What If You by Sandi Lynn (epub ebook reader txt) 📗

“After Brianna and I broke up, I was in a dark place for a while. She helped me through it the best she could. She was always there for me, no matter how busy she was with her charities. Every year I put on a company fundraiser for uterine cancer in her honor. In fact, there’s one coming up in a couple of months. I would love for you to be my date.”

“I’d like that.” The corners of my mouth curved upward, and I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks.

“Did she know what my father had done?” he asked.

“No. She didn’t know.”

“Good. I’m happy to hear that. Forgive me for asking this, but do you see your mother at all?”

I looked down as I ran my finger around the rim of the glass.

“No. Not even at her funeral.”

“You can see the deceased at their funerals?” His brow arched.

“Yeah. They like to hang around to see what kind of turnout they got.” I smirked. “One time when I was dating this guy, his grandmother passed away and I went to the funeral home. When I was on my way to the room, I passed the one next to his grandmother’s and when I peeked inside, I saw this very pristine woman ranting and raving. She saw me looking at her and she ran over to me and asked if I could see her. When I told her yes, she went on and on about her funeral. How the casket was hideous and how dare her husband wear the suit he did. And how she couldn’t believe that this person showed up and how dare she after the words they exchanged. Then she went on and on about the jewelry she was being buried in and how her hair was all wrong.”

“Damn. If she’s like that in death, she was probably worse while she was living.”

I let out a laugh. “Right? She was killed by a drunk driver on a rainy night. I told her she just needed to be at peace and move on. She wouldn’t, until I gave her husband a message. A message that made me very uncomfortable.”

“What was the message?” he asked.

“She wanted me to tell him that she knew all about his wretched affair with his slutty twenty-five-year-old secretary and she’ll see to it he rots in Hell when it’s his time.”

“Oh boy.” He chuckled. “Did you tell him?”

“I had no choice. She wouldn’t leave me alone and followed me into the other viewing room.”

“What did her husband say?”

“You really want to know what he said?”

“Yes.” He laughed.

“I told him about her being there and the things she said, and he said since I had the pleasure of talking to her, did I now understand why he was having the affair.”

“Oh my God.” He continued to laugh.

“Needless to say, the guy I was seeing told me he never wanted to see me again after that.”

“How long were you two dating?”

“Two weeks.” I laughed. “I told you, Mr. Remington. Things just don’t work out for me in the relationship department.”

“There’s one thing you can be certain of,” he said.

“What’s that?”

“I’m nothing like the douchebags you’ve dated.” He gave me a wink as he finished his bourbon.

“Is that what we’re doing now? Dating?”

“I would like to think we are.” A smirk crossed his lips.

“And what about when you go back to New York and I go back to Rhode Island?”

“We’ll discuss that when the times comes.”

The limo pulled into the Pier House Resort & Spa and I was in awe of the beauty of it. Climbing out of the car, we headed into the lobby as our bags were being collected.

“Welcome to the Pier House Resort & Spa. How can I help you?” the nice man behind the counter asked.

“We’re checking in. The name is Remington.”

“Yes. Of course, Mr. Remington. Welcome. I’ll just need to see your I.D. and I’ll get you all checked in,” he spoke as he typed away on his keyboard. “You’re all set. Here are two keys to the Presidential Suite. If you need anything at all, just give us a call.”

“Thank you.”

“The Presidential Suite?” I arched my brow at him. “I thought we were getting separate rooms.”

“Don’t worry. It has two bedrooms.” He sighed.

When we reached the room, the first thing I did was run over to the large sliding door and stare out at the beautiful ocean view.

“Look at this view, Asher.”

After tipping the gentleman who brought up our bags, he walked over and stood next to me with his hands tucked into his pants pockets.

“It’s beautiful. Just like you.” He glanced over at me and gave me a wink.

“Stop it.” I blushed. “Which bedroom is mine?”

“Whichever one you want. Take your pick.”

The suite was stunning with its palette of muted grays and earthy browns. The first thing Asher did was check out the bar that sat against the wall. Sitting in the center of the large dining table was a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of chilled champagne with a welcome note.

“Wow. They really do it up here,” I said as I read the card.

“They should for what this room costs. I have to take this call,” he said as he walked into the bedroom with his ringing phone.

I looked around the place and then stepped outside the sliding door to our own private balcony that housed two lounge chairs and a small round table with matching chairs.

“That was Jack Klein. He wants us to meet him and his wife for dinner tonight.”

“And who is Jack Klein?”

“The man who owns the property where I want to build a large outdoor shopping mall. He’s been fighting us for a couple years. So I’m not really sure why all of a sudden, he changed his mind. Did you bring a fancy dress?”

“No. I didn’t know I needed one.”

He walked over to where I stood and placed his hands on my hips.

“There’s a shop downstairs.