Chapter 1 : promotion

The movie had been playing for almost forty minutes, but neither of us knew what was happening anymore.

Caspian had stopped pretending to watch.

His arm was wrapped around my waist, and I was curled against his chest, my head resting beneath his chin.

On the television, two strangers were arguing dramatically over something neither of us cared about.

I reached for the bowl of popcorn.

Caspian caught my hand.

"You're eating all of it."

I looked up at him.

"Then get another bowl."

"You've already had enough."

"Enough?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"You've been eating more than me."

"That's because I'm bigger."

"That's not how popcorn works."

He smiled.

"You always argue."

"Because you're always wrong."

He leaned down.

"Keep talking."

"Why?"

"I like your mouth."

I laughed.

"That's a terrible excuse."

His lips brushed mine.

"Wasn't an excuse."

I felt his hand tighten gently around my waist.

The kiss lasted only a moment before I pulled away.

"The movie."

"You haven't watched it for twenty minutes."

"Neither have you."

"I've been watching something much more interesting."

His eyes moved slowly over my face.

I shook my head, smiling.

"You're impossible."

"And you're beautiful."

"Flattery won't get you the popcorn."

"I don't want the popcorn."

His fingers moved along my waist.

I knew that look.

"Caspian."

"What?"

"We're supposed to be watching a movie."

"We are."

"You haven't looked at the screen in ten minutes."

"Neither have you."

Before I could answer, his phone rang.

We both looked toward the coffee table.

The name on the screen made him sit up immediately.

Sterling Crown Bank.

I watched him reach for it.

For the past six weeks, that call had been hanging over us.

The Area Manager position.

The promotion he'd worked toward for years.

The interviews.

The meetings.

The waiting.

The endless conversations about what we'd do if he got it.

Caspian answered.

"Hello?"

His expression changed.

I sat up.

He listened.

His eyes widened slightly.

"Yes."

A pause.

"Absolutely."

Another pause.

"Thank you."

His mouth slowly curved into a smile.

"Thank you, sir."

He ended the call.

I stared at him.

"Well?"

He looked at me.

"I'm getting the position."

I screamed.

I threw my arms around his neck.

"Caspian!"

He laughed as I kissed his cheek.

"I knew it!"

"You did?"

"I told you they couldn't find anyone better."

He held me tighter.

"You've been saying that for six weeks."

"Because it's true."

I kissed him again.

"I'm so proud of you."

His smile softened.

"You know how long I've wanted this."

"I know."

"And now I'm Area Manager."

I pulled away.

"Area Manager."

He nodded proudly.

"Say it again."

"Area Manager."

I laughed.

"You sound so pleased with yourself."

"I am."

"You should be."

He pulled me back onto his lap.

"This calls for a celebration."

I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Definitely."

He kissed me.

Slowly at first.

Then again.

Longer.

His hand slid around my waist, pulling me closer until I could feel the warmth of his body against mine.

I smiled against his lips.

"What kind of celebration?"

He kissed the corner of my mouth.

"I have something in mind."

I laughed softly.

"Let me go make dinner."

His arms tightened around me.

"Not that meal."

I looked at him.

His expression was unmistakably playful.

"Caspian."

"What?"

"You're shameless."

"You've known that for years."

He kissed me again.

I kissed him back.

His fingers moved gently along my back as I settled against him.

The movie continued in the background, completely forgotten.

He kissed my neck.

I shivered.

His mouth returned to mine.

I could feel his smile.

"Still sure you want dinner?"

I ran my fingers through his hair.

"Maybe later."

"That's what I thought."

He kissed me again.

I melted into him, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.

The promotion had changed his mood completely.

He was lighter.

Happier.

And seeing him this happy made something warm spread through me.

I pulled back just enough to breathe.

"Where exactly is this new position?"

His lips were still close to mine.

"Ravenmere."

Everything stopped.

I stared at him.

"What?"

"Ravenmere."

