Epilogue
Three weeks later
Mariah
Nervousness tore up the center of Mariah’s stomach as she sat at the gate at the flight terminal. Everything with Darren had happened so fast, and where she hadn't yet agreed to give up her life nor her company, visiting him in Italy was the next step. He wanted her to meet his mother and brother, and to see all of the restaurants he'd built.
His home was supposedly extravagant, and where she was excited to see it, she made him promise that he wouldn't ask her to clean any part of it. It had been a bit of a running joke between them over the last few days, and he'd mentioned multiple times how much he'd love to see her in a black and white maid uniform without panties. They were an unneeded expenditure, or so he'd said.
A smile lifted her mouth at the thought. He was so far beyond hot, and the way he teased and delighted her body left her feeling like a nymph. How someone could turn another person inside out with desire was beyond her, and yet her pulse spiked as she sat amongst a crowd of people, waiting for the flight attendant to call her seat number.
Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out, happy to see Karen's name on the small screen.
"Hey. Everything okay?" Mariah glanced around, taking in the different people around her and wishing like hell that Darren was with her for the flight. They could have joined the mile high club.
"Yeah. Just wanted to make sure you were actually going through with it. I know how much you hate to fly." Karen snorted.
"Yeah, but for this guy, I'm thinking I would build a set of paper wings and flap my ass to Italy if I had to." They shared a laugh.
"Seriously though. If you get there and decide that you're going to stay... just tell me. I'll figure everything out and close down anything you want me to from here." Karen sniffled, which caused Mariah's eyes to fill with tears.
Was that a possibility? Getting over to Italy and deciding that she couldn't leave him and make their long-distance relationship work? Would she love it there? Did it matter? She loved him, and that seemed like more than enough to have her changing everything in her life just to be beside him.
"I appreciate that, my friend. I'm going to visit, eat like a pig and get to know this illustrious billionaire a little more. Where it goes from there, I'm not quite sure."
"But you love him?" Karen asked.
"Yes. Without a doubt. It almost seems like a weird Cinderella story though. I'm too practical for all of that, so I'll just take one step at a time." She cleared her throat. "I still need to call Lyndsay. I just feel like shit letting her go for something I did myself."
"Then let's just give her a warning, Mariah. No need to keep the policy the way it is. Shit happens. Change it to a staunch one-warning policy, and I'll call her in today. It's your company. You're the boss." Karen’s tone was all business, but Mariah knew that her friend had her best interests at heart. She always did.
"Yeah, I'd like that." Mariah glanced up as the door opened to her gate. "I need to go. I think they're about to call us onto the flight."
"All right. Be safe and call me when you get there. I don't care what the time difference is or what time it is here. I want to know that you're okay."
"All right. Love you." Mariah stood up and tugged her bag onto her shoulder.
"I love you, too. See if he has a brother." Karen chuckled.
"He does, but he's taken, silly girl." Mariah dropped the call, unable to keep the smirk from her lips. It was funny to think that simply by working hard and trying to do the right thing with her company that she’d found love. In such an unconventional place.
She made her way with all of the other people onto the flight and was happy to see that the woman next to her in first class was pleasant and friendly.
"I'm so looking forward to this vacation. There are a few places I want to visit, but this is one place you just have to try. I eat there every time I visit. The scampi is to die for." The woman opened a magazine on Italy and pushed it toward Mariah.
She took it and let her eyes scan over the ad before smiling warmly toward the older woman. "Looks delicious."
"Yes, and the owner is a beautiful Italian man who makes my heart flutter each time I go." She blushed, and Mariah tugged the magazine from her, reading closely and noting that it wasn't Darren's place.
A chuckle left her as she realized how possessive she was soon to become. Yeah, that call to let Karen know that she wasn't coming back wasn't as farfetched as she would like to think.
Love had found her in a less-than-common way, but not being one to pass up risk and great reward, she was flying halfway across the world to either join him, or bring him back.
Which way it ended would be up to him.
He was bossy like that anyway.
THE END
to subscribe to my newsletter for exclusive book releases, updates and more!