“What the hell is he doing here?” Penelope said next to her.
“No clue, but I’m going to find out.” She marched forward. “Simon. I figured with your one star review the last place you’d want to come is here.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m not here to stay. I’m here to talk to you.”
He didn’t deny the review, which she completely expected he would. “I don’t think we have anything to say to each other.”
“We do,” he said. “Can we go to your office and talk?”
“Why not?” she said, knowing she didn’t want witnesses if she lost her temper. When they were behind closed doors, she said, “Now what brought you here all in a snit?”
“I heard you’re slumming it with the mailman.”
“What?” she asked. She had no clue how he found out or would even care. “I’m hardly slumming anything, not that it’s any concern of yours.”
“It’s reflecting poorly on me,” he said.
“I don’t give a shit how it reflects on you nor does it concern me. It shouldn’t even concern you who I date.”
“People are talking about it. They are making comments in Boston that you dropped me and went to him. It’s embarrassing.”
Now she knew what this was about. “Well, I’m sorry to break the news to you, but get over it. No one was talking about your new lady love or the fact she looked exactly like me. Or is that the problem? You’ve decided to try to keep replacing me with look-alikes and now you’re the laughing stock?”
When his face turned red she realized she’d aimed and fired with lethal precision. “I loved you.”
“You loved my name and money and that is all it was. You wanted a piece of this hotel and you weren’t going to get it. You were nothing but a dick about it all.”
“What has come over you?” he asked. “That piece of trash you’re dating has worn off on you now that you’ve lowered your standards along with your class. I get it. You just needed someone you can boss around and control. That’s always been your problem.”
“No. My problem was I was blind to you and what you were doing and I lost a lot of years of my life wanting something that was never going to happen. I corrected that mistake and you can’t handle the fact that I broke it off with you. You were the one that had to control everything.”
Simon laughed and turned to open the door. “You keep telling yourself that. It’s always been your way or the highway. No man wants to be with a woman like that.”
When he turned, Penelope was standing there grinning. “I guess you’re not a man then because you sure the hell wanted it.”
“You’re both bitches and this place is only doing as well as it is because of your family name and backing. Without that you’d have nothing.”
Simon stormed out and she looked at Penelope and started to laugh. “He said our hotel was doing well. I’ll be damned.”
Penelope shook her head. “You’re not upset over what just happened?”
“No. I’m not. Because I don’t believe a thing he said. Am I controlling? I am. And maybe I was with him and I’ll take the blame there.”
“There is no blame to be had,” Penelope said. “You were that way because the relationship wasn’t what you wanted.”
“Exactly,” she said. “But I’m in one that I want. One that is working out damn good for me and I’m not the least bit controlling. I think I’ve given up a lot of control when it comes to Crew. I’ve loosened up like you’ve said. Like everyone has said. We give each other space and we work well together.”
“You do. And everyone in the family knows it’s the real deal because your priorities have changed. That’s what is really pissing Simon off. I’m sure whatever he’s heard is also that you’re spending a lot of time with Crew when you never did with him.”
“That’s right. Because now I know what real love is. And I know how to compromise when it matters.”
“And what are you going to do about it?” Penelope asked.
“I think I might take control,” she said, grabbing her purse and walking out the door.
Crew was halfway through his shift, walking back to his truck after a delivery, when he heard a horn beeping. He turned and saw Emily’s SUV pulling up to the curb. “What’s going on? How come you aren’t at work?”
“Because I just had an enlightening conversation with Simon and I’ve decided it was time for me to take charge.”
“Simon, your ex?” he asked, wondering why the guy couldn’t just go away and stay away. He might have to take matters into his own hands soon. Emily might not appreciate that, but he didn’t care. In his world, if someone messed with his woman, he was making his voice heard.
“Yes. He stopped in today because he’d heard I was slumming it with the mailman.”
Crew started to laugh. “I’m a pretty lucky man then.”
“You’re not mad over that?”
“Why would I be? That’s nothing compared to what my family has said to you.”
“Oh yeah,” she said. “I’ve been called a high-end escort, a whore, and a bimbo.”
“A chocolate whore,” he corrected her. “There is a difference.”
“Not really, but that’s fine. You’re right—none of that even bothered me. But Simon insulting you, that just pissed me off.”
“Why is that?”
“Because no one messes with my man.” She put the car in park and got out.
He pulled her forward. “I was thinking the same thing. That I might have to seek this ass out and tell him to be gone and stay gone.”
“You’d probably scare him if he saw you coming,” she said, wrapping her arms around him.
“So you left your little anniversary party thing to come tell me this?” he asked. So much for her always putting her job first. Guess Simon had it all wrong.
“No. Not just that. I left it to ask you something.”
“What’s that?”
She moved out of his arms. “I want you to marry me.”
His jaw opened and closed. “That isn’t a question,” he said.
“Nope. I guess I just wanted to make a statement. Simon accused me of always having to control things and I stormed out of my office after telling Penelope I was going to take control. But I’m taking charge and it’s different than controlling. So I’m telling you what I want. We said we’d be honest and here I am with all my honesty for you to see.”
“Here you are,” he said, kissing her. “Well then, I guess I have to think this all over and get back to you.”
She started to laugh at him when he expected her to be upset or shocked. “You do that. You know where to find me when you’re ready to give me your answer.”
He watched and she turned and swished her hot ass back to her car. Talk about a lovely surprise.
