Eliza and Dwayne were in the lobby, ready to show people to their rooms. Sarah was on hand to answer any questions, and Zach was due to be there bright and early in the morning to help out with the activities. The center was running like a well-oiled machine at the moment, and Mia felt great pity that it was going to close.
They’d managed to book 16 guests altogether, which was excellent. Mia followed the last of them into the center, shivering as she did so. The summer was coming to an end now, very fitting for the end of the center too. As the seasons changed, so did their lives.
If only things could stay the same. That first day riding the rapids with Eliza and Dwayne; God, that seems like a lifetime away. Shane going missing, so much has happened here.
Her pang of sadness was soon replaced by a happy smile as she saw Eliza fooling around with Dwayne in the lobby; all the guests had been shown to their rooms, and the pair were play fighting. Sarah was watching them too and grinning: Mia went to join her behind the reception desk.
“Hey, how are you doing?” she asked, resting her elbows on the desk in front of her.
“Good Mia, and yourself?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just so sad about the center.”
“Definitely. I’ll miss working here and miss all of you, too, especially that pair of clowns!” She giggled, nodding her head in Eliza and Dwayne’s direction.
Mia laughed with her, “Yep, they’re idiots alright!”
She saw Cody approaching Eliza from behind so she couldn’t see him but Dwayne could. Cody grabbed Eliza under her arms from behind and spun her around, reminding Mia of the time he’d done that to her outside when they’d been returning from their forest encounter.
Eliza shrieked with delight as she flew through the air until Cody placed her feet back on the ground next to Dwayne, “Thanks guys for all of your help. I couldn’t have done this without any of you.”
They all agreed that they didn’t mind helping him. It felt like the right thing to do before the center closed.
“Can I talk to you a minute, Mia?” he asked with his serious face on again.
“Sure,” she answered, walking out from behind the desk and joining him.
They made their way to the empty lounge, “Listen, I got hold of my real parents last night.”
“Wow, really? That’s so exciting, Cody; what were they like?” she asked, genuinely interested.
“I spoke to my mom, Jean. She sounded surprised to hear from me.”
“I bet!”
“Her and my dad, Colin, are coming here at the end of the week to meet with me, Mia. Will you be there with me? Cos I’m shitting it, I really am!” he said touching her arm gently.
“Of course I’ll be there. If that’s what you want.”
He hugged her close and whispered in her ear, “I love you, pixie; you’ve supported me so much.”
She was grateful for her heels as she stretched up and kissed his cheek lightly, “And I love you too, Cody.”
Mia felt so close to him right now, and not just because they were hugging, but she felt close to him mentally too. She could feel his hard muscular body through the thin material of his white shirt and smell his sweet smelling cologne.
“Sorry to interrupt you two, but there’s some help arrived that I thought you might like to see,” Sarah said, quietly leaving the room again.
Mia and Cody turned to one another and followed Sarah from the room; there, standing in the lobby was young Emma, Shane’s girlfriend, and she was joined by Callum and Sophia.
“What the fuck? Really, you’ve got a fucking nerve!” Cody shouted at Callum.
Mia hugged Emma, “Hey, great to see you. How’s Shane?”
Emma smiled, her little face lighting up and turning red, “He’s good Mia. He spent some time with a therapist but is now doing good; he wanted to come with me, but I thought it might be best if Cody didn’t see him. I see Cody has problems already, so I’m glad we didn’t add to them.”
“Yeah, that’s his brother and his wife. They were the ones that informed Cody he was adopted on the night of his party,” Mia whispered, looking across at Cody as he talked to Sophia and Callum.
“Hey, Em, you can bunk in with us if that’s alright. We’re heading up now. Mia, are you going to be alright down here with all of this?” Eliza asked, holding Mia’s hand.
“I’m good, Eliza. Thanks so much, you guys, and thanks Emma for showing up.” She smiled at the trio as they headed toward the elevator.
Do I go over there? What’ll I say? Nope. I’ll just stay here, and if Cody wants me, he’ll shout, I’m sure.
She went to stand by Sarah, “Awkward!” Sarah whispered.
“Just a bit!” Mia agreed. She saw Cody approaching them looking flustered.
“Sarah, do we have any spare rooms?” he asked, smiling at Mia.
“One I believe; I’ll just check Cody,” she replied.
Cody stood next to Mia, “Well, this is a turn-up for the books,” he said quietly.
“Yeah, are you okay?”
“Fine, Mia. Callum’s gone into groveling mode; not very flattering, but he’s filled with remorse because of the way he told me about the adoption.”
“And do you forgive him?” Mia asked.
