Chapter 36 #2
From the way Frankie scanned the room, frowning, I knew she noticed his absence too. “You know, Frank,” I said, nudging her, “I’m probably going to Oahu toward the end of the summer. Maybe you want to tag along?”
She narrowed her eyes at me, seeing right through me. But then her lips curved in a wicked grin. “Yeah. Maybe.”
A peal of giggles heralded Daphne’s approach, and she threw her arms around me. “Val, you are a genius.”
“Yes, I am,” I agreed. “But why exactly?”
“I heard Anton grumbling about how his inbox is absolutely exploding with media requests about your relationship. Now the bastard knows how it feels to drown in annoying, useless emails.”
At that, Frankie and I cackled, but then a familiar voice behind me interrupted our conversation. “Hey, mana.”
“Diego? Juanito?” My favorite boys stood before me looking dapper in their fine clothes, and I forced them into an obnoxious hug.
“Your—Nolan invited us,” said Diego. “Flew us out for the weekend on his jet. Said he thought we could use some time out of town.”
Frankie’s gaze snagged on something over my shoulder before a hand touched the middle of my back, and then he was there.
“Good to see you again, Diego,” said Nolan. “And you too, Juanito.” He squatted in front of Juanito and presented his fist. Juanito bumped it with his own, giving him a toothy grin. “Having a good time in the Presidential Suite?”
“Yes!” Juanito bounced with excitement. “It has Mario Kart!”
“Thanks, man. Thanks for everything,” Diego said with a meaningful look, offering his hand and Nolan shook it.
“Anything you need, just say the word,” said Nolan. “Oh, Juanito, I hear there’s a bouncy castle in the room next door with a ball pit and arcade games. Some of the staff’s kids are over there too. Maybe you’d like to check that out.”
Juanito’s face lit up and he looked at Diego. “Please please please, can I?”
Diego ruffled Juanito’s hair. “Sure thing, bud.”
Juanito sped off and my heart lurched at the thought of him being out of sight.
“Don’t worry,” said Nolan. “There’s staff supervision. I’d never leave him or the other kids unprotected. I thought you deserved a night off.”
A weight visibly lifted off of my brother’s shoulders as he exhaled and grabbed a beer. “Salud, mano.”
“Enjoy yourselves. Excuse me.” Nolan parted with a soft touch on my arm and went over to the DJ stand to take the mic.
Diego sidled up to me with a pensive expression. My brother was a man of few words, but the words he did say held so much meaning. “I never thought there’d be a man good enough for my little sister, but he’s as close as they come.”
My heart soared as Nolan shot me a dazzling smile from the front of the room. To Diego, I said, “If you make me cry and mess up my makeup, I’ll make you fix it.”
With a chuckle, Diego held up his hands in surrender.
“If I could have everyone’s attention,” Nolan said into the mic as the DJ cut the music.
“I wanted to thank you all for your hard work this season. Well done.” Whoops and applause sounded through the room.
“Tonight is all about letting loose, but first, I wanted to address some rumors. This summer, we’ll be undergoing extensive renovations.
But we’re not preparing to sell. On the contrary—we’re taking Hale’s Peak to the next level and making it one of Keller Resorts’ best and most prestigious properties. ” More applause and cheers.
“Why? Because of all of you. Because I believe this place is worth showcasing; not just to the rich and wealthy, but to everyone who needs an escape from their daily lives, or who wants to find a welcoming place where they belong. That’s what my mother always saw in this town, and after spending the winter here”—his eyes captured mine, unwavering—“now I see it too. Thank you, and enjoy your night.”
Cheers, whistles, and thunderous applause exploded in the room.
At Nolan’s heartfelt speech, my throat thickened.
I met him on the dance floor as the DJ resumed playing, but kept a careful distance to keep up appearances.
“I can’t believe you’re the same man who stepped foot on this resort months ago. ”
But as my friends crowded around us, surrounding us in the cone of silence and blocking us from prying eyes, Nolan let his hands settle into their favorite spot at the curve of my waist. “I’m not the same man, Val.
You make me want to be better. Every day, you help me see the best version of myself, and I’ll spend my whole life trying to be the man that deserves you. ”
My heart swelled to bursting. I’d always built my walls too high or sequestered myself too much, never letting myself fully fall for anyone.
Too focused on my responsibilities to everyone else in my life at the expense of my duty to myself.
Nolan had torn down all my barriers in the best of ways.
He pushed me to be the best version of myself too.
Customer Service Val would never recognize the woman I was becoming, but she was exactly who I needed to be.
“You deserve me now, just as you are,” I said, and his answering smile lit up every corner of my heart. “I love you, Nolan.” Something flickered in his expression, and I knew that if we were alone, he’d have kissed me breathless.
Leaning close, he whispered against my ear, “Why don’t we go to my office, and you can tell me that again?”
As his hand tightened on my hip and my need for him pulsed within me, I gave him the sassy smile that had first captured his attention all those months ago. “Yes, Mr. Keller.”