I was certain none of my siblings had ever had a partner show such a sweet gesture like taking my hand and keeping me near. I recognized Collin taking us in, seemingly curious.
“We’ll get the settlement offer in front of the judge,” Collin answered for me.
“When its approved. We celebrate,” I concluded. “Collin has his work cut out for him. My father won’t be easy to deal with.”
Collin’s expression didn’t change, but he offered one decisive nod at my statement.
“Dash, we’re ready,” Stone called.
“Let’s get this done,” Collin said. “I have a flight waiting.” He left the room. When Beau tried to loosen his handhold, I tightened mine. We had only minutes left before I requested an amendment to our marriage contract, I wanted to add a twenty-four-seven clause, meaning I wanted to be with Beau every second of every day for the rest of our lives.
April 2025
“I feel like I’ve done this before,” I murmured to myself. The salty breeze off the ocean teased my hair and added an extra layer of serenity to this monumental occasion. The rhythmic back and forth of the waves against the shore provided the perfect peaceful soundtrack for the day. The calm inside me was a significant contrast to the emotional upheaval of the last year.
Of course, this time was different. My clean-shaven husband stood beside me, looking like a million bucks in his linen button-up, tailored shorts, and expensive slide-on Italian loafers. And our beautiful children were here with us. Their laughter mingled with the squawks of the seagulls.
Who’d have thought that twenty-five years ago, being forced to come to Sea Springs, Texas would set such a far-reaching trajectory for my life?
The family I’d made were all here too. Joy and her family had come to celebrate the day. Scott, Lauren, Carter, Linda, and Kailey stood with me in front of the oceanfront hotel, a relic of its former glory. Even Amelia, who had fought me tooth and nail, was here with me. As much as anyone, she belonged on this day. That sweet woman had stayed by my side through the entirety of my life. She loved me and this family unconditionally. I felt the same in return.
The twenty-seven women who’d officially become multi-millionaires this morning were also in attendance. I had bankers and financial planners available as the settlement was distributed a few hours ago. Their joy, not just for the money but for the acknowledgement of what had happened to them, was palpable as they sipped champagne, waiting for the party to begin.
Somehow, everyone involved had managed to put the brutal bullshit, years in the making, behind them. Turns out, “fake it until you make it” worked.
How had this special moment come to be? Me standing in front of the former Richmond hotel complex was nothing short of being in the right moment at the right time. My firm had acquired the hotel and surrounding properties for pennies on the dollar. Plans for an office park, apartments suites, and my firm’s new headquarters were already in motion. The building was large enough to fit every employee who worked for me, including a new office for Stone, and a new assistant for him while he assisted me. That was a firm must-have on the new contractual list of conditions he’d given me to live by these days.
“It’s time,” Stone announced, bullhorn in hand. His voice cut through the loud chatter, drawing everyone’s attention. From our vantage point on the other side of the parking lot, we watched men work from the scaffolding, hanging from the top of the building.
The ocean breeze carried the chant that started with Beau and my rambunctious children. “Bring it down, bring it down…” Soon, everyone joined them in unison.
The previous exterior signage, the Richmond Resorts omen that always hung over my head, was removed from the building. Shooting streamers bombarded us from every direction and loud dance music added to the complete joy of the occasion. My firm’s logo signage would replace it soon enough. Beau slipped an arm around my waist, drawing me close.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” he yelled, his voice barely audible over the cheers. He pressed a kiss on my lips, and for the briefest of moments, the world around us faded.
“How did we make it through?” I said, rearing no more than an inch from Beau’s handsome face. I marveled at the obstacles he and I had overcome. My hand cupped Beau’s neck, drawing him in and down for another kiss. Smaller arms circled my knee. Fisher was there.
“He got you too?” Beau asked playfully.
“Yup.”
Beau and I glanced down together to see Fisher’s ever-smiling face. Then he placed a kiss on my knee, then on Beau’s. His newest way of joining in our affection. Beau scooped our boy up into his arms. “You’ve been particularly good today.”
“Yup. Daddy said if I was good, we could go to the trampoline park tomorrow,” Fisher stated proudly.
“Next weekend,” I corrected, smiling.
“I like the loud pop of the bombs.” Fisher bounced off Beau’s side, mimicking the sudden burst of the streamers. “But it scared Hunter.”
“Margaritas and lunch in the foyer!” Stone interrupted again, the bullhorn still on blast. The throng of people began walking through the parking lot toward the grand foyer that had been transformed into a seascape of food and fun. Every woman of the twenty-six was given a hotel room for the weekend. The last guests to stay before the remodel began next week.
“Daddy, can we go inside?” Livie asked, tugging at the bottom of my shirt.
Linda swooped in, taking Fisher from Beau’s arms and corralling the kids with practiced ease. “Best sons,” she said, putting Fisher on his feet, who took off running. “After today, it’s time for some quiet, easy years. Leave the drama behind.”
“I’m into her idea,” Beau said, lifting a hand to motion any stragglers toward the building. “I was thinkin’ about becomin’ a house husband.”
His unexpected words stopped me in my tracks. I was stunned speechless. This same man who had given me hell over the years about paying his own way in the world was suggesting a slower pace? I searched his face for sincerity.