“I’m getting there, pixie; he’s my older brother at the end of the day; even after all the crap that’s happened, he’s still family, and so is Sophia,” he said.
“All sorted, Cody; they’re upstairs, close to Mia’s room,” Sarah said cheerfully.
Fucking great!
“Thanks, Sarah. Sorry pixie, but what can I do? We’re filled to the rafters, and it’s late for them to be going home. They heard this was our last week at Thrill Seekers and wanted to see me tonight before I get wrapped up in everything here.”
“It’s all good, Cody. It’s for one night; I’m sure it’ll all be fine,” she lied. She knew it’d be fine, but she wasn’t exactly happy about the situation.
“Could you show them upstairs, Sarah?” Cody asked.
“I was just going home, Cody, but yes I can.”
“It’s alright, Sarah. I’ll do it cos I’m on way up anyhow. Do you have their keycard?”
Sarah handed it over, and Mia smiled at both Sophia and Callum; they joined her, smiling nervously.
“Night you, see you tomorrow,” Mia whispered in Cody’s ear, kissing his lips softly.
“Thank you, pixie,” he whispered, kissing her back.
“Of course.”
Mia escorted Sophia and Callum to their room, which as Sarah had said was close to hers.
“Thanks, Mia, how have you been?” Sophia asked.
“Good thanks,” was all Mia said as she unlocked their door for them and handed them the keycard.
“You look great!” Callum mumbled under his breath.
“Well, goodnight. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” She couldn’t be polite for too long. These were the people who’d left Cody broken, and now he was just sorting his life out once again and getting back on track. She was grateful that they’d come to apologize, but that was as far as it went.
She left them to it and went to her room breathing a sigh of relief as she closed the door. Her cell beeped, ‘Hey u ok? x’
It was Cody, ‘Yep Sophia & Callum are in their room x’
‘Thank u. Love u x’
‘Love u 2 x’
If Cody forgave them, then perhaps she should too. She’d work on it for Cody’s sake.
The week flew by; Sophia and Callum went home as planned, and Mia did talk to them again. Zach and Cody did a load of activities with the youngsters from rock climbing, kayaking, and hiking to mountain biking. The group was a great mixture, and everyone had a terrific time, even Mia joined them on a few of the activities.
Emma had a great time and became great mates with Sarah.
“Well, that’s it; the final week completed, pixie,” Cody said as the two of them sat outside the center enjoying the last rays of the late summer’s
sun.
“I know. Your folks will be here soon.” She swore she was more nervous than him about meeting them.
Just as she stood up to go back inside, a car pulled up, and two average looking people stepped out of the new and shiny vehicle.
“Cody?” the woman asked. She was very elegantly dressed with her long sandy-blonde hair up in a neat bun.
“Yes, that’s me,” Cody answered, shaking the woman’s hand gently.
“I’m Mrs. Miller, Jean, and this is my husband, Colin,” she spoke very quietly and smiled at Mia.
“This is my girlfriend, Mia.”
Mia smiled at them both. Colin was as smart as Jean was elegant. They all went inside together and into the now quiet lounge. They chatted happily with no awkwardness between them at all.
“Cody, I’d like to propose an idea to you if I may?” Colin asked very politely.
“Of course Colin,” Cody wasn’t quite at the calling him dad stage yet.
“Jean and me, well, we’ve got money. We weren’t able to keep you as a baby because we’d nothing to give you. Since then we’ve come into some money and, well, we’d like you to share in the money with us as a sort of a sorry for not being there for you. We’d love for you to keep Thrill Seekers on, but with one condition.”
“Really? Oh, my God, that’s incredible, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Cody, we want to do it for both of you and your new baby when he or she arrives,” Jean said.
“What? How did you know?” Mia asked.
“A woman just knows these things, Mia. I can’t believe we’ll be grandparents—it’s so exciting.”
“And the condition is?” Cody asked quietly.
“That you keep in touch and let us visit whenever we wish. Let us be a part of your lives,” Colin said.
Cody agreed, he couldn’t have been more thrilled. He hugged both of his newfound parents and then turned to Mia, taking her in a warm embrace while the older couple looked on, fondness in their eyes. Mia clutched onto Cody just as tightly, so happy for him. He’d finally got a family and a mom who was ecstatic about the birth of the baby.
Cody led Mia away after they’d politely excused themselves momentarily. Taking Mia’s hands, he said, “Don’t worry, Mia, there’ll be work here for Eliza, Dwayne, and Sarah, should they wish it, which I’m sure they will.” Mia beamed, he’d answered the one question that was on her lips, well not quite the one question. Cody scratched his head, “And I suppose we’d better offer Izzy the position as center reporter, you think?”
