Chapter 32
Penny
Iwake to soft sunlight hitting my face. The second I stretch, a slow ache settles low in my body—a delicious reminder of the amazing night I spent with Miles.
“Miles?” I ask sleepily.
No answer.
The bathroom door is open, and his side of the bed is cold.
I sit up, completely naked, and spot a tray of food waiting in the living area.
A note beside it catches my eye.
Good morning, sugar.
I woke up early to get you some food and clothes. I hope I picked the right size. I’ll be back in a bit.
Love,
Miles.
I press the paper against my chest, butterflies taking off in my belly.
Then I glance at the clothes folded beside the tray and smile even harder when I notice every piece is in one of my favorite colors—black, red, blue, or white.
I grab a black satin nightie and slip it on before turning my attention to breakfast.
My stomach makes an ungodly sound when I get a whiff of the bacon and eggs.
I’ve never really been a greasy-breakfast person, but right now this bacon is calling my name.
I pour myself a cup of piping-hot coffee, add a dash of creamer, and inhale everything on the tray.
Bacon. Eggs. Two. slices of toast with raspberry spread.
Every bite tastes heavenly.
By the time I’m done, I’m so full that a loud burp slips out of me, and I slap a hand over my mouth in horror.
I wait for someone in the next suite to bang on the wall.
Nothing.
I laugh softly to myself as I grab clothes and head for the shower.
That’s when I notice Miles’s phone sitting on the nightstand.
A sticky note is next to it.
I left it unlocked in case you wanted to call your mom. Winky face.
My eyes sting. “Okay, here comes the waterworks again,” I mutter as I dial Mami’s number.
“Hello?” she answers in a quiet voice.
“Mami, it’s me.”
“Oh, Penny Bean.” Relief floods her voice. “Thank God." Are you okay? Are you safe? Where are you? I was praying you’d call me.”
Guilt twists in my chest.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve called the moment I left.”
“It’s okay, hija. I’m just glad to hear your voice.” She exhales shakily. “I figured it might take a while since you left everything behind.”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I realized it after we were already far away, and… I didn’t want to go back yet.”
There’s a beat of silence.
Then her voice turns suspiciously excited. “So… you’re with Miles?”
I laugh softly despite myself. “Yes, we’re together.”
Her shriek nearly ruptures my eardrum.
“Mami!”
“I’m sorry, darling,” she squeals. “But after dodging that awful man, I’m just so glad you’re with the one who makes you smile.”
A huge smile spreads across my lips before I can stop it.
“Anyway,” I say, trying to regain control of the conversation, “I’m not ready to deal with the mess I left back in Charlotte yet. We’re taking a couple of days before going back.”
“Of course. Take all the time you need.” Her tone softens. “And don’t worry about your father. He’s handling the Ryans.”
I blink in surprise.
“He hired a new lawyer. Apparently, Easton’s little blackmail scheme is already turning into a legal disaster.” She huffs. “And your father finally showed me everything. The company was never officially lost. It was being used as collateral, but he had already paid everything back.
Relief crashes through me so hard I nearly sit back down.
“And I’m handling everything else. You just focus on resting,” Mami continues. “And let me know when you’re ready to come back. I want all the details.”
“Mami, as much as I love you, there will be absolutely no details shared.”
She whines.
My fifty-something-year-old mother actually whines.
“But sweetheart, now that you finally have a hottie in your life, I need to live vicariously through you. After almost forty years with the same man, things can get monotonous.”
“Ewww. I did not need that visual.”
She cackles loudly.
“I was just playing around. Mostly.” I can hear her grin through the phone. “Enjoy your getaway, Penny Bean. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”
When we hang up, I place Miles’s phone exactly where he left it.
He trusted me enough to hand me his unlocked phone, and I’m not about to become a nosy-rosy snooping through things that don’t concern me.
The moment I stand up, I feel the urge to puke.
My stomach twists violently, and heat rushes through my body as cold sweat beads across my forehead.
“Oh God—”
I barely make it to the toilet before throwing up every bite of my breakfast.
“Ugh.” I groan weakly once I’m done. “I definitely shouldn’t have eaten that much.”
I stay there for another minute before slowly pushing myself upright and turning on the shower.
Maybe cold water will help me feel human again.
After sleeping the afternoon away, I finally feel like myself again.
Miles insisted on taking me out for dinner.
Now we’re sitting in a booth at a small diner near the resort, waiting for our food while he keeps trying to make me laugh.
I roll my eyes. “You’re insufferably cheesy.”
“Lies.” He points a straw at me. “You like me extra with a side of cheese.”
A laugh slips out of me just as our food arrives.
But the greasy smell of fries hits me, making me queasy.
“Are you okay?” he asks, a fry suspended halfway to his mouth.
“Ugh.” I grab my ice water and take a long sip. “I think all the stress and exhaustion finally caught up with me.” I shrug lightly. “I bottled it all up while trying to survive that wedding, but now that I’m finally here with you…” I exhale slowly. “I think my body’s crashing.”
Miles stares at me, like he’s studying every single feature of my face.
“I promise I’m fine.” I reach for his hand and squeeze it reassuringly.
He finally exhales through his mouth.
“I just don’t want anything to happen to you, sugar.”
The emotion in his voice hits me harder than I expect, and my heart swells inside my chest.
“I’m fine,” I say softly. “And if I wasn’t, you’d be the first person I’d tell.”
A small smile finally appears on his lips.
Little by little, I manage to eat a few bites, and before long, I start feeling more like myself.
When we get back to the suite, I notice a bucket of champagne chilling on the table beside chocolate-covered strawberries and a voucher for a complimentary night at the resort.
A grin spreads across my face.
“Maybe we should come back during winter,” I say as I pick up one of the strawberries. “I’d love to go skiing with you here.”
“Next winter?” He closes the distance, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. “Are you planning on keeping me around that long, Ms. Levine?”
I smile up at him. “I’m planning on keeping you for as long as you’ll have me.”
Something warm and almost disbelieving flashes across his face before he kisses me exactly the way I’ve been craving all day. Deep and possessive.
“I’m going to take a quick shower,” he murmurs against my lips. “Then I’ll be right back to take care of you properly, boss. Sounds good?”
I nod lazily, already half melted from the kiss alone.
The second he disappears into the bathroom, I crawl onto the bed with every intention of getting naked and waiting for him exactly like that.
But when my head touches the pillow, exhaustion completely knocks me out.