Ship of Dreams (Dreams Come True Series Book 2) (30 page)

Nathan held back a groan, wishing Jack woul
d just get to the point, which was that Nathan could kiss his bonus goodbye. And he’d have to figure out some other way to get the farm back on its feet.

“After much discussion among the board members, Imperial has elected to go with Hawk Media.”

Nathan jerked his head up.
What?
His breath left in a rush.

Did Laura know? he wondered. And if so, how was she handling it? For his part, he was experiencing a discordant concoction of excitement and misery.

“Each agency had very different, and very intriguing approaches to refreshing Imperial’s brand, but the board thought Hawk understood the Imperial philosophy better. We especially liked that you weren’t proposing to throw the baby out with the bath water. Imperial will still cater to the clients who brought us to the dance, but we’ll add a new line, a new clientele, to take us into the future of cruising. In fact, with the help of Hawk Media, we’ll redefine the cruise industry.”

“So, congratulations to you”—he nodded to Nathan—“and your entire team. We look forward to working with you.”

Chapter 26

Hawk and Nathan shared the company car back to the office.

“Great job, Nathan. Congratulations for landing our biggest account to date.”

“Thanks. It feels good.”

“Now, you want to tell me how your relationship with Laura is going?”

“How’d you—” Nathan choked out.

“Because I’ve seen Laura Armstrong, and if I were single and in your shoes, I wouldn’t give her up.”

Son-of-a-bitch.

Nathan’s phone buzzed with an incoming text.

“Go ahead. I’m sure it’s important.” Hawk took out his own phone and called his wife to tell her the news.

Nathan read the text . . . from Laura. It said, simply: CONGRATULATIONS. And his euphoria took a nose dive.

Sunday
evening, Laura sat on the back porch of her family’s vacation home in the Hamptons, watching dusk turn to dark, a glass of Kentucky bourbon at her elbow.

She’d spent the last two days walking the beach, the nights watching the stars, and reassessing. Her life, her career, her future.

Her relationship with her father aside, everything she’d set her mind to, she’d achieved. Defeat was a new experience for her, and she didn’t like it. It left a bitter taste in her mouth and a hollow feeling in her stomach.

Taking a sip of the bourbon, she let it burn its way down her throat and into her belly. Holding up the glass to the waning light, she thought of Nathan and wondered what he and his team had done to celebrate.

She’d ignored his countless text messages and phone calls. Didn’t listen to his voice messages.

A guilty pang pierced her heart. A good sport would have celebrated with him. But she hadn’t felt like being a good sport. She’d felt like sulking.

To assuage her guilt, even if only a
soupçon
, she lifted her glass in a silent toast to him, then sighed.

What would her father say about her defeat?

Then it struck her. Nothing. He would have said nothing even if she’d won the account and secured her promotion. It didn’t matter to him, one way or the other. It would
never
matter to him. She could become President of the United States and he’d still think of her as a monumental failure. The little girl who’d publicly humiliated her father.

For some reason, the realization that she’d never change her father’s mind was freeing.

Why had she lived her life trying to please him? Trying to prove something to him? She had nothing to prove to anyone. Not even herself. Nathan had said so himself.

Nathan.

She drew her legs up under her, took another sip of bourbon. If she were completely honest with herself, the time she’d spent with Nathan had been the happiest time in her life. What did achieving the next step in Laura’s Life Plan mean, if she had no one with whom to share it? No one with whom to celebrate the achievements? And no one with whom to lament the failures?

And now? The hollowness in her stomach moved to her chest. She missed Nathan. She remembered burrowing into him on the cruise after she’d learned her grandmother had disinherited her. How he’d helped the passenger who fell, and how he’d chased off her attacker in Pompeii. How he’d made her laugh. And how he’d made her shiver when he whispered his sweet southern nothings in her ear.

Groaning, she tossed back the rest of the bourbon. She was a
schmuck
. Nathan had worked hard and had achieved something that would not only enhance his reputation in the advertising world, but that would save his family farm and his sister’s livelihood, and all she’d done to show her pride was congratulate him in a text message.

