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I freeze, then turn slowly.
“I want to spend my years getting to know the beautiful woman who stole my heart the first time we met on the beach. I still remember watching you, then at Noah’s wedding, thinking love is better at second sight than first sight, and believing we were destined to meet again.”
I glance down at my feet, my heels sinking into the soft grass. I remember him being lost that night on the beach. He came to me like I was a beacon offering him a light home. I wondered about him too. Only I convinced myself the suited man’s world was somewhere I didn’t belong.
“Penny,” he says, and I meet his gaze again. “I want you to trust me to be the one who protects you. Every morning, we’ll wake up together, spend perfect days together, be each other’s reason. You strengthen my weaknesses, and no matter where life leads us, I’ll know that as long as you are there, it is where I’m meant to be. Falling in love with you has made it impossible to stand again. Please say tonight is the beginning of us.”
I take one step forward. “You mean it?”
Franklin keeps the cell to his ear. “Every word.I love you.” He drops the cell into his suit coat pocket. “Now you have it in a voice message for evidence.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Okay, Franklin Hendricks, you have one chance. Don’t mess it up.”
Franklin lifts me into his arms and kisses me as though I’ve said,I do. It wasn’t a wedding proposal, more a promise to love and trust each other beginning tonight.
A perfect beginning to our own happy ever after—for now.
EPILOGUE
Five months later…
Showering in Franklin’shuge marble bathroom is as surreal as the first day when he asked me to move into his penthouse. The marble has fine streaks of gold and black throughout the design, perfectly fitted with brass faucets and accessories. For the past two weeks, the bathroom feels ridiculously larger than it is with him not here to shower with me. Even though we both have our own showers, side by side, we spend more time together under one spray.
We have our own dressing rooms. Mine is only half-filled. After slipping into my business skirt and white blouse, I walk into his dressing room and run my fingers along the row of suits—Armani, Burberry, Brioni, Versace, Gucci, Ted Baker, Tom Ford. His hanging space is full of designer clothes. I get to the end and flick through his business shirts in an array of colors. Lifting one from the hook, I inhale a deep breath, holding the shirt close to my face. The crisp linen scent with a touch of citrus has my heart sinking. I miss him. At least this trip is short, and he calls me twice every day—in the morning when I wake and before bed to say good night.
After finishing my makeup, I head into the kitchen and grab some greens and a pineapple to make a smoothie. He has accepted that our cook has time off while he is away. It gives me time to make my own meals and be in touch with the old me. It also leaves time to dine out with my friends.
Though today is Valentine’s Day.
Sienna and Hugh have a date night, and Zara has recently met a guy, so neither is free tonight.
Franklin said he’d be home by the end of the week and make it up to me.
Every day is special with him, and I don’t need one day to make our relationship perfect. Though, I have woken up missing him more than I usually do, if that’s even possible.
Pouring the smoothie into a glass, I walk to the massive windows and stare out at a sprawling city. I’m dwarfed by the expansive room, the mega-high ceilings, and the four-foot ceramic and crystal chandelier hanging above me.
Gazing out to Downtown LA, I feel even more insignificant.
I need to snap out of it.
My work has skyrocketed into one of the city’s most talked-about designers. Franklin has transformed the fourth bedroom into his own study, which leads into the library. His penthouse is decorated with extravagant furnishings, and although he said I could decorate it as I wanted, I couldn’t remove anything that beautiful and purposeful.
We have our Crystal Cove holiday home for me to design with my own touch. After selling the Newport Beach house, Franklin and I bought our dream beach house. The penthouse is all Franklin, stylish, and over-the-top. The beachside house is all me, environmentally friendly with a personal touch. It’s where we stay on weekends. We caught the end of the warm weather and swam in the ocean most weekends. In these colder months, we sit by the fire, reading or simply being with each other. I have even taught Franklin how to cook. He’s not great, but we have fun doing it together.
The buzzer alerts me to Royce waiting downstairs.
I grab my briefcase and head to the private elevator.
The moment I step out of the rotating doors, Royce is there to greet me.
“Morning, Penny.” He opens the car door for me with a broad smile, and I wonder how his morning went withhiswife.
“Morning, Royce. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too.”
Inside the car, I check for any messages from Franklin—nothing since six this morning. I send Hugh a message regarding the first meeting of the day. We are both remodeling a Shark’s player’s home in Beverley Hills. Our third from the team. After one of the players bought Franklin’s Malibu home, most of the team requested we remodel their homes.
