colossal mistake.”
“Don’t hold back, Mrs. Lasky,” I said dryly. “Tell me how you really feel.”
“I think I’ve said all I need to say,” she said as she turned and moved toward the group of Bears players who seemed to have been thoroughly charmed by my grandmother. Mrs. Lasky looked at the group with narrowed eyes and then snapped her fingers as she icily addressed them, “Boys, your coach needs to see you out on the terrace. Now.”
The young men nodded and bid my grandmother a fond farewell under the watchful eye of their owner before heading to the terrace. Gram watched them go with a smile and then turned to me as she said, “Nice boys, but their owner is a real bitch.”
“Gram!” I scolded looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “You can’t say those kinds of things in public.”
“Why not?” she pushed back. “I’m eighty-five, for God’s sake. I don’t have to impress these people.”
“I know, but I need them not to hate me any more than they already do,” I laughed as I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “You gotta help me out here.”
“David, your generation is soft,” she said as she drained the last inch of beer from her glass and then set it on one of the tables. “Back in my day, we said what we thought and dealt with the consequences. We didn’t spend time pussy-footing around the truth trying to make sure we didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.”
“Gram, you know as well as I do, that’s not the issue here,” I said as I squeezed her shoulder. “It’s more complicated than that.”