Epilogue
One week later, Emily was called to the front of the hotel for a guest to speak with her.
“I’ll be there in a minute. Did you get a name? Did they say what they wanted?” She hated when this happened, but she wouldn’t say no either.
“No. He just said it was very important, that he had something to ask you.”
“Okay, I’m on my way up.” She pushed back from her desk and moved to the front of the hotel, stunned to see Crew standing there. She figured he’d be working, but then looked at her watch and realized he was probably done for the day. “Crew. What are you doing here?”
“I’ve got an important question to ask you.”
She’d been waiting for him to make some comment on her spontaneous marriage statement a week ago and he hadn’t yet. She was starting to wonder if maybe she’d moved too fast.
“What’s that?” she asked. “Maybe we should go in my office.”
“Nope. It has to be right here where everyone can see it.”
“Wait. I’m here now,” Penelope yelled after she came running down the hall out of breath. “You didn’t do it yet, did you?”
“What is
going on?” Emily asked, getting nervous.
He got down on one knee and she gasped. Guests and employees alike had stopped what they were doing to watch. “You took charge last week. I’m taking control now. Diamond rings take time, you know,” he said. “I couldn’t do this without it.”
He flipped the lid and showed her a massive square cut diamond and she held her hand out knowing it was shaking. “No. You’d want to do it right.”
“I am,” he said. “I figured I bid on you for all to see, so why not ask you to be my wife in the place that means the most to you. Will you marry me, Emily Rauch?”
“Yes!” she said. Once he slid the ring on her finger, she stood up and hugged him, then said, “And you mean the most to me. Not this hotel. It might have been an unconventional meeting, but it worked for us.”
“It did,” he said, kissing her. “I’m coming to find out that not much is conventional on this island when it comes to love and relationships. Or so my history lessons have taught me.”
She started to laugh. “No. Nothing is. Welcome to life on Amore Island, Crew.”
“As long as you are here with me, that is all I care about!”
The End!
Check out Ava & Seth Story!
Also by Natalie Ann
The Road Series-See where it all started!!
Lucas and Brooke’s Story- Road to Recovery
Jack and Cori’s Story – Road to Redemption
Mac and Beth’s Story- Road to Reality
Ryan and Kaitlin’s Story- Road to Reason
The All Series
William and Isabel’s Story — All for Love
Ben and Presley’s Story – All or Nothing
Phil and Sophia’s Story – All of Me
Alec and Brynn’s Story – All the Way
Sean and Carly’s Story — All I Want
Drew and Jordyn’s Story— All My Love
Finn and Olivia’s Story—All About You
Landon Barber and Kristen Reid- All Of Us
The Lake Placid Series
Nick Buchanan and Mallory Denning – Second Chance
Max Hamilton and Quinn Baker – Give Me A Chance
Caleb Ryder and Celeste McGuire – Our Chance
Cole McGuire and Rene Buchanan – Take A Chance
Zach Monroe and Amber Deacon- Deserve A Chance
Trevor Miles and Riley Hamilton – Last Chance
Matt Winters and Dena Hall- Another Chance
Logan Taylor and Kennedy Miles- It’s My Chance
Justin Cambridge and Taryn Miles – One More Chance
The Fierce Five Series
Gavin Fierce and Jolene O’Malley- How Gavin Stole Christmas
Brody Fierce and Aimee Reed - Brody
Aiden Fierce and Nic Moretti- Aiden
Mason Fierce and Jessica Corning- Mason
Cade Fierce and Alex Marshall - Cade
Ella Fierce and Travis McKinley- Ella
Fierce Family
Sam Fierce and Dani Rhodes- Sam
Bryce Fierce and Payton Davies - Bryce
Drake Fierce and Kara Winslow – Drake
Noah Fierce and Paige Parker - Noah
Wyatt Fierce and Adriana Lopez – Wyatt
Jade Fierce and Brock James – Jade
Ryder Fierce and Marissa McMillan – Ryder
Fierce Matchmaking
Devin Andrews and Hope Hall- Devin
Love Collection
Vin Steele and Piper Fielding – Secret Love
Jared Hawk and Shelby McDonald – True Love
Erik McMann and Sheldon Case – Finding Love
Connor Landers and Melissa Mahoney- Beach Love
Liam Sullivan and Ali Rogers - Autumn Love
Owen Taylor and Jill Duncan - Holiday Love
Chase Martin and Noelle Bennett - Christmas Love
Zeke Collins and Kendall Hendricks - Winter Love
Troy Walker and Meena Dawson – Chasing Love
Jace Stratton and Lauren Towne - First Love
Gabe Richards and Leah Morrison - Forever Love
Blake Wilson and Gemma Anderson – Simply Love
Brendan St. Nicholas and Holly Lane – Gifts of Love
Paradise Place
Josh Turner and Ruby Gentile – Cupid’s Quest
Harris Walker and Kaelyn Butler – Change Up
Philip Aire and Blair McKay- Starting Over
Nathan Randal and Brina Shepard – Eternal
Ryan Butler and Shannon Wilder – Falling Into Love
Brian Dawson and Robin Masters – Mistletoe Magic
Caden Finley and Sarah Walker- Believe In Me
Amore Island
Family Bonds- Hunter and Kayla
Family Bonds- Drew and Amanda
Family Bonds – Mac and Sidney
Family Bonds- Emily & Crew
Family Bonds- Ava & Seth
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