“With all we’ve been through, I would be a fool to doubt that you can take care of yourself. I made a mistake and I underestimated you. I won’t do that again.”
“I believe you.”
“So, what do we do about your dad?”
“I need to talk to him. I didn’t talk to him when I left the first time, and I really regret that. I want him to come with me, but if he won’t, I need to know that he’ll be alright without me here.”
“You can visit whenever you want.”
“And if my career takes off?”
“When your career takes off, you can fly him out to you. We can make this work.”
She nodded.
“No more excuses,” she said.
“It’s alright to feel how you feel. You’ve been through a lot and somehow, you forgave me. You’re not making excuses; you’re being smart and making sure that you have all the answers before you make a big decision.”
“I don’t know if I can live in that house again.”
“We’ll stay somewhere else and figure it out.”
“And I’m going to need to find a manager or an agent or something. Rich already emailed me to see if I dumped him, too, and he said he’s got some prospects for me.”
David threw his head back and laughed.
“Rich is something else.”
“He was worried if we broke up I wouldn’t work with him anymore.”
“That’s great,” David said. “I’m never going to let him live it down. I’ve thought about retiring from real estate and helping manage your career. But I wanted to ask you first.”
“You don’t have to quit for me.”
“But I don’t have to work anymore, and honestly, I’d rather spend my energy on you. I have what I need as long as I have you.”
“What about your company?”
“I hired a couple agents to keep the business going. There’s no use wasting those billboards. They’re paid for two years. I have one more big property to deal with, but I think I’m done after that.”
“Are you sure?”
“That your career is about to take off and I won’t ever see you otherwise? Yes, I’m sure. I want to be with you, and I want to make sure that no one messes with my woman. Agents are shady, and managers do too much skimming.”
“You’ve always got my back,” she said.
He winked.
“I’ve got your front, too.”
She laughed, then squealed when he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. When he tilted her chin up and kissed her tenderly, she leaned into him. This was where she belonged. She was sure of it.
“I love you, Kelissa,” he whispered. “I would move the heavens and earth to see you smile.”
“I never doubted that.” She looked at him, searching his eyes and preparing herself for his answer to her next question. “When is your flight home?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“I don’t know if I can come with you tomorrow.”
“Take all the time you need. I’ll be waiting.”
“I just need to talk to my dad.”
“I think that’s the best thing to do.”
“Can you wait a week or two?”
“I’ll wait the rest of my life if I have to.”
“I love you, David.”
She kissed him, the tenderness gone as she deepened the kiss and opened her mouth to him. He returned her passion with his own, and when they pulled away, they were both breathing hard, hearts racing.
“Come on,” he said, holding his hand out to her. “I’ll wait forever for you, but my Thanksgiving isn’t going to wait for us. Everything else can wait until tomorrow. Right now, our family is together under one roof, and I don’t want to let that blessing go to waste.”
*
“Are you driving David to the airport in the morning?” Demetrius asked, washing and rinsing a dish and passing it to Kelissa to dry it.
They fell into an easy rhythm, just like they had when she was young. This sink had been the site of many heavy discussions through her teen years, and it only made sense to talk to her father about this right here.
“I’ll take him. His parents went back to the airport hotel, but he wanted to spend a little more time here.”
Demetrius nodded.
“I know that tone and that look,” he said, handing her another dish. “What’s on your mind? Where is David?”
“He’s in the shower. I told him that I needed to talk to you now that the house isn’t so full.”
“What do you need to talk about?”
“I don’t want to leave you,” she said softly. “I know I left before without really saying goodbye, but with everything that happened—”
“You know that every goodbye could be our last,” he finished for her.
“I didn’t think about my own life. I never imagined that something could happen to me and I wouldn’t get a chance to tell you goodbye and to make sure you know how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me. You raised me by yourself and you’ve sacrificed everything.”
“Most twenty-somethings don’t. But this isn’t about me. Whatever you decide, you have got to live your life. You can’t put your dreams on hold for me.”
“I know that. I just don’t want you to be alone.”
“I have friends, you know. I’m not some lonely old man that needs your pity.”
His eyes were twinkling.
“I’m glad you find it amusing, but you know that’s not what I mean.”
“We can visit each other throughout the year. You can fly home, and I can visit out there. I haven’t had a vacation in forever, and San Diego sounds warm this time of year.”
“It’s always warm.”
“See? I’ll have a good excuse to treat myself to a vacation. And I’m always a phone call away, no matter where you are, and no matter what I’m doing.”
“I know that. And I know that I can always come home. I’ve never doubted that you’ll always be there for me. You’ve always been my rock, even when I didn’t know that I needed you.”
