Chapter 35 Emilia
EMILIA
Ethan had scheduled the meeting for me using the hotel code for VIPs; “John and Jane Doe” were coming in for an exploratory walk through.
I’d sent him an email reply asking for clarification, because how could I be prepared without some idea as to who I’d be meeting?
Young content creators looking to make a splash expected a different sort of grounds tour compared to middle aged investment bankers planning their third wedding.
His reply was vague, stating that he knew nothing about who they were because the meeting was set up through an assistant, and then rah-rah-ed me about how I always brought my best, so he had no worries about how I’d pull it off. I was glad one of us had that much faith in my abilities.
Even back working at the resort, first meetings meant I wore a subliminally bridal dress, as always.
This one was a white sleeveless, belted dress with buttons up the front, but I’d been stuck on the shoes.
Sensible espadrilles for an old money couple, or sexy stilettoes for influencer types? I’d opted for the heels.
I walked through the buildings on my way to the ballroom with my tablet pressed to my chest, saying hello to my colleagues.
The fact that I was sleeping with the boss was well-known, but it didn’t seem to change the way people interacted with me.
I got teased by the groundskeepers, mothered by the kitchen staff, and bossed around by the concierge, just like everyone else.
I belonged.
Of course, I still got a little nervous before new client meetings.
When I’d agreed to take the position at the resort, it was with the caveat that I’d keep my outside clients.
I didn’t want any of them to think I was coercing them into choosing the resort for their wedding, but it turned out I needn’t have bothered.
The attention Kristen and Carter’s show brought both the property and my role there meant that me and the resort were an expected package and we were busier than ever.
Dorian had even approached Drew about a possible spin-off show featuring our events division, but Drew had kiboshed it within the first ten minutes of the meeting. We’d spent more than enough time under the unforgiving eyes of cameras.
I picked up my pace through the lobby. I always forgot how freaking huge the property was until I found myself late for a meeting.
A single, high pitched bark made me pause.
Mrs. Barclay was in the house. I craned my neck and spotted her sitting in one of the waiting areas with her three leashed dogs all clustered by her feet looking angelic.
She spotted me and waved so I had no choice but to walk over.
We’d had plenty of run-ins in the months since our introduction.
Thankfully, all of them had been much more pleasant than our first meeting.
“Good morning, Mrs. Barclay! How are you and the boys today?”
I knelt down to pet each of them on the head.
“We’re marvelous, thank you. Just waiting for their dog walker Jeremy to swing by for their adventure hike. They come back exhausted, and then they sleep all night! I can’t thank Andrew enough for suggesting it.”
I grinned at her. The truce between my man and his most frustrating clients was holding.
“I’m so happy to hear that,” I replied.
“Oh, and tell him that all three of them absolutely adored those gourmet biscuits in our welcome basket. Are they made here on site?”
I nodded. “They are! It was all Drew’s idea to include them in the baskets, and he worked with our pastry chef to come up with the flavors. We’ve actually tried samples of both types ourselves, and I happen to think the cheddar biscuits are delicious.”
Mrs. Barclay’s eyes went wide. “You ate the dog biscuits? How delightful!”
She was still laughing as I walked away.
It was as if Oliver stepping down had reinvigorated Drew to take a new look at his business. He’d always been innovative, but now he was constantly finding new ways to surprise and delight his guests.
I liked to think that I could also take some credit for his shift in perspective. He was lighter now. Happier. Still a driven AF bossman, but there was a peace in him that everyone seemed to be able to sense.
I paused outside the ballroom doors to check my appearance in my phone. Yeah, I was happier too, and you could see it in my face, even when I was feeling rushed and a little sweaty. I took a deep breath, put my hands on the double doors, and pushed into the room.
“Drew? What are you doing here?”
I glanced around the empty space, looking for my couple.
“Did you scare the clients away? I have a ten o’clock John and Jane Doe meeting that’s supposed to start in here.”
He chuckled as he walked over to me. “I don’t scare our guests. At least, not anymore.”
I was too busy punching at my tablet to look up at him. “Did I get the location wrong?” I squinted at the calendar. “No, it says the Hawthorne Ballroom.”
“Where all of the magic happens,” Drew joked, because we’d spent more than enough time in the space, especially during the show.
“Drew, come on, help me. I don’t want to be late for my meeting. Can you check the master calendar while I call Ethan? Maybe he filled out the wrong one when he put it on the calendar.”
I was about to connect the call when Drew placed his hand on mine and lowered my phone.
“Nice to meet you. My name is John Doe.”
I scowled at him then refocused on my phone. “Not funny. Let me do my job.”
“Emilia … I’m serious. I set up the meeting. I’m the client.”
It took a few seconds for his words to register.
“Why would you …”
I glanced around the space and noticed the bouquet on the single table that was set up to show off our tableware. It was hydrangeas.
My heart stumbled out of rhythm as I tried to make sense of what was happening. “What’s going on, Drew? Are you firing me or something?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Why on earth would you jump to that idea?”
