Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
“Until—”
“Never.” His voice was firm. “Never, Andrea.”
“I was wrong—about everything, and I don’t want to go back to the days when you weren’t a part of my life, so…” He swallowed. “I really need you to come back… the sooner, the better. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I stared at him, processing everything he said line by line.
“Give me one reason why I should trust you again,” I said. “Tell me why you won’t change your mind like you did before…”
“Because I can’t bear to lose you again.” He looked wounded. “I’ll prove it to you every day.”
“You promise you’re telling the truth?” was all I could say. “There aren’t any hidden terms where you’ll go back on this?”
“Not at all,” he said. “It’s final.”
“I would love to come back to you…” My voice cracked under the weight of holding back. “I’ve missed you…”
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me—hard and unapologetic. His hand slid into my hair, tilting my head back like he was reclaiming something he’d lost.
I melted before I could stop myself.
“Um… Miss? Sir?” A security guard appeared beside us, his voice echoing through the hall. “The CEO has asked that you both leave. You’re permanently banned from the premises.”
“Good to know.” Harrison took my hand, and I laughed as we walked toward the exit.
Outside, the cool air hit my flushed skin, and he kissed me again. “We have some serious catching up to do.”
“I agree.” I moaned as he bit my bottom lip. “Can we talk about it over dinner?”
“We can talk about whatever you want,” he murmured. “After we make up for all the nights you weren’t in my bed.”
My knees nearly buckled, and I blushed as he ran his fingers through my hair.
“Wait a minute,” I said, slowly pulling back. “What made you change your mind?”
“You, Andrea.”
“I mean, revenge- and business-wise,” I said. “How did you determine you’d run things as is and let Starbucks reign at the top for a lot longer?”
“I had a long conversation with Mr. Lewis,” he said. “Then I revisited my beliefs about crushing the competition.”
“So you’re okay being the number two coffee chain for a while?”
“Absolutely not.” He smiled. “I said revisited—not abandoned.”
“I’m not following, Harrison.”
“I did what I should’ve done from the beginning.” He opened my door. “I took over a company, fired everyone at the top, expelled the entire board, and sent out my usual ‘Welcome to the new business’ memo. It should be hitting the news within the next hour.”
“I’m still not following.” I crossed my arms. “What are you saying?”
“I bought Starbucks.”
The End
EPILOGUE
SIX MONTHS LATER
ANDREA
Harrison’s hand rested warm and steady at my back as engineers worked high above us, bolting his name into place on the freshly updated Starbucks sign.
Well, CROSSbucks…
“You really didn’t need to change the company’s name.”
“I know, but it’s the principle.” He smiled. “You should know that by now.”
“Are you going to tell me when you plan to merge it with Sweet Seasons, or keep acting like that’s not your ultimate plan?”
“It’s not at all.”
“Come on, Harrison.” I looked up at him. “It makes perfect sense, and it makes things a lot easier.”
“For who?”
“You.”
“Quite the contrary.” He pulled me closer, his arm firm around my waist. “My girlfriend is the CFO at Sweet Seasons, and I appointed someone else as CEO because I don’t want power to be the thing that complicates us.”
“You appointed Aaron.”
“Still—” He smirked. “The point is, Ciara and I will run Crossbucks, and you’ll stay at Sweet Seasons until you decide you don’t want to anymore.”
“Okay,” I said. “I believe you.”
“Keeping things separate also helps with marital assets.” His voice dropped, intimate and certain, and my stomach flipped at what he was implying. “I’d give you everything I have without question, which is exactly why I don’t want lawyers defining what’s ours, but—”
“But what?” My voice was hoarse.
He smiled like he already knew my answer but wanted to hear it anyway. “You know how I feel about needing spoilers.” His fingers slid through my hair. “Your sister is throwing a party tonight… If I were to propose and tell you I can’t see the rest of my life without you, what would you say?”
“Since you’re a businessman,” I said, my voice cracking as tears slipped down my cheeks, “I’d say it depends on how good the proposal is.”
“I see.” He pressed his lips against mine, whispering, “I can assure you it’s a very good one—and the terms of my offer are the best I’ve ever made…”
“Any shady or hidden clauses?”
“There’s a rule about you never leaving me.”
“I’d say yes,” I whispered. “It’ll be a hell yes…”
THE END
AGAIN.