by KB Winters
Chapter Ten — Livvie
To say that Conquer Entertainment’s first annual Sound Off was a success would’ve been a massive understatement. By the end of the event, Remy and I had offered contracts to sixteen of the eighteen bands and went from zero clients to more than we probably could handle, but the boost enabled us to formally offer full time positions to Kaylee and Mitch, and we also brought on an admin clerk, Sadie, to round out our staff which allowed us to hit the ground running as soon as the contacts were signed and all the legal stuff was handled.
“This place is amazing,” I said, holding onto Remy’s arm.
We were standing inside the new Conquer Entertainment office that Remy had leased. The painters had finally finished and the furniture had been moved in. By Monday, we would be able to officially start using the space after months of waiting on renovations.
“Thank you.” I turned and gave him a sweet kiss.
“You don’t have to keep saying that,” he reminded me. “We’re partners, remember? You busted your ass for this, just as much as I did.”
I fidgeted. “I know, but I also know this wasn’t your first choice, and I want you to know that I see that sacrifice, and I appreciate it.”
He nodded in acknowledgement but stayed silent.
“I know about the restaurant, Remy.”
He turned and looked down at me. “What are you talking about?”
“The plans, on your desk.”
He casually strolled across the room to retrieve an envelope from the new front reception desk. “What plans?”
“The blueprints? What were those for if not—?”
“Oh, you saw those?”
I nodded. “I thought you were planning your restaurant and that when that happened, you’d leave Conquer.”
He crossed back over to me and took me into his arms. “Never going to happen, lady.”
I let myself melt into him, and for the first time since seeing those plans on his desk, I felt safe and secure again. Remy wasn’t going anywhere. He wasn’t going to abandon me or chase some other woman or some other dream.
He was mine, and I was his.
“I drew those up when I was planning the Sound Off,” he explained after a moment. “I wanted everything to be perfect, so I mapped it all out. You know, where the booths would go, how to do the lighting, music, dance floor. I know I can be a little off the wall, but deep down, I’m actually a details person.”
I smiled. I’d already known that about him. I’d watched him cook countless meals with precisions and attention to detail that was essential for a gourmet chef. “What about the notes on fixtures and menu items?”
“Wow, you really studied those things,” Remy said with a laugh.
I blushed, a little embarrassed at outing myself.
Remy stroked my hair to reassure me. “I was dreaming a little. I had the plans and it got me thinking about what I’d call my place, the things I liked, didn’t. You know.”
I nodded. I couldn’t help a sad rush at knowing that he’d given up his dream of a restaurant for my dreams. I wished I could snap my fingers and get him to the same place I was, watching all his dreams come true and for the rewards of hard work to finally start pouring in.
“Do you think—I mean, do you ever wonder if this was the right choice?”
“Livvie…” His voice was low and smooth. He tilted my chin up to force me to hold his gaze. “Yes, it’s true that I gave up a lot to be here with you, and to invest in Conquer, but I don’t sit around dwelling on that like it’s some big regret. That’s why I didn’t show up for you, for our first meeting.”
“What?” He’d never confessed what had really happened, and I’d long since given up on asking.
“I wasn’t ready. If I’d done it then, it would’ve been all about me. I wanted to step in, throw around some cash and save the day, be the big shot, whatever. But that wouldn’t have been the right motive at all, and I think I would’ve resented it, and possibly, you.”
I nodded slowly,truly touched by his vulnerability. It wasn’t a side that he showed often, which made it all the more special to me in that moment.
His eyes were locked with mine as he continued. “From that very first night, I knew there was something about you. I couldn’t explain it. You were so unlike any other woman I’d ever met, and that’s why I tried so hard to make something happen. I got in too deep, too fast, and I panicked. I didn’t know what to do, which is not my favorite feeling.”
I laughed. “That part, I knew.”
Remy smiled. “But, now that we’re here” he swept his eyes around our beautiful new office before landing back on me, “I think there’s something you should know.”
My body felt like pins and needles were prickling down my skin.
He smiled. “I’m in love with you.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “Remy,” I choked out. “I love you, too.”
He kissed me, soft and slow.
Our intimate moment of sweet silence was interrupted by Mitch and Kaylee coming in to report that there was a problem with the plumbing, and that if we didn’t get someone out ASAP, we were going to have to swim to work on Monday.
They left to call the plumber and I looked up at Remy. “And to think, you almost missed out on all this fun.”
Remy laughed and kissed the top of my head. “I can’t believe it.”
