CassieApplause filled the room. Lorna sauntered from the table and up to the stage to get her certificate. She posed for the camera, flaunting her curves and wealth as they praised her for her generous donation to charity.Only it wasn't generous. It was selfish and cruel. Cassie could have dealt with just about anyone else winning a date with Wyatt. But Lorna?Cassie wanted to punch her in the face.Wyatt hoped down from the stage and came back to the table. Lorna tried to follow him, but she was diverted to follow Olive to write the check for the date. At least Cassie got a bit of satisfaction from the annoyed look on Lorna's face as she was forced to hang back.“We'll think of something,” Brianna promised. “Let me talk with Janessa. We'll come up with a plan. It'll be okay.”The sentiment was sweet, but Cassie knew there wasn't much her friends could do for her. Brianna gave her a quick hug and then got up and went to sit next to Janessa to hopefully plot something out.“I'm so so
Wyatt“Well, other than the auction fiasco, I think the night was a success,” Wyatt announced, kicking off his shoes at the door of his apartment.Cassie followed him in, adding her heels to his shoes. He liked the way they looked tumbled together.“I had fun,” Cassie said, walking into the kitchen and pouring a glass of water. She grinned at him. “Thank you for inviting me. I don't know if I want to do it again, but once was fun. It was definitely different.”“You want to live the billionaire lifestyle all the time now?” he asked, loosening his jacket and tie.“Hell no.” She shook her head. “I'm exhausted mentally, and I didn't have to do anything. All those people? I just want to curl up with you and not move for a week. My brain is totally and completely fried.”He thought about asking her to come to the islands. Now was the perfect time, only... she just said her brain was fried. Asking a huge decision right now was going to end poorly.Maybe he was just afraid of rejection, or pe
WyattThe ride to the restaurant didn't take long, but Wyatt moped the whole way there. He knew it was childish and that he was a full grown man, but since no one but Thor would see him, he pouted.When the car door opened to get out though, he wore a polite smile.Lorna was waiting for him at the table. She wore a tiny black dress that showed massive amounts of cleavage and left little to the imagination. Wyatt had to admit that she was very beautiful, but he much preferred Cassie's simple but elegant style. He liked having something left to the imagination.“Hi, Wyatt.” Her voice was low and breathy. She stood up sensually and stepped toward him.“Hello, Lorna,” he greeted her. He held out his hand and made it a point that he was shaking her hand, not giving a hug.She stared at his hand for a moment and then shook it with a surprised smile. “How professional.”He was a perfect gentleman. He had a plan to get through this. He pulled out her chair and helped her sit before going to h
WyattFifty-seven minutes later, Wyatt was beyond relieved that dinner was over. They'd had their meal. They'd had dessert. They were done.He'd started counting the number of times Lorna made an inappropriate sexual comment but stopped counting after thirty-seven. He told her several times that he wasn't interested, but she ignored him.Lorna was not kind to Cassie. The insults were never blatant, but there. “I bet Cassie doesn't do this” or “Cassie is too busy to do that” and even “you can do so much better” came out multiple times during the conversation.It only made Lorna look spiteful. The woman was beautiful with her trim body, large breasts, and shiny hair, but her soul did not match the outside. She was shallow and cruel. She was willing to throw Cassie under the bus for a chance at a billionaire's heart.He sighed with relief as soon as the check came.“Thank you for this date,” Wyatt said, setting the check down and standing up. “And thank you for your kind donation.”It wa
CassieCassie's neck hurt the next day, and her back had a cramp that she couldn't stretch out.The couch was not nearly as comfortable to sleep on as she'd expected. After a few hours, the once soft couch became too soft to be supportive. The blanket was too light, and every time the air conditioning kicked on, she got cold. The pillows were too small and decorative to be useful for actual sleep.She'd nearly gotten up and gone to the bedroom several times, but each time her pride and spite got the best of her.The fact that Wyatt would call Lorna her friend rankled. His dismissive attitude toward her job infuriated her. Sure, she wasn't a billionaire. She was just a hotel manager, but she had worked hard at it. She'd followed the rules. Didn't that mean something?Why did she have to give it all up?It wasn't fair. She wanted to be with Wyatt, but she didn't want to give up her life to do it.She pretended to be asleep when Wyatt left the bedroom in the morning. He came out wearing
CassieTires squealed as Cassie slid into a parking space in front of Brianna's apartment. She barely had the engine off before racing up the stairs to Brianna's apartment. She needed to do this before she lost her nerve.Cassie banged on the door. Brianna opened the door, looking surprised. She still had her pajamas on and Cassie could hear Netflix in the background. It was Brianna's day off, so she was at home relaxing. Ian was at school.“What's up?” Brianna asked. “Are you feeling okay?”“I just got fired.”Brianna's eyes went wide. “I'm so sorry, Cassie. I really am. Come on in. I've got ice cream.” She ushered Cassie inside, shutting the door behind her.The apartment was dark but comfortable. Brianna hadn't done much to the space to make it her own, yet it still felt like Brianna. The paintings were simple and bright. Books covered nearly every surface and at least three mugs sat half-filled with tea in the small kitchen. Toy cars littered the floor in front of the TV and kid d
