33. Sean
Two months later
It’s funny how things sometimes work out. Before Jess, finding a silver lining seemed like a foreign concept, but now, it’s become my compass in life. Optimism was never my go-to, but finding those glimmers in the darkness—well, it turns out, it’s like having your own weapon against life’s storms. For one, I’m finally having a say in the future of Blackwood.
Since I gained my new position, it’s astonishing how different things are.
Connor has been training to take over my position as CEO. As much as I enjoy the position, I feel my future lies with directing the board and being free to work on personal goals.
Jess didn’t end up moving out. In fact, the other neighbor couple on our floor, Lottie and Antoine, moved to Paris, France, so I bought their place, which means we now own the whole floor. We’re in the process of remodeling the space into one large apartment, complete with two offices, a gym, and plenty of space for a family.
Which we’re definitely going to have.
Jess is running the Westerlyn properties and crushing it. We’ve begun renovations to upgrade the amenities, starting with a few of the items we discussed and new ones—such as renovating the rooftop terrace, adding cozy reading nooks, upgrading the in-room entertainment systems, offering specialty pancakes in the mornings, fresh-baked cookies in the afternoon, and introducing a weekly “home-cooked favorites” night in our restaurants.
Our mornings have fallen into a comfortable routine. Usually, the alarm goes off, and I get up first to get a quick workout in. I know it’s time for Jess to wake when Pippin and Pippa start rustling in their new parakeet palace and launching into a duet of squawks.
Putting the coffee on, I make sure Jess is up before hitting the shower.
Sometimes, she joins me.
Which is how this morning is going. I’m under the warm spray of the shower when I hear the bathroom door squeak and the shower cabin open. Smirking, I feel her arms wrap around me, and she places kisses between my shoulder blades.
“Good morning,” I rumble.
“Mmmm, morning, handsome.”
I turn around and get her under the water with me, pulling her into a deep kiss. She moans and melts into my arms. Life really can’t get any better. I think about where we were before and how far we’ve come, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next. Jess runs her hand down between us, cupping my dick.
“Someone’s frisky this morning,” I groan, pressing her against the wall.
“Hard not to be when you’re all soapy and dressed like that.”
I grab her and lift her up. Her legs fit easily around my waist, and I take her without hesitation. No matter how many times I’m inside her, it’s never enough. I’m never going to get tired of it.
“Just like…that, Sean.” She moans my name, her hair plastered to her face as the shower rains down on us. I think about our first meeting, the infamous pink towel incident, and how I caught that first glimpse of the body that continues to drive me crazy. If I had only known how good she was for me, I would have made her mine right then and there.
By the time we finish, her mouth is attached to mine, even as I reach over to turn the water off.
“We’re going to be late if you don’t stop,” she reminds me, while she’s still nipping at my lips despite her own words.
“We’re the bosses,” I grumble. “We can go in whenever we want.”
“Normally, yes, I’d agree,” she reluctantly draws away, “but I have to hit the office today to school Pauline.”
“All right. Go take care of your responsibilities.” I reach for our towels. “And hurry up.”
“Ugh, fiiiiine.” Jess sighs dramatically as she accepts her towel and wraps it around herself.
“I know. The sheer dread of being a responsible adult.”
Ihead over to the closet where I have my few suits hanging. Most of our stuff is in storage right now in preparation for the construction, except the bigger pieces of furniture and my treadmill. Our essentials are in a suite at the hotel, where we’re going to be staying in the meantime. Jess is going to bring Pippin and Pippa with her today in their pet carrier, and the movers are going to collect the rest of the stuff once we head out.
I can hear Jess humming as she gets ready, and when I look over to see her getting dressed, I’m hit with such a wave of emotion that my heart races. Jess catches me staring and smiles.
“What?” she asks. “Why are you staring at me?”
“Marry me.”
We haven’t really talked about it much, other than to say we want to down the line. For me, that’s too far away. I want her to be my wife as soon as possible. After all, why wait, when we know this is it—for the both of us?
