22. Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two
Noah
I walk into the hotel lobby, my mind still buzzing from the morning’s meetings. But before I can even get to the elevator, Nicole stops me, her expression serious. She’s always been able to read me, and I can see the concern in her eyes.
“Noah,” she starts, lowering her voice so the people around us can’t hear, “we need to talk. It’s about Courtney.”
I freeze, instinctively tensing at the mention of her name. “What’s going on?” I ask, already dreading whatever’s coming next.
Nicole’s face hardens, and she crosses her arms. “She’s becoming too much to handle. She’s been making patrons uncomfortable with her loud talk about Blossom’s ‘connections’ and how employees are...well, you know, involved with management. It’s getting out of hand.”
I can feel my jaw tighten at the news. Courtney had always been trouble, but this is crossing a line. She’s dragging the reputation of the hotel and Blossom through the mud, and I won’t let her get away with it.
“I’ll handle it,” I tell Nicole, my voice low but firm. I can already feel my temper starting to rise. “I won’t let this slide.”
Nicole nods, looking relieved that I’m not brushing this off. “Thank you, Noah. It’s becoming a real issue.”
I don’t say another word as I make my way toward the bar. My steps are purposeful, my mind already turning over how I’m going to deal with Courtney’s insubordination.
When I reach the bar, I open the door with a sense of urgency. The second I step inside, Courtney’s head swivels toward me, and I can immediately tell what’s been going on.
She greets me loudly, putting on a show for the guests. “Well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Hudson!” she says, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Her eyes flick to the patrons, who are now looking at me with curious expressions. I can tell they’ve heard whatever bullshit she’s been spinning about me.
I can feel my anger simmering under the surface as I look at the patrons’ uncomfortable expressions. They’re all pretending not to hear, but I know better. They’ve all been listening to her gossip, and I’m not having it anymore.
“Courtney,” I say, keeping my voice steady but laced with warning, “I need to speak with you in the back. Now.”
She doesn’t seem fazed, though. She just smiles, leaning casually against the bar. “Oh, sure, Noah. Let’s go have a private chat about whatever you want.” Her voice is dripping with mock sweetness.
I clench my fists at my sides, but I don’t show her my frustration. “Now, Courtney.” My tone leaves no room for argument. She rolls her eyes but finally pushes herself off the counter and starts toward the back with a sigh.
As soon as we’re out of the sight of the guests, I turn to face her, my eyes narrowing. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I snap, my voice low and controlled.
Courtney crosses her arms, her expression defiant. “I’m doing what I have to do to get noticed,” she says flippantly, as if she couldn’t care less about the mess she’s creating. “And you know what? If everyone’s so clueless about what’s really going on here, maybe someone should say something.”
I take a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. “You’re making the staff uncomfortable. You’re making the guests uncomfortable. And now, you’re making me extremely uncomfortable.” My voice is hard, and I’m done being patient with her. “Stop making an ass of yourself in front of everyone. Now.”
She stares at me, her face twisting with annoyance. “I’m not the one who’s making a fool of themselves,” she snaps. “But hey, if you want to know the truth, it’s pretty obvious what’s going on between you and Blossom. She’s just using you for money and stability. You’re not fooling anyone.”
Her words hit like a slap, and I can feel the anger bubbling to the surface. The audacity of her to talk like that about someone I care about, to imply that Blossom would manipulate me, that’s not something I’m going to let slide.
I take a step closer, my voice cold and deadly. “Don’t you ever speak about Blossom like that again. You don’t know a damn thing about her or about what we have.”
Courtney’s face twists with a mix of rage and disbelief, but I don’t give her the chance to keep talking. I pull my phone out and start typing quickly.
“I’m done with you,” I say, my voice final. “Consider this your last day working here.” I send the message to HR, ensuring that everything is taken care of.
Her mouth drops open in surprise. “You can’t do that,” she says, her voice rising. “You’re just going to fire me?”
I look at her without a hint of regret. “You’re a liability to this hotel, Courtney. I’m not going to let you cause any more problems. You’re done.”
I take a step back, my gaze firm. “And don’t ever try to bring Blossom into your games again. You’re not getting away with it.”
She opens her mouth to say something else, but I cut her off with a sharp glance.
“Get your things and leave,” I say.
Just as Courtney huffs, gathering her things, Amy walks in for her shift. I shoot her a look, and she raises an eyebrow, clearly noticing the tension in the air. I turn and walk away without saying another word to Courtney.
