Page 80 of Grand Escape

She started to murmur protests, but I held up a hand.

“I get that we’re new, and don’t start again with the one-week business. One week in a resort is like a year in real life. We are new, and we’re starting this adventure together. Here, where you live.”

“Is that so?” She laughed as she said it.

“It’s a proven fact. What I mean is, you can dump your villa and stay at the house. I don’t want to pressure you, but it’s a big house and needs to be loved. I guess I can come and go every few months and then figure out something more permanent. I own a house here ... so that’s probably a loophole.”

She shook her head. “You mean to tell me that a lawyer—the one who looked up the employee handbook to see if he could ask me out to dinner—didn’t find out these details?”

“Nope, I just wanted to make this happen. In fact, I’m going to call Cal later and have him look into it.”

Rylan waved a hand in the air. “This is too much. I can’t move into that house. I don’t even have a car. I’m a bartender ... I can’t live there as a freeloader.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A bartender who has hoarded her tips for a decade. You deserve to live a little.”

She licked her lips, and I couldn’t help but wish it was my lips on hers.

“I left a mansion and the good life behind.”

“I knew you would argue, but the truth is, you left the strings attached to that mansion behind. This place doesn’t come with those. Bottom line is I’m going to be here a lot, and I bought a Jeep, so now I’m absolutely committed. I can’t drive it yet, so I’m going to need some wrong-side-of-the-road lessons.”

A stray piece of Rylan’s hair lifted in the breeze, and she impatiently brushed it aside. “I can’t make you do that. I can’t make you stay here.”

Reaching across the table, I took her hand. “Look, I own the firm, and my brother likes hunting for new clients. It’s the keeping-them-happy part he’s not good at. I can do that from afar with trips back and forth. No one has ever been in your corner, and now I am.”

“Ad, I don’t know what to say. It’s a lot to take in. You know, my parents came here.”

“What?” Now it was my turn to gape at her. “You’re just letting me know this now?”

“Yeah, they came, disrupted the pool area for a few hours, upset all the staff, and then left when I told them I wasn’t going to bend to their will. Actually, not them. My mom fled. My dad wouldn’t even see me unless I changed clothes and went to a formal dinner with them. Which I refused to do.”

“Fuck, Ry, why didn’t you tell me?” Furious on her behalf, I cupped her cheek for a moment.

She shook her head. “It’s behind me. I stood my ground and now they’re gone. Out of my life and gave some stranger my power of attorney. That was the aftermath.”

“No parent should ever act that way.”

“I know,” she said softly. “I’m trying to get behind you being here, with no expectations from me but to care for you. It’s hard. I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes to being with me. We could be here during the winter and back in Michigan or New York in the summer. And in between, we can do whatever we want. You’re an amazing resort employee who makes everyone around her happy. I’d say that’s pretty damn successful.”

“Summers there and winters here? Back and forth in between? Is that really an option?”

I could almost see her brain churning. I decided to let the topic of her parents go for the moment, but eventually, we’d come back to it. I would be happy to have her power of attorney.

“It is,” I said matter-of-factly. “I may have to go back and forth a bit when you don’t want to, but that’s it. Cal is for the whole idea. I promised him I’d find business down here too. Sadly, I can find other clients here like Chewy.”

Switching gears, Rylan asked, “Is it weird? Watching people dissolve their love for each other?”

“Honestly, no. It’s not for me. What I mean is I don’t ever want to be in that situation. But weird shit happens, and it’s smart to have someone like me in your corner if it does. Mostly, I’ve seen it all, so I know what I don’t want. And what I do want is you. Plus, I mean, look around you. Blue skies, ocean air, golf whenever I want ...”

“And you want me? Shit, I keep repeating you. My own parents basically wrote me off. I just can’t imagine doing that to someone you love.”

“I want you and only you. Think of it this way—I don’t have to share you with anyone.”

“What about your mom?”

This made me laugh. “My mom is dying to meet the nice young lady who stole my heart. Brace yourself. And she doesn’t even mind that you’re not Jewish, which is a non-issue for me. Those are her words, not mine.”

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