Jade gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry he didn’t handle the news better, but Nolan really is an amazing guy. Connor and I were thrilled when the two of you started dating, and I hope it still works out.”
“Thanks.” Olivia wanted to hope too, but it would be crushing to get her hopes up again. All she could do was wait. She forced a brightness to her tone that she didn’t feel. “Well, Boardwalk isn’t going to buy itself. Why don’t we set up the game?”
Jade nodded, but the tightness around her eyes meant she wasn’t fooled by Olivia’s act. “Good plan.” She put a hand to the side of her face and stage whispered, “Just don’t let Piper know you’ve got your eye on Boardwalk. She’s super territorial about that property.”
“Hey!” Piper looked up from her conversation with Savannah. “I heard that.” She smiled and lifted her hands. “And what do you expect? I am in real estate after all.”
“Oh really?” Jade said dryly. “You hadn’t mentioned that you’re an official realtor now . . . at least not today,” she added with a smirk.
Piper’s eyes danced as she crossed her arms and leaned forward. “Hey, Jade, guess what? I got my Realtor’s license.”
Everyone laughed before Savannah turned to Piper. “So are you going to accept Josh’s offer to become partners in his realty business?”
Olivia listened with interest. Josh Graydon was Piper’s boss and a successful Realtor in the area.
Piper leaned back on the couch, biting the edge of her lip as she fought a smile. “Actually, Drew and I have talked about it, and while it would be great to go in as partners with Josh—I’ve come up with a new plan. Something bigger than Pine Ridge real estate.”
“Bigger?” Jade asked, arching an eyebrow.
“You’re not thinking of leaving Pine Ridge?” Olivia’s stomach dropped. If Drew and Piper left, she would have little reason to stay.
“Who’s leaving Pine Ridge?” Leah asked, rejoining them in the living room.
“Yes, spill it, Piper,” Savannah demanded. “You know we had an agreement that we would all settle down here—with or without husbands,” she clarified.
Piper laughed. “Slow down, we’re not going anywhere. Briarwood will be our forever home if either of us have anything to say about it.”
Olivia released the breath she’d been holding.
“But,” Piper continued, the sparkle returning to her eyes, “my new job will require that I do some traveling.”
“A traveling Realtor?” Leah asked.
She nodded. “Drew has some friends in high places—billionaires to be precise—and he mentioned that there might be a market for high profile real estate opportunities. He’s already put me in touch with some contacts to get the ball rolling, and I signed the paperwork for my very own realty business a few days ago.” She grinned and pulled out a business card for everyone to see.
Olivia stepped closer. The card had a sleek yet playful design. “Boardwalk Real Estate,” she read aloud. “Piper Livingston, Realtor.” She smiled at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “I like seeing that last name on there.”
Piper beamed. “Me too. This wedding can’t come soon enough.” She turned to the others. “I have a card for each of you,” she said, passing them around as all the friends exclaimed over Piper’s new venture.
Olivia was just sliding the card into her back pocket when she heard a knock at the front door.
“That’s probably the pizza,” Savannah said. “We had it delivered here.” She moved to stand but Liv stopped her.
“You guys already took care of the treats. I’ve got this.”
Savannah hesitated. “You’re sure?”
“Yep. I’ll be right back.” She darted down the hallway, grabbing her purse from the entry table before opening the door. “How much do I owe you?” she asked, digging through her purse for her wallet.
There was a pause. “I believe I’m the one who owes you—an apology.”
Olivia froze at the sound of Nolan’s voice, slowly raising her eyes to see him standing with a large bouquet of Gerbera daisies—her favorite. The white shirt he’d worn with his suit earlier was unbuttoned at the collar and the sleeves were rolled up. He looked uncharacteristically ruffled as he met her eyes.
“These are for you,” he said, handing her the bouquet. “I sort of cheated and texted Drew to find out what your favorite flowers were.”
“Thank you,” she said, numbly accepting the bouquet as her mind raced. Darn that Drew! She thought it was suspicious the way he’d left on a run tonight. He’d known Nolan was coming to apologize. He’d left his phone behind, otherwise he would have passed the word along to Piper.
“Do you mind if I come in?” Nolan asked.
Olivia looked over her shoulder at the same time that a chorus of laughter sounded from the living room. She looked back at Nolan. “Maybe it would be better if I joined you outside,” she said, gently placing the bouquet on the entry table before stepping onto the porch and closing the door behind them.
Her heart galloped. Nolan was here. He’d come back. But she couldn’t let her emotions get carried away. They still had a lot to talk about. She folded her arms against the sharp night air that was tinged with the scent of dry leaves, and waited for him to go first.
He studied her, his brows pulling together. “Liv, I was a complete idiot earlier today. I know it’s no excuse, but the whole thing caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting to hear that you weren’t who I thought you were, and I felt betrayed.”
“I understand.” Her throat tightened. “It was a lot to take in, and I never would have dumped that on you during the opening.” She shook her head and lifted a shoulder. “Gran could use some work on her timing . . . but I’m still glad you know.”
