Chapter 56
FIFTY-SIX
“I dunno, it still feels like you’re trying real hard to impress me,” Xanthe said to Blaine as he opened the door on the hotel roof to reveal the helipad where their ride awaited them.
“Does it?” he asked over the loud volume of the engine.
She’d been a bit anxious about going up again so soon after the plane crash, but flying in a helicopter was completely different than being in a fixed wing aircraft. It had been good for both of them to get up in the air and face that fear head on before it took root.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Is it working?”
“Haven’t decided yet. But you don’t have to try anymore. Saving the research center already sealed the deal.”
“Good to know.”
He’d managed to get the other members of the investment group to agree to let the center stay where it was.
Not only that, he was going to pay to have the building upgraded, keeping as much of the original structure and charm as possible, but bringing it into the current century and filling it with modern conveniences.
No more leaky roof. A fully functioning kitchen with modern appliances. Fixtures in the bathroom that allowed for hot and cold water to run out of the same faucet at the sink.
The mind boggled.
She shook her head, unable to hide a grin. “This is so insanely over the top for a first date.”
“It’s not our first. That was at The Skelly. Remember?”
“Was that a date?” She considered it for a moment. It seemed like a year ago instead of just a few weeks. “Okay, yes, I concede it counts as a date. Mostly.”
“Thank you. And this isn’t really a date either. It’s our first trip away together. I wanted it to be special.”
Oh, it was definitely special.
He’d told her to pack a carry-on then put her in his car and driven out to meet his pilot, who had flown over to pick them up. They’d flown to Vancouver and spent the week in a high-rise penthouse suite overlooking the harbor and North Shore Mountains.
He’d treated her to incredible seafood dinners. Luxurious brunches and treats in between seeing Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum and lounging in bed together. Talking about ideas for the research center, ways to make the resort sustainable and as eco-friendly as possible.
She’d never been with anyone who treated her this way. And it wasn’t about the money.
Blaine was making good on his promise to take care of her. Had whisked her away for the week to let her process everything that had happened and start healing. She hoped she was helping him heal too.
The pilot lifted them off the rooftop. Xanthe couldn’t help grabbing the edge of her seat when they cleared the roof of the building, some instinctive part of her bracing for a fall. But the aircraft lifted smoothly above the city skyline and headed out toward the water before heading south.
She loved seeing the terrain from the air. Picked out various bits of the geography, tracked their progress using her mental map.
They flew past the edge of the southernmost peninsula. White Rock pier stretched out into Semiahmoo Bay, with the international boundary marking the US-Canadian border just to the south.
Within minutes, they were back in US territory. The pilot kept them offshore for the flight to Seattle. She spotted a pod of orcas below them.
“Four o’clock low,” she said to Blaine over the headset, who was up front next to the pilot.
He signaled the pilot, and the helo dipped lower to give her a closer look.
“All right, smarty pants. Who are they?” Blaine asked.
She watched the pod carefully. It was small, and they were traveling. No signs of play. No tail slapping or breaching. Definitely in hunting mode, looking for large marine mammal prey. All clues that they weren’t Southern Resident orcas.
“They’re transients. Bigg’s Orcas,” she added for the pilot’s benefit. “Aren’t they gorgeous?”
After another minute or two following the animals, the pilot climbed again as he resumed their flight. Seattle’s downtown core appeared in the distance much sooner than she’d anticipated.
They landed in a small airfield north of the city in Bellevue. A rental car was waiting for them.
Blaine drove them south toward downtown, and soon they arrived at the luxury tower. He paused to look at her before getting out. “Ready?”
She could tell he was nervous. Hiding it well, but she could read him now.
She set her hand on his. Smiled softly. “Ready. Don’t worry, it’s gonna be fine. And you’re gonna have to meet my mom when she comes out next week.”
Blaine’s mouth twitched in a quick grin. “Fair’s fair. She’s been doing really well since we got her on the right med schedule. I just want it to last.”
“It will. And if it doesn’t, I’ll be here for you.”
He squeezed her hand in silent thanks and led her to the elevator, where he slid in a security card and punched in a code. They rode to the third floor from the top, and he punched in a different code to open those doors.
The carpeted hallway outside the elevator was pristine, the walls freshly painted, with lots of natural light flooding in from the large windows at either end.
“There are only two units per floor, one on either side of the building,” he said, heading left.
“Each side is accessible by its own elevator and stair systems.”
The level of privacy and security was eye-opening. His mom was lucky that he could afford to give her that—and the best care possible.
He went to the door near the end of the hall, knocked twice. It opened, and a thirty-ish man with curly black hair gave them a big smile. “Mr. Blaine. Good to see you. And who’s this?”
“This is Xanthe. And this is Orlando,” he said to her.
Ah, the head of staff. Apparently had been with Blaine’s mom for years now, and one of the few he hadn’t fired after this whole fiasco. Xanthe shook hands with him, and he ushered them inside.
“Ms. Slater, they’re here,” Orlando called out, leading them through a stunning, chef-grade kitchen with a meal being prepped on the enormous stone island top.
“Oh! Already?” an excited voice called from out of view. A woman emerged around the corner. Short gray bob, hazel eyes just like Blaine’s. A petite, older and feminine version of her son.
Her face lit up when she saw them. “There’s my handsome boy.” She rushed for him.
Blaine grinned and returned her hug. “Hi, Mom.”
Xanthe couldn’t help melting a little. It was clear how much they adored each other.
“And you,” his mom said, leaning back to peer up at her. “You must be Xanthe.”
“Yes. Hi.” She held out a hand, but his mom made a disparaging sound and pulled her into a hug instead.
“I’m so happy to meet you.” She squeezed Xanthe, kept hold of her shoulders as she eased back to smile up at her. Searching her face. “You are something. I knew you would be, after everything Blaine told me about you. But you’re even more stunning than I imagined.”
Her cheeks warmed. “Oh, I…thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” His mom stepped back. Smiled at the two of them before focusing back on Xanthe.
“My boy has been through a lot, but he’s stuck by me through thick and thin.
When he loves, he loves true and deep as the ocean.
And I’m just so thankful that he’s found someone strong enough to love him the same way. ”
Xanthe swallowed. Blinked as her eyes started to tear up. Damn, those words hit her hard. And the ocean reference was a nice touch too. She knew it was deliberate.
Blaine laughed and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his side. “Mom, don’t make her cry in the first two minutes.”
His mom grinned. Shrugged. “You’re right. Sorry. Just needed to get that out there. You guys hungry? You must be starving. Come on, we can help Orlando get dinner going while you fill me in on everything I’ve missed.” She sailed past them, heading for the kitchen.
Blaine turned around to follow her. Paused, his posture relaxed. “She’s doing so well. This is what she was like on her good days when I was a kid.”
“I’m so glad for her. And you.” He must be so relieved. Xanthe hoped it lasted.
Blaine took a step toward the kitchen. She caught his hand. He stopped, looked at her.
“What she said. I do, you know,” she murmured.
He gave her a quizzical look. “Do what?”
“Love you that way. Deep as the ocean. Forever.”
He stared at her a second, a bright fire kindling in his eyes. Then he dragged her to him, his arms enfolding her tight. “Forever. I really like the sound of that, bright eyes.”
—The End ? —