Her eyes are wide. “Now?” she asks.
Chuckling, I toss my suit jacket onto the bed and cross the room to take her hands. “Not right now, but soon.” I give her a smile. “Tomorrow,” I tease.
She laughs. “We haven’t been together very long.”
“So? We’re engaged, after all.”
“Fake-engaged.”
“True, but it’s a fun kind of fake. We’re rocking it.”
Jess breathes out, and then she leans against the wall. “I don’t know, hmm, hmm,” she teases. “This is so sudden. And…you don’t even have a ring.”
True to her word, Jess had returned the fake engagement ring, which led to me receiving a call from a friendly sales lady and an offer of in-store credit. I respected Jess’s decision. Having a fake ring on her hand that reminded her of Richard wasn’t in my best interest.
“I didn’t take you for the traditional type,” I say.
“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, Mr. Blackwood,” she hums.
I chuckle. “Oh, are they?”
I know she’s messing with me, mainly because she can’t even keep a straight face as she talks. It makes me grin, and I tickle her sides, sending her into a fit of laughter. She tries to bat my hands away, but I pull her into a tight hug, kiss and release her.
Next, I get down on my knee, pulling a little dark-blue box out of my pants pocket, and give her a wink.
Within two seconds flat, she is frozen solid.
Then she blinks.
And blinks again.
Instantly, tears well up in her eyes.
I open the ring box and her eyes grow wider. It’s not the modest type of engagement ring she picked previously. This one is uniquely crafted. The centerpiece, a sparkling diamond, is encircled by a delicate arrangement of vibrant stones. There won’t be a shred of doubt that someone has claimed this woman. Me.
She gasps and puts both her hands over her mouth. “No way…no way, Sean…oh my goodness…”
“Baby. Woman of my dreams. My one and only love. My beautiful Lockout Queen. My crazy Balcony Spider-Woman. Will you marry me? “
She starts nodding. “Yes!…Yes!” She breaks into sobs, tears cascading down her cheeks. “Of course I’ll marry you!”
She falls into my hug.
I scoop her up and spin her around before covering her mouth in a million kisses.
I’m in high spirits as I cruise into work. All the pieces have fallen into place, and it’s amazing how well Jess and I are doing, balancing our work and personal lives. I’m not saying that it’s been a walk in the park from the get-go. Given what Jess went through, her heartbreak cut deeper than any financial loss. She had trusted the wrong person, and it had cost her more than money—it had shattered her faith in men. But I’m patient, ready to spend the rest of my life making up for the pain that a deceitful shithead caused. I vow that she’ll never have to endure such a loss of trust and finances again.
After I drop her off at the hotel, I head to Blackwood HQ.
Jasmine isn’t at her desk when I arrive. Which is why I’m blindsided when I go into my office, and my father is standing by the windows. For the most part, he’s backed off since our rather dramatic showdown in front of the board, now occupying the role of a regular board member. Yet seeing him like this without warning instantly puts me on the defensive.
“Good morning,” I greet. “Do I want to know what you’re doing here so early?” I sit at my desk and start my computer.
He doesn’t answer immediately, which is unusual. After several seconds of tense silence, he begins to speak, still facing the skyline, “I’m stepping down.”
That’s definitely not what I was expecting to hear from him. “I’m sorry, I think I misheard you.”
He turns around to look at me, and I don’t see his usual hard expression. He’s tired, and now more than ever, I’m struck with how much he looks his age. “You didn’t mishear. I’m resigning.”
“Why?”
He crosses the room but doesn’t sit. “Sean, I’m well aware I have overstayed my welcome. I tried so hard to keep things from changing. I guess I’m too old to learn new things. All this technology and growth is going over my head, and I’m already being left in the dust. It’s best for us as father and son, and for the company, if I retire.”
I sit with his words, trying to process what I’m hearing. I figured that was his problem but to hear him admit it out loud is another thing entirely. I take a deep breath and lean back in my seat.
