The Independent One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance
COPYRIGHT ©2016 by Camille Coats Checketts
All rights reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
COPYRIGHT ©2016 by Camille Coats Checketts
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Birch River Publishing
Smithfield, Utah
Published in the United States of America
Cover design: Christina Dymock
Photo credits: LUTFI-LURE
Interior design: Heather Justesen
Editing: Daniel Coleman
To my amazing mom, Anne Coats. Thank you for being my cheerleader, my example, and one of my best friends. I love you more than I can express and would be lost without your love and support.
I’ve heard it said that some people come into your life and quickly leave—others leave footprints on your heart. Jeanette and Cami are two wonderful authors and women who have left their mark on my heart. Their overwhelming support, knowledge, and general goodness have pushed me forward as a writer and nurtured me as a friend. That’s why I’m pleased to introduce you to their new and innovative series: The Billionaire Bride Pact Romances.
In each story, you’ll find romance and character growth. I almost wrote personal growth—forgetting these are works of fiction—because the books we read become a part of us, their words stamped into our souls. As with any good book, I disappeared into the pages for a while and was able to walk sandy beaches, visit a glass blowing shop, and spend time with a group of women who had made a pact—a pact that influenced their lives, their loves, and their dreams.
I encourage you to put your feet up, grab a cup of something wonderful, and fall in love with a billionaire today.
Wishing you all the best,
Lucy McConnell
Author of The Professional Bride
I, Haley Turnbow, do solemnly swear that I will marry a billionaire and live happily ever after. If I fail to meet my pledge, I will stand up at my wedding reception and sing the Camp Wallakee theme song.
Haley Turnbow shielded her eyes from the sun, clinging to her five-year old’s hand to prevent him from bouncing over the railing of the small ferry. The lush island they’d been watching for the past hour came into focus and she gasped, awed by the beauty of palm trees, sandy beaches, and a forest of trees climbing the mountainside. Restaurants and small shops lined the harbor to the north with small beach huts beyond, and a massive, classic hotel was south of the long stretch of beach in front of them. Flowers and flowering trees grew everywhere. It was her vision of paradise and they were going to enjoy it for an entire week.
“Look at that, Mama,” Taz tugged at her hand and pointed to a yacht sailing past them.
“Wow,” was all Haley could manage. She’d fallen into a Hollywood movie scene—a cross between Jurassic Park and James Bond—without the risk of death by dinosaur. She was still a spectator, but it was cool to see anyway.
Their tour guide, on this boat that seemed too plush and sleek to be a ferry, explained, “The Isla del Sol has been inhabited for only the past hundred years when wealthy investor, Travis Schofield, purchased the island from the United States government and built the Hotel del Sol. The hotel boasts four hundred rooms, including luxurious suites, a shopping plaza, a beautiful pool area, and even a resident ghost who is said to haunt only the most beautiful of women.” She pumped her eyebrows and smirked right at Haley. A chill raced through her.
“The entire island is still privately owned. Even though the closest mainland is Mexico, it is considered part of the state of California,” the tour guide continued. “The tropical island boasts everything from world class restaurants and five-star accommodations to its own medical clinic and even an indoor ice skating rink.”
“Ice skating?” Taz’s dark eyes lit up.
Haley thought it was a very good thing they had a medical clinic. Taz’s real name was Tyler, but he’d been such a wild little baby Haley’s mother had renamed him the Tasmanian Devil and it had stuck. The name still fit him too well as full speed and crashing into things was definitely his style. Haley was on a first name basis with Poison Control.
“Ice skating would be fun.” As long as he didn’t break another arm.
“Yeah. I bet I’ll rock at it.” Taz clapped twice, lifted his arms, and threw one out to the side and the other across his face. “Dab.”
“I bet you will rock at it.” Heavens, she needed to stop letting him hang out with his Uncle Isaac. Her brother made her laugh and drove her crazy. The little dance moves and phrases Taz picked up from him were cute… for a five-year old.
“The island is four miles long and two miles wide, but only the east and south sides are inhabitable.” The tour guide gestured to the jungle. “The middle of the island is mountainous with sharp drop-offs. The north and west shores are rocky and dangerous. Stay on the marked paths and roads at all times.” She took a quick breath. “The ferries run at nine a.m. and five p.m. both directions. If you want to go to the mainland just make sure you return on the five p.m. ferry or you’ll be stuck there overnight.” She clapped her hands together. “Enjoy your stay on the beautiful Isla del Sol.”
They waited as the boat docked and then Haley gathered up their suitcases and her purse. Keeping Taz right in front of her, they made their way down the gangway. “Keep touching me, bud,” she reminded him over and over again.
Taz sighed and placed one hand on her arm as he shuffled in front of her, his backpack brushing against her legs. They were both tired from their fifteen hour drive yesterday. Staying in a crappy, cheap hotel last night with only one bed hadn’t helped. Her back probably had bruises from Taz kicking her.