“Don’t let your worries about me stand in the way of your future. I didn’t work this hard building a life for you to second-guess yourself. Moving from Chicago and everything I knew was the hardest thing I ever did, but it was the right thing to do. If moving to San Diego is what you need to be happy, then that’s all you need to know. You’ll look back at this time, and you’ll know that you made the right decision. You have a good head on your shoulders, and you’ve thought this through. I have faith in you. You’ve got this.”
“I told David I wouldn’t be able leave for a week or two. I might even stay until after Christmas or the New Year. I just don’t want to leave in the middle of the holidays. It doesn’t feel right to leave you now.”
Demetrius dried his hands and rinsed the sink out, then he gave her a hard look, leaning against the counter with one hip, his face set.
“And then you’ll stay until my birthday. And then there’s Valentine’s Day, just in case I’m lonely. Then Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Labor Day. And before you know it, you’ll still be here, always worrying about the next big day.”
He turned to face her, brushing his thumb across her cheek and staring into her eyes.
“Kelissa, you are everything I dreamed you’d be and more. Go and live your dream. I’ll be there when you need me, I promise. Don’t let that man leave here without you.”
“But they’re leaving tomorrow morning.”
“So, you don’t want to go?”
“I do.”
“Then go. It doesn’t matter when you leave, I’ll still miss you just the same. And I’ll still be as proud of you. You amaze me every day. Don’t let anyone stand in your way, especially not me. I’ll drive you two to the airport tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s not about whether I’m sure or not. I was sure you were meant to be with him when I picked you up at the airport
. If it was about what I knew, you’d already be back in San Diego. But this is your life, and it’s about what you want. You only get one soulmate, and you only get to live one life. So, live it, and never apologize for being happy.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
She threw her arms around him, hot tears spilling down her cheeks. His arms went around her, and he rubbed her back, just letting her cry and telling her how proud he was of her. And how proud her mother would be.
He was still standing there in the kitchen with her when David came out, freshly showered, a concerned look on his face.
“Everything alright?”
“It is,” Demetrius said. “I’ll be driving you two to the airport in the morning.” Demetrius put his hand out, and shook David’s hand. “I expect someday I’ll call you son.”
“I hope so,” David said, smiling at Kelissa.
“You’d be a fool to let her go,” Demetrius said.
“I was a fool. But I can promise you I won’t make that mistake again.”
“That’s good. You only get one second chance with me.”
The two men laughed, and Kelissa watched them, marveling at how natural they were with each other. She thought back to her father’s words the week before. Everything with David was so easy, and even though she knew that any relationship worth having required work, it wasn’t the same with David. Everything about their relationship was different, and the easy way he fit into her family solidified that for her. She loved this man, and there was no turning back now.
Her future was now, and it was with this man. Everything else would fall into place. As hard as it was going to be to leave her father and her home behind, she was going to be on that plane in the morning.
Epilogue
One week before Christmas
“Looking lovely,” Rich said, almost yelling to be heard over the fake snow machine set up in the studio. “Look to the left, eyes only. Draw me in, make me feel that cold air. Yes! Yes! That’s how it’s done!” He turned and looked at the rest of the crew. “That’s a wrap, folks. Let’s clean this place up and then I’ll see you guys at the New Year’s Eve party. Don’t forget to grab a card on the way out.”
He walked up to Kelissa, his smile wide, turning the camera around so she could see some of the shots he got.
“Oh wow,” she said. “These are amazing.”
“You’re amazing,” he said. He reached into his vest, which reminded Kelissa of a safari vest with all its pockets. “Here’s your card. Your check for this photo shoot is in there, plus the Christmas bonus I gave everyone else and a little extra just for you.”
“You really shouldn’t have,” she said, putting the card in her purse without opening it.
“But I did, so here we are,” he teased. “There’s a business card in there. A friend of mine saw my proofs for Southern California Riding Magazine and he wants to use you in an ad campaign. How do you feel about exotics?”
“Dancers?”
“Reptiles.”
She laughed.
“I can work it.”
“That’s what I told him. He knows you’re super busy during the holidays, so send him a text or call him when you get a chance and let him know when you’re available. I know this is exciting and you have a lot of photo shoots coming up, but don’t feel obligated to work him in and overwork yourself. Remember, you have all the power and you work with these people, not for them.”
“Thank you. Luckily, David is helping me manage all these new clients, and things have gotten so crazy that he’s been talking about retiring to manage my career full time.”
“Retiring before he’s thirty? Must be nice,” he laughed.
“He would still be working. I’ve learned a lot from him, but I will remember your advice. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t going to walk out of here and call this man and book him right away before you said that. But you’re right, I can’t overbook myself just to make people happy. David is good about keeping things balanced, and once he’s done with this last property, he’s going to step back and let the people he hired to keep his business going take over everything.”
“You know he’ll probably still handle the richest clients, right?”
“He says that he’s not going to. He hired some younger real estate agents, and he says they have more drive than he ever did. He wants to give them the shot he had, but without the cartel involvement.”
