The Billionaire's Secret Love Child(247)
I said my final farewells to Brent and entered the lobby. It was completely empty save for the one attendant at the front desk waiting patiently for business.
He looked at me, smiled, and handed me a room key. I found it rather odd as I hadn’t called ahead.
“Is this for me?” I asked.
“Of course it is,” he replied. “Room 1506. The elevator is around the corner.” Another on hand attendant swooped in to relieve me of my luggage and led me to the elevator.
We zoomed up to the 15th floor, and my curiosity swelled. I inserted my keycard into the door and swung it open.
Mr. Ellis was sitting on the bed, waiting patiently.
“How did you-“
“I work downtown, it’s only three blocks from headquarters,” Tom said.
“Mr. Elli-“
“My name is Tom. I told you months ago, Nia.”
He sat me down on the bed and stood over me.
“I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen,” he began. “The last several months I’ve been meeting more with my brother and his family and you know what I learned? Don’t answer that, I still want you to listen. I learned what makes him tick; I learned why he wakes up every morning and goes to his dead-end job upstate; I learned that it’s not easy to be in love.”
He was pacing back and forth as he talked, and I smiled as he continued on.
“That’s right, Love. Love is what gets him out of the house in the morning so he can go work a dead-end job to provide for his family. I saw him get in fights with the person he loves; only to watch them kiss and forget it ever seemed to happen. It was like some kind of magic was happening in his household.
“I watched them play with their kids and how amazing it is to see someone grow up. I watched them roll their eyes and the millionth diaper they’d had to change, knowing that they’d have to do the same thing an hour later; only to give that baby a kiss on the cheek.
“Love and compassion are two things I’ve been trying to spread around the city, and, yet, I haven’t ever been able to find those things in my own life. These last few months I think I’ve started to find it, and would you like to know where it started? Guess.” Tom paused. “No, don’t answer that either. I started finding it the moment I caught you downstairs that night. I continued to find it in the airplane the next day, and I know I found it when I saw you exit that airplane wearing that black dress.”
I could feel tears streaming down my cheeks as he continued to talk.
“I want you in my life; I need you in my life. I don’t want to feel like I’m forcing this because I think you want me in your life as well.
“Nia, I love you. And, if you’ll have me, I want to start a family.”
I stood there shocked to hear all of it. All I could do is nod and smile as he leaned in for a kiss. I stopped him before he could, though.
“I need you in my life, too. But, I have a couple things I need to say first.”
Tom sat down in a chair nearby and listened.
“As it turns out, starting a family will be easier than you think.”
He thought about it for a moment, and then I could see his eyes start to beam. “You’re-“
“Yep,” I nodded. “And the second thing is: I only want to start a family as long as I can continue pursuing my own career as well. I want to be your equal and not your damsel.”
Tom nodded happily. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I gave him a loving embrace and kissed him all over his face.
We walked from the hotel arm in arm. Our future started that day and it never looked brighter.