Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 103050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
That dream is dead.
Now I’m embarking on a different dream. One where I’m in New York City, working for fantastic women in a growing business full of people who are hopeful about the future.
That’s what I have to focus on. Deacon Black needs to understand that there’s no point in talking. We all need to get on with our lives.
I pull out my phone and type out two words. “I can’t.” The blood races around my veins like it’s trying to get out, and my hands are shaking, but I take a breath.
I hate my body and what it can’t do. I hate the fact that Deacon wants to protect Willow so badly because of his own pain.
I hate everything.
I press send.
It’s done.
It’s over.
“I’m going to go home,” I say. I don’t wait to hear their response. I just leave.
FORTY-TWO
Deacon
On reflection, a text message and flowers probably wasn’t the best way to tell the woman who you want to spend the rest of your life with that you’re sorry.
I’m new to this stuff. I’ve had to fight in business. But I’ve never had to fight for a woman before. I’ve never wanted to.
I figure flowers are a start, so I arrange deliveries to the hotel every day. I check the calendar, and I’m sure I only have a week left of Aurora being in New York. A week to convince her to give me another chance—to give us another chance. And then I just have to ask her not to move continents. It’s an uphill battle I have on my hands, and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to do it, but I’m not going to stop until I win her back.
She needs to know that she’s all I think about. She’s pretty much all my daughter talks about. She needs to know how deeply I feel. How I want us to create a family and a life together. Forever.
I just need to figure out how to show her that I’m not going to hurt her again.
My first priority is to see her in person.
Which is why I’m booked into Hotel on Ninth Street tonight.
I enter the lobby and see arrangements of ranunculus everywhere I look. Seems like Aurora isn’t taking them back to her apartment. I take comfort in the fact they’re not in the trash either.
I scan the lobby, but there’s no sign of Aurora. I step up to the reception desk.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Black,” the receptionist says. “I didn’t realize you were staying with us tonight.”
Probably because I had my assistant make the booking under her name. “It might be under the name of Adams.”
The receptionist taps away on her computer. “Oh yes, here it is. A standard room, is that right?”
“I’d like to upgrade if possible.” I deliberately didn’t book my regular room, and I didn’t book a suite. I figure as director of rooms, Aurora will be called to assist with my request for an upgrade. If she’s on duty. I know ambushing her at work may be considered underhanded, but I’m playing to win. I’ll do whatever it takes.
“I can do my best to accommodate you. Do you have a room in mind? Room 325?” she suggests.
“Do you have anything bigger?” I ask. I look around, but I don’t see Aurora anywhere.
“We have the presidential suite,” the receptionist replies.
“Can I see it?” I ask.
She shifts from foot to foot. “Certainly. Give me a second and I can arrange that for you.”
I grip the handle of my suitcase tightly, silently praying that she’s going to ask Aurora to come and show me the presidential suite. She steps to one side and whispers something to the male receptionist. He nods.
“I’ll just be one moment,” she says. She comes out from behind the desk and crosses the lobby.
In a few minutes, the receptionist reappears, and when I turn towards her, I see Aurora is following.
My heart lifts in my chest like it’s trying to come up for air and a sense of peace descends on me.
It’s so good to see her. Good to be close to her.
More than good. It’s perfection.
At first, she won’t meet my gaze. She’s focused on the computer. Then the receptionist fiddles with something and hands her a key.
Aurora turns to me and gives me a professional smile. “Mr. Black, please follow me. I’ll show you the presidential suite.”
She marches off in front of me and we head into the elevator.
We’re going to be alone at last.
But just as the doors close, another guest, a woman, gets in and stands in front of us.
I turn, facing Aurora, but she stays still, her gaze fixated on the closing doors in front of us.
She’s angry.
I get it.
She should be angry.
But I have to win her over. I know we’re meant to be together, and if I don’t risk her wrath, we could both lose everything. I’ve come so close to losing her forever, seeing her feels like a second chance and I won’t let it slip through my fingers.