CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
JENNIFER
Snuggled up to Seth’s chest, I gaze up at him. “Okay, tell me more about this buying the resort idea.”
His arms go around me, and he laughs. “You know it doesn’t have to be this resort. Or any of them.”
“Why are you even considering it?”
Seth’s face gets tender. “Because here is where I met you and my life changed for the better.”
I pull back. “Why, Seth, you do have a sentimental side.”
Groaning, he plants a fast kiss on my lips. “Only when it comes to you.”
“Good answer.” I cuddle back against his chest, loving the steady beating of his heart under my cheek. After a moment I say, “The resort is pretty amazing. Though you have the best cabin.”
“Naturally.”
I roll my eyes.
“I didn’t even realize Mrs. Avery was thinking of selling,” I say, trying not to feel hurt by that. We’re not best friends or anything, but after a year of working for her, I thought we were on good enough terms that she would have given me some notice before I lost my job.
“It’s not officially on the market. She’s afraid of a developer who will bulldoze the whole thing to build lakeside condos getting wind of it.”
Tilting my chin up, I stare at him. “How did you get so chummy with Mrs. Avery that she told you all this if she’s keeping it on the down-low?”
His grin widens. “I flat-out asked if she was open to selling.”
This really shouldn’t surprise me. Men like Seth are a different breed than the rest of us lowly working-class people who have to budget and comparison shop.
Powerful and wealthy people got that way by going after what they want with a single-minded determination while secure in the knowledge that they have the funds to put their money where their mouth is.
Then again, my mom did always say that if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
“And she would sell to you?”
He nods. “She would.”
“What would we do with the resort? Live here? Run it?”
His chuckles vibrate my entire body as his arms crush me to him. “We would do whatever we wanted with it.”
Despite myself, I try to imagine living in the cabin that Seth has occupied for these past several weeks.
Us walking daily on the trail around the lake, cooking together in that amazing kitchen, relaxing in the spacious living room, basically just us living together.
It’s a rather nice thought. Definitely better than us squished into my tiny apartment. Not that he would ever agree with that.
This is something I never gave any thought to before. Okay, maybe I might have dreamed of how great it would be someday to be a property manager instead of the cleaning staff, but the owner? Maybe if I won the lottery, which was a long shot considering I never play.
Everything is happening so fast I’m not sure I can handle it.
I gaze at his handsome face, with his light blue eyes that shine with love.
I guess, ready or not, I need to get used to handling things if I want to keep up with Seth.
Even a less intense Seth. Plus what if I tell him no and someone else comes along and grabs the resort?
I will have cost us a major opportunity.
“This is a good investment?”
He shuffles back so he’s sitting up with his back against the headboard and me still pressed to his front. “Any investment in our future is a good one.”
This sweet romantic side of him I could definitely get used to.
I flick my tongue along the tight peak of his brown nipple. “You’re a goober.”
Chuckling, he hugs me closer. “As long as I’m your goober, I don’t care.” He stops laughing and gently moves away from me. “Let me get the report and show you.”
I let him go, watching his tight ass flex as he walks into the living room to get his binder. The view is even better when he comes back, and I get to enjoy his handsome face, wide smile, and swaying dick. The man is truly blessed.
And he’s all mine!
Under the covers, I pinch my arm and grin as Seth slides back into bed and opens the binder. Yep. This is real, not a dream.
“Mrs. Avery wants $2.8 million for the property,” Seth says, showing me the preliminary title report. “That includes the main house/office, six cabins, ten acres, and lakefront access. Comparable properties are going for $3.5 to $4 million, so it's underpriced.”
It still seems like a staggering amount of money to me. “Why is it underpriced?”
“Because she’s not looking to sell it to the highest bidder. She’s looking for the right buyer, who will continue the resort as she and her husband intended the land to be used.” He looks at me. “We're the right buyer.”
This all feels like a wild, out-of-body experience, but I’m shacking up with a billionaire, so I better get used to this. I nod. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
A huge smile breaks out on his face. “Good.” He grabs his phone from his pants on the floor. “Now, let's call Mrs. Avery and set up a meeting.”
Mrs. Avery agrees to meet us that afternoon at the resort property. She's in her seventies with silver hair and sharp eyes, and when she sees Seth and me arrive together, she smiles knowingly.
“So you two worked things out,” she says without preamble.
