Chapter 22

This has been the best break I’ve ever had. And it one hundred percent has to do with the company. Spending an entire week alone with Lili has cemented the fact that I do not want to live without her. I want her in my bed every fucking night. I want to start every day with her.

Which is why, now that I’m driving her back into the city, every fiber of my being wants to turn around and go back. I know as soon as we hit the city limits again, the reality will kick in. She’ll want to go home to her parents’ house and she has to return to work in the morning.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Lili says, looking at me from the passenger seat.

“Mhmm.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to give you back. I want to keep you to myself and not have to share you with everyone else,” I tell her.

“You’re not sharing me with anyone, Travis. I’m yours.”

“I have to share you with your family.” I know I sound ridiculous. I can hear how unreasonable it is the moment the words leave my mouth. None of that changes the fact that I mean it.

“It’s only another six weeks, and we’re both going to be in Vancouver. Together,” she says.

We decided that I’d settle in first, and Lili is planning on coming up when the season starts. I didn’t like the idea. I wanted us to leave New York together, but she insists she needs to give her job more than a few weeks’ notice.

“I’m also going to fly out and see you every weekend,” she adds.

“I know, but I don’t want to spend one day apart, babe.”

“I’m sorry…” Her voice dips and her eyes drop to her lap.

“It’s not your fault.” I pick up her hand and bring it to my mouth. “I had a really great week.”

“Me too.” She smiles, and I swear I will do anything and everything in my power to see that smile on her face as often as I can.

“So, when are we telling your parents you’re moving?”

“We’re not. I am. After you leave town. It’ll be safer that way.” She laughs.

“I’m not scared of your father, Lili,” I tell her. It’s a lie. I’d be stupid not to be a little afraid of the man, but I’m not ever going to admit that out loud or show that fear to anyone. She needs to know I’m here for her. That there’s nothing her family can do to run me off.

“You’d be the first,” she says. “He’ll be fine. Besides, he has Josie to focus on now.” Lili beams. “I always wanted a sister, and now that I have one, all that attention can go to her.”

While we were away, Lili found out her parents adopted her cousin’s girlfriend. She mentioned something about Josie being in the foster care system and not in a good place. Her mother and father wanted to help the girl, so they adopted her. I was shocked. Adopting a teenager is a lot, but they seemed to not even second-guess the real commitment of taking on another kid.

“You’re not jealous that you’re not the only princess of the palace anymore?” I grin.

“First, I’m not a princess and I don’t live in a palace.” Lili narrows her glare at me. “Second, I’ve been spoiled my entire life. Josie deserves to have a turn.”

“I’ve been to your family home. It’s a fucking palace, babe, and you are most certainly a princess,” I tell her. “Do you want to come back to my place?”

“I do, but I should go home first. I’ll come over later, though… if you want.”

“I always want you there,” I tell her. I pull up to the Valentino estate a few minutes later and turn in my seat. “I can’t fucking wait to start our lives in Canada.”

“Me too.” Lili leans over the center console and presses her lips to mine. “I’ll see you soon, hotshot,” she says before climbing out of my car.

When I walk into my apartment, I find my mother in the kitchen. “Mom, I didn’t know you were coming today.” I close the distance and kiss her cheek before stepping back and looking at all the groceries lined up on the counter.

“I knew you’d be back today. You needed food, Travis.”

“You do know I can feed myself,” I tell her.

“No, you can’t,” she huffs while shaking her head in my direction.

“Are you planning on flying out to Vancouver every week to stock my fridge too?” I laugh, swipe up some bell peppers and carrots, and set them in the cold storage drawer.

“If I have to, I will. But you’ll have Lili there. I have no doubt she’ll make sure you eat.”

“I have Lili here too.”

“I know, but you also have me.”

My mother cried when I told her I was moving to Vancouver. She was happy for me, of course. Proud too. But knowing I would be so far away hit hard.

“It’s not going to be forever,” I remind her.

“I know that. But don’t you dare have kids over there. My grandbabies have to live in New York, Travis. I won’t have them in a different country.”

“I’m not planning on giving you any grandkids for at least another twenty years, Mom.” I smirk. Truth is Lili and I haven’t even broached the subject of having kids. Not seriously. I honestly don’t care either way. Though I can’t help but wonder how she feels about it.

Would she want kids with me?

Once all the groceries are put away, Mom makes us each a cup of coffee. I lead her out to the balcony and sit down. “I’m going to miss this city,” I tell her.

“This city is going to miss you. How was your little getaway?”

“Pure fucking bliss.” I can feel myself grinning. It’s just what happens whenever I think about Lili.

“Language,” Mom scolds. “I’m glad you had a good time. We really like this girl, Travis.”

“I really like her too.”

“Good. Now, don’t fuck it up.”

“Don’t plan on it.” I’m never going to let Lili go. It doesn’t matter what life throws at us. I will never give up on this relationship.

“What about this one?” I point at a large three-story house on the screen in front of us. Lili and I have been sitting in bed scrolling through Vancouver real estate for the past hour.

“Why on earth do we need a house that big?” she asks me.

“Because you, my dear, are a princess who grew up in a palace, remember? I can hardly make you move to another country, only to have you live in a shack.”

Lili glances at the listing again, her gaze focused on the address. “That’s just down the street from Gray, same development and everything.”

I press the red button on the tab, deleting the page. “That’s in the no pile then.”

“You do know you’re going to have to play nice with him, right? He’s going to be your captain.”

“Yup, but I don’t need to be neighbors with the guy.”

“I wouldn’t mind being neighbors with Kathryn. I’d be able to see Graycee all the time.” Lili shrugs.

Kathryn is Grayson’s girlfriend, and Graycee is their daughter. The girls were best friends in college until Kathryn went missing. She was gone for six years and just turned back up in Vancouver about a month ago.

“I don’t have an issue with Kathryn and Graycee. They can visit as often as you’d like… if they leave Gray behind.”

There isn’t any real reason why I don’t like the guy. His arrogance just rubs me the wrong way. I also don’t like how friendly he is with my girlfriend.

“Look, we can live wherever you want, but I would like to be close to Kathryn and Gray. They’re the only people I know in the area… It’s not that I need friends, or family even, but it’s going to take some time for me to get used to not being surrounded by people all the time. And you’ll be away a lot during the season.”

And now I feel like shit…

“If you like that development, we’ll find a house there. All I want is you. I don’t care where we live, babe. As long as you’re there, it’ll feel like home.”

“I’m going to get my Zia Savvy to come and decorate. She’s the best interior designer I know, and I’ve always wanted her to do my house when I got my own. Is that okay?”

“Babe, it’ll be your house, your home. You do not need to ask permission for anything,” I tell her.

“It’s our house, and I’m not asking permission. I’m asking for your opinion,” she says.

“My opinion is I like whatever you like. I want what you want.” I lean across the bed and kiss her gently before pulling back again.