“The hotel shuttles are right over here.” The tour guide pointed to a line-up of vans waiting for the people disembarking the ferry. A driver loaded Haley’s luggage in the back then they settled into their seats. Haley breathed a sigh of relief. Taz was buckled in next to her and for a few moments couldn’t fall into any water. She hadn’t realized how stressful that boat ride had been until now.
“Mama!” Taz pointed out his window. “Look at the beautiful flowers. Oh. Look at the sand. Can I play in it?”
“For sure, bud. We just need to get settled in our room first.”
“Kay.” He bounced excitedly in his seat then turned and planted several kisses on her arm, saying in between each kiss, “I love you so much and so much and so much!”
Haley laughed and some of the other passengers in the van joined in. “I love you too, Taz.” He might be wild, but her boy was the most loving five-year old she’d ever been around.
“What a sweetie,” a beautiful brunette turned around from the seat in front of them. “You make me miss my little boys.”
“Been away from them for twelve whole hours,” her husband grumbled but he had a twinkle in his eye. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
She leaned in and kissed her husband’s cheek. “You’re not as soft to kiss on.”
He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. “Well, you’re a lot more fun to kiss on.”
Haley looked away, but it was impossible to not hear the kiss and low wo
rds they exchanged. Her parents used to have a marriage like that, but she had little hope of finding it for herself. Taz’s father had taught her well to be leery around men, even if they seemed to have the total package. She was very careful who she dated. The few men she’d gone out with more than once in her small hometown were either completely un-enticing to her or pathetic attempts at a future stepdad for Taz.
“Excuse us,” the lady said when she finally came up for air. “Twenty year anniversary. We’ve never left our boys before.”
Haley smiled. “Congratulations. I hope you have a wonderful time.”
“Oh, we will.” The husband winked at his wife.
The van stopped and everyone climbed out and walked around back to claim their luggage. The bellhops piled bags on carts and started escorting patrons into the hotel. Haley grabbed their two suitcases.
“Ma’am, let me take that luggage for you,” a teenage boy in a retro uniform said.
“No, thank you.” Haley didn’t want to spend all her hard-saved cash on tips. She could handle a bit of luggage.
“Bye, cute boy,” the brunette waved to Taz.
Taz ran and threw himself at her legs, giving her a quick squeeze. “I love you.”
She and her husband both laughed.
“Ah, I love you too,” she said.
The husband pulled out a roll of lifesavers and handed them to Taz. “Take these and keep your hands off my wife,” he said good-naturedly.
Taz grabbed the candy. “Thanks!”
The couple walked away arm in arm and Haley ignored the twinge of jealousy. Twenty years and who knew how many boys they’d been referring to. What would that level of trust and love feel like? They appeared to be still attracted to each other and enjoying each other’s company. Haley wondered if she could ever give herself to someone so completely. She didn’t even know what kind of man could inspire that kind of trust in her. It seemed like a Hollywood dream that Haley would never attain.
She shook her head to clear it and had to fight off another bellhop as she shepherded Taz inside.
Cal Johnson watched the waves crash on the beach below the picture windows in his second story office. Pushing one of the windows open, he smelled the salty tang of the sea and sighed with pleasure. This office made all the headache of trying to oversee the Hotel del Sol and the entire island worth it. He’d bought the island and hotel a year ago when the original owner’s family got in a battle over the inheritance and stopped paying the mortgage. The bank unloaded it to the highest bidder for a measly fifty million. It was more than worth the investment.
He loved every inch of his own spot of paradise, but Johnson was nothing if not a hard worker. He’d updated most of the hotel’s guest rooms and public areas, except the elevator as it was a classic and he didn’t quite know how to update it without ruining the effect. He’d also improved customer service by making sure the guests at his hotel were waited on hand and foot and the employees were dressed in retro outfits that fit the nostalgic feel of the hotel. The rooms were five hundred to two thousand dollars a night and he was at an eight-two percent occupancy, almost twenty percent above the national average.
When he felt good about his hotel, he’d turned his focus to the restaurants and small shops on the island as well as improving the hiking trails and making sure there were warning signs and fences for dangerous areas of hiking or swimming. Most of the other businesses were privately owned, but so far everyone had received his ideas and instructions with open arms.
His phone rang. Johnson smiled as he answered it, “Tucker.”
“Hey. How’s it feel to be king of your own island?”
Johnson laughed. His own little kingdom. And a pretty one it was too. “Busy, but good. When are you and Maryn coming to visit?”
“You got a suite reserved for us? We’ll need lots of alone time.”
“Stinking newlyweds.” Johnson was thrilled for his best friend. Tucker’s new wife was fun, beautiful, and perfect for him. If Johnson felt a bit of jealousy at their happiness it was only because he’d dated lots of women and hadn’t found anyone close to Maryn’s equal. He constantly teased her about dumping Tucker for him. It was all a joke as he cared too much for his friend and would never dream of coming between a married couple. It was also blatantly obvious that Maryn and Tucker were head over heels about each other. Someday he’d find his own Maryn. Maybe. Women like that didn’t come along every day.
