Ben
Jet lag is weighing on me but I fight it off. I have big things to do and no time for a nap. The driver taking me back to Bachelor Tower is chatting me up, but I’m not tuned in. I’m too preoccupied with the task at hand, convincing Kylie I’ll never walk away again. Convincing Kylie of anything is no small task, but I believe this will work.
When we pull up to the curb at the Tower I see a commotion spilling out of the lobby into the street.
“Want me to leave you here?” the driver asks, putting the car in park across the street from the Tower.
“Yes,” I say, handing over cash and grabbing my bag. I swiftly cross the street and try to get a handle on what might be going on.
I see Dalton’s former acquaintance Randy chatting with a circle of guys who looked preoccupied with the woman who just marched in.
“What’s going on?” I ask, knowing these guys aren’t big fans of mine. I’ve fallen in with the crowd who in their eyes is ruining this place. I’d been sleeping with the enemy as far as they’re concerned.
Randy seems too anxious to spread the news to care that I’m not very popular these days. “Christen Brockton, the niece, is finally here. She’s been off the radar since the former owner, Garry Brockton, left her this place in his will. The only thing she’s done is let Kylie move in and Penny stay. Otherwise she’s been unreachable. Trust me, we’ve been trying to reach her.”
“So what?”
“Dude.” Randy looks at me like I have ten heads. “These guys are ready to line up outside her office door and file a million complaints. Plenty of veiled threats. They think they can bully her into changing her mind.”
“You think that’ll work?”
Randy shrugs. “Who knows? No one knows anything about her. She’s younger than I thought. Garry had to be her great uncle or something.”
“These guys should get the fuck over it.” I grumble and roll my eyes as I push past them. They’ve been the problem. Whether or not Kylie will keep hunting them, I’m going to have her back. She’s going to know I’m never walking away again. I had a plane ride from the West Coast to work on my plan, and I’m not going to let this breaking news in the lobby of the Tower distract me.
I can’t however ignore the woman practically being chased through the lobby by a bunch of grown men wanting to air their grievances. She’s quick even in her heels and damn good at ignoring them. A moment later she closes the door to the main office in the lobby and they’re left murmuring their complaints to each other.
When the elevator doors open, I’m relieved to get the hell out of there. Out of habit I hit my floor number then quickly remember I’m not going to my apartment but hers. When the doors open on my floor I take a step back and hit fourteen instead. My heart is thudding as I consider that Kylie might tell me to take a hike.
As if I conjured her up, she opens the door of her apartment before I knock. “Ben.”
“Kylie.” So far so good. “How are you?”
“Good. Better than good, actually.”
Although I’m happy for her, I wish I had been part of the reason. “I’m glad.” Well, here goes. “I’ve missed you.”
She smiles. Good sign. “I missed you too. Want to come in?”
I try to keep up, but nothing is making sense. Kylie and I haven’t spoken since the day I walked out of her apartment. I’ve been wracking my brain over what to say, and now my mind is blank.
Kylie puts her hand out for me to take, and I feel like I’ve been hanging over a cliff and someone’s just thrown me a rope. “I do, but first I need to say something. I’ve had a lot of time to think and—”
“Not yet.” Kylie cuts me off with a shake of her head. “I did some remodeling. I’m not sure what you’ll think of it. But I hope you like it.”
She opens the door wider, and I step inside, determined to express myself better this time, support her more. The vision board? We’ll work it out together.
I follow her inside and stop as soon as I see what she means by remodeling. The wall that had been covered with photographs and notes, the one that was enough to make me turn around and walk out, is different now. In its place is a giant, and I mean enormous, blown up photograph.
“It’s Penny and me.” Kylie fidgets nervously as she guides me closer. “My favorite picture of us.”
“A vacation?” I look at the picture, trying to scrutinize every detail. The girls are young. Sitting on a beach. Sand stuck all over them. Wind blowing their hair. Sun beaming down on their tan shoulders.
“Our last as a family. We were in Florida. Our father drove. A few times I got to navigate while our mother napped. I remember him teaching me how to read the map. Penny learned to blow a bubble and whistle on that trip. I don’t remember our parents fighting even once.”
“You two look happy. Carefree.”