His forehead creased. “The thing I keep wondering is,” he looked away for a moment and then met her eyes again, “why you didn’t you tell me the truth about who you were sooner?”
The sadness in his expression made her breath hitch. She lifted her hands. “I tried to explain, but you wouldn’t listen,” she said without accusation. “There was an inheritance clause that forced me to keep my identity hidden if I ever wanted to inherit.”
His forehead creased. “That’s the clause you were all talking about?”
She nodded. “Before the clause, I had a hard time finding people who cared about me for who I was. I dated guys who used me for my wealth.” She frowned, thinking of Spencer. It had taken months to get over that relationship. Trent had helped in the process, and for that she would always be grateful to him, even if things hadn’t ended well.
“So Margaret—your grandma,” Nolan clarified, “came up with the clause to avoid that kind of situation again.”
She smiled sadly. “Another piece of our conversation that hopefully makes sense now.” She fought back a shiver and hugged her arms tighter around herself. “Gran wanted me and Drew to know what it was like to live a normal life, and to find people who love us for who we are and not our wealth.”
“It makes sense.” Nolan nodded and took a small step forward, searching her eyes as he reached for her hands, rubbing his thumbs across her knuckles to keep them warm. “Can you forgive me for being a jerk and taking off when I should have stayed and listened?”
Olivia tilted her head. He looked so irresistibly contrite she couldn’t help but forgive him. Her heart pounded hard against her ribcage. “Yes, I forgive you,” she said softly.
Nolan’s face relaxed and his hands stilled as he looked into her eyes. “Will you give Margaret a message for me?” he asked, his voice husky.
She paused, surprised by the odd request. “What’s that?”
His mouth slowly curved up in the corner. “Tell her you found someone who loves you—whether you’re Olivia Carson or Olivia Livingston.” He stepped forward and cupped a hand to the side of her face, looking deep into her eyes. “I love you, Liv.”
Her heart stopped as everything faded around them. “I love you too.”
His expression filled with wonder as he bent down, pressing his lips to hers with an achingly soft kiss. A sigh escaped her as his touch bathed her entire body in warm chills. Nolan wrapped his arms around her, pressing her against his firm chest as he deepened the kiss, making her dizzy with delight as he explored her mouth before trailing kisses down to her jaw.
Olivia breathed him in, feeling deliciously lightheaded by the scent of his cologne mixed with mint gum. She pulled him closer as his mouth found hers once more.
Excited squealing came from the other side of the door and they broke apart. Olivia looked at the door and laughed, knowing her friends must have spied on them through the peephole. “I’ll be in in a second, guys,” she called, biting her lip as she glanced at Nolan.
He wore a rakish smile and pulled her to him again. “Unless she’s not,” he added.
More giggling erupted from the other side of the door. “There’s no rush,” Savannah answered loudly. “We’ll start our game—and it’s about time, Nolan!”
Nolan and Olivia laughed, and he gently brushed a strand of hair back from her face. “I don’t want to keep you from your friends,” he said, making no move to let her go.
“They won’t mind.” She glanced up at him through her lashes. “Right now, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“My thoughts exactly.” He gazed at her, his entire face infused with a joy that mirrored her own.
She smiled, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. “Who would have guessed that I would end up falling for my boss?”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I’m so glad you walked into my office that day. The moment I saw you I knew my life would never be the same.”
Her heart melted. Her life would never be the same either, and that was exactly the way she wanted it. “Here’s to a brand-new life,” she said, gazing up at him, “with you.”
“Count me in.” His eyes glimmered as he traced his finger along the side of her cheek and bent down to kiss her once more.
Epilogue
Olivia was in her office, finishing up an email to Hope Sullivan, thanking her for accepting the offer to return as a guest instructor. It had been almost a year since the grand opening, and a month later, Hope’s yoga classes had been a huge hit with the guests. She smiled and sent the email before swiveling in her desk chair to look outside.
The trees were an almost neon yellow, even more colorful than last year. Nolan had promised her a picnic lunch to commemorate the date of their first kiss. She checked her watch. He was running a few minutes behind, which wasn’t like her punctual boyfriend. She was about to check her phone for messages when a knock came from the open doorframe.
“Anybody home?” Daphne’s familiar voice asked as Gran wheeled her into the room.
“Well, this is a pleasant surprise.” Olivia stood to greet her two favorite older women. She, Gran, and Nolan had been making weekly visits to the newly renovated Pleasant Pines to visit and play Scrabble. Even though Daphne’s health had declined to the point of needing the wheelchair, she was as cheerful and optimistic as ever. Liv smiled at her. “What brings you here today?”
Daphne lifted a small Scrabble board from her lap, with tiles glued in place on the top. “We’ve got something for you,” she said, her soulful eyes dancing as she held the board out to Olivia.
Olivia tilted her head at Gran in question. Gran’s eyes sparkled even brighter than Daphne’s but she shook her head and zipped her lip. “Read the board,” she instructed, waving a hand toward it.
