The End
Cross/Catherine POV
Catherine
“Finally, he picks up the fucking phone,” Miguel muttered, turning his back to Catherine as they headed across the tarmac. “Juan, just because you’re on your honey—”
Miguel’s words abruptly cut off, and then his shoulders stiffened. He pulled the phone away from his ear, and glared at the screen.
“He hung up on me!”
“Because they’re on their honeymoon,” Catherine reminded her friend.
“Yeah, but—”
“I would have hung up on my parents, too, Miggy.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Catherine pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. All these years, and it was still only Cece who would get away with calling Miguel that nickname. It was still the cutest thing ever, too.
No one could tell Miguel that, though. His poor little pride might take a hit, but behind his back, he was Miggy to everybody, regardless of what he thought or wanted. It just was what it fucking was.
Catherine smacked her friend in the back of his head as she passed him by, and just as quickly, slipped into the backseat of the waiting Rolls-Royce. A ride meant for a queen. Soon—someday—she was going to give her crown up.
Hand it over.
Pass the legacy on.
She wasn’t ready, yet.
Neither was Cece.
It would still happen.
Soon.
“You think you’re such a smartass,” Miguel said, leaning into the car.
Catherine grinned. “I know I am.”
Besides, she had to keep Miguel on his toes. Cece was no longer a little girl keeping Catherine’s right-hand man constantly on watch at every second of the day. Catherine liked to try and fill in to keep Miguel entertained instead.
Good friends were hard to find.
“Yeah, yeah.” Miguel moved to close the door as he said, “Where to first, regina?”
“Business first.”
She was in Cali.
Business always came first in Cali.
“Business it is,” Miguel said.
Catherine looked over the information on the tablet in her hands. Nothing unusual stood out to her, or made her take pause. Nothing as cause for concern, anyway. Glancing up at the woman sitting across from her in the Four Seasons room, Catherine nodded.
“I think you are all set, Jamee,” Catherine said
“Yeah?”
“I don’t see why not.”
The young woman beamed—happy and proud at the same time. “So, when do I start?”
“Soon,” Catherine said, “but you’re going to learn before you ever get sent out on your own with a list of clients. I’m glad Cece found you, though. She has a good eye for girls that do well in this business.”
One of many things her daughter did well.
“Thank you, Cath—”
Catherine smiled, stopping the woman from saying anything more. “Regina, Jamee. It is always regina.”
Jamee nodded. “Right, sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Catherine gestured a finger toward the door, and said, “Either Miguel, or I, will be in contact soon. You’re going to need a whole new … well, you’ll see. I think I will wait for Cece to get back from her honeymoon, but you will be well taken care of until you start pulling in money of your own. Okay?”
“Sure, yeah.”
Catherine waved her fingers. “Bye.”
Just like that, the young woman was dismissed. Thankfully, Jamee seemed to understand her place as one of the new upcoming girls for Catherine’s organization because she quickly stood from the couch, and left the hotel room without a look back.
If there was anything Catherine hated the most from a girl, it was insolence or ignorance. She blamed her mother for that. Catrina had never accepted any kind of behavior that was less than stellar from a girl—or a man, really. It kind of passed over onto Catherine because she found little to no patience for nonsense.
Tossing the tablet to the couch, Catherine leaned back, and rubbed at her temples with two fingers. Her meetings were done for the day, and now she could relax. Another couple of days, and she would be back home with her husband where she belonged.
Oh, she loved her job.
She earned this place.
She was queen.
There was still a part of her yearning to get to the place where it was just her and Cross again. Her and him without life getting in the way, and business keeping them apart for days or weeks at a time.
She didn’t think she was asking for very much.
“Regina?”
Catherine peered over at the door to find Miguel popping his head inside with a grin. “What?”
“How did that go?”
“Good.”
“Yeah?”
“Cece can find them, let me say,” Catherine murmured.
“She does have a knack for that,” Miguel agreed.
“I think I’m going to have a shower, and then call my husband. Would you mind if we went down for dinner a little later?”
Miguel cocked a brow. “You have one more meeting.”
Catherine gave the man a look. “No, I—”
“Yes, you do. One of the girls. Last minute thing.”
“Miguel.”
“I told you. Did you forget?”
Catherine heaved a sigh. “Maybe.”
Who fucking knew, lately?
“Downstairs,” Miguel told her, “in the dining room. You wanted to have it there since you knew it would be closer to dinner.”
Miguel offered all this to Catherine like it was gospel, and he knew what he was talking about. She really didn’t have any reason to distrust him, and lately, she was kind of flaky on important things piling up.
That happened when you were planning a wedding. Although, now the wedding was over, and she was hoping to return to some semblance of a normal human being. Who was to say if that would actually be the case?
Her life was nonstop.
Chaotic.
It had always been this way.
Miguel glanced at his watch. “Ten minutes, regina.”
Catherine grumbled under her breath. “Fine.”
Cross POV
Cross was already standing when his wife entered the dining room with her sharp gaze drifting over the dining patrons. He could tell just by the stiffness in her posture that she wasn’t pleased. He couldn’t help but smile knowing she would soon be fine again.
As soon as …
There it was—her gaze landed on him.
Cross fixed the button on his suit jacket with a grin as Catherine came closer. She shook her head; amusement clearly dancing in her eyes.
“I thought a meeting in the dining room was a little strange,” she said.
Cross chuckled. “Oh?”
“I never have meetings down here.”
“Yet, you trusted Miguel.”
“He’s never given me a reason not to,” Catherine said. “And you know, it’s been so busy lately for me I wouldn’t be surprised if I did set up an appointment with a girl, and forgot about it completely. My brain is …”
“Scattered?” he supplied.
Catherine nodded. “Yeah, the wedding did a number.”
“The wedding is over, babe.”
“It is.”
“Our kids are all out of the house.”
Catherine lifted her brow. “They are.”
“Adults, now.”
“Wow,” she murmured, “hard to believe.”
“Believe it,” he said.
“And here you are, too.”
Cross flashed one of his signature smiles. “I had to come see my wife. Love my wife.”
“Is that so?”
“Catherine, that will alwaysbe so.”
Sometimes, endings were just the beginning of something entirely new. For them, this was a new chapter. A different place in their lives to begin marking down memories.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
Catherine smiled. “That I love you.”
“Are you going to steal my line, babe?”
“Never.”
“No?”
“Nope.”
Cross reached out, and grabbed his wife to pull her into his embrace. All these years, and holding Catherine close was still the best goddamn part of his day.
“I love you, babe.”
“Promise?” she asked.