The crowd started to clap, and the applause grew and grew into something monstrous. Some people stood, and Owen joined them.
Zach stayed at the podium, obviously not finished yet. Once the applause died down, he said, “My dad’s not perfect, just in case some of you think he is. But he’s taught me a lot about hard work, perseverance, and being there. So if you have someone like that in your life, thank them today. If you don’t, be that person for someone else. I just wanted to say thanks to my dad for sticking around and being there, and to Fisher and Stacey DuPont, who sometimes picked up the slack when my dad couldn’t. And I hope my dad will once again prove that he’s the kind of man who will work through rough things.”
Zach turned to his right, and Owen followed his gaze, his heart stopping at the sight of that streaked dark brown hair.
“No,” he said.
“I’d like to invite Gina up, who has a few things to say as well. Thank you.” Zach stepped back from the microphone as more applause filled the arena.
Gina wore a navy blue dress with sleeves to her elbow. The silver jewelry and loads of makeup couldn’t erase her absolute terror.
“Did you know she was back?” Fisher asked, and Owen shook his head.
“What’s she going to say?” Stacey asked.
Owen had no idea. He wanted to leave, but couldn’t even move a single muscle. Down the row, his friends twittered about Gina’s sudden appearance on the island, and the crowd quieted when she leaned forward to speak into the mic.
Chapter Twenty-One
Gina’s heart would surely explode at any moment. Though Zach’s graduating class was only two hundred and eighty people, she felt like she was standing in front of millions.
Only one matters, she told herself. She knew where Owen was sitting. The man was like the sun to her soul, always pulling her in with his huge gravitational force.
She didn’t dare look to her left, instead deciding to focus her words in the center to the students.
“Hello,” she said, glad when the microphone didn’t squeal. “I’m grateful to Zach for giving me a few minutes of his speech time today. Honestly, I think he was relieved when I texted him.”
The crowd laughed, and Gina relaxed a little. “Isn’t he a great kid? Such wise words. While I didn’t think I was doing anything extraordinary at the time, he sure made me sound good.” She smiled, getting only a few chuckles now. People just wanted to see their student walk across the stage. So Gina got right to the point with, “I think that’s how most things in life are. We don’t realize how hard something is until we’re through it. We don’t understand how important something is until it’s over. We don’t realize how extraordinary we are until the crisis has passed.”
She looked at the students. “So take on important things. Be extraordinary. And most of all, when you do something wrong, own it and apologize for it.”
Her eyes went to Owen, who wore a look halfway between hope and hate. “That’s why I’m here today. See, I did something wrong, and I need to apologize for it. I started a relationship with a great man when I wasn’t ready for it. I hurt him, and his kids. I left without talking to him. And I put my job above my heart. So today, in front of all these people, I just want to say I’m sorry, Owen. I don’t deserve a second chance, but maybe you’ll find it in your heart to give me one anyway.”
He didn’t so much as twitch or move. Gina’s heart couldn’t take the stormy look on his face for another moment, so she turned her focus down the row of people with him.
“That’s all I needed to say. I’m sorry, and I hope anyone I’ve hurt can forgive me.” She stepped back from the microphone, gave Zach a big hug, and hurried down the steps as fast as her heels would carry her.
Behind her, the program went on, the band setting up to play something.
Gina needed to get out of this arena as fast as possible. Get back to the apartment she’d rented while she waited for the house she’d bought to go through some basic renovations and repairs.
Her phone bleeped out a notification she hadn’t heard in a while, and she knew it was Owen. She almost didn’t dare look to see what he’d said.
She did anyway, because she was going to take Zach’s advice and do hard things. Show up and be there.
Where are you?
She didn’t want to tell him she was leaving, because he wouldn’t be able to follow. Surely he wanted to see his oldest son graduate.
Headed back to my apartment, she thumbed out. Come by when you can. I know you’re busy today. She typed in the address and hit send.
Owen’s next message said, I miss you, Gina, and filled her whole heart with hope. A smile touched her lips, and Gina left the arena with a bounce in her step that hadn’t been there for months.
As the hours passed, Gina wondered if Owen would show up. She wasn’t great in the kitchen, so she couldn’t distract herself with baking. She didn’t dare eat, in the hopes that he’d take her to dinner and profess his undying love for her.
She shook her head at her wishful thinking and moved onto the balcony that faced the beach. She didn’t live beach-side—not yet. Her three-bedroom cottage had it’s own private beach, but she wanted new floors throughout and the whole thing painted before she moved in.
She’d been over to it every day in the past ten days since the sale had been accepted, and she was expanding the closet herself.
Leaning against the railing, she let the bay breeze trail across her face, a solid reminder that she loved this island and everything about it.
Including Owen.
A knock on the door had her spinning physically and mentally. “Just a minute,” she called, hoping with everything inside her that it would be the tall, dreamy general manager on the other side.
Gina smoothed her hair and crossed through the kitchen and living room to open the door.
Owen stood there, his hands in his pockets and his head bent. He lifted his eyes to hers and drank her in without saying a single thing.
