“Never,” I said, turning back to him.
When the song ended, he led me off the floor, and we made our way toward a set of double doors, in search of fresh air. Halfway to them, someone stopped us. A tall, dark-skinned man I knew to be Landon’s new business partner.
“Congratulations,” he said, leaning in to hug me. “Happy to have another Hill to back the company name,” he said.
Landon had named his new facility Hill Sports Medicine. Because this one was well and truly his—and he was proud to have his name on the building. As Prestige continued to bleed both money talent, Landon easily found backers for a new complex. One that would assure investors that he was the man running the show, restoring his reputation and clout one day at a time.
It seemed fitting, now, that he hadn’t named the last company for himself. That Alexa couldn’t take that, when she took Prestige.
And now, with my new biochemistry focus, partnering with Landon made sense. He would be hiring established professionals, of course. People I could learn form. Work with. He’d promised me a part in the hiring process, so that I could form the kind of group I would be happy working amongst.
But some day, I’d head my own department. When I was qualified. I would create my own position, once I’d had time to tour other successful facilities, figure out what I was most drawn to.
Somehow life had gone from a dead end, to a wide open highway that could twist and turn in any direction I wanted it to.
“Thanks, Terry,” I said. “You’ll be there next month for the ground breaking, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
It was ceremonial more than anything—the permitting for the facility Landon had in mind would take months. But he’d closed on the property, a twenty-acre site near the Seahawks training facility, with a river wrapping around it. On closing day, Landon dragged out a picnic blanket and a couple bottles of champagne, and we sat there for hours, getting tipsy and celebrating.
“We’ll see you there,” Landon said, hugging him. “But for now, no more business.”
Terry grinned. “Alright, alright. I’ll let you two enjoy your night.”
He left us then, and we continued our path toward the two enormous double doors, onto a balcony. It was a little chilly, and therefore mostly empty, but it had a stunning view of the Puget Sound. Two ferries crossed in the waterway, one docking somewhere below us, and the other heading to Bainbridge Island. The stars had glittered to life while we’d dined and danced, and the moon hung low over the water.
I stepped up to the railing, and Landon wrapped an arm around me, resting it on the railing on the other side of my hips.
“Beautiful,” I said, taking in the scene. But when I glanced up at him, to see if he was admiring the view, he was staring at me.
“I agree. You took my breath away today.”
“You look pretty damn fine yourself,” I said, turning to face him and resting my hip against the railing. He slid his arms around me, his hands resting at the small of my back.
“Thank you,” he said, his eyes intense.
“For what?”
“For giving me another chance. For not letting us lose each other. I’ll never forget the way you’ve been there for me, baby.”
I smiled, because it was impossible not to. “Everything happened the way it was supposed to,” I said.
“And now I just want you to know that I’m going to spend every second of every day being here—right now—for you.”
“Oh Landon,” I said, my voice choked with emotion.
So much had happened in the last several years. Losing my mom. Losing Landon. And then finding him again. Finding myself again. It was like I’d stopped living while he was gone.
Like my life was him, and here, on this balcony in my wedding gown, a big diamond on my finger, was where it would truly begin again.
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you too,” he said.
And then he leaned into kiss me.
Everything seemed to flash before my eyes.
All of those old memories, and the pain and longing of not having the person I loved—all of the fun times and bad times and the times we were apart…all of it made a tapestry, all of it connected to this amazing moment.
I felt so full I could burst.
His lips were on mine, and I felt his soul, and I knew then that everything from now on would be new—new memories, new good times, even some hard times we’d get through together…but it would all be new and fresh and so exciting.
I’d never in my life been so happy to greet the next moment of my life as I was right then.
And I had a feeling that this was my new normal, and I smiled, as I let the love of my life sweep me into his arms and into the future.
THE END
Return of The Bad Boy by Paige North
Chapter 1