“Exactly.” I watch her blink away a few tears. “We built our biggest castle that day. After Dad took that picture we had lunch. I was so full I wanted to nap. We spread out our towels. My eyes got heavy. The waves crashed in the background. I was kind of holding Mom’s hand, playing with her wedding ring. Dad was in a beach chair reading us our favorite fairy tale book, his voice was scratchy from playing and laughing all day. I could see Penny lying on the towel next to me already asleep. Everyone in my world was right there. Everyone was happy. Safe. Peaceful. I fell asleep wishing tomorrow would be exactly the same.”
“That sounds incredible.”
“The days weren’t all like that. Things got ugly. They fell apart. Falling asleep was never that easy again. Not for a long time.”
I watch her brush a few tears off her cheeks and try to gather herself as she continues.
“Not until the first night I fell asleep in your arms. I went all those years thinking I’d never find it again. Then you held me, told me I was enough. I closed my eyes and felt exactly like I did that day. I want all my tomorrows to be that good. I believed you.”
“Kylie I never should have walked out on you.” I close the gap between us and pull her into my arms. “I know things in your life have fallen apart before. People have left and let you down. If you can give me another shot, I’ll spend every day showing you I’m here. I’m not going anywhere ever again.”
“But I am. I’m going somewhere.” She pulls away slightly, and I feel a dagger piercing my heart.
“What?”
“I’m moving.”
“Where? Why?”
She leans over and pulls a paper from the table. It’s a printout of a house. “I bought a house. Well, Dalton and Penny bought a house, and I turned into the weird sister-in-law who bought one ten doors down. They’re pregnant. This is no place to raise a baby. Not yet. Not until Christen comes in and straightens things up.”
“How far is it?”
“Close enough to see each other as much as we want. But far enough for me to put this place behind me. What do you think of the house?”
“It’s beautiful.” My mouth is dry as I search for exactly what I want to say. “I can imagine you being very happy there.” She smiles. I pull her to me. “Is there room for an extra toothbrush? Maybe an extra set of clothes?”
“That’s a big step.” She takes a deep breath, a move that has her chest pressing against mine. I’m turned on and turned around all at once. If she’s not ready, I’ll respect that, but I want to be part of this new life she’s building for herself. She runs a hand up my neck and to my cheek. “But I gave up the apartment I worked years to get into. I shredded every ounce of leverage I had against these jerks. I bought a T-shirt that says World’s Best Auntie. I think I’m ready for big steps. Are you sure you are?”
I pull a small box out of my pocket. Nothing I’ve ever done feels as important as this moment. “Before you walked into my life I was making tons of money. Working at my own pace. Staying mostly out of trouble.”
“Sounds like you were doing just fine.”
“I was. But who the hell wants to be just fine? You crashed into my life, and I finally had someone who looked at opportunities the same way I do. I found someone who could turn the most ordinary day into something I’d never forget. I don’t want to change you. I want to be at your side, fighting for and with you. You may not need my protection, but you’ll have it—every day of your life if you’ll have me. I want to give you that day on the beach, that peace, every minute of every day for the rest of our lives.” I drop down on one knee and hold out the open box to her. “Marry me.”
Tears begin to run down her face. She takes the ring from the box but doesn’t immediately put it on. “I’m still a work in progress.”
“Aren’t we all?” I joke, but it’s hard to breathe.
“Did Penny tell you I took the vision board down?”
“No.” She’s killing me here, but nothing with her has been easy, and I’m a better man for it.
The tears start again. “You loved me even at my worst?”
I stand and pull her back into my arms. “That’s how love works, isn’t it? I accept your crazy and you accept mine?” I push her hair back from her face and give her a kiss I hope expresses how much I mean that.
When I raise my head, we’re both teary and breathing raggedly. “I love you, Ben,” she says and slips the ring on her finger. “Bring the toothbrush, any clothes you want, and all your crazy—we’re moving to the burbs.”
I swing her around me. “To raise a bunch of brilliant, equally nutty children who just might take over the world.”
“That sounds like heaven to me,” she says and pulls my head down for another earth-shattering kiss.
“Hey,” I say. “I’m keeping List to Leisure, and I’d like to work on it with you if you’re interested. I’ve had papers drawn up.”
“I’ll look them over later,” she murmurs between kisses.
I lift her up and carry her to the bedroom. She’s right. Everything else can wait. I have the woman I love back in my life.
When I was given an apartment in Bachelor Tower I was told it would open doors for me, bring me opportunities that were previously impossible. I had no idea it actually would.
Dalton and Penny.
Kylie and me.
I’ll have to suggest the new owner changes the name from Bachelor Tower to Marriage Tower. I’m sure the guys who live here will love that.