Epilogue
Six Months Later…
It was funny how much my life changed. In many ways, I no longer remembered the man I used to be. Instead of running around the world or flitting away my days on a beach somewhere, I got up and dressed in a suit every day, to go downtown and work in an office. Gone were the nights filled with hanging out in bars and clubs, taking home a different girl when I left. These days, I left the office hand in hand with Livvie and spent our nights cooking together or going on dates around the city. My mother was no longer ruling over my social schedule. I hadn’t been to a charity dinner, auction, or picnic in months. I hadn’t even spoken to Madge since the day she’d shown up at my penthouse and tried to come up to smooth things over.
Life was good—no, amazing.
It was nearing six o’clock, and while I liked being at work, solving problems and growing the business I was building with Livvie, tonight I couldn’t wait to leave. I had a surprise for Livvie to give her at dinner and I’d been picturing the look on her face all day long.
I stood up from my desk and looked at the tickets in my hand, two first class seats to Bora Bora. It was well past time for Livvie and me to make a little escape and have some down time. With everything going on, we were running on enthusiasm and adrenaline, and we desperately needed a little recharge time in the sun together.
The office was mostly deserted by the time I went to find Livvie. Most nights, I had to pry her away from her desk. She was so happy and in love with her job that it could be a little bit of a fight to get her to drop it for the day. However, as I crossed the office to hers, I was surprised to find her already wearing her jacket and holding her purse.
“Hey, gorgeous.” I leaned over to give her a long hello kiss.
“So, listen, I know you wanted to go to that little bistro for dinner, but I kinda made us other plans.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her as we started to leave. “What kind of plans?”
Livvie couldn’t hide her smile. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
“Come on, Liv, where are we going?”
“I can’t tell you.”
I hated this already. I trusted her, of course, but I didn’t like not knowing what was happening, where, when, and why.
She giggled at my obvious distress. “Don’t give me that face. Once we get there, I promise I’ll hand back the reins and you can do anything you want.” She whispered the last part in my ear and I was suddenly very okay with wherever she wanted to go. Her voice was seductive and full of naughty promise.
She took my keys when we got to the parking garage, and
pulled out and started cutting a path across town. I kept an eye out the window, trying to anticipate her next move, running through a hundred possibilities in my mind, but each time I thought I had her pinned down, she would take a different turn and throw me off again. When she finally parked, we were in the middle of a newer district on the outskirts of LA. She got out and waited for me on the sidewalk.
“Where are we?” I asked, shutting my door.
“Come on,” she said, offering me her hand.
She led me into the vacant restaurant. It was fully lit up, but there wasn’t another person in sight.
“Well? What do you think?” She was beaming as she waved her hands over the space.
I looked between her and the open space at least four times, before taking steps into the building. “We’re having dinner, here?”
I didn’t see a table set out for us and it looked mostly abandoned, but maybe there was a table for two tucked away in a corner I couldn’t see.
“Not tonight, but I’m sure you could arrange something with the head chef once you get everything set up,” Livvie answered.
I turned back to her. “What are you—wait, this is mine?”
She bounced in place. “Yes!”
I snapped back, seeing the space again with new eyes. “But how?”
“Well, I’ve been keeping a little secret,” she replied, mischief shining in her beautiful blue eyes.
“Don’t tell me, you’ve secretly been a billionaire the entire time?” I said, laughing.
She shoved me playfully. “No, you’re still my sugar daddy.”
I rolled my eyes at her.She’d taken to calling me that lately, even though we split the profits for everything down the middle after expenses were paid.
“Do you remember the band called Downside?”
“Yeah.We lost them to Christopher, right?”
She grinned even wider. “So we thought! It turns out that only two of the members ended up signing that contract. Christopher was in such a hurry to steal them away from us that he never got the remaining members to sign. The lead singer, Derrick, called me a couple weeks ago and told me that working with Christopher is a nightmare—I know, big shocker, right?—and they wanted to come back to us.”
“Wow.”
“Okay, okay, that’s not the best part!” She bounced up and down in place. “They had just scored a seven figure record deal and since the contract with Christopher was not legally binding due to the lack of signatures—he has no claim to any of that cash!”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, what I would’ve paid to see the look on his face!”
“I know! I have happy daydreams about it all the time. Anyway, they felt bad about screwing me over, realized I was the only one who was actually looking out for their best interests, and they are coming to us.We get thirty percent of that contract, and all future contracts.”
I heard the words she was saying, but my mind was spinning, trying to catch up.
“So, this?” I said, looking back around the restaurant.
“Yeah, baby. I signed a five-year lease this morning. This place is yours, now.” She took my hands and stared up at me, her smile still in place but her eyes were watery. “Remy. You gave me my dream, and now I’m giving you yours.”
