There was a long pause. “Yes and no,” he responded carefully. “It needed to be done. You just gave me the impetus to do it. You defied him with your success and showed me that I can't thrive in his shadow anymore.”
I looked down at my shoes again and nodded. “I'm happy for you. You're going to do great.” I just wished he had done this two years ago. Things would have been so much simpler. It felt too late now.
“Well, actually, as the soon-to-be CEO and department head of mergers and acquisitions, I do have some business I need to attend to.” Logan turned away from the painting. He didn't move closer to me, but somehow I felt like the space between us grew smaller. “I'd like to offer you one last proposal. One I've wanted to give you for a long time, but one which my father would never approved of.”
My throat was suddenly dry as I watched Logan dig around in his pocket. For a moment, I thought he was going to drop to one knee and propose. What would I say? Yes? I had no idea.
Instead he handed me a neatly folded piece of paper.
“I'd like to offer you a partnership. Dream Vacations and Travel, Inc.” He smiled and looked down at the paper in my hands. “You would keep your company exactly the way it is, just with access to Travel, Inc.'s resources.”
I unfolded the paper and stared at it. It was a typical-looking contract, but my eyes were blurring with tears and I couldn't read the legalese. This would solve everything.
“I don't want to be competitors anymore,” he said softly, taking my shaking hands in his. I looked up and focused on the warm caramel of his eyes. “I want to be partners. If Dream Vacations succeeds, then Travel, Inc. succeeds and vice-versa.”
“I'd get to keep my company?” I gasped. “And still be part of yours?”
“Yes.” He nodded. A smile was waiting to blossom fully onto his face if I gave the right answer. “You will have to go to board meetings. And I'm expecting several one-on-one meetings between the CEO of Travel, Inc and Dream Vacations. Don't worry, though, I hear he's cute.”
I laughed, tears running down my cheeks. “Yes. Yes, I will partner with you!”
His face split into a grin that made my heart soar. In a smooth motion, he tipped his head forward and kissed me. Our teeth clicked together because we were both smiling so broadly that we couldn't stop, but I didn't care. It was a great kiss.
“Promise me I won't lose you again,” Logan requested when we pulled back to catch our breath. Hope and happiness filled his face. I felt like I could burst from too much joy.
“This time I have a contract.” I held up the paper and grinned. “You're stuck with me now.”
He kissed me again before I could even think, dipping me back in a liplock that would make a Hollywood director proud. I giggled as he released me from his kiss, but not from his arms.
“You'll have to get Maddy's approval on this,” I told him. “She owns a fair chunk of the company.”
Logan shrugged. “I just walked through a hurricane to save her son. I think I've got enough brownie points to pull that off.”
This time, I kissed him. I pulled him in to me, tasting his lips and sharing my joy. We could be together. Our love, and our businesses, would flourish more together than they ever would apart. Outside, the sounds of the hurricane raged and screamed, but when I was with Logan, there wasn't a storm we couldn't weather.
Epilogue
The ocean breeze is soft against my skin. The water is calm this time, and the sky is blue. I would almost call it a perfect day, except that in my mind, the perfect day here involved a hurricane.
But that was a whole year ago.
Today is about celebrating. Celebrating that storm and how it brought Logan and I together.
“You ready?” Maddy asks, adjusting the straps of her sundress one last time.
“I am,” I say. I take a deep breath.
“All right, then, let's get this party started.” She grins and takes my hand as we step onto the beach. The wind makes the hem of my dress flutter around my ankles. It's nothing fancy, just a white cotton sundress that is comfortable and soft. There is beauty in simplicity. There's no need to impress anyone with designer labels or couture gowns. We are here just for us.
The sun is almost painfully bright, but I don't care. I can see him. He is like a beacon, shining softly, yet almost more brightly, than the sun itself. He's standing next to his brother and a man in a dark suit. His tall frame stands out against the deep blue of the ocean, and his short curls catch the gentle breeze.
He sees me and I am suddenly the most beautiful thing on the planet. His jaw drops just enough, then widens into a smile like he's won the lottery. I smile, because I know have won the lottery of love.
Maddy stands beside me. Tyler is the only person in the guest area. He had wanted to bring Spock, but Maddy and I had both told him no. We managed to convince him that Spock would be far more comfortable lounging on his bed at home than sitting in the sun.
I smile as I take my place across from Logan. The only people present for the ceremony are the people who care the most about us; the people who have been the most supportive of us and the most understanding of our love.
I glance out at Tyler, and he gives me a big thumbs-up. Logan chuckles.