Epilogue
Declan
“Sir, I need her to wake up so I can ask a few questions before you get on the plane,” the TSA officer said as he stood over Emmi and I while we waited to board the jet to Breckenridge.
“If I could get her to stay awake, she’d be all yours. We had a long night last night,” I joked.
Emmi’s ability to sleep through just about anything was a running joke with us now. She’d even fallen asleep while we were sitting in our seats at the Oscars. I’d been invited because I gave a lot of money to a charity. We’d spent days finding the perfect outfits and Emmi had been up since before dawn getting ready. Then when we had to sit down and wait for all the celebrities to load into their seats, Emmi had literally fallen asleep. There wasn’t much that could be going on around her that she would stay awake for if she was truly exhausted.
“Ma’am, can I ask you a few questions?” the officer said as he gently shook Emmi.
“Yes, I’m me. Yes, I packed my own things. No, I don’t have a bomb,” she said with her eyes still closed. I couldn’t help but laugh at how she answered him without even bothering to sit up or look at the man.
That was good enough for the officer as he turned and went back to his desk in the corner of the private jet waiting area. I could only imagine his job wasn’t easy with the VIPs and celebrities that flew through Los Angeles International Airport on their private jets.
“Darling, I’m not carrying you to the plane. Why don’t you get up for a few minutes until we board,” I said as I softly stroked her hair. “Okay, I will carry you if you absolutely insist,” I laughed. She knew I’d carry her if that was what she wanted. I’d do nearly anything for her.
“Why are we going out so early? The party isn’t until eight o’clock tonight,” she moaned.
“Because I want to meet with the staff and look around before all the rooms are booked up. You know you want to see it all finished just as badly as I do. Plus, you’ll sleep the whole flight out there anyways.”
“Very true,” she muttered as she sat up and curled up next to me on the couch. “I’m actually excited to see it all finished. The pictures Rosa sent looked absolutely amazing.”
Emmi’s phone rang just as the crew opened the door for us to walk out to the plane. It was a normal occurrence that Emmi was on her phone nonstop the last few weeks. We were only a month away from our wedding date, and the planner had dozens of final things for Emmi and me to weigh in on. I had proved to be useless in the decision making, so the planner turned to calling Emmi whenever there was a new issue.
“Hello,” she said as she held onto my hand and walked with me toward the jet.
“We are just heading out to Breckenridge. The black ones, I guess,” she answered and then waited for a minute while the planner must have been talking. “I don’t think it’s an issue. Just seat them wherever.”
As Emmi hung up and put her phone back into her purse, she opened her eyes a little and walked with me onto the plane. I was a pro at traveling on the private jet, but Emmi had been way too busy with her job to take very many trips with me.
She had a great job though, and I was really happy for her. They paid her what she was worth and listened to her ideas. Her supervisors gave her time off when she asked for it, but Emmi didn’t actually ask for time very often. She was committed to the firm and to showing them that she was willing to work hard, even thought she was busy trying to plan our wedding.
“What was that about?”
“I’m not sure. An issue with the napkins and some cousin who didn’t want to sit by another one. It’s ridiculous really. Why are we paying the planner if I’ve got to make every decision?”
“You’re doing a great job. But you know it would be easier if you didn’t have that darn job filling up every day. You really don’t have to work, you know. Even if we aren’t married yet, what’s mine is yours. You don’t need the money.”
Suddenly Emmi’s eyes shot open and she didn’t look happy at all as we found our seats and buckled into the seatbelts. By the anger that was filling her eyes, I knew I had said something very wrong.
As her fiancé, I knew better than to get her worked up only a few weeks before the wedding and I hadn’t meant the comment to be disrespectful. I winced as the anger played with her face and worried that I’d said something so stupid that she would indeed be angry with me.
“Oh, I don’t need to work?” she asked, goading me into responding. She was smiling and playfully angry with me, but there was a truth under it all that I was a little scared of.
“You know what I mean. I just thought if you wanted to relax and clear your schedule a little, you didn’t need the job for the money.”
“Declan McMillan, you know I’m not the kind of woman who’s going to be barefoot and pregnant, right? I love my job. You know how much I love it. I’m not going to stop working simply because it’s more convenient for you.”