The door to the bar swings shut behind me, and I feel the need to get some fresh air. I head outside, my mind swirling with everything that just went down. I needed to put an end to Courtney’s chaos. I just didn’t expect it to be this messy.
I lean on the balcony railing of the penthouse, looking out at the city.
My mind keeps returning to Zack: his arrest, the fact that he’s finally out of the picture. Blossom’s pressing charges, and for the first time in months, I can feel a weight lift from her shoulders, from both of us.
The past few weeks of him lurking in the background, threatening everything we’re building, have come to an end.
Zack is gone, and he’s not coming back.
I can’t help but feel a sense of relief. I was ready for him to show up again, to try to manipulate his way back into her life. But now, with the law on our side, it’s over. Blossom can finally breathe again, and so can I.
I look down at the city lights flickering below me, the late-night hum of Manhattan filling the space.
With Zack out of the picture, I feel like we can finally move forward without the looming threat of him showing up, manipulating or scaring Blossom. It feels like freedom, but there’s still something nagging at the back of my mind.
Blossom deserves more than to just be free from him. She deserves everything—peace, love, safety. And that’s exactly what I’m going to give her.
With him gone, there’s nothing standing in our way now.
Courtney’s out of the picture now, too. I can’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction as I think back to the conversation we had.
She’s no longer a threat. She won’t be coming near this hotel, or Blossom, again. If she behaves the way Zack did, trying to make a scene or spread rumors, I have no problem having her arrested too. The thought doesn’t even faze me.
I’ll do whatever it takes to protect Blossom.
I’m not someone who lets anyone walk all over me. But with Courtney and Zack gone, I can’t help but wonder: what’s still holding me back from pursuing Blossom completely?
What’s stopping me from taking the next step, from moving this forward in a way that’s more than just late-night sneaking around?
I feel the urge to make a commitment, to solidify this, whatever this is between us. But I’m still hesitant.
My mind races as I think about it. There’s still so much I haven’t figured out, so many uncertainties. The fear of losing someone again, the same way I lost my wife, holds me back. But Blossom isn’t my late wife. She’s her own person, and she’s not going anywhere.
I need to let go of the past and take a chance on her and my unborn children. I just have to figure out how to tell her that.
When I walk back into the penthouse, the sight of Blossom sitting on the couch with Goldie brings a smile to my face. The golden retriever looks up at me with those warm, brown eyes, his black nose twitching, as Blossom gently scratches behind his ears.
She looks so content, so at ease in the space, and it makes me feel a sense of peace that I wasn’t expecting.
I walk over, ruffling Goldie’s fur and leaning down to kiss Blossom on the cheek. She looks up at me, her eyes bright.
“I have some good news,” I say, leaning against the back of the couch. “Courtney’s been fired. She’s not going to be causing any more problems.”
Blossom’s eyes widen, a look of relief flooding her face. She jumps up, surprising me as she wraps her arms around me and plants a kiss on my lips, soft and lingering.
“Thank you,” she says, her voice full of gratitude. “I can’t believe she’s gone. You really came through for me, Noah.”
I pull her close, holding her for a moment longer, feeling the weight of the past few weeks finally start to settle. “You don’t have to thank me,” I whisper. “You’re my priority. Always.”
Her smile is warm, and I feel like we’re one step closer to something real, something solid.
As I pull away from the kiss, I can feel a sense of nervousness starting to bubble inside me. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and now seems like the right time.
“Blossom,” I begin, my voice a little more serious now, “I’ve been thinking about something.”
She looks up at me, her brow furrowed in curiosity. “What’s up?”
“Would you consider moving in with me?” I ask, my voice tentative but hopeful. The words hang in the air for a moment. “I want you here with me, full-time.”
I can see the hesitation in her eyes, the uncertainty that I know she’s feeling. “I don’t want to mess things up, Noah,” she says quietly. “I don’t want to rush anything. What if we’re not ready?”
I feel a tightness in my chest, but I can’t let this moment slip away. “I’m in this for the long haul, Blossom,” I say, my voice soft but firm. “I’m not going anywhere, and I want you here with me. We’ve already been through so much, and I’m not letting fear hold me back anymore.”
She looks at me, her eyes searching mine. “What about Amy?” she asks, her voice hesitant. “How can she afford the rent without my half?”
I smile, my hand brushing against her cheek as I lean in closer. “I don’t think it’ll be an issue,” I say with a wink, my smile playing at the corner of my lips. “But I’ll leave that to you two to figure out.”
Blossom laughs softly, and I feel the tension between us dissipate. “You know what? I think I’m ready. Let’s do it.”
And just like that, everything feels a little more complete.