Chapter 30 #2
I lift an eyebrow as pieces start to fall into place.
“So…you gave me a rundown business in a small shore town?”
“So I gave you an entire new branch of a business and hoped you’d rise to the challenge. Then Sutton told me there was a girl, and I knew the universe had pushed me in the right direction.”
There’s the damned universe again. It’s a theme that seems to be following me around—fate and luck, and meant to be. My lady luck making everything fall into place.
“So if you want it, Graham, it’s yours. You’ll be the head of all Daytrip locations.
We’re scouting out a handful now, but I’d like your input before we secure any.
Your headquarters could be here, since you already have an office here.
” My heart pounds. “Though you’d have to come to Hudson City a couple of times a month.
All of the information is in that packet, so you can read it through before you give me an answer—”
“I’m in,” I say, closing the folder. “I’m in.”
Why wouldn’t I be? It’s everything I’ve always strived for and everything I didn’t even know I wanted.
I can have it all now—the job, the constant challenge, the prestige. Seaside Point and the friends I've found here.
June.
Roots.
Rowan lets out a laugh, shaking his head.
“As much as I am happy to hear that, I have to suggest looking at all that’s involved, including expectations and the salary, before accepting.
” He and Annette are grinning widely, and I know I am, too.
I open my mouth to tell him I don’t care about the money or responsibilities, that I trust him, but the door creaks open, a distracted brunette popping in, her eyes on the ice coffee cup in her hands that she must have spotted in the fridge.
“Hey, is this for me— Oh! I’m so sorry,” June says, her face going beet red. “I didn’t even think, I—”
“This is her, isn’t it?” Annette says as I stand, looking at me with a big smile. I step forward, pulling June into my side for a quick hug, unable to contain my joy and needing even the smallest outlet for it.
“Yeah. Rowan, Annette? This is June, my lucky charm for this entire project.” Her blush deepens, but Annette’s smile grows wider as she stands, stepping to June and pulling her in for a huge hug. June hesitates before returning it, giving me a confused look over the CEO’s shoulders.
“Always an honor to meet a woman who can pull a grumpy asshole’s head out of his ass,” Annette says, and Rowan lets out a loud laugh.
“Don’t let her become friendly with Annette,” Rowan warns. “I made that mistake with Sutton, and now the two conspire against me. Add in Josie, and I have no hope at all.”
He also stands, stepping over to June as Annette releases her. He doesn’t hug June, though, instead shaking her hand.
“Don’t tell him my secrets, Rowan,” Annette stage whispers.
“Oh, don’t worry, I already drive Graham crazy. There’s no hope for him,” June says.
Annette looks from me to June and back, a softer smile on her lips now.
“I can see that. Now, who is going to show me around this fabulous place?”
“The photo backdrop—whose idea was that?” Rowan asks as we show him around the resort. I look over at June, who is suddenly incredibly interested in her shoes.
“June,” I say. “We saw something similar at a festival, and she said it might be a good idea here. She painted it herself.” Rowan nods appreciatively.
“Smart. I really like it. Brings people over and gives them something to tag on social media.”
“It’s been doing great,” Sutton adds. She arrived twenty minutes or so ago, her own Seaside Coffee in hand. “The tags for this location have been higher than any other new open.”
June bites her lip, and I wonder if she’ll keep it in, but her excitement wins out as expected.
“I was thinking we could even do a social media contest, so everyone who posts it is entered to win a day pass. Maybe pull a winner once a week or so? It would bring in revenue if they came in with someone and would promote the club by default.”
Again, Rowan nods, interested.
“I like it. Sutton, do you think we do something like that?” he asks, and Sutton lifts a shoulder.
“I’d have to check with legal, but I don’t see why not. It makes sense to me.”
“Do you do this for a job?” Rowan asks, turning to June. “The murals?”
“It’s just…something I do on the—”
She starts to downplay her work, and I sigh, cutting her off before Sutton gets the chance to.
“She’s just starting, but she’s building quicky. She’s already booked out to the end of summer.”
June pinches me because it’s a lie, but I also know she won’t call me out in front of my boss.
“I love this idea. Would you be interested in doing more?”
“More?” June squeaks.
I have to fight back a grin. God, she’s fucking adorable.
“We’re hoping to have more Daytrip by Daydream locations opening over the next few years, and I really think these would draw people to make it a must-see while in town.
But I’d also love to add a few to some of our locations with celebrity clientele.
A perfect backdrop for them to add to their vacation round-up posts.
” June’s eyes are wide now. “It could be great exposure for you, as well.”
“Oh, I—” she starts, and I’m relieved when Rowan continues, ending her argument before it starts, so I don’t have to.
“Can you put together some proposals? Maybe tiered at one location, three, five, and ten?”
“A proposal?” she asks in awe. “Ten locations?”
“I could help you with the expected structure for it,” I say in a low voice. That cuts through her shock, and she glares at me. I smile, remembering the last proposal I helped her with.
“We would cover your travel, of course. And the supplies. It would be separate from your work with the company, so it wouldn't be your hourly rate as an employee. And since it’s corporate, you can charge more,” Sutton says with a smile.
“You’re not supposed to tell people that, Sutton,” Rowan says, exasperated.