“Baby, I didn’t mean it like that. I know you’re really good at your job and I want you to keep working,” I backpedaled in an effort to get out of trouble.
“Ha, you just wanted to get me all worked up, didn’t you?” she laughed. “Fine, I’m awake now.”
“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean anything by it. I just hate seeing you so tired and stretched so thin between everything that’s going on.”
“I wouldn’t be so tired if someone hadn’t kept me up all night long,” she said with a playful smile.
“Oh, I can’t help that.”
“Well it’s good to see you two again,” Marvin the said as he brought us some bottled water.
“Marvin, it’s good to see you too. You’ll be happy to know that I’ve asked that we fly into Denver inside of straight to Breckenridge,” I said in reference to our bumpy flight the last time we were with Marvin.
“That’s good to hear, sir. I know there has been a lot of wind in the area. Can I get you anything else to drink?”
“Nothing for me,” Emmi said.
“I’m alright for now. I think Ms. Shields is going to move back to the bed when we level off. But I’d like some lunch whenever you can manage it.”
“No problem. I’ll get it out to you a few minutes after takeoff.”
“You got the plane with beds?” Emmi asked excitedly as she turned to look at the back of the plane.
The bed area was behind a closed door, and it wasn’t anything fancy. There were two twin beds, and it could be made dark in that area so she could catch up on her sleep. Over the last two years together, I’d gotten to know Emmi really well, and I knew she hardly ever stayed awake on a flight. There wasn’t a difference in price to have the plane with beds, so I had our team find one. I could tell it made Emmi happy.
“Yes, so you can get some proper sleep.”
“I’m so excited. I’ll get to sleep while we fly,” she said and then caught herself. “Well, sleep in a bed. Thank you, Declan; you’re so sweet to me.”
“I need to be. I want you to be as happy as possible,” I said and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I’m really excited to see this finished project. Aren’t you?”
“Yeah, it seems just like yesterday that we were boiling condensed milk and eating spam,” she joked, and we both broke out in laughter.
The memory of our time together in Breckenridge was still rich in my mind. It brought warmth to my heart to think that we had come so far from that time and we were still together. I knew something was different about the two of us together even back then. Together we fit so perfectly that our conversations were easy and comfortable.
We were quickly able to take off from Los Angeles and I walked back with Emmi and got her settled in for a nap. As much as I wanted to stay back there and make love to her, she really did need some rest. We’d stayed up all night long making love and barely fell asleep as four o’clock in the morning came.
I was able to function just fine on a couple hours of sleep, but Emmi really did have to catch up a little. We had a huge event at the chalet later that night, and that meant sleep.
“I’ll wake you up when we get to Denver, then we are taking a helicopter over to Breckenridge,” I said as I kissed her softly.
“I love you,” she said and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I love you too. Now get some sleep so you’re not Miss Crabby Pants tonight.”
The flight was quick, and we landed in Denver about three hours later. I’d spent most of the flight looking over the newest project I was starting on my own. It was going to be a hostel-type hotel in Los Angeles and I hoped to build more in other major cities across the United States.
Traveling was getting more and more popular, and some young travelers were interested in cheap stays so they could travel more often. When I was younger, I’d stayed at many different hostels throughout Europe, and it always made me wonder why they hadn’t developed more in the United States. It was a new and exciting project, and I spent the whole three hours reviewing the research my team had come up with on the pros and cons of the project.
One of the big things I learned from everything that had gone on with Teddy was that I really needed to work harder on building my own company up and not relying solely on Teddy and our business together. Even though we had made up and things were better than ever between the two of us, I still had to think about my and Emmi’s future.
“Are you ready for the helicopter ride?” I asked Emmi as the plane pulled up to the unloading area in Denver.
“Nervous, but ready,” she said as she smiled at me.
The power of Emmi’s smile brought warmth to my soul. Anytime she looked at me with those big eyes and smiled, I swore I would have done just about anything for her.
“Let’s go open this resort.”
“This is really exciting,” she said as she practically jumped out of her chair.
“Well, aren’t you looking a little refreshed?”
“I’m so excited. I can’t believe I didn’t find the time to come see the remodel while it was happening. This is crazy. My heart is pounding.”
