Page 158 of Billionaire Temptations

“What the hell is that?” I asked as she held a puppy in her arms.

“This was the package at the front door.”

She set him down on the bed, and he began to jump on me and lick my face.

“Oh, my God. Get it out of here!”

She picked up the dog and handed me an envelope. “This was with it, sir.”

I took it from her hand and opened it, pulling out the white card inside.

Alex,

I want you to meet Parker. In case you can’t tell, he’s a yellow lab and just a baby. Take good care of him for me. You need him as much as he needs you. Take him to the beach and play fetch with him. Teach him some tricks and talk to him. You need someone to love, Alex, and he won’t break your heart.

Love always,

Emerson

What the hell was she thinking? I looked up at Jenna, who was standing there petting the puppy.

“It’s from Emerson, and his name is Parker.”

She laughed, and I shot her a look.

“I guess we have a new houseguest, Jenna. You may place him on the bed.”

She set him down, and instantly, he ran over to me, licking my face and jumping all around. I took hold of his red collar with the dog-bone-shaped tag attached to it that read:Parker Parker. I couldn’t help but laugh because this was so Emerson.

I spentthe next couple of weeks working from home and bonding with Parker. He was a cute little guy, and I wasn’t even fond of dogs, especially when they shit in the house. We spent a lot of time on the beach and playing in the yard.

I missed Emerson so much, and every day that passed, it hurt more and more. I hadn’t shaven in a few days and didn’t care. A feeling of hopelessness resided in me without her in my life. All I wanted was to hear her sweet voice and hold her in my arms once again. She changed me, my life, and my world. And my world was nothing without her in it.

“Excuse me, Mr. Parker,” Jenna said as she stepped onto the patio.

“Yes, Jenna?”

“Emerson left something behind.”

“What?”

“This.” She held out the map Emerson always kept with her.

Staring at it for a moment, my heart started racing. I looked at Jenna.

“She wouldn’t have left this behind. This would have been the first thing she packed. Where did you find it?”

“I was in her room dusting, and Parker dragged it out from under the bed.”

Suddenly, a feeling of happiness flowed inside me.

“Jenna, do you know what this means?” I smiled as I took the map from her.

“No, sir. I don’t.”

“Emerson left this behind because she wants me to find her! Come inside.”

I unfolded the map and laid it on the island. “The black circles are the places she still had to go. The red circles are the places she’s already been. Focus on the black circles, Jenna.”

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