WyattWyatt walked in the front door of the apartment ready to apologize to Cassie. He had reservations made at a fancy restaurant. He had flowers in hand and jewelry was set to arrive later this afternoon.The business meeting this morning had been long and arduous. He thought he'd escaped the corporate world by moving to the island. Being a peon for a holiday resort was easy. He just had to do what he was told and pour drinks. Now he was back to being the boss and he hated it. He had less freedom at the top of the chain than he did at the bottom. He was beginning to think that he would always be stuck with corporations telling him what to do with his life. It didn't seem to matter where he went.He'd spent his entire miserable meeting thinking of Cassie and how he could fix things between them. Of how he could give her what she wanted and what she deserved. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep her.The longer Wyatt stayed in billionaire mode, the easier it was to stay here
CassieCassie hoped she was doing the right thing.Doubts assaulted her. Had he gotten the note? Had he understood? She should have been clearer. She should have left better instructions. She should have waited at the apartment.But she'd been afraid if she waited she would chicken out. She would change her mind or that he wouldn't want this anymore. She was afraid if she stayed at the apartment, things wouldn't work out the way she hoped.Besides, she wanted to do this here. She needed to show him she was serious.She paced nervously in front of the airplane hanger. Her packed suitcase sat by the entrance. She'd spent nearly all the money in her bank account. The flight left this evening. There was no return flight scheduled.What if he didn't come?She tried not to think about it. She tried not to think about how she was about to change her life completely. Change terrified her. She liked knowing what was going to happen, but this had two very different endings. If he came, her life
WyattWyatt stepped out onto the deck of his new boat and stretched in the morning sun.Life had never been this good.Wyatt couldn't imagine how he'd once thought being a bartender had ever been enough. He couldn't believe that he'd ever been happy without Cassie.They were home here. Blue Caribbean waters were a balm to weary souls. The white sand called to them, and the warm sunshine banished worries.Cassie and Wyatt didn't go back to the resort. Wyatt didn't have a job there anymore, and after hearing how he'd been treated, Cassie had refused to go to such an establishment. Besides, Wyatt didn't need to tend bar and live a bachelor lifestyle anymore. He didn't want that life.So they bought a sailboat. It wasn't the biggest or flashiest boat in the world, but it was comfortable, and it got them where they wanted to go.Today, it was taking them to a very special island.Wyatt checked the rigging and made sure his route was plotted in the computer. The island wasn't far, but he wa
CassieCassie hoped she was doing the right thing.Doubts assaulted her. Had he gotten the note? Had he understood? She should have been clearer. She should have left better instructions. She should have waited at the apartment.But she'd been afraid if she waited she would chicken out. She would change her mind or that he wouldn't want this anymore. She was afraid if she stayed at the apartment, things wouldn't work out the way she hoped.Besides, she wanted to do this here. She needed to show him she was serious.She paced nervously in front of the airplane hanger. Her packed suitcase sat by the entrance. She'd spent nearly all the money in her bank account. The flight left this evening. There was no return flight scheduled.What if he didn't come?She tried not to think about it. She tried not to think about how she was about to change her life completely. Change terrified her. She liked knowing what was going to happen, but this had two very different endings. If he came, her life
WyattWyatt walked in the front door of the apartment ready to apologize to Cassie. He had reservations made at a fancy restaurant. He had flowers in hand and jewelry was set to arrive later this afternoon.The business meeting this morning had been long and arduous. He thought he'd escaped the corporate world by moving to the island. Being a peon for a holiday resort was easy. He just had to do what he was told and pour drinks. Now he was back to being the boss and he hated it. He had less freedom at the top of the chain than he did at the bottom. He was beginning to think that he would always be stuck with corporations telling him what to do with his life. It didn't seem to matter where he went.He'd spent his entire miserable meeting thinking of Cassie and how he could fix things between them. Of how he could give her what she wanted and what she deserved. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep her.The longer Wyatt stayed in billionaire mode, the easier it was to stay here