“I’m sorry,” she blurted. “You probably hated that speech, but I couldn’t think of anything big enough to let you know how honestly sorry I am.”
Owen blinked, the only reaction at all. Gina felt like someone had shaken an entire six-pack of soda and opened them all at the same time inside her stomach.
“Will you please say something?”
Owen took one tiny step forward and then fell back again. “Are you moving here?”
Gina braced against the question and then relaxed. “This is my temporary apartment. I couldn’t live at Sweet Breeze forever, even though their long-term apartment suites are gorgeous. Especially the closets.” She grinned, hoping that he’d soften just a little. Take those hands out of his pockets and hold her close.
“But I bought a beach house, sort of down by you, actually. It’s been abandoned for a while, so it needs some work. I should be able to move in by the end of June.”
“Move in permanently.” This time it wasn’t a question, so maybe they were making progress.
“Yes, Owen. Permanently. I hired a new general manager for my Dallas office. They’re going to handle the residential business, like we’d talked about. I have a couple of floors in that newly renovated building in east bay for my corporate closet division. I’m heading that up, right here in Getaway Bay.”
Owen’s eyes lit up. “Maybe you’ll need a general manager for that. I happen to know a very good one.”
Gina laughed, hoping that was the right response. “Please. Fisher would have kittens if I took you from Sweet Breeze. Plus, you’d be bored out of your mind. Right now, I only have one client.”
“Hmm.” He took that step again, this time committing to it. “You’re resourceful. You’ll have more in no time.”
“I don’t want you to be my general manager.” Gina swallowed, her throat still a bit sticky and dry.
“No?”
“No.” She shook her head and reached for the lapels on his jacket to draw him closer to he
r. “I want you to be my boyfriend. My partner in life. My best friend. My confidante. My lover.”
That got him to finally soften, and he brought those hands and arms around her. Gina hadn’t realized how much she’d missed him until he cradled her against his chest like she was something precious. He leaned his forehead against hers, the scent of him almost overpowering Gina’s senses.
“Are you ready for all of that?” he asked, his breath whispering down the side of her face.
“I honestly don’t know. But I can’t keep pretending I’m not in love with you.”
He pulled back and looked into her eyes, searching them for the truth, but Gina had already spoken it.
“It might take time,” she said. “It’s probably unfair of me to come back and ask for your forgiveness when I’m not sure I’m ready to take things farther than we already had.”
But even as she spoke, Gina knew she was ready to move past where they’d been, truly invite him all the way inside her life.
“I don’t mind waiting,” Owen said. “But you have to talk to me. I didn’t think I was a very needy guy, but I don’t like the guessing games. The wondering. Maybe I’m just too old for that kind of stuff.”
“I’m ready to talk,” Gina said, her promises to Doctor White—her promises to herself—about to be kept. “But you might regret it. You might wish I’d shut up.”
Owen grinned and shook his head. “I don’t think so, sweetheart.” He dipped his head toward hers as if he’d kiss her, stalling at the last moment. “Do we need to talk first, or can I kiss you?”
“Kiss me, please.” Gina’s eyes drifted closed, and the anticipation of kissing the man she loved was so delicious, she held onto the moment for as long as she could. Then she tipped up and matched her mouth to his.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Owen watched Zach draw the packing tape over the top of the last box and stand back. “That’s it.” He looked around his bedroom where they’d been working for a few hours. Owen did too, a hint of pride mixing with his nerves.
“You can come stay anytime,” Owen said. “Let’s get these out to the truck.”
Zach had arranged with Fisher to borrow one of the maintenance trucks from the hotel so he could move his stuff. He’d been assigned to live in a dorm with a couple of other guys from his high school, and one of their fathers had a boat. So if Zach could get his boxes to the boat, the three of them had gone in together to have a truck waiting on Oahu to get their belongings into their dorms.
Owen picked up a box and carried it around the corner. “Coop, we’re loading up.”
Cooper slid off the barstool and walked into Zach’s room too, while Owen continued toward the front door. He rarely used this door, as he always pulled into the garage. He managed to get it open while juggling the box and he left it gaping behind him for his sons.
Together, they got all of Zach’s boxes into the back of the pickup in about ten minutes. Owen looked at the few boxes and garbage bags full of towels and clothes. It seemed impossible that Zach could reduce his life to so little, but he didn’t need any furniture for the dorm.
“If you find you need a car over there,” Owen said. “Let me know. None of this secretive stuff like Maizee or being the valedictorian.” He grinned at Zach. “Okay?”
Zach smiled back at him. “All right, Dad.”
Owen let Zach get behind the wheel, and he waited for Cooper to slide into the middle of the bench seat before joining his sons in the cab of the truck. The drive down to the docks only took fifteen minutes, and Owen found himself wanting to hold onto Zach for just a little longer.
But he knew it was time to let him go, so Owen sat silently while Zach got out of the truck to talk to his friend. The other boy indicated the boat—which was a giant yacht—and Zach gestured for Cooper and Owen to come help him.
Owen took one garbage bag full of Zach’s shirts and headed for the yacht. The other boy—Peter—showed Zach where to put his stuff, and where he’d be sleeping on the week-long journey toward Oahu.
