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"You're not going to protest at all?" I questioned, straightening up and watching her eyes.
She gave me a small smile. “I'll give you a hint. Today I'm going to say yes to anything you want.”
“Hell yes!”
"But, just so we’re clear... you’re not off the hook about trying to pose as an investor.”
I grinned. “I’m not worried. My groveling game is good. You’ll forgive me eventually.”
“Your chances are great,” she replied with a laugh.
Feeling her body hum in my arms, her warmth seeping into me, was perfect.
She was everything to me.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Hannah
Four months later
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked Chase. “We have plenty of hands on deck.”
"Hannah, Iwantto do this."
It was the yearly repotting day. Mom, Blair, and Josh were here. Ms. Adams was grateful for all the help. She'd prepped everything in the greenhouse already. Jeremy, Duncan, and Susan were coming too.
I still couldn't believe Chase was so excited about it.
“Want to go in and check everything before we start?” Chase asked.
Mom and Blair were in the inn’s kitchen, enjoying a cup of coffee. Duncan, Jeremy, and Susan hadn’t arrived yet.
"Sure."
Ms. Adams had assured us that she'd seen to everything, but I was suspecting that Chase wanted some alone time with me. He was very creative about that lately. We were as professional as possible at the office, but once we left the building, all bets were off.
We spent a lot of time at the inn, especially because construction was underway. Chase hadn't managed to convince me to accept his investment for the inn yet, but I hadn't discarded the possibility of us going into business together in the future.
I’d saved the necessary amount to cover my insurance deductible, so the construction company would start work soon.
Of course, this would only repair the damage from the storm. The rest of the restorations would have to wait a bit, but I was confident that I could reopen for business next year.
I took Chase’s hand, leading him from the inn’s porch to Ms. Adams's greenhouse. I smiled from ear to ear when we stepped inside.
"This is the scent of joy," I said, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply. It smelled like earth and greens. I didn't know why this space made me feel so blissful. Maybe because it was full of happy memories, and we were going to create even more.
I opened my eyes, looking at Chase. He was pinning me with his gaze.
"What?" I asked.
"I like seeing you this happy."
I grinned. "I see. So that's why you make me happy every day?"
"Yes. It’s my job and my honor."
I knew what he meant because I felt the exact same way about him. He was happy and thoroughly relaxed, especially since they ousted Cyrus. The feds were dealing with him, so he wasn't going to be an issue for the Sterlings anymore.