“I’ll spare you the details,” Tucker said.
Johnson groaned. “Did you call just to rub in your marital bliss?”
Tucker chuckled. “Maryn wants to set you up on a date.”
Oh, no. The dreaded setup. “Am I really that pathetic?”
“She thinks you need to stop dating super models. She’s got the ‘perfect girl’ for you. ‘Innocent, sweet, and beautiful.’ Her words, not mine.”
“I’ll think about it.” Johnson trusted Maryn, but getting setup on dates was admitting you couldn’t find your own woman, a.k.a. turning in your man card. Johnson found plenty of innocent, sweet, and beautiful women. Okay, maybe not always sweet or innocent, but there were plenty of women out there who he could take out.
“I’ll tell her no.”
“Have you ever done that before?” Johnson chuckled, imagining the fire in Maryn’s eyes if anyone stood in her way.
“First time for everything.”
“I don’t want to see that.”
“Agreed.” Tuck groaned. “But she’s so cute when she’s angry, I might try it.”
Johnson laughed and rolled his eyes. Nobody looked cute when they were angry. Glancing at his three computer screens, Johnson scrolled through the camera angles of the main entry, shops, and pool area. A large group of people waited for the elevator.
“Hey, bro. The ferry just got here.” He rubbed his hands together. His favorite time of the day, greeting new guests. People energized him, especially people who were as excited about his hotel and island as he was, and usually new guests were almost as excited as those who had enjoyed the luxury for a week and were already booking their return trip.
“Any single ladies on the ferry?”
“There’s always a few.” Not that Johnson ever dated the women who came to his island. He’d take the helicopter northeast to Southern California most Saturdays and hang out with friends or take a pretty girl on a date, but on his island he wanted to focus on work.
“Find someone soon. I don’t know how long I can hold off Maryn.”
“I’ll work on it.” Johnson laughed easily though his insides clenched. What did they think he’d been doing the past five years? He’d dated every beautiful woman he met to see if she was the one for him. Sadly, he hadn’t found the right one yet. There wasn’t anything indefinably wrong with the women he dated, but he knew they wouldn’t hold his attention for a lifetime. Yes, he wanted sweet and innocent like Maryn kept trying to find him, but he also wanted a little fire and some depth, like Maryn. Someone who had been through hard things and could understand that he wasn’t perfect. If he told most of the girls he dated that he’d been a sniper for the army and killed on command, they’d probably either run the other direction or think it was sexy.
He shook off the introspection. It was time to work. Smoothing his dress pants, he stood and walked out his door.
“Go put those dimples to work, old boy,” Tucker said.
“I’m on it, big guy.” He pocketed his phone and grinned. Maybe someday soon he’d bend to Maryn’s demand and go out with one of her friends. He hoped a miracle would happen before then and he’d find his own Maryn.
A suitcase in each hand thumped up the staircase behind Haley as her arms screamed out their agony. She elevated one shoulder in a vain attempt to keep her purse from slipping off. Who planned this hotel to have the check-in desk on the second floor? She gazed longingly at the elevator, gliding up to the second story next to her. It was an ancient contraption with an intricate wrought-iron gate, a loud mech
anical hum, and an operator that looked like he’d been here since the thing was invented. Sadly, all of the above had scared her boy, so they opted for the stairs. The elevator looked lovely about now.
She adjusted her grip on the handles again. The suitcases were loaded with clothes, toys, snacks, and food so they wouldn’t have to go out for too many meals. Why hadn’t she let one of the bellhops help her? She’d won this trip for free on the radio. There was no reason to be quite so tight about a few dollars.
Haley turned back to check on Taz. “You doing okay, buddy?”
“Rockin’ it, Mama.” His dark curls bounced as he pumped up the stairs. He only had his backpack, but it was stuffed full of truck books and she worried it was too heavy for him. Grinning at her, he threw his arms to the side to do a dab, or whatever he called it, again. The motion threw him off balance. He started to teeter. Before Haley could scream a warning, the weight of his backpack pulled him further off kilter and he flipped over backwards.
“Taz!” Haley let go of her suitcases and ran down to him. Pulled by his backpack, he thumped down the stairs. He gained momentum as he skidded then rolled a couple of times, hitting his head into the wall before finally making it to the landing and banging into the legs of a classy-looking older lady. She sprawled on top of him with a cry of surprise.
The suitcases slid behind Haley and almost took out the elderly gentleman who was trying to help his wife and Taz off the ground. He assisted his wife to her feet and Haley rushed for Taz.
A tall, well-built man swept in before Haley could reach Taz and easily lifted her boy into his arms. “Hey, bud, you’re not supposed to do flips on this staircase, that’s for the diving board.”
Taz laughed and Haley’s heart slowed a few beats. “Taz,” she cried out.
The man turned with her son and she noticed dimples and blue eyes, but she could only focus on her boy. Taz launched himself into her arms. Haley held him close, inhaling the baby lotion he kept claiming he was too old for. She took several long breaths as she tried to reassure herself he was okay.
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