Page 96 of Coffee Break with the Billionaire

“There’s going to be a place for people to watch this.” She spreads her hands wide. “Learn about this. And people are going to come and watch and learn, and the town needs to prepare. Another restaurant. Hela’s. Places to stay. I bought that house on Second Street and I’m going to make it into a bed and breakfast. The apartments in Edie’s building and over The King’s Hat will be Airbnbs. KingMagnus agrees that there should be a motel outside town.” She shrugs and when I don’t say anything—when I can’t say anything—she keeps going. “I made a plan of the town, of what it could be without changing its character, and Magnus loved it. So did my father. He hired me as a consultant, to look for opportunities to move Carrington Toys forward.”

“I don’t understand.” Restaurants and Airbnbs and a motel? An observatory?

“I want to stay,” she says simply. “And so, I made it possible. Not just so we can be together, but for me, too. This placeis good for me. You’re good for me.”

She bought the town because she thinks it’s good for her. That I’m good for her.

I have to agree with her. Maybe she’s not that different when she’s away from here, but I do like her when she’s here. And I know I’m not the only one. Here plans might not be what I would have come up with, but the outcome will be the same.

Fenella isn’t leaving and that means we’ve got a chance. And I think it’s a pretty good one.

I laugh. It’s the only thing I can think of doing, other than kissing Fenella.

I do that, too.

Pulling her close, even as the sky lights up above us, I kiss her with everything I’ve got—every bit of wonder and gratitude and admiration, of all the relief that she’s here. Back with me.

I kiss her for a long time, so when we finally part, the sky is dark, with only the stars as company.

“We missed it,” Fenella says, snuggling into my neck. She kisses my jaw. “I wanted to see the meteors with you.”

“We’ll come tomorrow,” I promise. “That’s the night to see it.”

“It’s a date.” I feel her smile against my skin. “This is what you should have been doing,” she says. “Bringing women up here and—no. Scratch that. You should never bring anyone up here but me.” She tilts her head back with a grin.

“I’m fine with that.” I kiss her softly. “What I want to know is when did you get the ideas for all of this?”

“It’s surprising where your mind goes when you’re cleaning,” she admits. “I might try it again some time.”

I laugh, and kiss her again.

One last meteor flashes through the sky. Or it might be a falling star, but I don’t bother making a wish.

I’ve got everything I want right here.

Epilogue

Six months later

The grand opening ofthe new and improved, and larger, Hela’s isn’t for another month, but I do a soft launch and host Edie’s bridal shower two days before the royal wedding.

Only women are invited, just like I imagined, and we have an amazing time.

In the months since I moved permanently to Laandia, Battle Harbour hasn’t gone through a massive transformation, but the changes have begun.

Waves, a new Maritime steakhouse, will be opening in another few months, and Valhalla, the new bed and breakfast, is already full of guests for the royal wedding.

Laura Schmidt runs it for me.

Along with my new businesses, King Magnus has taken to scheduling monthly meetings with me, to pick my brain about what else Laandia could use. He talks about putting me on the payroll, but I haven’t agreed yet.

Apparently, being an influencer has taught me to look outside the box for new opportunities.

Ground will break for the observatory next year, and Silas has been part of all of the planning. He’s very happy about it.

He’s not very happy when I drop my shoes.

My heels clatter onto the floor, and Ernie the cat ricochets off the couch. “Fenella?” Silas calls sleepily from the bedroom.

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