She’d have to see what she could do to fix that.

Nathan looked up as his assistant approached his desk carrying a large gift basket.

“Who’s that from?”

“I don’t know. You’ll need to open the card.” She handed him a small envelope and then stuck around the end of the desk, clearly curious.

Nathan lifted a brow at her, but she simply smiled in return.
Fine.
He slipped his letter opener beneath the flap and withdrew the card.

I’M SO PROUD OF YOU! CAN YOU FORGIVE ME FOR BEING A SELFISH BITCH? IF SO, I’D LOVE TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU LATER. ALONE. BRING THE CHAMPAGNE.

Sitting back in his chair, Nathan didn’t know what to think. His text and voice messages had been ignored. He’d figured Laura had decided she couldn’t maintain their relationship after losing the account to him.

He understood her disappointment. He’d been disappointed for her. But dammit. To completely ignore him. He’d been worried sick about her. And hurt.

“
Somebody
has excellent taste,” Cassie said, as she poked around the basket. “
Krug Clos du Mesnil
Champagne, Belgian chocolates, and . . . pork rinds?”

“Yes. Thanks for the inventory.”

“What are pork rinds?”

“A Southern delicacy.” He tore through the cellophane wrapping the basket, grabbed the bottle of champagne, and rounded his desk. “I’m taking the afternoon.”

“Someone’s here to see you,” Sanjita said.

Laura glanced up. “Okay.” She shrugged at Katie’s confused expression.

Sanjita stepped aside and Nathan strode in, looking so good she could climb him like a tree. God, how she’d missed him. “Nathan! What are you doing here?”

“You haven’t returned my text messages or calls, so I came over to talk to you in person.” He nodded a greeting to Katie.

“I’ll just . . . go . . . analyze some demographics,” Katie said, a grin on her face as she left the room.

“Think you can break away from your day for a few minutes?”

She lifted a brow. “What have you got in mind? I could be wrong, but I think HR frowns upon office quickies.”

Nathan laughed, the sound music to her ears.

He took her hand and led her in the direction of her sofa, raising her expectations for that quickie.

She waited expectantly for him to make his move. Kiss her . . . something. Instead, he just stared.

“You hurt me,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion.

She drew back. Not what she’d expected. She gazed into his warm, golden eyes and with all the remorse she felt, she said, “I’m so sorry.”

“I was also worried about you.”

“You were?”

“Of course. I didn’t know where you were, what state of mind you were in, nothing. Even Darcy didn’t know where you were.”

“You called Darcy?” That explained the panicky text message from Darcy.

“I didn’t know who else to call.”

“Again, I’m sorry.”

He nodded. “Don’t ever do it again.”

Ever? That sounded so . . . long term. “No. I won’t.”

“Good.” He took a deep breath then knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his.

Thinking he had something naughty in mind, she released a nervous laugh. When he hesitated, a little warning bell went off in her head.

“Marry me, Laura.”

“Mar—” She snatched her hands from his grasp, threw them up in exasperation. “Are you crazy?”

“Yes. Crazy in love with you.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not the marrying kind.” She stood, tried to turn away from him, but he rose, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“Why do you think it’s so impossible that someone could love you? Want to marry you?”

“You know the answer to that. I came from a family that didn’t feel love, much less express it.” She swallowed around the knot in her throat. “I don’t know how to do this,” she whispered. “What more proof do you need than my recent behavior? Don’t you see? I’m not equipped for love, let alone a commitment.”

“You’re wrong. You may not have had the greatest role models when it came to love, but you know
how
to love. You do it every day with those close to you. It comes so naturally to you that you don’t even notice you’re doing it.”

She shook her head, tears blurring her vision. Love? Did she love him?

“I love you, Laura. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.”

“I’m scared.”

“Me, too. I’ve never done this before. But I want to take the plunge with you.” He smiled as he took her hand in his, brought it to his lips. “Marry me.”

“Say yes!” Katie blurted out.

Laura turned to see the doorway to her office crowded with people, Katie front and center.

Katie’s entreaty was followed by a chorus of similar encouragements.