I grabbed our bags and we basically walked about a football field distance to the helicopter. It was exhilarating to feel the wind blowing against us from the propellers of the helicopter, and I held onto her hand to help her up onto the helicopter.
“My hands are shaking,” Emmi said as she rubbed them together while we waited to take off.
“This should be quick. There are some amazing views too.”
The loud noise was calming as the blades spun and brought us up into the air. Emmi reached for my hand, and I held on tight to her to offer any support I could as she was still shaking.
“Is this your first time on a helicopter?” I said through the headset we had on.
“Yes,” she said as her voice shook. “How much longer will it be?”
“Just about twenty minutes. Hold on. I’ll keep you safe.”
“I know you will,” Emmi said as she turned and tried to kiss me.
Our microphones bumped together, and we both laughed as we pushed them out of the way and finally pressed our lips together. Her lips were even quivering as we touched and I held onto her close until I felt her energy start to calm down.
When the helicopter finally descended toward the Breckenridge airport, Emmi had finally calmed down. Her hand was warm as she held onto me and we walked toward the waiting van that Teddy had sent from the hotel. It was a stylishly wrapped vehicle with the new advertising for the resort.
“Wow, this looks so great,” Emmi said as we climbed into the van.
“I was a little worried about having a van, but I was told there’s really no other option when you have to pick up people and their luggage.”
“It’s perfect.”
My heart raced as we drove toward the resort. It was exciting to know that everything was finished and we could finally accept guests. We had a weekend filled with some of the biggest social influencers and parties happening all weekend long.
As we pulled up to the building, it looked the same and different all at the same time. We had switched out the windows and upgraded everything to a more modern look. The driveway was the same as the van drove up and dropped us off at the top of the hill. The only change we made was we added a heating element under the driveway to keep it warmed enough to prevent snow and ice from accumulated in that area. It was a high-tech solution to prevent us from getting snowed in, in most situations. Obviously, if there was ten feet of snow, a clear driveway wouldn’t help if the roads in town were still not cleared.
“Emmi, Declan, you made it!” Teddy said as he opened the front door and greeted us.
“Daddy, this place looks amazing,” Emmi said as she gave her father a big hug.
Things between the three of us were great, and we had nearly forgotten about the mess when Emmi and I had first started dating. Teddy and I had continued on to finish this project and were working on three others throughout the country with similar décor. The smaller, modern resorts were going to be a whole new brand for us, and it was something new in the market that we both believed in.
“You two have got to come see all the final touches,” Teddy said as he guided us into the building.
I’d been there a few months before and of course seen all the pictures, but it was amazing how everything had come together. Every detail of the building had been redone without taking out walls or needed a huge remodel. The fireplace was refinished in a modern stone, there was a giant clear slide that came down from the upstairs, and of course a hip sitting area with some floating chairs that were hanging from the ceiling.
“Wow, this is absolutely amazing,” Emmi said as we stood in the living room. “It’s exactly like I imagined it.”
“I know. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Every detail brings the concept together. I’d really love to see some of the rooms,” I said as we put our bags down and made our way over to the remodeled stairway.
“I saved you the honeymoon suite,” Teddy said as he rolled his eyes. “I’m not going up with you though.”
“We will be right back down Daddy,” Emmi said and hugged her father. “I know you are still traumatized by your last visit to that room.”
I was glad she was the one joking with Teddy and not me. It was still really uncomfortable to think that I was actually sleeping with his daughter. I’m sure that would never feel totally comfortable for Teddy, but he was handling it with humor and saw the fun in teasing us about the room.
As we walked up the stairs, we passed the entrance to the slide and looked down over the great room. The transformation was fantastic, and I couldn’t wait to use the slide.
“Look at the lights in the hallway,” Emmi said as we stopped to admire the lights on the wall that looked like they were floating. “They are so high tech.”
“I really love those.”
We continued down the hall and heard some of the people in their rooms. The resort was booked solid for the weekend, and we could only hope that it was a sign of many more busy weeks to come.
The door to the honeymoon suite was a solid black door with a sleek finish on it. Total opposite of the traditional doors which had been in there before. There was also a high-tech lock on the door, but luckily it was left open for us as we walked right into the room.
