Yours Completely(38)

She paused to take a sip of her champagne and Jace could feel that the story was about to darken.

“Then my mother died. I was only two at the time, but my dad took it really hard. Without her, he couldn't run this place like he used to. Things got scaled back, but it was still doing well.” She glanced up at him, making sure he was still interested.

“A young daughter and a business? That would be hard for anyone,” Jace said. She smiled, glad to see he was actually paying attention.

“When I was twelve, my dad decided that I needed a female in my life and that he needed a partner. I told him we really didn't, but I think the idea of raising a teenage girl scared him. He missed my mom and wanted someone like her.” Ella looked down at her champagne. “Then, one day he went to Vegas for a conference and came back married to Delores. How she convinced him she was like my mom, I'll never know.”

Jace had heard this story before from more men than he cared to count. It was classic gold-digger money hungry woman meets wealthy man.

“Things were good for a few years. Delores loved playing the wealthy wife and she didn't do much around the inn. I spent most of my time at school or learning how to do things around here. I never really had to deal with Delores or Allison very much, despite my dad's attempts to make us into a family.” She played with the champagne flute, twirling it in her fingers and watching the liquid spin inside of it. “Then, one day, his heart just gave out and he was gone.”

The simple ache in her voice made him want to wrap his arms around her. “I'm sorry.”

She shrugged, as if the motion could move the pain of his passing from her, but the weight of it still hung heavy around her. “That's when I found out that the inn was willed to Delores until my twenty-second birthday.” She shrugged again, the weight of the world still on her shoulders.

Jace nodded. He could imagine how it all went down. His own father lost twenty-five percent of his company to wife number two because she'd convinced him that a pre-nup was a sign he didn't love her. A woman with a mission, especially one as wily as Delores, would find a way to get anything.

“I'm sure you can imagine Delores's shock at finding out that the inn was the only property to my father's name and that it wasn't exactly the easy money she thought it would be.” She looked up at him and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “He'd barely been supporting her spending habits before all the medical bills and funeral arrangements happened.”

“Ouch.” Jace took a sip of his champagne, not feeling sorry for Delores at all.

“In order for me to inherit my father's inn, I have show that I am devoted to managing the inn for five years. If I leave, I lose my inheritance. So, I've worked my butt off under Delores's management. I've even offered to buy it from her, to get her out of here faster,” Ella said. She shook her head and the small strand of hair fell out of place again.

“I'm guessing she didn't take your offer.” Jace took another sip of champagne and fighting the urge to fix that strand of hair. It was the same one as at the gazebo yesterday.

“Nope. But, my birthday's in six months and no one can deny that I've worked for this place.” She looked up at him, her eyes excited and bright. “I'm so close to getting this place I can taste it.”

He loved how she lit up when she talked about her future and her plans. She was so full of hope and enthusiasm, he was tempted to just write her a check for however much she needed. If she asked, he would.

“Once it's yours, what are you going to do?” he asked.

“Everything.” She glanced around the garden, already seeing things changing in her mind. Her eyes danced with excitement and he couldn't look away for even a second. “I was the one who set up this wedding and made it work. If I can do it once, I can do it again. This place is going to be bigger and better than my father ever dreamed.”

“You'll certainly have me as a repeat customer,” he replied, loving the way she grinned at him.

“You can have the best room whenever you do,” she promised.

He grinned at her, enjoying their conversation. Any other woman he'd talk to like this would be naked and writhing in his bed by now, not sitting and talking like two friends. It surprised him that he was actually enjoying it. More than he ever would have thought possible. Even if nothing happened sexually tonight, he would still think tonight was fantastic.

The thought made him pause. No sex was still a good night? That sounded more like a relationship than a fling. And for the first time in his life, that didn't scare him. He wanted something more with Ella. He wanted to wake up tomorrow morning and find her still here. He wanted to wake up and never have her leave again.