Page 1 of Love Me Forever

Chapter One

Travis

My phone beeped withincoming messages the second I turned off airplane mode. I was in baggage claim, trying to keep an eye on the conveyor belt while checking what my niece, Paisley, sent me. She was eleven years old and was obsessed with photography, so for Christmas I got her a professional camera. Now every few hours, she sent me copies of the photos she took.

I didn’t mind. I had a soft spot for my niece. She was the only kid in my huge family, which consisted of me, my five brothers—four of whom were now engaged or married—and two cousins. I knew she got lonely from time to time, and I was glad we had this connection. She was really a good girl and becoming a decent photographer too.

Paisley: THANK YOU THANK YOU, Uncle Travis. The camera is the best. What do you think about my picture?

I knew jack shit about photography, but I thought she did a decent job capturing how dead Chicago looked in winter.

Travis: You’ve got skills, kid.

Paisley: I want to get so good that I can take pictures at all the family weddings.

That seemed like a stretch, but you never knew. Neither my brother Luke nor Tyler had set wedding dates, and when Paisley put her mind to something, she usually made it happen. She was a Maxwell through and through in that respect.

Travis: Keep at it and you’ll be a pro soon.

There, that was true. It was important to build up her confidence.

Over Christmas break, I'd relaxed with my family, but then it was back to business, and I had things to do and people to see. One of the Maxwell mottos was “always have a purpose,” and that was what drove me.

I'd built and sold a huge software company specializing in predicting stock market trends, and now I was preparing to open a hotel. It was an entirely different industry, but I relished a good challenge.

Besides, it was my chance to expand my family’s legacy.

The plane was fairly empty, not a lot of people flying to this small remote community in Southern California, though I did spot a brunette who caught my eye as she lifted her small bag off the luggage belt. She'd sat a few rows ahead of me on the plane too. Definitely someone I could have an interest in, but I needed to stay focused on this business trip. It was one of those make-it-or-break-it negotiations.

After picking up my luggage, I went directly to the car service desk. When I booked my room in Oceanwell Bay, the hotel told me there were no Ubers in the area because it was such a small community. There were some car rental companies but not in the airport itself.

Thankfully, my assistant arranged for a pickup service.

I should've flown my helicopter, but the heliport was even farther away from Oceanwell Bay than the airport, so I would've had the same transportation issue once I landed. I liked efficiency when traveling, which was really why I bought a helicopter in the first place.

I was here with one goal: convincing Tim Woodson to be the general manager of my hotel. That was my secret to success—I knew how to attract the best people and convince them to work for me. Unfortunately, Tim wasn't convinced yet, and I was here to do just that. We’d spoken on the phone, but some things needed to be done face-to-face.

As I approached the counter, I noticed a familiar brunette in front of it—the same woman I’d seen on the plane and in baggage claim. She was insanely gorgeous, wearing a long skirt I suspected hid toned, sexy legs. The huge belt around her waist accentuated her curves. Her coat was hanging on the handle of her luggage. This time I really took all of her in as she spoke with the clerk. The woman was hot.

"I'm sorry, the taxi we booked for you will be back in about an hour. I don't have any others available right now," the woman behind the counter was telling her. "The only one left is already booked."

By me.

“Are you sure the person who ordered it made their flight? They should be here by now.”

“I’m quite sure they made the flight. Otherwise, they would've notified us.”

"There's no other way to get to Oceanwell Bay, right? Or is there a car rental company in the airport?" the brunette asked.

“I’m sorry, ma'am, but there are no rentals on the property. This is a small community, and usually we can service everyone quite promptly. I’m so sorry this is happening. All our drivers are out now delivering their passengers to their destinations. The one we booked for you is stuck in traffic because there was an accident on their route, so it’s taking longer than expected.”

I stepped up to the desk, rolling my luggage next to the brunette’s. "Good evening. I'm Travis Maxwell. I booked a car with you."

She smiled at me. "There you are, sir. I knew you’d be on this flight."

I turned to look at the brunette pointedly. Suggesting to the clerk that maybe I'd missed my flight was clever and very naughty.

"All right, I have your credit card and your ID on file," the clerk said. "Your assistant has taken care of everything. I'm just going to tell our driver that you're here."

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