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“I won’t miss your party, I promise. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but I will definitely be there for your birthday.”
Ava’s face cleared. “OK. Read me a story?”
Jules had been prepared for this request and had tucked a few of Ava’s favourite books into Nik’s suitcase as he’d packed the night before. “I’ve gotBunny Bear, orGreen Eggs and Ham, or—”
“Bunny Bear!”
“You got it.” Nik opened the book and began to read. Once the story was over, Jules had Ava say good night, and Nik waited for Jules to finish tucking Ava in.
Once Jules had carried the tablet into her bedroom and Nik heard the door close, he spoke. “How is Ava really? Is she still upset that I had to leave?”
Jules shook her head. “No, she’s fine. She misses you, but she understands that sometimes we have to travel for work. The weather was good today, so Mom took her to the beach, which helped.”
Nik’s heart hiccupped. He wanted Ava to be OK with his job, but it hurt that a trip to the beach was enough to distract her. He shook off his melancholy.
“I should send her something. Some art supplies so she can make more pictures?” Nik hoped Ava’s picture was the first of many of them as a family.
Jules sighed. “I told you, you don’t need to buy her things all the time. You could bring her home a small gift from Halifax. Get her a local picture book or a stuffed lobster. Don’t go overboard,” she warned.
Guilt mingled with exasperation at her continued insistence he not indulge their daughter. “Fine. I’ll find something special for her. And you? What can I bring you, princess?”
Her gaze softened as she stared into the camera. “You.” She swept an arm out, waving at the empty bed. “I’m lonely already.”
“I miss you too. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised.
“I have to go,” Jules said with regret. “I have a lot of work to do.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Nik ended the call, frustrated. The discontent he’d been feeling for months had ballooned into outright dissatisfaction with his lifestyle. He didn’t want to be on the road all the time. He didn’t want to read Ava stories over a video screen; he didn’t want to miss the milestones in her life. And he didn’t want to be away from Jules. It was time to put in motion his plan to merge the casino companies. Then he’d talk to Charles about reducing the amount of time he was on the road. They would be a family.
It was time to find Ava’s birthday gift. Jules had sent him links to a few possibilities, ranging from cheap plastic playhouses to larger wooden ones that looked like miniature cottages. But an internet search revealed a world Nik had never imagined, including some amazing custom-built ones that any child would love. Nik was looking through blueprints and building plans when he stumbled across a design for a playhouse that looked like a castle. Excitement built as he clicked through the photos and floor plans. It had a faux stone exterior and arched wooden doors. It even had a turret. Nik pictured Ava playing make-believe, acting out stories of princesses and knights, wizards and magic. This was the perfect gift for her. The house Jules owned had a big backyard, so space wouldn’t be an issue. The biggest problem would be lining up a contractor and the necessary permits in time. Nothing enough money couldn’t fix.
Not knowing any other Vancouver contractors, Nik decided to reach out to the only name he knew: Meredith Bloom, the contractor who had participated in the Dream Date Auction. A quick phone call and a handful of emails later, and Nik was satisfied that Ava would have a birthday present she would never forget.
CHAPTER29
Press Release
Vancouver, BC
WYCK Capital, international private equity firm, announces the purchase of Coastal Casinos Corporation pending final due diligence results.
WYCK’s Canadian partner, Nikos Costas, believes this deal will result in Coastal being able to expand and grow their operation after the company’s recent financial troubles.
Representatives from Coastal say that with additional funding from WYCK, they will return to their position as one of the preeminent casino companies in Canada and be better able to compete in the global marketplace.
More information can be found at the company website: coastalcasinos.ca.
Jules sat in her living room trying to concentrate on her book, listening for Nik’s footsteps coming up the front stairs. She hadmissedhim these past weeks. That had been unexpected and somewhat disconcerting. They’d slept together only a few times and had spent very little time together aside from their weekend in Toronto, so why had he made such an impact on her? She didn’t like him having this much power over her emotions. It felt too much like losing control. Yet here she was, waiting to greet him the minute he came home.
Home. That was another issue. Nik had spent one night with them before jetting off to Halifax, yet the house seemed empty without him. Nik had been in almost constant contact, calling during the day to discuss the progress on the due diligence process and provide updates on the board’s reaction to WYCK’s offer. Ava had loved his nightly video calls, spending time telling him about her day and coaxing him into reading her stories. After tucking Ava in, Jules had received her own nightly calls, ones that left her aching and needy, craving Nik’s touch.
When he’d called to tell her he was flying back that night, a full week before Ava’s birthday, her heart had leaped. His work in Halifax was done. She was ignoring the little voice reminding her that as soon as his work in Vancouver was done, he’d be moving on again, to close the next deal in the next city. That was a future problem. For tonight, she simply wanted to celebrate his return.
At least her mother wasn’t here to witness her impatience. Simone was spending the weekend on Vancouver Island with the man she’d been dating for a few months. Jules wondered idly how serious things were getting. She had relied heavily on Simone since Ava’s birth, but Ava was getting older, starting school. Her promotion meant she had enough money to hire a nanny full time if she needed to. She was hoping her mother might find some happiness with this new man in her life. Simone had dated occasionally since her divorce, but never seriously, maintaining she was perfectly happy on her own. Jules had always thought she was equally happy alone.
The sound of the key in the lock made her pulse race, and she closed the book and set it on the side table. She resisted the urge to get up and greet Nik at the door. It was something Michael had expected, and that expectation still lingered in the back of her mind. Nik was not Michael, and to greet him at the door would make her look lonely and desperate.
“Welcome back.” She drank in his appearance, noting every detail. His dark hair was wet from the rain, and more drops glistened on the shoulders of his jacket. His face was lined with deep grooves around his mouth, and dark circles of exhaustion rimmed his eyes.
