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“Good.” I walked over and sat beside her. Immediately she rested her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arms around me, cocooning me in that bubble of happiness that always surrounded us whenever we were together. “We’re filling up through the spring.”
I had followed my outrageous dream. I was the proud owner of the Concord, with my father’s full support. I’d put my trust fund money to good use and after four months of renovations, I was open for business.
“How many of those are free nights?” She craned her neck, her eyebrows lifted at me in annoyance.
She didn’t agree with my marketing strategy. I’d reached out to all of my contacts through White Lace, offering a free night stay the next time they were in town. I figured if even one-third of them liked the hotel, they’d stay again the next time.
We might not agree on everything, but I couldn’t have moved forward with my plan to purchase and renovate the hotel without Everly. She had put her good eye and good taste to work and led the redesign of the hotel, giving each floor its own personality, from Jane Austen-esque valances to sleek and modern minimalist furniture. Not to mention, she’d helped me write my business plan.
Everly’s phone buzzed on the coffee table. She quickly glanced at it and scoffed. “It’s my dad, again. It’s the fifth time he’s called in two days.”
The road to a repaired relationship between Everly and her parents had been rocky over the last few months. Both of them were pissed that she hadn’t finished law school.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
I thought we’d made progress over the weekend when both of us were invited to dinner at their house. It had been tense, but there wasn’t one argument. I could tell they were trying really hard to make things right. I knew because they’d even seemed interested in my business and had managed to keep their opinions to themselves.
“He thinks because we managed to have a civil family dinner everything is fine.” She returned to her spot on my shoulder. “We are far from fine.”
In the six months since she’d quit law school, our lives had changed dramatically. My relationship with my father had never been better. I’d spent hours and hours looking at old pictures and listening to stories about Liz, my birth mother. Everly said I have her eyes. After quitting law school, in between being at odds with her parents and helping me with the hotel, Everly went full speed into renovating the house.
I knew how much this place meant to her, and I would never ask her to leave, which was why I’d moved in. But moving in wasn’t only for her. My favorite thing about this house, it had no ties to porn. It was clean, and a sacred space that I now called home. I was especially excited to come home today, because my surprise was finally finished. The day I’d moved in, I had claimed one of the bedrooms. She hadn’t let me spend a dime on the remodel, so this was my way of giving back.
She pulled the highlighter from behind her ear and reached for one of the books on the table. She was relentless. I only hoped I could pry her away from her course catalogs long enough to show her the surprise.
“Any progress today?”
She shook her head. “I essentially have no specialized education. Which means I’m almost starting from scratch.”
“Speaking of scrat
ching…” I pulled the book from her hand and spread my leg over her lap. “I have an itch you could help me scratch right now.”
She slapped at my leg, seriousness in her voice, but a grin on her face. “Max, this isn’t funny. I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life.”
I pulled her closer, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. “You’re going to spend it with me.” It wasn’t a line. I knew, deep down, that Everly and I would be together forever. She was my opposite in every possible way, and also my perfect match.
She smiled at me. Even after all this time, that smile undid me. “I know that. I mean for a career. I can’t just sit around all day while you work.”
She didn’t have to work. I had enough money for the both of us to live five lifetimes, plus run the hotel. But I knew a woman like her needed to do something with her life, and I was seriously pushing her to pursue a career in home design.
“You know you deserve a break. You’ve earned it.”
She nodded. “I know, but it’s time to start getting serious.”
Keeping herself busy for the last six months meant she didn’t have time to freak out about not having a plan. Now that it was all over, she spent every minute of the day stressing about finding a new career.
“Does this mean you don’t have time to see your surprise?”
She froze. “I totally forgot about my surprise.” Her eyes widened, her voice squeaking. “Is it ready?”
I nodded.
She scrambled off the couch. “Come on!” she yelled from the stairs even before I was on my feet.
When I reached the top of the stairs, she was standing in front of the bedroom door, jiggling the handle.
It never failed to amaze me every time I walked up the stairs. The creaky hardwood had been restained and the walls were now a soft beige that made it look like the sun was shining twenty-four hours a day.
