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“You talk about it so nonchalantly.”
“Well, what else can I do?”
Olivia grinned. She was really enjoying his company.
It seemed the good Lord sent Olivia an angel on the eve of her wedding after being jilted by her groom. What would she do right now without Dane’s wonderful, caring support? Her sister was a good friend, too, but Bria was younger and couldn’t possibly understand what she was going through. Not to mention, she really didn’t want to burden her little sis with her heartbreak. And Olivia didn’t feel comfortable discussing this with her family at the moment—the shame she felt was just too great. She knew she would get over it some day, but at this time, she needed to talk with someone like Dane, who’d been in a similar situation.
What would she have done if Dane hadn’t stepped in when he did?
Dane and Olivia talked for hours at the restaurant getting to know each other as if they were on some reality show date. They talked about relationships, family, world issues, entertainment and laughed at each other’s jokes.
He laid out his goals to expand the hotel chain and also make it affordable for all families, which was why he offered discounts for popular events like weddings, birthdays and many other occasions and hosted charitable events to benefit neglected children for free on his premises. He didn’t mind taking a loss because in his humble opinion it was a gain to invest in the future of children who were born at a disadvantage and help them achieve and be all they could be in life.
Despite his benevolence, Olivia felt Dane was hiding something because he would consistently be evasive when Olivia delved too deeply into his background. He was raised by a single mother who died before he turned fourteen and was shuffled from group home to group home and foster care home to foster care home until he met his real father—but he never went into who his real father was. When she learned how his mom died, she was heartbroken.
“I lost my mother around the holidays, too. I can’t imagine losing her so young, though.”
“It’s okay. I was able to cope, eventually.”
“Oh, it’s so hard to get over a loved one. You get used to it but we only have one mother, Dane.”
“I know.”
Olivia’s heart sank. She would never have known. What a respectable, caring guy he was, especially considering his difficult upbringing. It was only recently that he’d met his father but that was as far as the conversation would go regarding his parents.
She was flattered at the interest he’d taken in her life and in her dreams and he listened eagerly as she expressed her goal to run her own business— a reading center for inner-city children. Having grown up around books, Olivia knew that education was the best way to excel and do well in life. She really wanted to give back to others.
“I’m so sorry about your mother,” Dane offered. She could see the raw empathy in his eyes, knowing full well, he knew what it was like to lose a mother, too. They seemed to have so much in common. It was so odd—how could you meet a stranger and feel such a connection with him? So comfortable? So secure?
Olivia remembered the story of her grandparents who had met during the Second World War and despite the objection from their families they’d fallen in love quickly and married soon after. Her grandmother had her first child at age twenty. It was pretty much love at first sight for them. Coincidentally, they’d fallen in love around the Christmas holidays.
Within a week, her grandparents had dated and were soon engaged. They remained married for more than sixty glorious years. So yeah, it didn’t happen often but anything was possible—anything! And now she began to wonder about the magic of the Christmas season! Did it really exist? Was there something romantic in the air about kissing under the mistletoe with holiday music in the background and pretty white snowflakes blanketing the city in a white winter wonderland? Olivia was beginning to believe so.
Dane truly had a wicked sense of humor. She loved the way his cheek dimpled when he grinned. He had this sexy but boyish look about him when he smiled. Nothing like the serious hotel executive she’d met in her suite hours earlier. Olivia laughed so hard at one point she almost snorted wine out of her nose. It was embarrassing in a fun way. She’d felt like a school girl again out for a night with her friends. Only it was one sexy, hot dude in her company. She barely realized the time flying until she noticed that the restaurant was practically vacant. But Dane explained that because of his position the staff would often stay late—all hours of the night if they had to—to accommodate him. Of course, he would compensate them handsomely in return. He told her he never took it for granted when people went out of their way for him. He was down-to-earth that way.
