AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Instead of letting me push him away, he lingers just close enough to where I have space to work but not far enough away to ignore. I keep wanting to wrap my arms around him tight and just run off with him—explore the beach, the town, or just get away from here completely.
When Mia heads home early after wrapping up some last-minute cancellations, I tell her that I need to stay and finish a few tasks before the weekend staff takes over. She doesn’t bat an eye at this and decides to start her Friday night early. I force myself to ignore Drew’s profile peeking just around the corner so as not to tip her off.
Once she’s finally out of sight, Drew emerges, does a quick check to make sure no other staff is around, and plants a kiss on my lips that lasts longer than I anticipated.
“Can I steal you away tonight?” he asks, as I organize the files at the front desk.
“What did you have in mind?”
“I thought we’d head down to the beach and talk,” he says, leaning on the desk. “I’d like to pick up where we left off before things hit the fan, for lack of a better phrase.”
I can’t help but give him a side-eyed look. “It’s not going to undo anything.”
“I know, but I’m not done getting to know you yet.” He smiles. “Meet me near the rocks at the end of the beach when you’re done here, okay?”
Before I can excuse my way out of it, he’s already making his way down to the part of the beach where families and couples hold bonfires, as the rocks can block the breeze and offer a bit more privacy.
Like a teenager sneaking out, I make sure no one sees me heading toward the end of the beach—where, it turns out, Drew already has a romantic candlelit picnic set up for the two of us. I still can’t believe this man but this time, it’s for the right reasons. When he said he wanted to make it right, he wasn’t lying. This proves it.
The evening is accompanied by the soft crashes of waves on the shore, and by the gentle crackle of our quaint little bonfire that keeps us warm. Drew brought a small blanket that he wraps around both our shoulders.
Once again, I’m so drawn to him. The soft aroma of his cologne is perfect as I nestle closer into him. He asks me about my favorite books and the things I still want to do one day. He tells me more about Paris and Italy and tells me why I should travel to Canada too.
At one point, I’m no longer thinking about the unknown future with him but instead, I can simply enjoy him. I can finally be present.
As we continue to meet, my feelings for Drew make me feel like I’m on a tightrope. Any minute I am going to plunge into the pit of Drew’s world, and I’m not sure how to come back from that.
This man could completely destroy me, but I’m not exactly protecting myself. My need for him is putting me into harm’s way.
But I just keep coming back.
Chapter twenty-six
Drew – Family Pressure
My family is pressuring me to close the Florida deal and maximize assets for the company. But I am struggling with my internal conflict between my duty to the family and my growing feelings for Meg.
“We need to close this deal, Drew,” Troy says over Zoom. He looks tired and worn down.
“I don’t see it happening,” I admit, mirroring the same lack of empathy he dished out to me just a couple of days ago. “I’ve been talking to the owner for days and he won’t budge.”
“Didn’t you say you thought you were getting through to him just the other day?” He asks. “What happened to that?”
“I thought I was but every time I bring up the contract, he says no. He won’t even entertain the idea of negotiating. He’ll give me his time to listen to what I have to say but that’s about it.”
He sighs like he’s more annoyed than anything. “Our team has been doing more research into Seaside and if we get this contract, the revenue is going to be huge,” he insists. “We can’t afford to let this get passed off to another company.”
“Troy, I don’t think any company can get this guy to agree to a buyout, so if competition is your biggest worry, I think you’re fine,” I insist. “He keeps telling me that the inn is going to his granddaughters when he dies, and he wants it to stay with them.”
“So, if we want the place, shouldn’t we be talking with the granddaughters then?” he points out, smirking. “Why don’t you use your charm to win them over?”
“They’re not budging either. I think they got to him before I could,” I admit.
“Drew, we need to get this contract.”
No, we don’t. We’re already billionaires. We don’t need this deal or any others, really. “I keep telling you, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. Let’s just move on to the next project.” I try shifting gears.
“Ugh,” he groans, and his smirk fades quickly. “You’ve dealt with tougher owners. Do whatever you need to do to get the guy to sign, okay? Just make it happen.”