My mouth drops open, and a blush burns my cheeks. “How did you know there was anything to work out?”
She plants her fists on her hips and laughs. “Jennifer, did you really think you’re the first housekeeper that’s fallen for a guest?” Her grin grows. “Though you are the first to want to buy the place.”
Seth just grins while I feel like my face is going up in flames from embarrassment.
“Now, tell me why I should sell it to the two of you,” she demands, ushering us into her smaller personal office that’s behind a door in the main office, and gesturing to two seats in front of the cluttered desk.
We sit and Seth starts to speak, but I put a hand on his arm.
“Because we love it here,” I say simply. “Seth came here to heal and get healthy, and I couldn’t imagine anywhere else for us to start our lives together.”
Mrs. Avery looks between us and laughs. “Simple and direct. I like that.” Her eyes narrow. “Will you promise me that you’ll never let the property be developed into condos or a shopping center?”
“I’m willing to put that in writing,” Seth says softly.
A satisfied smile wreaths her face. “Then the property is yours if you want it. $2.8 million, and I'll stay on for three months to help with the transition if you'd like.”
I reach for Mrs. Avery’s outstretched hand, but Seth speaks up.
“We should probably get inspections first. Have the lawyers review everything and do this properly.”
“Yes, yes, all that boring responsible stuff,” Mrs. Avery waves a hand. “But in principle, we have a deal. Now, come on. Let me show you everything. All the quirks and problems you're inheriting along with the beautiful bits.”
We spend the next two hours touring the property with Mrs. Avery, and I can’t help viewing it with new eyes. I’ve never owned a house before in my life, let alone a 2.8 million dollar property!
“The previous owners, who I bought the place from forty years ago, they built this place as a family retreat,” she explains as we walk the lakeshore trail.
“Every cabin was designed to feel private, like you're the only ones here. Things have updated over the years, but the magic of this place has remained. People come and they can finally breathe.”
I look at Seth, and he's looking at me. Both of us are obviously thinking the same thing.
“That's exactly what I came here for,” he says quietly. “To learn how to breathe again.”
“And did you?” Mrs. Avery asks, her eyes twinkling.
“I did. Because of Jennifer.”
Mrs. Avery pats my shoulder. “You two are going to do wonderful things with this place. I can feel it.”
That evening, back at the cabin, our cabin now since we’re buying the place, we sit on the deck and watch the sunset.
“I can't believe we're doing this,” I say, leaning against him. “Buying a resort. Becoming business partners.”
“Are you having second thoughts?”
“No. Just... overwhelmed. In a good way.” I tilt my head up to look at him. “Thank you. For the report. For actually changing and for making all this possible.”
“Thank you, Jennifer, for giving me the chance.” He kisses my forehead. “And for knowing I needed to do it alone first.”
“That was the hardest part. Walking away from you.”
“It was the right thing. I needed to prove to myself I could do it, not just to you.” He pulls out his phone. “Want to see something cool?”
He shows me his health app. Blood pressure: 118 over 73.
“Wow,” I breathe.
“Because I'm where I'm supposed to be. With you, planning our future, and doing something that matters.” He puts the phone away and pulls me closer. “My doctor's going to be thrilled at my follow-up appointment tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? I'll come with you.”
“You don't have to-”
I roll my eyes and cut him off. “I want to. I want to hear what he says about your recovery. About the plan going forward.”
He smiles. “Okay. Then I want you to come.”
We sit in comfortable silence as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the lake in familiar and glorious shades of pink and gold. This lake, this place, this life.
“Seth?”
“Yes?”
“I'm really glad you collapsed in that board meeting three months ago.”
He snorts. “That's a weird thing to be glad about.”
I shove his arm. “I don’t mean it like that. But if you hadn't, you wouldn't have come here, and we wouldn’t have met, and you’d probably be dead in a few years, and I would have missed out on loving you.”
“Well, when you put it that way...” He turns serious. “I'm glad too. Scariest thing that ever happened to me, and the best thing. Because it brought me to you.”
I kiss him as the last light fades from the sky, and I think about everything that had to go wrong for this to go right.
Sometimes the best things in life come from the worst moments and you have to almost lose everything to realize what really matters.
And sometimes love means making the hard choice, even when-especially when- it's terrifying.
And I can't wait to see what we build together.