Normally, I prided myself on not being the crying type, but as I looked back at the pure joy in Livvie’s face, I was overcome with emotion and couldn’t help but get choked up. I cleared my throat before attempting to speak, my voice thick and low, “Livvie, this is the most amazing gift that anyone has ever given to me. I don’t even know how to say thank you.”
“You don’t need to. We’re partners, remember?” she said, throwing back a line I’d given to her at the Sound Off.
“Maybe so, but I’m going to say thank you anyway. A million times.” My voice wavered and I paused to get control again, before adding,“You don’t know what this means to me.”
She grabbed my hands and looked up at me, her bright blue eyes shining with unshed tears. “I do, though.”
“Liv, I have something to tell you.”
“What?” Her eyes went a little wider and I realized I spooked her. She reached up and wiped at the corner of my eye where a tear had pooled. “Is everything okay? I hope these are tears are of joy.”
“They are! They really are!” I took her in my arms and pulled her tight to my chest.I held her for a moment while my heart raced, and breathed in the perfume of her sweet coconut shampoo, reminding me of the night we met.
She moved her cheek against my chest, straining to look up at me. “Remy?”
“Hmmm?”
“What did you need to tell me?”
I stepped back, putting a little space between us. I had been so caught up in holding her close that I had lost track of my thoughts. “Do you remember when I told Madge to fuck off?” I asked her, not wanting to ruin the moment, but I had to get it off my chest—now—before this went any further.
“Yeah, and I didn’t think—” I silenced her with my finger on her lips.
“Shhh…” I took a deep breath. Livvie looked up at me, her eyes curious and a little dark. I didn’t know how to say what I needed to say, without sounding like a complete idiot. I sighed,“Well, to be honest, I was an idiot. I’d always thought that my grandfather’s money was in her name, and therefore, her control. My entire life she’s always led me to believe that she could do whatever she wanted. Truthfully, she’s been using it to control me like a puppet most of my life—until you came into my life and I saw the depths she would go to and decided that money wasn’t worth the loss of freedom. Anyway, I had JJ do some digging, and I found out the truth.”
Livvie stepped back and asked, “What do you mean?”
I couldn’t hold back my smile anymore. It was the kind that started at the corners and spread all across my face.“It means, baby girl…”I took her hand and pulled her back into me. “…that my money is my money. Madge can’t touch it. It also means, we’re dirty, filthy, stupid rich.”
“We’re? Remy, you don’t have to. That’s yours. That’s not why I’m with you. I mean—Conquer is doing really well, and now you have your restaurant…” she said, trailing off with a bewildered look on her face.
I pulled a little box out of my pocket and crouched down on one knee. “Yes, Olivia, I do have to.” I opened the box to reveal the two carat diamond wedding ring set inside.
“Oh my God, Remy!” Her hands flew to cover her mouth and the tears that had been brewing in her eyes finally slid past her lashes and streamed down her porcelain cheeks as she looked down at me. “Yes!”
I laughed. “Can I at least ask you?”
She joined in my laughter and wiped at her tears. “Yes! I’m so sorry! Ask me!”
I cleared my throat and looked up into her glossy eyes. “Olivia Sanders, I knew the first day I saw you, I wanted…” I choked up a little. Twice in one day. Damn, I’m a pussy. “…Olivia, I have loved you…” I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat.
She sniffled and smiled. “I love you too, Remy.”
“Will you marry me?”
She nodded frantically, her smile getting wider as she watched me take the ring from the box. “Yes, Remington! Yes! I’ll marry you!”
I slid the ring onto her finger, smiling at the perfect fit and the way it sparkled and gleamed on her hand. I stood and cupped her chin and looked into the most beautiful, sapphire eyes I’d ever seen. “Then I’m the luckiest man alive.”
When our lips met, I channeled all my joy and passion into a fiery hot kiss that sealed our new life together.
****
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Acknowledgements
Thank you! I love you all and thank you for making my books a success!! I appreciate each and every one of you.
Thanks to all of my beta readers, street teamers, ARC readers and Facebook fans. Y’all are THE BEST!
And a huge very special thanks to my wonderful PA, Silla. Without you, I’d be a *hot mess! I’m still a hot mess, but without your keen sense of organization and skills, I’d be a burny fiery inferno of hot mess!! Thank you!
And a very special thanks to my editor, Tina Rucci (who sometimes has to work all through the night! *See HOT MESS above!) Thank you for making my words make sense.
Copyright © 2016 BookBoyfriends Publishing LLC
About The Author
KB Winters has an addiction to caffeine, tattoos and hard-bodied alpha males. The men in her books are very sexy, protective and sometimes bossy, her ladies are…well…bossier!
Living in sunny Southern California, the embarrassingly hopeless romantic writes every chance she gets!
