Enchanted (The Accidental Billionaires #4)(50)

“Owen said that you get a bracelet for every year that you’re cancer-free.”

I held my arm out to show him the five bangle bracelets on my wrist. “I just got my last one when I was in Boston. Getting these became a celebration of sorts for me. Another year clean, another bracelet. It’s just symbolic, but they’re a reminder of how far I’ve come.”

I watched as he looked at the engraving on every single one of them before he said, “I wish I would have known you during those years.”

“I don’t. I looked like a dead woman walking. I lost my hair. I had bruises and wounds everywhere from treatment. And I was so skinny that it was one of the only times in my life when I didn’t have to worry about my ass being huge.”

He shot me a warning look. “I love your ass, small or big. Doesn’t matter. And do you really think I would have given a damn about how you looked?”

I slowly shook my head. “No.”

His words touched me somewhere deep inside my soul. He had to be one of the few men in the world who wouldn’t give a damn what my body looked like. Noah would find a way to love it.

“You’ll have to love my ass big,” I informed him. “I like my food too much to give it up now.”

“I don’t want you to give anything up to be with me. I’d never want that.” He paused before he asked, “Can you stay in one place for a while so we can do some stuff together? Either that, or take me with you.”

“What about your work?”

“I decided to work slow on my next project. I need a break. I recently discovered I’ve come into some money. I’m considering buying my own jet so I can eventually do some traveling. I’d take you anywhere you want to go.” He was joking, but there was seriousness in his voice, too.

“Some money?” I teased. “You’re one of the wealthiest guys on the planet.”

“Okay. A lot of money,” he conceded. “I can afford to take some time off. I finished the dating app, and I’m not in any hurry to start something new.”

I surveyed him curiously. He appeared to be totally unfazed at the idea of knocking off work, which was a surprise. “I wasn’t planning anything in the near future. I was going to stay fairly local. I haven’t been to San Diego for a while. And there’s a couple of places I could hit here in Citrus Beach to blog about.”

“I’m willing to give you a second opinion,” he offered enthusiastically.

I snorted. “I’ll get you food addicted eventually.”

“So, what time do you want me to pick you up for dinner tomorrow?”

My heart sank. “I can’t tomorrow. I’m having dinner with Layla.”

“Saturday night?”

That was the day after tomorrow, and even though he’d phrased it like a question, I was pretty sure that Noah wasn’t taking no for an answer. Even if he had to go through next year until he had a date.

There was something hot about his pushy new attitude. Obviously, he’d always been quietly determined, but he was getting doggedly . . . persistent.

“I can do that. There’s a new steakhouse in town—”

“I’ll make a reservation for seven.”





CHAPTER 20

ANDIE



“What are you doing?” Noah asked as he entered the house and closed the sliding glass door behind him. “You look like your brain is a million miles away right now.”

“Sorry. I was just taking a minute to be still,” I explained as I smiled at him.

Noah and I had been officially dating for a couple of weeks now, and we’d been pretty busy. Not to mention the fact that we had the whole Sinclair family in the backyard today since Noah was hosting the family barbecue.

He shot me a quizzical look. “You’re not still. You’re moving.”

I was currently slicing avocados, so he was right. But . . . “You don’t have to be physically still. Being still is like clearing your mind. With all of the chaos, negativity, and technology in the world, it’s easy to forget that sometimes it’s relaxing to just focus on your breathing and open yourself up to the world around you. It’s good for stress.”

“Are you stressed?” he asked as he came around the counter.

I chuckled. “No. Not really. It’s just habit so I don’t get stressed.”

He looked so worried that something might be wrong that it melted my heart.

The last few weeks had been anything but full of stressful activity.

We’d eaten a lot, in various places. Every day, we found time to take a walk on the beach, swim, go for a ride on the boat he’d recently purchased, fish, talk, or just find something new to learn.

Every day was an adventure when I was with Noah, no matter what we were doing.

And I fell more in love with the sometimes aggravating, sweet, tender, handsome man every single day.

“What else can I help with?” he asked as he wrapped his powerful arms around me from behind.

“Nothing. I’ve got everything under control. How’s the fish doing?”

He’d put the whitefish on the grill. I’d suggested making a massive batch of fish tacos for dinner, an alternative to the usual hamburgers, hot dogs, or steaks.

His entire family had been pretty enthusiastic about the idea.