Mia laughed, then cupped a hand over her lips. “I suppose, providing she covers herself up a little.” Then hand in hand, a happy and excited couple returned to Cody’s legitimate parents.
THE END
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Say You Love Me
45. An Alpha Billionaire Romance
Sarah J. Brooks
Copyright © 2016 by Sarah J. Brooks
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
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Contents
Chapter Onehere
Chapter Twohere
Chapter Threehere
Chapter Fourhere
Chapter Fivehere
Chapter Sixhere
Chapter Sevenhere
Chapter Eighthere
Chapter Ninehere
Chapter Tenhere
Chapter Elevenhere
Chapter Twelvehere
Chapter Thirteenhere
Chapter Elevenhere
Chapter Twelvehere
Chapter Thirteenhere
Chapter Fourteenhere
Chapter Fifteenhere
Chapter Sixteenhere
Chapter Seventeenhere
Chapter Eighteenhere
Chapter Nineteenhere
Chapter Twentyhere
Chapter Twenty-onehere
Chapter Twenty-twohere
Chapter Twenty-threehere
Chapter Twenty-fourhere
Chapter Twenty-fivehere
Chapter Twenty-sixhere
Chapter Twenty-sevenhere
Chapter Twenty-eighthere
Chapter Twenty-ninehere
Chapter Thirtyhere
Chapter Thirty-onehere
Chapter Thirty-twohere
Chapter Thirty-threehere
Epiloguehere
More books from Sarah J. Brooks165
47.
48. Chapter One
“Where the hell is the maid?” he muttered just as I stepped into the room.
“I’m sorry, I was … cleaning the bathroom.” Not that he really wanted an explanation from me, but whatever. I was cleaning the bathroom. And, just FIY, you’re not supposed to call us maids anymore. We’re cleaning crew.
“My office is a mess.” He stared at me blankly.
“I …” I’d just cleaned it this morning. How the hell did he get it so messy?
“I’m going out for lunch, I’d like it cleaned when I get back.” Without another word to me, he stood and marched out of the room, leaving me looking around at the mess that he’d managed to create. It wasn’t even noon yet. He’s going to lunch?
I blew out a deep breath, running my fingers through my hair as I looked around. Alright, it won’t take too long to clean up, I told myself, trying to stay motivated. It didn’t work all that well. Too bad, Josh got me this job, and I need to keep it so I can pay for school.
Unlike most of my friends, my parents hadn’t been able to help me with my post-secondary. I tried not to hold it against them, but it was hard. Quit wasting time. Each office had to be cleaned within 15 min; otherwise, I wasn’t doing my job well enough. Josh had taken a risk on me, and I wasn’t going to let him down.
I got to work as fast as I could. Despite the fact I had to work fast, I also had to have everything done well enough that he wouldn’t be able to complain. I wiped under the keyboard and under the mouse pad. What is his deal?
Was he really this much of a slob? I’d been in here several times to clean the place, and more often than not, he called me in here at least two or three times a day, but in the evening, the room was always clean. I just don’t get it.
I dusted the desk and made sure to wipe everything down before I looked around. The papers were stacked neatly but still in the same three p
iles they had been in when I got to the room.
One last look around the room, and I padded towards the door.
“Are you done already?”
He stood there in the door, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked me up and down.
“Y-yes.”
How long had he been standing there?
He gave a soft nod as he stepped past me and into the room. “Thanks. You know, for doing your job.”
He ignored me as he sat down at his desk and went back to work.
My heart raced as I stared at him. What is his deal? He looked like he was close to my age, but he had his own office here—wasn’t that something that only the elite people got?
How could he really be that special? He must know the right person, I thought as I headed out of the room, closing the door behind me.
I knew all about knowing the right people and its benefits. It could get you a job when nowhere else was hiring, after all.
Not that it was a great job. In truth, it kind of sucked, but that didn’t matter. I needed to pay for school, and this job paid pretty well. Most people left me alone, except him. For some reason, I was always the one to show up at his office when it needed to be cleaned.
Well, too damn bad. If he was going to have me clean his office so many times a day, he should at least start tipping me or something.
I made my way back for the third time that afternoon. Pausing outside the door to collect myself, I took a deep breath. Just a couple more hours and then I can go home. And then it would just be a few more months of working at this place. Maybe he’ll move on, and I won’t have to see him ever again.
That would be nice.
I reached out, my fingers curling around the handle as I pushed the door open. “You needed your office cleaned again?”
My eyes locked on him, not daring to let him think I was going to be submissive towards him just because he was in his own office.
Interview with a Billionaire: Billionaire Romance Box Set Page 31