Apparently, a lot of the staff who worked that Christmas Eve wanted to work it since they either had very little family activity going on, or they were alone. Dane told Olivia he always made sure that holiday schedules were picked equitably because family was so important to him. He’d never had the chance to know his real father growing up so the last thing he wanted to do was to take a working parent away from his or her child over the holidays, especially when tons of other staff willingly volunteered to hang out over the holidays since the pay was not only great at double time but they had tons of fun with their co-workers. Dane made “work hard but have fun” his employees’ motto. Happy employees were productive employees. Olivia couldn’t believe how great a guy he was.
They enjoyed mango prawns for starters, peeled North Atlantic prawns served on a bed of mango and dressed with a Marie Rose sauce and sprinkled with a dash of paprika. Then they ate something that she could not pronounce but it consisted of mushrooms cooked in garlic butter and gorgonzola cheese. For their main course they devoured roasted turkey breast with sage and onion stuffing served with seasonal cranberry sauce and gravy and oven baked salmon with ginger with white wine, cream and dill sauce.
Olivia’s mood had brightened significantly. There was nothing better than a delicious hearty meal in a plush restaurant with good company and mellow holiday music playing over the speakers. Nat King Cole’s classic Christmas song, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, crooned over the speakers while the waiter brought their dessert, a delicious Christmas pudding and Jamaican fruitcake served with whipped cream.
“This is beautiful, Dane. Thank you so much, for everything,” Olivia said, her heartfelt words spoke volumes. She really wanted to thank him for helping her to not have the worst night of her life. And the food? The way to a woman’s heart was certainly through her stomach. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d consumed such a delicious meal.
“Not half as beautiful as you are, Olivia.” Dane’s smooth words warmed her heart and sent tingles of delight coursing through her blood. Was he flirting with her or just trying to make her feel better after her horrible night at the hotel?
“Thank you,” she murmured but she really wanted to say, you’re sexy and hot as hell, too! But Olivia resisted the temptation. Her gaze dropped to his full, kissable lips. They were curved so sensuously. This man oozed sexuality in every way. She’d never met a man before who had such an instant electrical effect on her.
“So, how long have you worked for the Belmont Hotels & Resorts?” she asked, desperately wanting to avoid any misunderstanding. The last thing she needed was to be hurt again.
“Too long,” he replied, as if he wanted to get off the subject. “But long enough to know that the last thing you want to do, Olivia, is give up your big day.” His stunning blue eyes locked on hers and she felt heat travel across the table. Her heart was flip-flopping in her chest again.
Stop it, Olivia! He’s only trying to be nice. He doesn’t want you.
Now if only her body could be in sync with her thoughts. Why on earth was she reacting to this heartthrob? Unbelievable! This was so not like her. At all.
“I know,” she whispered, sliding her fingers over her glass of wine. She sighed heavily. “Thank you for being there for me. But…I don’t think whatever you have in mind will work.”
“And why not?” Dane leaned back in the plush leather seat of their intimate booth. A lavender-scented candle flickered romantically on their table.
“Because,” she continued, her heart pumping hard and fast in her chest. “Well, because I have over three hundred guests who will be at the chapel in the morning expecting me to walk down the aisle with my step-dad and back up with Jack. And well, as you are aware, Jack won’t be in attendance tomorrow.”
Dane nodded thoughtfully. Olivia thought she caught a flicker of anger flare in his dramatically dark blue eyes. Was that anger or annoyance?
“Don’t let that jerk do that to you, Olivia. Promise me.” His voice was authoritative, commanding. She thought she espied a muscle twitch in his jaw. This man was hot but he was also one not to be reckoned with.
“But I-”
“Guys like that don’t deserve your agony. Pain is a powerful emotion. Don’t let Jack be the cause of that inside you.”
“I know, Dane, but-”
“But nothing. You need to walk down that aisle and spend time with your family and friends who’ve been there for you. They came because they want to see you happy, Olivia. Don’t cancel because Jack was too cowardly to make you an honest woman.”