Rich completely ignored the mention of the cartel, focusing on the final property instead.
“David usually sells quickly. What is there to work on at this place?”
“The family was fighting it out in court for years, and they finally decided to sell the place almost five years after their grandfather passed away. He spent the last years of his life in Platinum Acres Senior Care, so they could have easily dealt with this while he was alive, and he was still around to clarify his wishes. But they didn’t, and some of the older grandchildren were angry that he gave everything to his youngest granddaughter. From the sounds of it, she deserved every penny. The court ended up ordering the property and the hundred acres surrounding it be sold since the youngest granddaughter was happily living on another property given to her by the grandfather.”
“That sounds reasonable, but I hate that she had to share the money. They sound like horrible people.”
“Apparently, the judge thought so, too. It needed some TLC, so David bought it outright and he’s renovating and staging it, so it will sell better. He didn’t want to risk the ruling being overturned after he sunk money into it and the granddaughter is a woman he went to school with. He paid ten million for it.”
“That’s all?”
“It’s in Ramona, and the property needed a lot of work. David has been working on it nonstop since he acquired it just before Thanksgiving, and I’ve been helping him pick out furniture and stuff to stage it when he’s done.”
“Better you than me.”
“It’s actually kind of fun. Anyway, I haven’t seen the property in person, but I’ve seen pictures. I’m sure he’s going to make his money back and more, but that’s not even the best part. The judge ordered her to give her cousins a million dollars of the sale, and that’s all they’re getting. She has six cousins, and they were all gifted something from the grandfather, but it was obvious that this woman was the favorite. And that she was the only one stepping up and caring for her grandfather while the rest were just waiting for him to pass away.”
“Awful. I can’t believe she had to give up six million, but at least she’ll have four million left, plus the place she lives. That’s better than nothing.”
“No,” Kelissa corrected, laughing. “The judge ordered her to split one million between them. She kept the other nine million. And then, the judge ordered them to pay all court costs and her legal fees. So, they walked away with a couple thousand apiece and that’s it.”
“Serves them right,” Rich said.
“Isn’t it perfect?” David said from behind them.
Kelissa and Rich turned around, the studio already cleaned, and the crew gone.
“I thought you were working today,” Kelissa said, kissing him warmly. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
“I know. But the renovation is done, and if you’re up for it, I want to get your opinion, and maybe have you help me with the pictures for the listing.”
“Alright. Do you think we’ll have time to swing by the horse show that’s going on this weekend?”
“Maybe not today, but tomorrow is the showjumping round, so maybe we can hit that.”
“I have to go,” Rich said. “You two have a wonderful holiday, and I’ll see you at the party.”
They said their goodbyes, and Rich locked up behind them. David opened the passenger door for Kelissa, and she sat back and sighed. The Tundra wasn’t her favorite, but she knew the truck was the best vehicle for bouncing around the large horse property. Still, the truck was growing on her, and it had a much smoothe
r ride than she had expected.
They drove past the billboard with Kelissa and Galahad, and Kelissa was in awe as she always was, even though she’d seen this billboard and the others several times before.
“You just don’t expect to see your own face towering above the road like that.”
“You’d better get used to it. I heard that Rich’s friend is looking to put you on ten billboards.”
“I’m excited.”
“You should be. You’ve earned this, and if you think you’re busy now, wait until next year, once your face gets out there more and more.”
“I know. It’s like I’m living in a dream. Sometimes, I can’t believe it. It doesn’t feel real.”
“It is real, and you deserve it.”
“I really appreciate you stepping away from your business to help manage my career. If you ever want me to hire someone so you can go back to your own—”
“No way,” he interrupted. “This is what I need to be doing. I get to see you more, and I always know when I can spring a surprise vacation on you.”
“That’s sounds nice,” she said.
“I’m full of surprises,” he said. He pulled off the highway and headed down Wild Horse Lane. “I can’t wait until you see all the changes.”
He stopped in front of the sprawling, multi-level house built on the hill.
“Wow,” she said, climbing up the stairs that wound through a large, garden patio with planters and potted plants giving the space a courtyard feel. “This patio is to die for.”
“It’s the focal point of the house. That’s why it’s built in multi-levels in a U shape on the hill. And every one of the bedrooms has a view of it.”
“All the bedrooms?”
“All nine of them,” he said. “The home gym, offices, bathrooms and the rest have a view of the backyard, which the landscapers did an equally stunning job on. But this patio is completely tiled in except for the raised planters and the fountain, and there’s enough room here to have a huge party.” He pointed at thin strands that went across the area, which were almost invisible until he pointed them out. “Those are programable LED lights. And tucked into this little nook is a porch swing. It really is a beautiful setup.”
The Billionaire From San Diego Page 15