Olivia smiled and looked at the board, where the tiles were arranged to say, Go to the stables. She glanced up, looking between Gran and Daphne. “What’s this? A scavenger hunt?”
“Just follow the instructions and you’ll see.” Daphne winked.
Olivia grinned, having a sneaking suspicion Nolan was behind this. “Are the two of you coming with me?”
Gran shook her head. “We only came to deliver the first message.” She stepped forward and gave Olivia a hug before playfully shooing her out the door. “You can leave the board with us. Good luck.”
“Okay,” Olivia smiled and waved at both of them before making her way to the stables. She tried to look as professional as possible, greeting guests as she passed them, but it was all she could do to keep from skipping. Nolan was always coming up with creative ideas for their dates, and she loved surprises. Likely, he had the picnic set up somewhere away from the guests, and the Scrabble tiles would lead her to him.
She reached the stables to find Ben, the kind and weathered Texan stable hand holding another Scrabble board sign. “Afternoon, Miss Olivia,” he drawled, tipping his cowboy hat. “I’ve got something for you.”
She beamed and accepted the board from him. “Thanks, Ben. Do you know what this is all about?”
He shrugged and pretended to zip his lips exactly the way Gran had, gesturing for her to read the words on the board.
She laughed and read the tiles. Meet me in the clearing by the aspen grove. She arched an eyebrow at Ben. “The clearing by the aspen grove?” She hadn’t been up there since before the grand opening.
He nodded and held up a gnarled finger. “But that’s all I’m going to say about it. And I was told to give you this.” He moved the hand he’d been holding behind his back to reveal a bright bouquet of gerbera daisies.
Olivia gasped in delight. “They’re beautiful! Thank you.”
He flushed, taking the Scrabble board back from her so she could hold the bouquet. “Don’t thank me,” he said, squinting one eye. “I reckon there’s a fella not too far from here who would welcome your thanks, though.”
Her stomach fluttered. “I guess I’d better go find him then.”
He winked, tipping his hat again. “Good luck.”
She waved and found the path that led to the clearing. Bright orange, yellow, and red aspens lined the trail, their fallen leaves like flower petals scattered along the dirt pathway. Had she really been so busy that she’d forgotten all about her idea of the glass chapel in the woods? With dating Nolan, and Drew and Piper’s wedding, she’d been too distracted to remember. But it would be a shame to let such a perfect setting go to waste. She would talk to Nolan about it and see if they couldn’t come up with a plan, already knowing he would agree to it. He took her schemes and made them a reality, and she loved him for it.
She held the bouquet in both hands as she stepped into the clearing, and her breath caught. Nolan stood, waiting for her, in front of the little glass chapel she’d envisioned. He held a Scrabble board, and his eyes never left hers as she approached. She locked her gaze on his, too moved to speak as she took everything in. He gave her a warm smile and got down on one knee, holding up the sign in one hand, and an open ring box in the other.
She covered her mouth, joy and disbelief swirling together in her chest as she read the words.
Olivia, will you marry me?
She nodded, still too emotional to speak before she managed to say the word bursting from her heart. “Yes,” she said, smiling as tears streamed down her cheeks. “Yes, I will marry you.”
Moisture filled Nolan’s eyes as he dropped the board, standing to pull her into a tight hug. “I love you so much,” he said into her hair, his firm chest rising with emotion.
“I love you too.” She squeezed him, savoring the blissful moment before pulling away and wiping at her eyes. “How did you know?” she asked, nodding toward the chapel. “I never told you about this scheme.”
“Savannah,” he admitted, taking her hand and gently sliding the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit and glittered in the sunlight. He kissed her knuckles. “She told me about your dream of the chapel, and I couldn’t resist making it a surprise.” He watched her face closely. “Is it what you’d envisioned?”
She looked over at the beautiful glass structure again and shook her head. “No.” She sensed his disappointment, so she hurried on. “It’s better.” She turned and touched Nolan’s cheek, g
etting lost in his deep hazel eyes. “This is where I want to get married.”
“I don’t care where it is, as long as I’m with you,” he said, tenderly brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“My thoughts exactly.” Olivia smiled up at him and then reached onto her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his. He smiled against her lips and pulled her closer as leaves fluttered around them like soft confetti. Her heart filled to bursting as she stood wrapped in the arms of the man she loved while the words replayed in her mind: As long as I’m with you.
Christmas is coming to Pine Ridge …
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About the Author
Holly Stevenson is a romantic at heart. She loves to read, eat out, watch movies, and spend time with family and friends. As a former flight attendant, she has plenty of traveling hours under her belt, but never tires of exploring new places. One of her favorite pastimes is researching potential vacation spots.
Holly also enjoys being near water, and has a weakness for any combination of chocolate and caramel. She rarely sleeps in, preferring the early morning quiet to accommodate her incurable writing addiction. She is blessed to live with her favorite people: her husband and four kids, in a house overlooking the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
To find out when Holly has a new release, please follow her Amazon page.
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Falling for You: Clean Contemporary Romance (A Pine Ridge Romance Book 3) Page 14