“It’s so awesome,” Emmi said as we both stood there in awe taking in the room. “Is that a hot tub on the deck?”
“Yep, Rosa asked me what I thought would make the room extra special and I couldn’t help but remember our bath. Wouldn’t that be fun to do out on the balcony? I’m sure the honeymoon couples are going to have a blast in here.”
“And this bed, is it soft?” Emmi asked as she jumped onto the bed and melted into the plush fabrics. “Oh, this is amazing. I’m not leaving. Who cares about the party? Come here; I want to stay right here all night long.”
I couldn’t help but jump into the bed with her, and she was right. It was the most comfortable bed I’d ever been in. We pushed ourselves up and put our heads on the pillows as I wrapped my arms around her and held her tight. We had come full circle and were literally back in the same room we had fallen in love in.
“I’m so glad we got stuck here in that snow storm,” I whispered as I softly kissed Emmi.
“Me too. I love you, Declan McMillan.”
“I love you too, future Mrs. McMillan.”
That’s the end of the Billionaire’s Valentine. Below I included 4 of my previous books to read as a free bonus.
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 Claire Adams
CONTRACT VOLUME I
Chapter One
August 2014
Dax
“Ladies and gentlemen, after a long and arduous process, it is my pleasure and honor to welcome the newest member of the NFL family into the fold tonight,” Commissioner Goodell said as he scanned the room of high-level executives, club owners, and athletes. “It’s taken more than two years to get to this point, but it’s been time well spent! Please join me in welcoming Dax Connor, the new owner of the Chicago Storm!”
The crowd went wild as I turned and high-five my best friend, Finn O’Brien, then walked across the stage and accepted a number 0 jersey with the Storm logo on the front and my name across the shoulders. I smiled as I shook Goodall’s hand and then raised my arms over my head in a victory salute to all the members of the NFL Owners’ Club who had supported my application and then worked to convince the holdouts that I deserved the franchise.
“Thank you all,” I said leaning into the microphone. “I know there’s been a lot of talk about what it means to finally have two NFL teams in Chicago, and that there’s no way any team could compete with the Bears, but I promise that we will all work to bring you the best possible team we can, and that we’ll strive to make sure the Storm players are the best of the best in the NFL!”
The crowd was on its feet clapping and cheering as I held up the jersey and pumped my fist a few times for good measure. The flashes from thousands of cameras lit up the room as the press joined the frenzied action and tried to get shots of everyone in the room. From where I stood, I could see several people gathered in a tight knot at the edge of the room, throwing skeptical glances my way, and I knew that they were the holdouts who’d been strong-armed into agreeing to award me the franchise. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Finn shooting me a thumb’s up before turning slightly and flipping the bird to the group in the corner with a wide grin.
“Screw it,” I muttered as I smiled back and shook the hands of those who were cheering my success. “Those old bastards can rot in hell for all I care.”
“Great, isn’t it?” Goodell said, smiling as we descended the stairs from the stage and the roar of the crowed swelled.
“Just fuckin’ awesome,” I said dryly, but he didn’t hear the distain in my voice because he was swallowed up by the crowd as we hit the bottom of the stairs. I smiled and shook hands as I worked my way across the room. I knew that at least half of these people hated me for having done what had once been deemed impossible, and the other half were looking for a way to worm their way into my new organization.
I didn’t trust a single one of them, but I knew better than to publicly voice my thoughts. Instead, I smiled and made inane small talk with the drunken has-beens and wannabes, and flirted with the women who rested their hands on my arm as they spoke. I knew what they wanted, and while the idea of taking one of these gorgeous and well-manicured ladies to my bed appeared to be a good idea, I knew better than to give in to the siren call of wealth and power. I’d worked way too hard to squander this all for a quickie that would likely result in bad press for the team when their rich husbands found out and sought revenge.
I scanned the room looking for Finn in the crowd, but he’d disappeared again. This whole night was the result of a bet we’d made several years ago when we’d sold the online gambling company we’d created. We were two poor-but-smart kids from Back of the Yards Chicago who’d done the impossible: made a fortune and gotten out. We’d sold the company for almost ten billion dollars and split the profits equally between us, thinking now we’d kick back and take it easy, but we’d spent our whole lives hustling on the South Side, and it wasn’t long before we were both itching for a new challenge.
