Page 185 of Grand Love

“Lights?” She laughs all goofily, and it sparks so much excitement inside of me. “Oh girl, you just wait.”

Not wanting to wait a minute longer, I run up the steps, throwing open the door. “What the fuck?” I stop on the top step.

My stomach bottoms out, tears springing to my eyes and falling quickly.

“Why are you crying?” Lucy panics.

“Are you serious?” I splutter. I’m pretty sure I now have snot on my face.

“You hate it?”

I shake my head.

“You love it?”

I nod.

“These are happy tears!”

I nod again.

“Well, thank god!” She chuckles, placing a hand on her chest.

“Oh my god, Luce.” I walk deeper into the room, inhaling the fresh pine that seems to smother my heart and set my chest aflame.

Everything is done. Finished and brand new. The floors have been replaced, a dark solid wood, smooth and polished. Mirrors line the entire back wall with a barre running the length of it, and a bunch of red roses lie on a grand black piano that’s set back in the corner of the room. It’s not Ellis’s—I know that without needing to inspect it—but it’s perfect. It’s thought out, and special, and even better than I could ever envision it myself. “When did he do this?”

“Over the last few days. He had someone in to do most of the work, but the boys did a lot too.”

“It’s perfect,” I whisper.

“He bought this place for you, Nina. The whole building.”

My brows crease together, and I swear I can feel every one of my bones ache right down to my toes. “What?”

“He sold your studio and wanted to make up for it. I didn’t know,” she reassures me. “But when you left, he offered downstairs to Logan at a fraction of the price. He kept this level for you.”

My eyes drift closed as I absorb her words. I should’ve known. He seemed to hold out so much hope even when I lost it all.

I don’t deserve this man.

“L&M fitness. Lowell and Morgan, or Logan and Mason—depends on who you ask.” I try to make out her facial expression through my tears but it’s useless. They aren’t stopping. “This is all the business mumbo jumbo you’ll need. Like I said, Logan has downstairs, and this is yours.” She hands me the folder and I flick it open. “So, it’s in your name but there’s a clause where you pay a sum—a percentage, I think, to Alcohol Change UK each month, which is peanuts if you ask me.” She chuckles. “You also have all the start-ups to pay back—which if you moan about, I will hurt you. You asked for this, you crazy girl.”

I laugh as I grip the documents to my chest, not even trying to dry my face.

“Logan knows that you’ll be working up here from now on, and you can start whenever you want.”

My dimples ache from the smile that stretches my face. Could he be any more perfect? “I love it.” I spin on the spot, then walk to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking past the three other buildings to The Montwell. It sits taller than the rest, proud and dominant. “I love it so, so much, Luce.”

“Almost there…” She holds out another envelope.

“There’s more?” I gush, my hands shaking as I take it from her.

I rip open the envelope.

They’ll grow an empire, fit for future kings.

I giggle, looking at Luce. “Elliot wrote this with him, didn’t he?”

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