One Night With the Billionaire: Book Four (A Billionaire Romance) (6 page)

Elise takes a deep breath, and gives Kaia a genuine, if small, smile.
 

“I’m glad he found you, Kaia. There was a time when I didn’t think he would.”
 

“I’m glad he found me, too. He’s a remarkable person, Elise. You should be proud to have raised such a man.”
 

Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. “I had a hand in it, at least. And thank you.”
 

Elise holds out her hand, and gives it a squeeze.
 

“You about ready?” Jason asks, basically appearing in the doorway behind them out of nowhere. “Paul’s waiting for you in the foyer.”
 

“Where are you going?” Elise asks, as Kaia reluctantly puts down her wine and stands up.
 

“Security guard Paul and I are going to be doing a little sightseeing this afternoon.” What she doesn’t say is,
so that you and Jason can have a little time alone.

“I’ve given him a list of destinations. He’s not to deviate from that list.”
 

“You want to show me all the special places, huh?” Kaia asks, stepping up to give Jason a peck on the cheek.
 

He leans down and whispers in her ear. “You know how much I like showing you my special places.”
 

Just out of earshot of his surrogate mother, but still enough to make her blush.
 

“I’ll see you later,” she says. “Maybe I’ll bring you a tacky souvenir.”
 

“I’m looking forward to it.”
 

“Thank you for the wine, Elise.”
 

With a gentle nod and a smile, Elise says, “Oh, honey, you’re welcome. I think we’ll be sharing more, soon enough.”
 

Jason takes the seat that Kaia just vacated, and finishes off the rest of her wine in three long gulps.
 

“Pace yourself,” Elise warns. “You’re a terrible wine drunk.”
 

Jason laughs, which is something he hadn’t imagined doing during this conversation when he’d thought about it. And he’d thought about it a lot over the past couple of weeks. Almost constantly during the flight over here.
 

“I am,” he admits. “Of all the things you choose to remember about me.”

Elise gives him a soft smile. “I remember everything about you, Jason. The day you said your first word, the day you lost your first tooth. Your first day of high school, your first date, your first hangover,” she says, turning her head and giving him a pointed look. She sits up, and sets her glass down on the table between them. “You aren’t my son, but…I’ve always loved you like you were.”
 

Jason swallows past the lump that’s in his throat. “I know you have.” She took him in after his parents died. She could’ve sent him off to boarding school, or made him someone else’s problem. But she always made him feel loved, and wanted. And she always tried to do right by him.
 

“I’m sorry about that night,” she says, her voice wavering. “I’m sorry I kept the truth from you for as long as I did. I know it wound up doing more harm than good, but-”

“I didn’t come with a manual, Elise. Seems to me that parenting is a learn-as-you go kind of thing. And you always told me that we never stop learning.”
 

With a watery smile, Elise says, “No, we don’t.”
 

“I’m sorry for how I acted that night. I shouldn’t have pushed you away like that, but I have a lifetime of dealing with things that way, and it takes a while to unlearn it. Not that that’s an excuse; it isn’t, I was just hurt and surprised. I was mad at Mom and Dad. I was mad at
you
. I was…confused. Angry, because I’d lived my life looking over my shoulder for so long when I didn’t need to. I was scared of something that didn’t even exist.”
 

“I don’t blame you, Jason. Not for any of those things. And I wouldn’t blame you if you were still angry with me. I know it’s going to take a while to earn back your trust-”

“I
do
trust you, Elise. You’ve given me a lifetime of reasons to do that. One screw-up isn’t going to change that. Besides,” he says, smiling at her. “I’m not even sure it was a screw up.”
 

She raises her brow. “Why’s that?”
 

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the course of my life, ever since that night. How different things might’ve been for me if I’d known the truth a little sooner. Kaia helped me understand why you kept it from me, why you wanted me to have a good memory of them. I know you’d never intentionally hurt me, so I can’t hold your good intentions against you, especially not when that road led me straight to Kaia. Or maybe it led Kaia to me, I still haven’t figured that one out.”
 

Elise laughs. “Well, that’s certainly one way of looking at it.”
 

“It’s the positive way,” Jason explains. “I’m feeling more positive about my life lately.”
 

“I can tell. It’s a good look on you.”
 

“You think?” Jason asks, pleased.
 

“I do. A man in love is a sight to behold.”
 

Jason doesn’t shy away from it. He doesn’t even try to deflect. “I am in love with her.”
 

“I couldn’t have picked a better match for you myself. I’m…”
 

“You’re what?”
 

“I don’t want to push,” she explains quickly. “But I’m very much hoping I see the two of you around here more often.”
 

Jason has spent the better part of his adult life avoiding this place. He comes here when he needs to, and only when business requires it. The past was just too painful, and everywhere he looked he saw nothing but his parents, and felt nothing but sadness.
 

He thinks that in time, if he’s willing to
take
that time, that he can start loving this city again. Especially if he rediscovers it through Kaia’s eyes.
 

“I think you can count on that. I’m hoping Kaia would like to start spending more time here, too. New York is our home, but I think we might make this a more frequent destination.”
 

Elise smiles. “I’m glad to hear that, Jason.”
 

