“Oh, Ben.” Grace grips my arm, her face awash with emotion. This conversation is way too heavy for a day like this. “I’d gone back there, asking if anyone had turned it in. But you had it the whole time?”
“I’m so sor?—”
Cupping her sweet cheeks in my hands, I give her a chaste kiss on those gorgeous ruby, red lips. “Jesus, Gracie. I’d ask you to marry me on the spot…” I chuckle. “But I kinda already did that.”
She glides her arms around my waist, pulling me tighter into her. “Yes, and I’ve never been so thankful for anything.”
Grace smiles up at me. “We need to get moving.” Grabbing a couple insulated coffee to-go cups, she pours one for each of us. Mine black, hers with heavy cream. Once I take mine from her, she gives my chest a pat. “Come on, baby. You’ve got this.”
We head to the site of the new place and freeze when I find Max, Dave, Harrison, and my stepbrother, Devon, are all there to celebrate the grand opening.
“What are you guys all doing here?”
“What do you think?” Dev says coming close enough to give my shoulder a squeeze.
I’m worried he’s looking to gloat.
“If the inside is half as nice as what you’ve done with the outside, I’m impressed. It’s a fantastic concept. And I love that you’re repurposing a location that might’ve otherwise fallen into disrepair or been left empty.”
Unable to form words, I just blink at him. Am I awake right now? This guy has given me the business almost from the day my mother and I moved into his home. Always needling me.
Did Grace put some sort of hallucinogen in my coffee?
“Oh, it is,” Harrison adds. “I’ve worked on a lot of high-end properties. He said he wanted to pull out all the stops. And that he did. But Ben made some really sound financial decisions as well. I’m just hoping I did him justice so he’ll sign me up for the next one.” He chuckles.
“Mom?” Grace pulls away, and I find Winnie pushing her mother toward us in a wheelchair. Her oxygen is on, but there’s no mistaking that smile. “What on earth?”
“You didn’t think we’d miss a thing like this, did you? My new son just opened a hotel!” She claps. “Did you put an Elvis room in there for me?” She winks.
Grace palms herself in the face, I’m sure trying to come up with a gentle way to tell her no in front of mixed company.
“I did.”
Grace’s head spins toward me so fast I’m surprised it didn’t fly right off. “You did?”
“Well, it’s not a hotel room, per se. I created a music room that abuts the dining area. It’s not as beautiful as your gorgeous home, but I’m hoping you’ll be proud.”
Grace’s mouth hangs open, but I’m drawn to her mother, whose arms are outstretched. As I lean in for a squeeze, I barely take two steps away before Winnie pulls me in for another.Hers is not as ladylike.
“What? No Jungle Room?” She snickers.
“No. I’ll have to leave some things to Graceland. The place,” I splutter, “not the girl.”
A heavy hand lands on my shoulder and I turn to find Milton. He’s beaming at me like a proud papa. “Ben, Grace,” he greets extending an arm to shake each of our hands. “It’s fantastic. Beyond anything I could’ve imagined.”
“Thank you, sir. I’m really happy with how it turned out. And it means a lot to me that you approve. I know how important this place was to your family.”
Milton gives me a knowing grin. “That it was. But not just mine.Do you have a minute? I know you have a big day ahead, but if it’s okay, I’d like to give you something.”
I straighten. “Of course. But you didn’t have to do that. You allowing me to buy this property has given me so much.” Grace and I fall into step with him as he walks toward the lobby doors. “This will always be considered my flagship location. And if it weren’t for you insisting on my being married, I’m not entirely sure I would be right now.” I gaze down at Grace who’s smiling back at me with tears in her eyes.
“Listen, I’m under no illusion that you two will stay here. If this property is any indication, you have quite the future ahead of you, son. But I had to hope it would be as special to you as it was to me. And when you mentioned at our dinner meeting that you were interested in creating luxury resorts where people could create lifetime memories, I was pretty sure I had the right person. But I still needed to check…”
He walks ahead of me, reaching for what appears to be a guest book. I grin. This poor old man has a one-track mind. “I wanted you to have this.”
I’m not sure my clientele is the type to sign these, but I decide to just say thank you and keep that to myself. Clearly these are important to this guy. “Thank you.” Upon closer inspection I realize this isn’t new. What? Is he giving me an old one to finish off before buying a new one. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from chuckling. It fits what I know of Milton. He definitely didn’t spend money here unless he had to.
He reaches over to the book in my hand and flips open the front cover to a page designated with a book mark. “It was a hunch. But I couldn’t let the thought go. It took me days to find it, but when I did, I knew you had to have the book.Andthe hotel.” He snickers.