“Why, it’s not going to come out of your pocket? Plus, she’s already going to undercharge you because she doesn’t know her worth, so really, I’m just making sure you don’t get the opportunity to take advantage of a young, up-and-coming artist.”
“Can we not assume that I’m going to take advantage of people?” he asks. “Much less state it aloud in the middle of the hotel I work for, loud enough that everyone can hear?”
Sutton rolls her eyes. “Oh, you are so dramatic; no one is even listening.”
“Sutton, you’re shouting,” Rowan says.
They continue arguing, but I watch as June begins to panic.
“I actually,” June says, biting her lip. “I need to go grab something from my desk. I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll go with, I should check my email. You two can just…continue this or whatever,” I say, then start following June.
“Ohh, someone’s in trouble,” Sutton says low enough that thankfully, I don’t think June can hear. I look over my shoulder and try to shoot daggers at her, but fail miserably as they bounce off her Teflon exterior. I don’t think anything gets under Sutton Donovan’s skin.
I jog to catch up with June, then walk with her, but don’t miss her tight jaw. I’m not completely sure what’s wrong, but my own nerves start to brew, worrying that I may have accidentally upset her. When we reach the business area, I reach for her arm, but she turns to me before I can.
“Did you do that?” she snaps, a surprisingly angry look on her face.
“Did you set me up in there?” I stare at her, confused, before she continues, poking me in the chest, and the why becomes clear.
“Did you convince Rowan to ask if I could do the murals? Because we’re dating and it would mean a lot to me and probably make me believe in myself or something like that? ”
I shake my head, stepping closer to her, putting a hand to her chin to tip her face up and force her to look at me.
“No, June. I don’t think anyone but Josie can convince Rowan to do anything. That was all you and your talent.”
Her jaw goes tight, and I fight the urge to kiss her. She made it terribly clear last night that kissing her while Rowan was here was a no-go, wanting to maintain a semblance of professionalism.
But it takes a lot of effort, especially when she’s looking at me like that, with a mix of irritation and hesitant excitement.
“I would never do that, June. I would do anything to make you smile, but I would never do something that would impact your career or your future. I think you know that.”
Once more, that guilt for the piled-up lies and mistruths churns in my stomach, but it’s still an honest statement.
I would never do anything to impact June’s real life, outside of giving her a job.
I don’t count buying her first piece of art in that, mostly because it was just one piece and has nothing to do with the dozens of pieces she has sold since then.
I know she values earning her successes just as much as I do, and I would never want her to doubt that.
With my words, her panic melts, leaving only happiness in its wake.
“So that was all Rowan's idea?” I nod and a grin spreads on her full lips. “I really am so lucky, and everything works out for me!” Her voice is pure excitement, but I need to set her straight before I join in.
“No,” I say with a shake of my head, pulling her closer. “No. It’s you. It’s your talent and your mind, and it’s been that all along. You’re not lucky, you’re just June, and that is what is making everything work out. It’s the fact that you’re hard-working and kind and creative. That’s it.”
“I really want to kiss you right now,” she murmurs, her face soft, and I grin.
“Say the word, lady luck.”
She bites her lip and smiles, but before she can make a decision, her face changes.
“Wait, how did things go with Rowan this morning? Why is the CEO here? Is it just to see the resort?”
“Oh, uh, it went well. They like the place a lot. This morning, Rowan and I talked a lot about Daytrip. Then he essentially told me this was a trial period.”
Her face changes, something so subtle, if I weren’t always so attuned to every tiny microexpression on her face, I might miss it. Apprehension is buried beneath that sunshine smile, trying to stay positive while gearing herself up to sound excited no matter what I say next.
That’s when I realize June is just as wild for me as I am for her, in a way that means all she wants is for me to be happy and fulfilled.
If I think about it, really, that’s what she’s always wanted.
And right now, she doesn’t want me to leave Seaside Point, but I know she would cheer me on if Daydream sent me to the other side of the world, so long as it made me happy.
Lucky for us, we both get to have exactly what we want.
“They’re creating a new division of Daydream, small resorts under the Daytrip umbrella. This was a test to see whether it was feasible and whether there was an audience for it. They’re impressed by the success and want me to be the head of it.”
Her eyes widen, her smile becoming a bit less guarded, but when my next words spill out, whatever remaining nerves melt away, leaving nothing but unbridled joy in their wake.
“I’m going to be the managing director of Daytrip by Daydream. There’s still a lot to figure out, but my main office will be here, in Seaside Point.”
She gasps, a wide, beaming grin spreads across her face, lighting up the entire room in a way only June Taylor can do, before her kissing rule goes out the window.
She puts her hands on my face and kisses me, hard and deep.
When she breaks it, she begins peppering kisses all over my face, as if she can’t help herself.
“Oh, my god! Graham! I’m so proud of you!”
Warmth settles in my chest.
She’s not happy for me.
Not excited.
Proud.
And I realize then this is what I needed all along. This was the moment, this was what I was missing. Not a new job or a promotion to finally make me feel successful, though I’m grateful to have that, too.
But someone to share it with. Someone to be proud of me.
And I know then, with June Taylor placing kisses all over my face, joy shining through, that I’m the luckiest man in the world.
Because I have her to share my successes with.