“C’mere,” she says, standing, and brushing the wrinkles out of her dress. He does as she asks, and she pushes up on her tiptoes to wrap him up in a fierce hug.
 

“I love you, kid.”
 

The words bring him peace, and he finds himself smiling. “I love you, too.”

* * * * *

On a bench along the banks of the San Francisco Bay, Kaia cuddles up against Jason’s side, searching for some warmth.

“I brought a blanket,” he says, reaching into the bag at his feet, and pulling it out. He drapes it over her shivering body.
 

“You’re wonderful. Amazing. Your foresight is one of the things I love most about you.”
 

Jason laughs, then reaches back into the bag. “It’s a good thing I brought this, then.” He puts the still-warm thermos in her outstretched hands.
 

“Coffee?”
 

“Better. Hot chocolate.”
 

Kaia lets out a high-pitched squeal of delight as she pulls off the top, and pours a little into the attached mug.
 

“I may or may not have spiked it.”
 

“Mmm…” She presses a warm kiss to his cheek. “My hero.”
 

She takes a sip, then offers the mug to him.
 

“No thanks,” he says, wrapping his arm around her, holding on tight. “I’m driving, remember?”
 

“Trying to get me all liquored up, are you?”
 

Jason laughs. “Maybe just a little.”
 

“You’d like me tipsy.”
 

“I’m sure I’ll love you tipsy.”
 

“Tipsy me is a little bit looser. It’s a shame you didn’t bring a driver. We could’ve fooled around in the back seat while he drove us home.”
 

Just a minute ago, she’d praised him for his foresight, and the thought hadn’t even occurred to him at all. Now, he’s regretting it. Still, “We can always fool around in the car before we head back.”
 

“Ah, like a couple of horny teenagers. Sounds like a plan.”
 

“I’m looking forward to it.”
 

She pulls the blanket up around her neck, before she rests her head on his shoulder, her hair brushing his neck. She sighs, then looks up at the sky, streaked with the bright yellows and pinks of the setting sun.
 

“I love it here. It’s so gorgeous.”
 

“Yeah?”
 

“Mmm. I’ve never been to California before. I think you picked the perfect place to bring me for my first time.”
 

He loves that she loves his hometown, and he wants to make her fall even more in love with it if that’s possible.
 

“I’ve seen a lot of this state, and it’s all really nice. But this? This city is the best.”
 

“I think you’re a little biased,” she teases.
 

“Maybe a little.”
 

“But I believe you.”
 

Jason likes the sound of those words. He knows this is something totally trivial, but he never wants her to doubt him. Not ever.
 

“Like it enough to come back?”
 

She crooks her head in his direction, and gives him a thoughtful look. “Your talk with Elise went well, huh?”
 

“It did,” he explains. “But that’s not the only reason I want to come back.”
 

“It’s a good enough reason for me. But just for kicks, why don’t you tell me the other one?”
 

“I always loved this place growing up, but there came a point in my life where I couldn’t wait to leave. I was…I was running away from things. I’m not the kind of man who runs anymore. And I’d like to come back here more often, make this town and the people in it a part of my life again.”
 

Kaia smiles up at him, like this is the best news she’s heard in a while. “I think that’s a great idea.”
 

“It would be nice if you wanted that, too.”
 

“What exactly are you asking me for, Jason?”
 

“I’m not asking you to uproot your life, Kaia. New York is home. What I am asking you for is long weekends here and there, if you’re willing to give them.”
 

It’s too early, he knows this. But at some point, Jason is going to ask her for forever. Wherever in the world Kaia wants that to be.
 

“Would we come and stay with Elise, or-”

He only hesitates a moment before he says, “I was thinking I’d buy a place. A condo overlooking the bay, maybe? We can decide that later.”
 

He doesn’t miss the way she looks up at him when he says “we.” He means it, too. He only wants to take this step if she takes it with him.
 

“Maybe, at some point, when you get a handle on your new clients, you could look into taking on some accounts out here. Go bicoastal. Expand.”
 

If it wasn’t for the small smile that was steadily growing, he’d be worried about her silence. He’s more than happy to give her whatever time she needs to think about it, but he hopes she’ll agree.
 

For a long while, they both sit there together, watching the sunset as the waves lap against the sand in the background. Even though Jason’s whole future is basically hanging in the air between them, he’s at peace.
 

Then, Kaia finally says, “It sounds nice.”
 

Jason laughs, then says, “Which part?”
 

“All of it. The condo, expanding my business…the long weekends, you and me together. For as long as you want it.”

He’s going to want it all forever, he knows.
 

For now, it’s enough.

Jason sits on the edge of the bed, nervously watching Kaia packing her suitcase. He tries to hide it, sure, but she can read him like a book.
 

“You need to unclench,” she teases, winking at him as she walks into their closet.

“Easy for you to say,” she hears him yell from the bedroom. “I’m not the one going to Vegas for a bachelorette party.”
 

Kaia peers out of the doorway at her husband-to-be, looking adorably on edge. “Do you
want
to go to Vegas for a bachelorette party?”
 

Jason rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean.”
 

“What I know is that I’ve explained this to you about a thousand times.”