PIERCE
You know those days when you’re in a rush to get something done, but the whole world seems like it’s against you? I’m having that day. I’m finally on my way back to the beach, but Rian’s open house is long over. I’m disappointed that I’ve missed the whole thing, but I’m hoping my absence will be forgiven shortly.
I pull into the driveway, grab the flowers from the passenger seat and head for the front door.
I find Marley sitting at the kitchen table reviewing paperwork. She doesn’t look up. “Rian went for a walk about twenty minutes ago.”
“Is she okay?”
“She will be.”
“Is she upset that I missed the open house?”
“She’ll get over it.” She gives me a small knowing smile and nods to the flowers clutched in my fist. She pushes up from the table. “Pretty sure we both know where she is, so you should go find her.”
I head for the sliding door and step out into the warm summer air. I’m still wearing a suit and dress shoes, which quickly fill with sand as I make my way down the beach toward the Mansion and the lone figure staring up at it.
Rian’s dress flaps lightly against her legs, hair fluttering in the breeze, arms wrapped around her as if she’s hugging herself. I come up behind her and slip an arm around her waist, holding the bouquet of flowers in front of her. “Congratulations on the sale.”
She startles and runs her fingertips along the petals of a peony. She twists in my arms so she can look at me, her head resting on my chest. Her smile is soft and questioning, eyes shimmering with sadness. “Well, it’s not official yet, but thanks.”
“I’m sorry I missed the open house.” I stroke her cheek and move so we’re face-to-face. “I had to take care of something important this afternoon.”
Her eyes shift, following her fingers as she traces the lapel of my suit jacket. “It must’ve been pretty important.”
I hear the questions in that statement, feel her despondency in the weight of her palm on my chest, and I know I’ve done the right thing today, even if right now it’s making her sad. “Why don’t we go back up to the house and I can tell you all about it?”
“Sure. Okay.” She gives me an uncertain smile as I lace our fingers together, and looks over her shoulder at the Mansion one last time as I guide her back to the house with its own, matching SOLD sign.
I don’t take her inside the house. Instead, we sit on the deck. It’s peaceful out here this evening, the breeze warm and light. The sun hangs low in the sky, heading for the horizon. I’ve grown attached to this, both the view and the woman. “So I did something today, and I need you to hear me out before you get mad at me.”
Rian looks away from the ocean and frowns. “What kind of something?”
“Just promise you’ll listen before you go off.” I’m nervous right now. This could go two very different ways and one of them ends with Rian very pissed off. I’m hoping that’s not what happens.
“This approach is not reassuring, Pierce.”
“Yeah. I get that.” I run my hands down my thighs. They’re damp and clammy. “So you know how I’ve been in Manhattan a lot recently?”
“Clearing up the patent issue.”
“Yeah. Well, that’s part of it, but I’ve been taking care of a few other things.”
“Okay.” Rian clasps her hands and waits. “What kind of other things?”
I need to spit it out. “So a lot of the reason I’ve been in Manhattan a lot lately isn’t just about the patent. I’ve been training someone to take over at the firm for me.”
“You’re quitting?” Her eyes flare with surprise.
I nod, lick my lips, run my hands down my thighs again. I need to cut the fidgeting. “I talked to my father and explained the circumstances.”
“Circumstances?”
“That I wasn’t happy practicing patent law, that I wanted to be here instead, doing something I love.”
She sits up a little straighter. “And he was okay with that?”
“At first I think he was surprised, but yeah, he understands and mostly he kept pushing the business because he wanted there to be something for me and Law and Amalie. He wants to slow down, so he’s talking about selling the majority of the company off, but we’ll see what the logistics are.”
“Wow, that’s … wow.” Rian exhales on a whistle. “This is good then, yes?”
“It is.”
Her expression is soft and hopeful, which is reassuring. “So does that mean you’re staying here? In the Hamptons, I mean?”
I feel like a bobble head with all the nodding. “Yeah. I, uh, put my penthouse on the market.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Oh? When?”
“A few weeks ago. It’s already sold, which brings me to the thing I did that I don’t want you to get mad at me for.” I turn my head and clear my throat. “So I know you said you didn’t need the Mission Mansion.”
Rian’s eyebrows furrow as confusion turns to understanding and then disbelief. “Tell me you did not buy the Mansion.” And there’s the anger I was expecting.
Rian likes to do things on her own. She’s strong and independent and fierce, which is why I’m so hopelessly in love with her. Buying her the Mansion and presenting it as a gift was never going to fly, so I had to figure out how to frame it so she gets that it’s not a gift—well, not exactly. “I can’t tell you that.”
She purses her lips. “You can’t buy me a mansion, Pierce.”
“I don’t think the bank is going to give me a refund.” I raise my hands when she opens her mouth. “Just hear me out before you get upset. Or more upset. I didn’t buy it just for you. I mean, yeah, you’re clearly one of the reasons I bought it, but it’s more than that. Selling my penthouse freed up a lot of money, and I need a project and a place to live, especially now that you’ve sold this one.” I motion to the deck we’re currently sitting on.
“So you thought you needed more than eight thousand square feet of rundown living space?”
“It’s a smart move, Rian. I can fix it and live in it, and when it’s done, if you decide you don’t want me to keep it, then I can sell it and probably get twice what I paid for it. But if you decide maybe you don’t want to get rid of it, then we could turn it into a B and B like you talked about. Like we talked about. It could be ours, and we could do it together.”
I can’t read her expression, and it’s unnerving. I take her hand in mine and lick my lips, my mouth suddenly dry. God, I really hope she’s ready for this. “Look, Rian, this has been the best summer of my life, particularly the past month. Being here with you, working on this project with you, being part of it, this is what I want. I have all the things I love right here, and I don’t want to give that up, and I didn’t want you to have to give up a dream if you didn’t have to.”
“That’s a lot of money to spend on my dream.”
“Well, it can be our dream now, can’t it?”
A hint of a smile appears. “What about Lawson?”
“He knows this is my plan and that I wanted to do this on my own.”
“And he’s okay with that?”
“He has plenty to keep him busy.”
Rian props her chin on her fist. “I can’t just leave Marley.”
“I talked to her too.”
Rian’s eyes flare. “What?”
“I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing. She thinks it’s smart too. It’s a huge house; there are plenty of outbuildings. There are lots of options. We don’t have to settle on any one decision right now.”
“Wait. So Marley already knows you bought the Mansion?”
“She knew I was going to put in an offer.”
“I can’t believe she didn’t tell me!”
“Well, to be fair, I asked her not to, and there really wasn’t a guarantee that I was going to get it, so…”
Rian huffs a laugh. “You know, most boyfriends buy their girlfriends flowers and jewelry, not mansions.”
“I did the flowers thing, so I got that part right. I think we both know I’m not most boyfriends, and like I said, I needed a project. Besides, this seemed like a pretty foolproof way to get you to move in with me.”
She throws her head back and laughs. “You’re a little crazy, you know that?”
“Crazy in love with you.” I kiss her, but pull back before either one of us can deepen it. “So that’s a yes, right? You and me. Nightly snuggles, waking up beside each other every morning. Cinnamon roll French toast. Me driving you nuts. Naked Sundays. You in?”
She smiles up at me, eyes soft and warm. “How can I say no to that?”
“I told you we had something, didn’t I?” I stand and hold out a hand.
“You did. Many, many times.” Rian slips her palm in mine and lets me pull her up.
I tug her toward the house. “Come on, it’s almost Sunday, we should get a head-start on the naked part.”