Owen found Peter’s father on the top deck and he introduced himself. “Thank you for doing this, Shawn,” he said. “It’s a huge help.”
“No problem.” The burly man had a quick smile and a good air about him. “And they’ll get a little vacation on the way. Seas are supposed to be calm.”
Owen wasn’t too terribly worried about the trip from island to island, but it was nice to know Shawn had at least checked the weather. And with a boat like this, he was obviously an experienced seaman.
“Let me give you my number,” Owen said, pulling out his phone. “In case there are any issues on the yacht, or when you get to Oahu, with the truck.” He dictated his number while Shawn typed it in and a moment later, Owen got a message from him. He saved the contact and turned toward the water.
It was a gloriously sunny day, and Owen felt the joy of the warm, golden light way down in his soul.
“Dad,” Zach called, and Owen turned to leave.
“Thank you again.”
“No problem, Owen.” Shawn gave him another smile. “Did you get back together with Gina?”
Owen turned back to him, surprise flowing freely through him.
“I was at graduation. Good speech your boy gave.”
“Oh, yes.” Owen smiled too. “Thank you.” He started down to the main deck. “And yes, I got back together with Gina.”
He found Zach near the plank leading back to land, and they walked off the boat together. “All right,” Owen said, sighing. “I guess this is good-bye for a while.”
“Just a couple of months,” Zach said. “I’ll come home for a week before fall semester starts.”
Owen wrapped his oldest son in a hug, memories flying through his mind like bullets. There were so many milestones—his first word, first step, first lost tooth, first day of school. So many happy memories of them at the beach, snorkeling, going to luaus, taking hikes up to the lava cliffs.
This was just another one. Another first. Another step in a life that would hopefully be wonderful and good.
“Love you, Zach,” Owen said, the hitch in his voice obvious. He didn’t even try to hide it.
Zach hugged Cooper too, a little tighter and a little longer than he did Owen, and then he finally stepped back. “I’ll call you,” he said. “Whenever I have service, okay?”
Owen nodded and put his arm around Cooper’s shoulders. They trembled a little, testifying that his youngest son was really struggling. Owen didn’t know how to help him other than to do exactly what Zach had told all the seniors at his high school to do: Be there.
Zach disappeared onto the yacht with his friends, and Owen took a few deep breaths. “Well, should we get some lunch?”
Two weeks later, Owen found himself moving more boxes, this time for Gina as she moved out of her temporary apartment and into her beach cottage. The house sat only two miles from Owen’s home, a fact he’d noted silently and kept to himself.
She’d had the inside completely redone, from the flooring, to the paint, to the furnishings. It was light and airy and perfectly Gina. The house had three bedrooms, and she set up one as hers and one as an office.
“What about this last one?” Owen asked.
“Oh, maybe I’ll have guests one day,” she said lightly, breezing out the door to get another item and bring it into the house.
Sasha and Lexie both moved around the kitchen, unpacking boxes while their husbands carried in the couch, a rocking chair, a desk, and more boxes. Owen felt somewhat adrift, but he managed to keep himself busy though he mostly stood by Gina while she gave directions to the other men.
Once all the big stuff was in, Gina called and ordered pizza for everyone, and an unpacking party began. Owen knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight if there was a single item out of place, though he had seen her apartment a few days ago and it had looked like a bomb had gone off. So maybe she’d eased up a bit on her controlling tendencies.
They’d sp
ent a lot of time talking over the past month since Zach’s graduation. A lot of time on the beach with each other. He’d finally taken her to get that snorkeling gear and they’d spent time exploring life under the ocean. Life with each other, too.
They’d have a very serious conversation about children when Stacey had shown up to the Beach Club with an announcement that she and Fisher were expecting their first child next winter.
I don’t want kids, Owen.
Her voice rang through his mind as loudly now as it had then. He handed her a stack of plates, and she turned to survey the cupboards before deciding on one.
Owen didn’t particularly want more children—he’d just sent his adult son off to college—but he’d have done whatever Gina had wanted. And she didn’t want children, and Owen was fine with that.
She still saw her therapist every week, but the difference was, she told him about it. Worked through things with him instead of holding him on the fringes of her life. And if it were possible, he’d fallen even more in love with her.
“Pizza’s here,” Jasper announced, and Owen breathed a sigh of relief. He worked hard at Sweet Breeze but it was nothing like packing and moving, which he’d done twice now in a short period of time.
He thought about the diamond Jasper had helped him pick out a couple of days ago. He hadn’t brought it to Gina’s beach cottage, knowing full-well that she was not ready to get engaged. But Owen wanted to be ready at the first sign that she was ready, and he thought he’d have a pretty good idea of when that was.
It didn’t happen in July, or August, and as September came to a close and Gina worked feverishly to finish the last closet at the hotel, Owen wondered if maybe he should just give up on the idea of getting married before he turned fifty.
His forty-seventh birthday was just around the corner, and well, he wouldn’t exactly be surprised if it took three years to get Gina down the aisle.
The Billionaire's Boyfriend (Clean Billionaire Beach Club Romance Book 6) Page 14