“Come on, marry him,” Sanjita chimed in.

“Yeah, come on,” Havi goaded.

“What are you waiting for?” Katie added.

“Are you going to leave me hanging here? In front of all these people?” Nathan asked as he looked down at her.

She swiped at the tears on her cheeks, the butterflies in her stomach beating a rapid staccato. “Yes. I mean, no. I mean, I’m not going to leave you hanging.” She drew in a breath, released it on a shaky sigh. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Nathan pulled her in for what Darcy would have called the Perfect Kiss, filled with tenderness, lust, and love. Retreating just inches from his mouth, Laura stared into his eyes. The quivering in her belly settled as she finally said the words she never thought she’d say. “I love you.”

Looked like Laura’s Life Plan had just changed. For the better.

Epilogue

It was only fitting that she and Nathan were married on the
Nave dei Sogni
, their Ship of Dreams. As his gift to his two favorite advertising executives, Jackson had provided the ship exclusively for their wedding and honeymoon, during a week the ship would normally have been out of service.

As the ship churned through the dark November Mediterranean waters, she and Nathan spoke their vows in front of the ship’s captain in a short, intimate ceremony.

After saying their ‘I do’s’ they joined the revelers in the main dining room for toasts and roasts.

Everyone who meant the most to her and Nathan had made the trip. Even Katie finally got her chance to sail on the ‘floating Four Seasons on crack.’

Laura noticed that Gloria had already made friends with Sergio the bartender, while Darcy sipped her club soda with lime. Laura admitted to being worried about her friend being seasick on the ship, but Darcy looked like the picture of health, her baby bump visible beneath her teal bridesmaid’s gown.

Josh and Millie stuck to her like glue, jumping to attention at any twinge of discomfort on her face.

Nathan’s sister Amanda stood talking with Darcy’s brother and sister, while Jack and Novak huddled together near the food, heads bent in conversation. She couldn’t be happier for Jack. It seemed he’d finally found that special someone.

Just as she’d found hers. She gazed down at the simple platinum band she now wore on her left ring finger. The diamonds could come later. Paying off the mortgages on the farm the first priority.

Speak of the devil.
Her Sexy Southern Gentleman made his way across the room, his eyes on hers, a soft smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

Taking her hand, he led her out on the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. Laura thought such traditions foolish, but Darcy insisted.

“Sugar, have I told you how beautiful you look?”

“Only a half dozen times.” Laura laughed. “But don’t let that stop you from telling me again. You look pretty hot yourself.” Simple, elegant black tuxedo, satin shawl collar, black tie. Oh yes. He looked
damned
hot. Rhett Butler, eat your heart out.

“Thank you, Mrs. Maxwell.”

They swayed to the music for a few beats.

“I’m okay if you want to hyphenate your name, you know,” Nathan offered.

She drew back. “No. This may sound strange, but I feel more at home with you and Amanda than I ever felt with my own family. I’m proud to take your name.”

His chest swell
ed, and his throat tightened as he gazed down at Laura.
His wife
. Just when he thought he couldn’t get any happier.

When she’d glided down the aisle, all poise and grace, his heart had skipped a beat, maybe two. She looked sophisticated and sexy, elegant and breathtaking, all at once. Her white lace dress hugged her curves in all the right places. She’d flashed him the sardonic smile he remembered so well on that day only seven months earlier when he’d rescued her from her predicament.

When he’d seen that she wore those same red shoes beneath her wedding gown, he’d chuckled to himself.

In seven months he’d met and married the woman of his dreams, landed the account of his dreams, and paid off the mortgage on the farm. Amanda was now free and clear of any debt, and could focus her energies on making the farm profitable.

Someone tapped Nathan on the shoulder. Hawk. “May I cut in?”

Nathan stepped back, allowing Hawk to dance with his wife.

“Congratulations, Laura,” Hawk said as he led her around the dance floor.

“Thank you.”

“I just wanted to tell you how much the folks at Hawk Media have enjoyed working with you these last few months. I have to be honest, I was skeptical at first. I didn’t know how this little joint venture would work, but you allayed those fears with your professionalism.”