Paradise Found

Eloise: I know. I need to get my ass into gear. I finished another week of therapy today.

I bite my lip, hoping he doesn’t think something is wrong with me.

Alistair: I’m so proud of you. It must have been a big step to do that.

Alistair: Just so you know. My father demoted George from CEO of the company down to an entry-level advisor. He told him while on his honeymoon, he wasn’t impressed. Finally, my father has put his foot down with my brother’s antics. My family can’t apologize enough for what happened. They have also cut ties with your parents. They were horrified to know they refused to help you.

Well, shit! I don’t feel bad for George losing his job, he deserves so much more than that, but I understand it’s hard when he’s the heir to the family business. I appreciate them cutting off my parents, but they didn’t need to do that. However, the gesture is kind. I feel bad that I’ve affected their family so much with my baggage. I know people will say it’s not my fault, but still, if I hadn’t walked into their life, their entire family wouldn’t have imploded. When I think about it,it should have imploded when George knocked Miranda up.Maybe I was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Eloise: I’m sorry.

Alistair: You have nothing to apologize for. George had this coming for a very long time.

Maybe he’s right.

Alistair: I know I might be pushing my luck, as this is the most we have spoken in weeks, but I was wondering if you could meet me somewhere next week. I found the perfect spot for your business.

Even through all this, he’s still thinking about my business. I truly don’t deserve this man.

Eloise: Okay. Send me the details.

Alistair: I thought I would have had to work a little harder than that, but I’ll take it.

I smile down at my phone.

Eloise: See you then.

Alistair: Can’t wait.

* * *

I’m nervous as I turn up to the address Alistair sent through to me in Kensington, and I know instantly I can’t afford something as gorgeous as this. It’s perfection. A blank canvas to work with, in a great location, and there’s no other bakery shop like it in the area. The building has character. It’s on the corner with a large outside area where people could sit and relax while enjoying a coffee and a sweet treat. I peek my eyes through the windows, but I can’t see what it looks like inside.

“What do you think?” Alistair asks, making me jump upon hearing his voice.

I spin around, and there he is, looking utterly handsome. He’s dressed casually today in jeans, a navy blazer, and a white business shirt. His sandy blond hair is a little disheveled, he has scruff across his square jaw, and he’s giving me a bright white smile. I’ve missed him so much. I’m itching to jump into his arms and hug him because in this moment, I’ve realized how much I’ve missed him. Tears well in my eyes as my emotions seem to take over me.

“Babe, is everything okay?” he asks, hesitating to reach out to me.

Screw it.I rush toward him and wrap my arms around his body and cry. “I’ve missed you so much,” I mumble into his hard chest.

“I’ve missed you too,” he says, holding me tightly.

We stay like that for a little while until I pull away and look up into his handsome face. Alistair wipes my tears away with his thumbs and smiles down at me.

“I really want to kiss you, but I will always respect your boundaries, Elle,” he states firmly.

“Kiss me,” I request.

“With pleasure.” Alistair smiles as he cups my face and brings it to his. His lips meet mine, and all the tension and stress from the past couple of weeks begins to fade away. His lips are soft as he slowly kisses me. He’s in no hurry, it’s as if he’s savoring every second of our kiss. My mouth opens for him, and his tongue slides against mine, and that’s when my body comes alive.

Oh, how I’ve missed him.

“I could kiss you all day, but I need to show you inside,” he states, winking at me.

That’s right, that’s why we’re here—to look at this space for my bakery.

Alistair pulls out the keys and opens the doors to the space.How did he get the keys?I guess rich people don’t need real estate agents. We enter, and the area is phenomenal. It’s exactly like the spaces I showed him I was after on Pinterest.