My hands slowly dropped from his shoulders.

He noticed.

"Elara?"

I moved away from him.

The warmth we'd shared moments ago disappeared so quickly it frightened me.

"You're going to Ravenmere?"

"We are."

"No."

He frowned.

"What do you mean, no?"

"I can't go there."

"Why?"

I stood from the couch.

Caspian followed.

"Elara."

I walked toward the window.

The city lights blurred in front of me.

I hadn't heard that name spoken in years.

Ravenmere.

The place where I'd once believed I had everything.

The place where I'd married Lucien Vale.

The place where that marriage had ended.

"I don't want to go back."

Caspian came up behind me.

"You knew there would be a transfer."

"Not there."

"Why?"

I turned around.

"Because he's there."

Caspian's face softened.

"Lucien."

I nodded.

He stepped closer.

"Elara, that was three years ago."

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to you."

I looked away.

He gently took my hand.

"I know what happened."

"No, you know what I told you."

He didn't argue.

That was another reason I'd fallen in love with him.

He knew when to stop pushing.

Instead, he squeezed my hand.

"I've watched you build your life again."

I looked at him.

"You helped me."

"I'll keep helping you."

"Caspian..."

"Listen to me."

He turned me toward him.

"Ravenmere doesn't belong to him."

I stayed silent.

"It's just a place."

"Not to me."

"Then we'll make it ours."

I shook my head.

"I don't know if I can."

He looked at me for several seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Do you remember the boutique?"

I blinked.

"What?"

"The boutique you've been talking about since I met you."

I laughed quietly.

"You mean my impossible dream?"

"It's not impossible."

"It costs too much."

"I don't care."

"Caspian…"

"I'm serious."

He took both my hands.

"I'll open you a beauty and fashion boutique."

I stared at him.

"You'll what?"

"You heard me."

He smiled.

"You'll have your own place. Your own business. Your own name on the sign."

My eyes began to sting.

He continued.

"You can do nails. Hair. Makeup. Sew clothes. Whatever you want."

I swallowed.

"And hire people."

"Exactly."

He touched my cheek.

"You've always said you wanted a team. Nail technicians. Hairstylists. Tailors. Designers. People you can train and trust."

I stared at him.

"You remember all that?"

"I remember everything."

His thumb brushed beneath my eye.

"You won't have to work for someone else anymore."

I couldn't speak.

"Make the place exactly how you've always imagined it."

I looked down.

"Caspian, that's a lot of money."

"So is my new salary."

I laughed despite myself.

He smiled.

"Let me do this for you."

I looked into his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

The answer was simple.

No hesitation.

No conditions.

He pulled me against his chest.

"And because I want you to have something that's yours."

My arms slowly wrapped around him.

"What about Lucien?"

His body stiffened slightly at the name.

Then he looked down at me.

"Nothing is going to bring you and Lucien together again."

"You can't promise that."

"I can promise what I can control."

He kissed my forehead.

"You'll have me."

Another kiss.

"Your boutique."

Another.

"And a new life."

I closed my eyes.

For three years, I'd avoided Ravenmere because I was afraid of what waited there.

But maybe I had spent enough time running.

Maybe I could return without becoming the woman I used to be.

Maybe I could walk into that town with Caspian beside me and prove that Lucien Vale no longer had power over me.

I opened my eyes.

"Okay."

Caspian stared at me.

"Okay?"

"I'll go."

His smile appeared instantly.

"You're serious?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

He lifted me off the floor.

I laughed.

"Caspian!"

"You said yes!"

"Put me down!"

He spun me around once before setting me down.

Then he kissed me.

I kissed him back, smiling.

For the first time that evening, I felt excited about Ravenmere.

We stood there holding each other, talking about the boutique, the new apartment, the life we would build.

I let myself believe that everything was finally falling into place.

Caspian had his promotion.

I was getting the business I'd dreamed about.

And we were going to start our future together.