Page 21 of Christmas With A Billionaire

“And I realized I’d never seen anything more attractive than her standing there, five-foot-seven in heels, making this six-foot frat boy stammer like a kid.” I smiled at the memory. “Then she turned to me, wild-haired and triumphant, and said, ‘Your turn to buy shots.’”

“That’s when you knew?”

“That’s when I admitted it to myself. But looking back?” I shrugged. “Probably since high school.”

LaMont whistled low. “All these years...”

“Yeah.”

“And now she’s dating Marcus Richardson.”

“It was one date,” I mumbled. “One date too many, from where I’m sitting.”

I shifted my focus to moving more boxes to the kitchen.

“You know what your problem is?” LaMont followed me, his footsteps heavy on the hardwood floors. “You’re so used to controlling everything. Your hotels, your image, your empire. But this you can’t control, so you do nothing instead of taking action.

He started unpacking dishes, the ceramic clinking as he set them on the counters.

“What do you want me to do? Tell her I’ve been in love with her since we were kids? Risk everything we’ve built?”

“Yes!” LaMont slammed a cabinet door. “Because right now, you’re risking losing her anyway. Do you think Marcus Richardson will be the last guy to see how amazing she is? Who will want to give her everything you’re too scared to offer?”

His words hit like a physical blow. I gripped the counter, the marble cold under my palms.

“Look,” LaMont’s voice softened. “I’ve watched you build this empire. Turn one hotel into a global brand. You take bigger risks before breakfast than most people do in a lifetime. But with Autumn? You play it safe.”

“It’s different.”

“Why?”

“Because she matters more.” The truth of it resonated in my chest. “Everything else - the hotels, the money, all of it - I could lose it tomorrow and rebuild. But her? If I lost her...”

“Then don’t lose her.” LaMont pulled two beers from the cooler and handed me one. “But man, watching her walk away because you were too afraid to try? That’s gonna hurt worse than any failed attempt.”

I took a long drink, letting the cold beer wash down my throat. “She deserves better than attempts.”

“She deserves the truth.” LaMont leaned against the counter. “And the truth is, you’re it for her, too.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Actually, I do.” He popped the top off another beer. “Remember last Christmas? At the company party?”

I nodded. The event had been spectacular - I’d transformed the Benefield Chicago’s ballroom into a winter wonderland.

“You were working the room, doing your CEO thing. Autumn was by the bar with Angela, talking about you. Not knowing I could hear them.”

My heart rate kicked up. “And what did you hear?”

“Angela asked why you two never got together. Autumn said she couldn’t imagine her life without you in it. That you were her constant, her safe place.” LaMont took another drink. “Then Angela asked what she’d do if you dated someone else. You know what Autumn said?”

I stared at him.

“Nothing. But man, the look on her face?” LaMont set his beer down. “It was like existential dread. That’s when I knew. She loves you just as much as you love her. She’s just as scared of losing you as you are of losing her.”

The furniture truck arrived before I could respond. For the next hour, we directed movers and arranged LaMont’s living room. But his words remained at the forefront of my mind.

When the sky darkened outside, LaMont ordered pizza. We sat on his new couch, surrounded by boxes, and demolished two large pies.

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