Page 133 of Tempting Me

“Who do you plan to sell it to?” I ask.

“There is a gentleman from Wind Valley coming to look at it tomorrow.”

I nod slowly, then do my best to look them both in the eye as I speak.

“If you sell it to him, I’ll just go to him and convince him to sell it to me. I’ll do it with whomever you choose to sell it to. They might make me pay twice or even triple your current selling price, but it’ll be worth it to watch Shay’s dreams come true, to be by her side when it happens. Because no matter how this works out, I will find a way to get that woman every bit of the life she wants and deserves, and once she forgives me for being an asshat these past few days, I’m going do everything in my power to show her that I’ve never loved anyone more than I love her. I’ll spend day after day showing her that if she wants it, I want it—and we want that Marina.”

I hold my chin high, so they know I’m not kidding around.

Mr. and Mrs. Parker share a look that it seems only they can understand.

When neither of them speak, I stand.

“You might not have believed me back then, but I needyou to believe me now. I will do whatever it takes to get Shay that marina, even if I have to sell my own company to do it.”

I head for the door. I’m just about to turn the handle when Mr. Parker clears his throat.

“If anyone in our family can bring that place back to life, it’s Shay. Despite all of this, I do want this for her, too. Get your offer to Linc by dinner tomorrow and you’ve got yourself a deal. If Shay is going on this journey, I can’t imagine a better man to be at her side.”

And then he hugs me.

I don’t cry, but damn, knowing they trust me again after all these years, that they trust me when it comes to their daughter and her dreams … if a moment is going to count, it’s this one.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

SHAY

The dining room has a waitlist.

I stand back and look into the space, loving how the end result makes it feel so cozy.

I’d pulled an all-nighter the night Luca left to get it ready. I knew he wasn’t coming back to help, and despite my family selling, I needed to see it in full swing again.

People are eating, laughing, and some are taking group pictures.

It’s exactly what I wanted for this place.

It’s what I worked hard for, and it's … not going to be mine.

I sigh and head down the hallway with its fresh paint and lined with pictures from my childhood: some of the events we held back then, some just of random ones my family or Luca’s family took. A majority of them include my family and his, and that’s okay. The history of this place really hit us the deepest.

And soon it’ll go to another family.

I hope they have kids.

I hope they want to make memories the way I did, and I hope they don’t change everything Luca and I just poured our hearts into.

I don’t think I could come back if they gutted it.

I’m just about to turn into the office when Ruby calls my name.

“Hi.” She beams and then hugs me. “How are you?”

I know she’s asking out of pure friendliness, but the look in her eyes says she’s not just asking about my day.

“I’m doing okay.”

The truth is, I hurt. My heart, my head, every piece of me.

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