I held my tablet out and jammed my finger on the screen. “Just confirm that I’m not about to blow an important meeting, okay? Because I’m super confused right now.”
He was still laughing as he pulled me into his arms. I reflexively snuggled up to him despite my confusion.
“I promise you that this is the only appointment on your calendar today, and I’m the one who set it up, so would you relax?
Geeze, you’d think you work for some sort of tyrannical dickhead or something. ”
“You think?” I laughed. “So tell me why you needed to set up a meeting to get me alone. And why you felt you had to book a ballroom for it. Because I know of a certain closet that’s seen plenty of private action.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he growled as he slipped his hand down to smack my ass. Drew kissed me on the top of the head then pulled away.
“I brought you here because I think it’s an important part of our story. We spent quite a bit of time in this ballroom working out the details for Kristen and Carter.”
I smiled as I glanced around it. “We sure did. I can’t believe how much happened in this room. Right over there is where you pitched me being your fake fiancée.” I pointed to the spot where he dragged me into the room to plead his case. “So ridiculous.”
“Yeah, but it worked,” he said. “You know what else happened in here?”
I sighed. “A million memories.”
“You’re right,” Drew said as he studied me. “But more importantly, this is also where I started falling in love with you.”
I took a step backwards. “In here?”
He nodded. “Maybe even in the lobby, the first time I saw you.”
“Please,” I laughed softly. “You hated me on sight.”
Drew reached out to cup my cheek and I nestled against his palm. “Not even close. I was mesmerized by you. Your beauty, obviously, but more the way you didn’t back down. I liked that.”
I giggled. “Sure didn’t seem so that day.”
“I wasn’t used to it yet. Not many people have the balls to stand up to me.”
“Well, maybe they should,” I insisted. “Anyway, can we get to the point of this meeting, please? I’m still on the clock and I don’t want to piss off my boss.”
He chuckled. “Okay, okay.”
Drew took my hand and led me out to the balcony. We paused by the edge of it, overlooking the garden’s endless green, framed by the bright blue sky. I felt like I could hear the ocean just beyond the palm trees.
“We’ve created so many beautiful memories for our happy couples, right here,” Drew said. “Now I think it’s time for us to make our own.”
My breath caught in my chest as Drew turned to face me, then slowly lowered himself onto one knee.
“Hold on, what’s happening?” I panicked a little as I looked around for cameras.
Drew was looking up at me with so much love in his eyes that I almost burst into tears. I could feel my bottom lip trembling as I tried to remain composed.
He took my hands in his. “Emilia Louise Marino, you’ve shown me how sweet the world can be when you have someone special beside you.
You’ve taught me to laugh off the tough stuff and focus on the little things that make each day brighter, like a best friend in a shell with a taste for hibiscus.
You’ve helped me weather challenges, and you’ve shown me time and again that you’ll always be there for me, even when I don’t deserve it. ”
“Stop,” I sniffled. “You absolutely deserve it, and I’ll always be there for you no matter what.”
“I know that now,” he whispered. “And I’m so fucking thankful for it. Which is why I need to ask you this.”
He let go of my hands and reached into his blazer pocket.
He pulled out a ring.
Not just any ring. His mom’s original one. My ring, the one that had felt so at home on my finger. He held it up to me.
“I gave this to you once as part of a pact. This time around I’m giving it to you as a promise. You will always, always have my heart, which is why I’m asking you to give me yours in return.”
We both paused to let the moment take root.
“Emilia, will you marry me?”
I blacked out for a second so I wasn’t actually sure how we both ended up on the ground – my best guess was that I tackled him – but all I knew was that I was on top of him and we were laughing and crying at the same time.
“You’ve got a future with the Niners,” Drew laughed as he hugged me. “So is that a yes?”
“You have to ask?” I punched him in the arm. “You’re making my dreams come true!”
“Well, make mine happen right this minute and put this ring on before it flies out of my hand,” he huffed.
I covered his face in kisses then slid off of him, plopping down on my butt. He sat up next to me.
“May I?” Drew held out the ring.
I offered my trembling hand and he brought it to his lips for a kiss first.
“Why are you shaking?” he asked gently.
“Because I feel like this isn’t real life,” my voice cracked. “Like I’m going to wake up any second now.”
Drew smiled as he gently slid the ring on my finger. “Oh no, this is very real.”
I held my hand out and it looked at the ring, which was even sparklier than I remembered.
“It’s perfect,” I breathed as I moved my hand around in the air, admiring it.
“Meant to be,” he agreed. “Just like us.”
“Just like us,” I agreed.
“You know, there’s something I said about you during my last interview on the show that I thought, in that moment, was a lie. Now I know firsthand that there’s a tiny bit of reality in reality TV.”
He kissed my hand again.
“What was it?” I asked. “I think I blocked most of the show out.”
He stared into my eyes for a beat. “I said that you were my forever.”
Tears misted my eyes.
“Oh, that’s one hundred percent true,” I finally replied. “Now get over here and let’s get forever started.”
I grabbed him by the lapels and crushed my lips to his, overjoyed that this latest episode of our unscripted real life was kicking off with a bang.