Finn was a multitasker, and as a result he always had side deals going, but I was more of a single-issue hustler in love with the thrill of risk-taking. Finn always came up with the wildest ideas, and I’d calculate the risk involved as well as the potential payout, then we’d make a bet and I’d get to work. More often than not, I won the bets. Partly because I was far more patient about long-term payoffs, but as we got older, I found that I needed bigger and bigger bets in order to feel the thrill that accompanied winning. Finn was more than happy to supply me with ideas.
Acquiring the franchise that allowed me to create the Chicago Storm was the culmination of a bet that Finn and I had made the week after we’d sold the business. Tonight, we’d celebrate my win, and Finn would pay the wager of five million dollars. The money was nothing to either of us. It was the honor of winning the bet that mattered most, and even when he lost, Finn still acted like he’d won. Some things never changed.
I headed for the bar to get a refill on my scotch before I went looking for my date, who had somehow disappeared into the throng of people. I’d brought Gram with me since she’d been the one who’d raised me and encouraged me and Finn to push beyond the limits of what other people imagined we could do. Plus, she was a huge Chicago Bears fan, and she wanted to meet the players.
“You seen my grandmother?” I asked one of the security guys hanging around the bar. “Small, older woman with red hair dressed head to toe in blue and green?”
“Over there,” the mountain of a man said as he pointed toward the circle of Bears players gathered around a corner table. I nodded and headed toward the table, but a tall, dark-haired woman wearing a black evening gown that looked like it had been made out of ace-bandages intercepted me.
“Congratulations,” she said unenthusiastically.
Thank you, Mrs. Lasky,” I said staring at her without blinking. She was beautiful in a severe way that made me think of ice or the sharp edge of a knife. Her shiny, black hair and blood red lipstick gave her an otherworldly appearance, but I knew she very much of this world of football since, as the sole heir to the Halas legacy, she owned the Bears.
“I guess it’ll be good for the league to have both of our teams playing,” she said as she took a sip of champagne from the thin flute in her hand, leaving a crimson print on the rim of the glass that matched the color of her pointed nails. There was nothing soft about Joanna Halas Lasky.
“I guess it will be,” I nodded, wondering why she had stopped me. She’d been the biggest detractor, but now she seemed downright friendly — for her.
“Mr. Connor, it’s no secret that I don’t like you or your team,” she said staring at me without smiling. “I didn’t want you here, nor do I think you are what the NFL wants in terms of an owner, but the deed is done, so we must all live with this colossal mistake.”
“Don’t hold back, Mrs. Lasky,” I said dryly. “Tell me how you really feel.”
“I think I’ve said all I need to say,” she said as she turned and moved toward the group of Bears players who seemed to have been thoroughly charmed by my grandmother. Mrs. Lasky looked at the group with narrowed eyes and then snapped her fingers as she icily addressed them, “Boys, your coach needs to see you out on the terrace. Now.”
The young men nodded and bid my grandmother a fond farewell under the watchful eye of their owner before heading to the terrace. Gram watched them go with a smile and then turned to me as she said, “Nice boys, but their owner is a real bitch.”
“Gram!” I scolded looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “You can’t say those kinds of things in public.”
“Why not?” she pushed back. “I’m eighty-five, for God’s sake. I don’t have to impress these people.”
“I know, but I need them not to hate me any more than they already do,” I laughed as I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “You gotta help me out here.”
“David, your generation is soft,” she said as she drained the last inch of beer from her glass and then set it on one of the tables. “Back in my day, we said what we thought and dealt with the consequences. We didn’t spend time pussy-footing around the truth trying to make sure we didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.”
“Gram, you know as well as I do, that’s not the issue here,” I said as I squeezed her shoulder. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“More complicated than telling the truth?” she said looking around the room for one of the roaming servers who’d been carrying trays of drinks all evening. “Dammit, where’s my drink?”
“Don’t you think you’ve had enough to drink?” I asked as I silently wished for the servers to steer clear of us. Gram wasn’t anything close to an alcoholic, but the more she drank, the more honest she tended to get.
