Chapter 32
“Welp. That was unexpected.” ~ Paisley
Paisley
“I’m really sorry,” Nova apologizes on the phone.
“It’s not your fault. But why doesn’t Hudson have the staff to handle this?”
The last thing I want to be doing is taking down the decorations for Eli’s surprise birthday party. The stupid party is the reason he ended our relationship and broke my heart. I rub a hand over the ache in my chest as I walk toward the entrance to Hideaway Haven Resort.
The last time I was here was for the end of summer party. I thought I loved Eli before the party but when he refused to be auctioned off because he was afraid my stepsister would win a date with him, I knew it was love.
Too bad Eli didn’t feel the same. While I was falling in love, he was having a good time. Asshole.
“He’s short staffed since a lot of the staff go on vacation after the summer holidays,” Nova says and I jolt. I forgot I was on the telephone with her .
I scowl. This is not like me. I don’t forget things. I’m not scatterbrained. I remember all the facts and figures everyone else forgets.
Stupid love. It’s better to avoid it. I learned my lesson once but apparently once wasn’t enough when it comes to love. I’m now declaring twice is definitely enough. Love is not for me.
“I’m here now,” I say as I enter the resort. “I’ll handle it.”
“I could come help except Iliana has colic.”
I’d love her help. Mostly for moral support. But I can’t allow her to bring Iliana when her baby girl isn’t feeling well. I’m not an asshole, unlike certain male billionaires who shall remain unnamed.
“Stay home with your precious daughter. I’ve got this under control.”
We hang up and I make my way to the ballroom. When Hudson first proposed adding a ballroom to the resort, I scoffed. A ballroom on Smuggler’s Hideaway? There was no need. I was wrong. The room is booked months, if not years, in advance.
I step inside the ballroom and glance around. The decorations are similar to the end of summer dance. Except most of the mermaid paraphernalia has been removed since I refuse to pretend mermaids are real.
I shove my phone in my back pocket and grab one of the boxes lined up against the wall. I put it together before starting to shove stuff from the first table into the box.
The door opens behind me. Thank goodness. Hudson found someone to help me after all .
I spin around with a smile on my face but the smile dies when I see who it is.
“Eli.” I guess he won’t remain unnamed after all.
“Lace.”
I grunt and spin back around to march to the next table. Who does he think he is? Calling me Lace? I’m not Lace to him. I was nothing to him. In fact, I drop the box on the ground.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
I’m giving my anger free rein. Eli deserves it.
He holds up his hand. “Can we talk?”
“Now you want to talk? When I tried explaining things to you earlier, you wouldn’t listen. But now you suddenly have time? Forget it. I’m done with you.”
I bend over to pick up the box but Eli places a hand on my arm to stop me. I jerk away.
“Do not touch me.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think.”
“Let me clear things up for you. You don’t touch a woman without her permission. And, in case your tiny little brain is confused, you do not have permission to touch me.”
He sighs and runs a hand down his face. “I deserved that.”
I snort. “You deserve a lot worse but I don’t have time for you today. I have to clean this up and I need to get back to the brewery.”
He growls. “I got your check.”
“I assumed as much since I asked Dakota to leave it on your desk.”
“I don’t want your money. ”
“Really? Did you forget I’m a gold digger? I will not have you running around the island claiming I used you to have somewhere to host the brewery after the hurricane.”
“I would never—”
I hold up a hand. “You can stop whatever you’re going to say right there. I can’t believe anything you claim you will never do again. Because,” I lean forward to hiss in his face, “I don’t trust you.”
Pain flashes in his eyes but I ignore it. He deserves to feel some pain after the things he said to me. He can’t cause me pain and remain unscathed. He’s lucky I haven’t unleashed my prank power on him.
Yet. I haven’t unleashed my prank power on him yet. Because after today, the pranking is back on. I’m not holding Chloe back any more. I’m done being a civil adult. No one else is. Why should I be?
“Can I explain?”
I bark out a laugh. “You want me to allow you to explain? Do I need to explain the definition of hypocrite to you?”
“I know the definition. And I know I fit the definition.”
“Good.” I clap. “Proud of you.”
He picks up a box and puts it together.
“What are you doing?”
“If you’re not going to listen to me, I’ll help you.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“You have it anyway.”
“Whatever. Stay on your side of the room and I’ll stay on mine. ”
I stomp off to the furthest corner of the room. I manage to fill an entire box before he speaks again.
“Can I please explain why I was an asshole?”
“At least you realize you’re an asshole.”
“I’m the world’s biggest asshole for hurting you.”
“If you expect me to disagree, you’ll be waiting a long time.”
He chuckles. “I love how you don’t beat around the bush. You tell me how it is. It’s one of the things I love about you.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “You’re not allowed to say there are things you love about me after telling me our relationship was only a bit of fun.”
“I was hurting and lashed out.”