“It’s really not that difficult to learn,” I tell him. “You don’t have to give up your spot just because you feel you’re being left behind.”
He raises an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be thrilled to get rid of me.”
I breathe out a heavy sigh.
His gaze meets mine, and we remain there, looking into each other’s eyes.
“Please sit.” I gesture to one of the chairs.
He takes a seat across from me.
As he settles onto the chair, I find myself searching for the right words.
I get up and take my seat next to him.
I’m not even sure why I ask—the question is out of my mouth before I can stop it. “Why didn’t you save Mom?”
Heavy silence settles in the room.
Dad shakes his head, weariness etched on his face. “Don’t you think I tried? Son, I tried everything. She was so damn stubborn. I lie awake every night, replaying it all in my mind, questioning what I could have done differently. Mary, she would not listen. Not a word when I urged her to quit her job, to take it easy, or at least give up that darn charity idea of hers. I even threatened that I would never attend if she didn’t stop. Nobody could have convinced her. She didn’t want to hear more doctors saying the same damn thing. She knew. She didn’t want to upend her life.”
I sense the unspoken pain in my father’s eyes.
“Dad, I didn’t mean?—”
He cuts me off gently, his voice strained yet calm. “It’s all right, son. You needed to ask. I’ve asked myself the same question a million times. But sometimes, no matter how much you try, you can’t save someone from their own choices.” He glances away, his jaw clenching. “I loved her, you know,” he continues, his voice softer. “More than words can say. But…I simply couldn’t sway her.”
I nod, the ache in my chest echoing the pain in his eyes.
“I want you to stay, Dad.” His gaze returns to me, an expression of disbelief lingering on his features. “I’ll be thrilled not to be questioned at every turn. If you aren’t questioning my every proposition and actually listening to what I’m suggesting, then of course I don’t have a problem with you still being on the board.”
“I don’t do well with the unknown, Sean.”
“Life is about the unknown, Dad. If I can do it, then you can do it.”
He gives me a curious look. “What are you talking about?”
“Jess and I are getting married.”
I wasn’t planning on telling him, mostly because I didn’t care if he knew or not. However, if change is really making him this worried, I need him to see that it’s not all bad.
He stares at me with wide eyes. “Is she pregnant?”
I’m not upset at his question. It’s a common assumption people might make. “No, she’s not. Not yet, but hopefully, one day she will be.”
“That’s…wow, all right.” His shoulders drop. “Son, I’m sorry, if I had known… I wasn’t aware it was that serious.”
“Well, it is.”
“I should have caught on when you vouched for her in the boardroom, a move you didn’t have to make, given your new position. I must say, I’m proud of you.” His expression softens into a gentle smile. “She must be a special lady.”
“She is,” I say, a smile tugging at my own lips in response. Witnessing my father’s smile—I never thought I’d see that day again. My fingers are itching to grab my phone and capture the moment, but somehow I sense it won’t be the last. “I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I’m willing to take the leap. I know I don’t want to stand still.”
“Congratulations.” He takes a deep breath. “If things are going to change, I might as well embrace it.”
“Change isn’t so bad. Sometimes, the curveballs turn out to be your biggest wins. Who knows? It might just go down as the pinnacle of your success.”
He rolls his eyes at my sarcasm, yet there’s no malice behind it this time.
Then, after a few seconds, he says, “You know what? You may be onto something, my boy.”
Getting to his feet, he pats my shoulder, gives me a nod, and heads for the door. Once he gets there, there’s a moment of hesitation before he turns around.
“It’s not that I didn’t want a son,” he tells me. “It’s that when your mother died, I didn’t know how to be a parent. She did all that, and it came naturally to her. So I focused on work, because that I knew and could control. If you and Jess have kids, don’t let this place,” he gestures around himself, “come first.”
With that, he leaves the room.
I sit there in silence, realizing that was the first time in my entire life he’s ever given me fatherly advice.