Page 11 of The Billionaire Offer
I chuckled. “I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t drive, then, huh?”
“Smart man,” she commented with a slight smile as we turned to start back up the path we’d walked down. “I never dreamed I’d get to see the Northern Lights. This is going to be quite a trip if that’s just the first stop. That seems more like a grand finale kind of destination to me. I understand why you wanted to do it first, but how does one top that?”
“I don’t really know yet,” I mused. “I’m hoping the pyramids and a camel ride in Giza will do the trick, but if not, then Egypt will just be another stop and we’ll figure something out for the grand finale when the time comes.”
“Egypt will absolutely not be just another stop,” she objected laughingly. “Those are some of the ancient wonders of the world you’re talking about. Did you know that, to this day, no one knows with complete certainty how a civilization that old managed to build structures like that?”
“There are theories about aliens helping them.” I shrugged, but I couldn’t quite keep a straight face when I said it. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll find a UFO buried in the desert while we’re there.”
“Oooh, I didn’t know you had plans to go digging for alien remains. I’d have taken you more for an Indiana Jones wannabe for that part of the trip.”
“Uh, did you not see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? I could find the next alien skull that he missed during filming.”
“I did see it,” she said. “With you, actually. If memory serves, that is. We watched so many movies like that when you guys were going through the adventurer phase that I can’t remember for sure if we watched that one or not, but I’m pretty sure we would’ve.”
A sudden laugh tore out of me. “Oh, God. I’d forgotten about that phase. We definitely watched it.”
“With whips and hats at hand,” she teased, but she wasn’t wrong.
I groaned. “At least we committed. I’m still a little disappointed that you wouldn’t dress up like Lara Croft for me while we were in that phase anyway.”
She snorted. “I still feel the same way about it now as I did then. Lara is a bad-ass tomb raider and I will not take part in the sexualization of the character.”
“Right.” I snapped my fingers. “I remember your objections so vividly now. You made some good points, but I maintain that I didn’t want you to take part in the sexualization of the character. I merely wanted you to join in the fun.”
“Which was why I also dressed up as Indy,” she said, chuckling at the memory. “God, your face when I walked in wearing baggy khakis and a field hat instead of skin-tight leather or a mini skirt. It was so perfect.”
I huffed out a breath. “It’s still one of the single greatest disappointments I’ve ever had.”
“Moving along swiftly, though,” she said. “Iceland and Egypt. What else is on our itinerary?”
“Well, while we’re in Egypt, I’d also like to do a cruise on the Nile and see the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, as well as the temples in Luxor, and then, so far, the only other thing I’ve got booked is scuba diving in Hawaii.”
I could practically see the stars in her eyes as she looked up at me just before we walked back into the house. Those bright blues were illuminated by the lights coming from inside, but that lively spark in them was all her.
“I still can’t believe we’re really going to do all that,” she mumbled, then hesitated before she smiled brilliantly. “Thank you for inviting me. I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to thank you enough. You’ve changed my entire life tonight, and that’s without the fact that you’re going to be paying for my album. I’m still not sure how to feel about that part, but just getting to see you was incredible. Knowing that we’re going to be spending months seeing the world together? It’s more than I ever could’ve hoped for, especially at this stage of my life when everything has been feeling so bleak and hopeless.”
I took her hand, figuring even just a friend would’ve done it in that moment. “I should be thanking you for agreeing. As soon as I got the idea to ask you to come with me, I was sold on it. It would’ve sucked to have to leave without you. That being said, the money is non-negotiable. I know you feel weird about it, but you don’t have to. Everybody in the world who has a job gets paid for their time doing it. All I’m paying you for is your time. That’s it. There are no strings attached.”
She tightened her grip on my fingers as she peered up at me through those thick lashes. “We’re on the same page about that, but I’m still going to feel weird about it. People do get paid for their time, but I’m not an employee of yours and they don’t usually get paid to accompany their boss on his travels.”
“That kind of depends on the industry you’re in,” I joked. “Plenty of people accompany their bosses on their travels, but let’s leave it at that. You needed a break, and I’m happy to be giving you one. I needed company on my trip, and you’re giving me that. We’ve been friends for the better parts of our lives. There’s no reason any of it should be weird and we won’t let it be. Deal?”
“Deal,” she said, then squeezed my hand again before she released it. “You know, there is one other thing I’ve never done that I’d like to.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“Ride in a limo,” she said. “It’s not exactly as fancy as riding a camel in Giza, but I think it’d be cool.”
I chuckled. “I’m sure we can work that in somewhere. Are you ready to go inside?”
“Yep.” She lifted her chin and stuck close to my side as we walked back into the party.
It was in full swing, the music pumping and the drinks flowing. Tanner and Jeremiah cheered when they spotted me walking toward them. Shawn glanced between me and Serenity, sighed, shrugged, and then came to join us.
Serenity and I spent the rest of the night together, planning the trip and having fun at the send-off which was now just as much for her as it was for me. While I already knew it was going to be difficult to keep my promise about things being platonic between us on the road, I was happy she was coming with me.
Everything was falling into place for a trip that would now be so much more fun than it would’ve been if I’d been going alone. Things were definitely looking up for me, and once again, I had Serenity to thank for that.