“You were hurting?” I purse my lips. “You overheard something, misunderstood the meaning, and then unleashed your fury on the world. If you were hurting, it was your own damn fault.”
“I know.” He clears his throat. “Can I show you something?”
I narrow my eyes on him. “What?”
He removes an item from his back pocket and offers it to me. When I hesitate to take it, he waves it at me. “It’s a picture. It won’t bite.”
I step closer and snatch the picture from him before retreating. I look at it and gasp. The man in this picture could be Eli’s twin.
“It’s my dad. This was taken a few days before my sixteenth birthday.”
My heart aches for him. His dad left right before his sixteenth birthday .
“We had a barbeque on the beach to celebrate. The celebration was a week early because Dad had some business to attend to on the day of my birthday. It turns out the business was leaving his wife and six sons for another woman.”
“I’m sorry.” I offer him the picture.
“This is the only picture of my dad I kept,” he murmurs as he stares at the photograph. “Mom wanted no evidence of his existence in the house after he left.”
“Weren’t her six sons evidence of his existence?”
“Nah. We’re her sons. Not their sons.”
“Makes sense.”
“I never thought I’d see my dad again.”
My brow wrinkles. “You’ve seen him? He hasn’t returned to Smuggler’s Hideaway.” If he had, I’d know about it. The smuggler’s grapevine is efficient and thorough.
“He visited me in California. He couldn’t find my home address so he showed up at the corporate headquarters for Apparoo. ”
Despite myself, I’m curious. “Did he want to reconcile?”
Eli snorts. “Nah. He wanted money.”
“And now you think everyone wants money from you.”
He cringes. “I shouldn’t have called you a gold digger.”
“There are a lot of things you shouldn’t have done.” I don’t give him an out. If I give him an out now, he’ll run all over me in the future. I shake my head. What am I thinking? There is no future with Eli .
“You’re correct. And I apologize for all of them. Starting with I should have never told the woman I love that she meant nothing to me.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. I obviously—” I stop when my brain catches up. “Did you say woman you love?”
He smiles. “I love you, Lace. I’ve known since the day I met your evil stepsisters and your mom. I couldn’t believe how strong you are considering how they tried to beat you down. I knew then you were the woman for me.”
“And yet you pushed me away.”
“I was scared. I don’t trust anyone to stick around. My dad didn’t. He planned his departure for months. Unbeknownst to me. I was blindsided.”
“I understand your dad left and it sucks. But who else has left you? Your mom worked her fingers to the bone to provide for you and your brothers. Your brothers all stayed on Smuggler’s Hideaway. Not one of them left. Your best friend, Jeremy, has stuck by your side. According to you, he doesn’t complain about you wanting to live in Smuggler’s Hideaway instead of California.”
He runs a hand down his face. “You’re right.”
“Get used to it. I’m always right.”
“Does this mean you forgive me?”
How can I not forgive him? He was an idiot but he owned up to his mistakes. It’s not easy to admit you’re wrong. Plus, I love him.
“I have conditions.”
“Name them. Whatever you want. ”
“One, you cash the check.”
He scowls. “You don’t owe me for helping you out.”
“It’s from Five Fathoms Brewing, not me personally.”
He blows out a breath. “Fine. What else?”
“You have to work on jumping to conclusions when you hear me speak out of context. If you’re worried or concerned, you ask. You don’t get scared and run. On my part, I will not try to surprise you with a party again.”
“I promise to work on jumping to conclusions. And I won’t run again. I trust you. I latched onto your words as an excuse because I was afraid. Falling in love is terrifying.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Really? I didn’t find it terrifying at all.”
Hope lights his blue eyes. “Does this mean you love me?”
“Of course, I love you. I would have broken one of these plates over your head if I didn’t.”
“Speaking of plates…”
“Why? Why are we speaking of plates? Why aren’t you ravishing me?”
He moans. “I want to. Trust me, I want nothing more in the world.”
“But…”
“All of our friends should be showing up any minute now.”
My brow furrows. “All of our friends?”
“Lucas, Flynn, and Hudson wanted me to do a grand gesture. I refused but they insisted on at least having a party.”
“What about Caleb? Is he not in favor of grand gestures?”
“Nah. He was more in favor of kicking my ass.”
I smile. “Remind me to thank him later. ”
“Troublemaker.” He reaches for me but freezes. “Do I have permission to touch you?”
I jump into his arms. “Yes.”
“Thank fuck,” he mutters before his lips mold to mine. I sigh as his flavor hits me. I missed this. I missed him. I thought I lost it all. I’ve never been happier to be wrong. And I hate being wrong.
The door bangs open and I wrench my lips from Eli’s.
“Awesome!” Chloe shouts. “They made up.”
Sophia pushes her. “You know they made up. You were watching through the keyhole.”
Eli chuckles. “Your friends are nuts.”
“Our friends.”
“Our friends,” he repeats. “I love you, Lace.”
“And I love you.”