He laughed. “A moderate budget to adequately meet the restoration needs. Right now this building is a tax write-off because profits are so low.”
Hmm. That made sense. Sadly.
“Fine, then a big salary.” Again I used the eye thing to showcase how big.
Pierce took my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing my fingers. Why did I like that so much? It made my insides swim and my core tighten each time his lips touched my skin. “If you live with me, you don’t need a salary.”
“No, I definitely need a big salary,” I said but didn’t pull my hand from his. “Enormous.” Momma needed a new pair of shoes and I didn’t mean my mother.
Pierce drew his head up to look at me. “You’ll take the job?”
I shook my head in a weird half nod half shake fashion and stared at the ceiling. Did I really have the strength to say yes to working for Pierce? Two months ago, I’d have died first. In just a few weeks I’d done a 180 flip in my life. Why wasn’t I freaking out more?
My nanna was gone and with her the anger I carried toward the Kensington family. I still thought Pierce’s grandfather as the leader asshole of the assholes in asshole land, but I now understood those weren’t Pierce’s sins. By continuing the hatred to him, the only people I’d made miserable were the two of us.
I didn’t know what my nanna would say if she found out I started dating, and now working for, Pierce, but also—in some ways—I didn’t care. I couldn’t carry my grandmother’s disappointment anymore. Letting go of the anger I carried on her behalf made me feel fifty pounds lighter. Yes, I had guilt on occasion, but when that happened, I looked at Pierce and remembered that I deserved good too. I almost lost him once because I let anger control my life. I refused to let it happen again.
It seemed right to say yes to his job offer. Not only did I get to restore a Pelican Bay historical site and get paid for it, but I’d supervise every piece of the hotel and make sure Pierce didn’t fuck up the restoration. He’d basically be paying me to be difficult. It was my dream job no matter how I looked at it.
“Yeah, I’d love to be your new operations manager,” I said shaking his hand before he realized what happened.
Pierce laughed. “That’s not the job title.”
We’d see.
Damn. Life looked hella different now, but something told me everything would be wonderful if I relaxed and let it. I loved Nanna, but I loved Pierce and I’d never been so happy to admit it.
“What about Strategic Development Director? Do you appreciate that more?” I asked.
Pierce tugged on my hand, leading me to the dining room portion of the bed-and-breakfast. “Come on. Let’s do lunch and then I’ll give you a tour and we can talk more.”
I pulled back, but it did little good. This was my chance to get out of that horrible meeting. “No, you go ahead and I’ll meet you later. I want to see the place with fresh eyes.”
Pierce hadn’t had any alone time with his cousin since we started dating. They needed time to catch up and male bond.
He grabbed my hand before I could get half a foot away. Shit. I should have made a run for it. “I don’t think so. You’re not leaving. I’m not letting you out of my sight ever again.”
I laughed. No way he was serious. We’d been connected at the hip the last week, but that was only because of the new relationship honeymoon phase. It’s not as if he’d become Ridge and have me on camera or followed all the time.
Would he?
“Wait,” I said stopping him right at the dining room entrance. “Promise me there are no cameras.”
Pierce threw his head back and laughed, drawing attention from the customers eating in the dining room as the two of us walked in together hand in hand.
Epilogue
Pierce
As Katy would say…
The wedding day—Legit—I can’t believe we made it here either.
* * *
“I do,” I said, staring into Katy’s eyes and finding nothing but love and acceptance in hers.
Katy and I had come so far in our time together, and now as we started on the next part of our journey, I couldn’t wait to get there. Her off-the-shoulder dress gave me a superb view of her skin and I thought of the ways I’d lick, kiss, and bite her collarbone later. She had a tasty spot right before her ear lobe.