“You’re a real pain in my ass, kid,” Gram said with a grin. “But I love ya anyway.”
I laughed aloud as I steered her toward the exit and my waiting limo. I’d gotten what I’d come for, and now I wanted to go home and contemplate my next move in the silence of my own space. I hated these kinds of events, but over the years, I’d learned that they were a necessary evil if I wanted people to support my projects, so I gritted my teeth and endured them. I scanned the room one more time hoping to see my small, wiry redheaded friend, but Finn was nowhere to be found.
“Did you say goodbye to everyone?” Gram asked as I helped her into the Lincoln.
“Gram, no one cares whether I’m there or not,” I sighed as I climbed in behind her. “All they care about is that my money is there.”
“I think you underestimate your importance, David,” Gram said shaking her head slowly. “Your father did the same thing, and it was his undoing.”
“I don’t underestimate myself, Gram,” I replied. “I just don’t care about the accolades from people who don’t know me, and I don’t give a shit about impressing them. I wanted the team. I got the team. End of story.”
“You’re not fooling me one bit, David,” Gram said as she patted my hand. “You care. Now Finn, maybe not so much, but you just don’t want anyone to know you care. You think they’ll see you as weak.”
“It’s Dax, Gram,” I sighed. “Not David. I go by Dax now.”
“Oh, please, get down off your high horse,” she said rolling her eyes. “I’m your Grandmother. I’ve spanked you.”
“Please don’t tell anyone about that!” I laughed as I grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“Your secret’s safe with me, kid,” Gram said as she returned the squeeze.
Once I’d made sure she was tucked in for the night in the small, stone house she and my grandfather had bought back in 1951, I had the driver take me back to my apartment on Michigan Avenue and drop me off before I dismissed him for the night.
“You’re not going out again, Mr. Connor?” Geo asked as he held the door for me.
“Not tonight, Geo,” I said. “But I’m going to need you early tomorrow morning. We’ve got a lot of business to take care of and I need to get started early. Be here by six.”
“Yes, sir,” he nodded before closing the door and walking around the car. He waited until I was inside the building before he drove off, and I smiled in appreciation of his attention to details. This was one of the many reasons why he earned a salary that allowed him to buy a house in Oak Park and send his daughters to private schools. It was also the reason he’d been with me for over a decade. I valued the people who were loyal and did their jobs well.
The rest I eliminated.
I took the elevator to the penthouse, and sighed with relief when I stepped out into my own living room. I’d bought this place not long after Finn and I had sold the business to Facebook for a record nine and a half billion dollars.
We’d demanded twelve but had been willing to settle for six, so when they offered nine, and we took it and ran. We’d been building the business we sold for over a decade with the sole purpose of being the newest owner of an NFL franchise team out of Chicago. It had been a brutal fight to keep ownership of the business when our original partners wanted to sell it, but Finn and I had managed to scrape up the money and buy them all out after the first five years.
I knew they were kicking themselves right now, but I didn’t care. We were kids from the Back of the Yards, and had learned early on that loyalty and reward go hand in hand. Aside from Finn, I didn’t have many friends and I didn’t trust many people. I had Gram and a few loyal employees who could pinch hit as friends if the occasion called for it, but other than that, I kept to myself. Gram needled Finn and me about finding wives and settling down, and for years we’d assured her that we would as soon as the time was right, but as the years went by, neither of us made time for love. Business was our first love, and the thrill of the deal made every day an exciting adventure. Who needed a woman?
I walked across the room and poured myself a drink before opening the door to the terrace and walking out into the night air. It was a beautiful summer evening in Chicago and I could see the moonlight splashed across the lake as waves made the water sparkle and dance. I thought about calling one of the women I kept listed in a special file in my phone directory. I might not have found love, but I certainly wasn’t a monk, but somehow it didn’t seem like the night for that. I wanted to celebrate with someone who actually cared about me, not someone who was paid to hang on my every word.
“Fuck,” I muttered as I took a sip of the amber liquid in my glass. I stared out at the water for a few moments, and then raised my glass to the sky and quietly toasted, “Here’s to the future of the Chicago Storm and their Super Bowl championship.”