CassieTires squealed as Cassie slid into a parking space in front of Brianna's apartment. She barely had the engine off before racing up the stairs to Brianna's apartment. She needed to do this before she lost her nerve.Cassie banged on the door. Brianna opened the door, looking surprised. She still had her pajamas on and Cassie could hear Netflix in the background. It was Brianna's day off, so she was at home relaxing. Ian was at school.“What's up?” Brianna asked. “Are you feeling okay?”“I just got fired.”Brianna's eyes went wide. “I'm so sorry, Cassie. I really am. Come on in. I've got ice cream.” She ushered Cassie inside, shutting the door behind her.The apartment was dark but comfortable. Brianna hadn't done much to the space to make it her own, yet it still felt like Brianna. The paintings were simple and bright. Books covered nearly every surface and at least three mugs sat half-filled with tea in the small kitchen. Toy cars littered the floor in front of the TV and kid d
CassieCassie's neck hurt the next day, and her back had a cramp that she couldn't stretch out.The couch was not nearly as comfortable to sleep on as she'd expected. After a few hours, the once soft couch became too soft to be supportive. The blanket was too light, and every time the air conditioning kicked on, she got cold. The pillows were too small and decorative to be useful for actual sleep.She'd nearly gotten up and gone to the bedroom several times, but each time her pride and spite got the best of her.The fact that Wyatt would call Lorna her friend rankled. His dismissive attitude toward her job infuriated her. Sure, she wasn't a billionaire. She was just a hotel manager, but she had worked hard at it. She'd followed the rules. Didn't that mean something?Why did she have to give it all up?It wasn't fair. She wanted to be with Wyatt, but she didn't want to give up her life to do it.She pretended to be asleep when Wyatt left the bedroom in the morning. He came out wearing
WyattFifty-seven minutes later, Wyatt was beyond relieved that dinner was over. They'd had their meal. They'd had dessert. They were done.He'd started counting the number of times Lorna made an inappropriate sexual comment but stopped counting after thirty-seven. He told her several times that he wasn't interested, but she ignored him.Lorna was not kind to Cassie. The insults were never blatant, but there. “I bet Cassie doesn't do this” or “Cassie is too busy to do that” and even “you can do so much better” came out multiple times during the conversation.It only made Lorna look spiteful. The woman was beautiful with her trim body, large breasts, and shiny hair, but her soul did not match the outside. She was shallow and cruel. She was willing to throw Cassie under the bus for a chance at a billionaire's heart.He sighed with relief as soon as the check came.“Thank you for this date,” Wyatt said, setting the check down and standing up. “And thank you for your kind donation.”It wa
WyattThe ride to the restaurant didn't take long, but Wyatt moped the whole way there. He knew it was childish and that he was a full grown man, but since no one but Thor would see him, he pouted.When the car door opened to get out though, he wore a polite smile.Lorna was waiting for him at the table. She wore a tiny black dress that showed massive amounts of cleavage and left little to the imagination. Wyatt had to admit that she was very beautiful, but he much preferred Cassie's simple but elegant style. He liked having something left to the imagination.“Hi, Wyatt.” Her voice was low and breathy. She stood up sensually and stepped toward him.“Hello, Lorna,” he greeted her. He held out his hand and made it a point that he was shaking her hand, not giving a hug.She stared at his hand for a moment and then shook it with a surprised smile. “How professional.”He was a perfect gentleman. He had a plan to get through this. He pulled out her chair and helped her sit before going to h
Wyatt“Well, other than the auction fiasco, I think the night was a success,” Wyatt announced, kicking off his shoes at the door of his apartment.Cassie followed him in, adding her heels to his shoes. He liked the way they looked tumbled together.“I had fun,” Cassie said, walking into the kitchen and pouring a glass of water. She grinned at him. “Thank you for inviting me. I don't know if I want to do it again, but once was fun. It was definitely different.”“You want to live the billionaire lifestyle all the time now?” he asked, loosening his jacket and tie.“Hell no.” She shook her head. “I'm exhausted mentally, and I didn't have to do anything. All those people? I just want to curl up with you and not move for a week. My brain is totally and completely fried.”He thought about asking her to come to the islands. Now was the perfect time, only... she just said her brain was fried. Asking a huge decision right now was going to end poorly.Maybe he was just afraid of rejection, or pe
CassieApplause filled the room. Lorna sauntered from the table and up to the stage to get her certificate. She posed for the camera, flaunting her curves and wealth as they praised her for her generous donation to charity.Only it wasn't generous. It was selfish and cruel. Cassie could have dealt with just about anyone else winning a date with Wyatt. But Lorna?Cassie wanted to punch her in the face.Wyatt hoped down from the stage and came back to the table. Lorna tried to follow him, but she was diverted to follow Olive to write the check for the date. At least Cassie got a bit of satisfaction from the annoyed look on Lorna's face as she was forced to hang back.“We'll think of something,” Brianna promised. “Let me talk with Janessa. We'll come up with a plan. It'll be okay.”The sentiment was sweet, but Cassie knew there wasn't much her friends could do for her. Brianna gave her a quick hug and then got up and went to sit next to Janessa to hopefully plot something out.“I'm so so