Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 46

*Shelby*

*4 Months Later*

“That’s a cute bikini. I’ve said it once, and I will say it again. Michael is one lucky man,” Lin said as I folded a light blue bikini top in my suitcase.

“Do you think he will like it?” I asked as my cheeks warmed at the thought of an entire week alone with Michael.

We had been surviving the long-distance relationship with late-night phone calls and short weekend trips to see each other. Michael had begged me to take a vacation with him during my Thanksgiving break, but the guilt of leaving my grandfather home alone over the holiday put an end to that daydream.

“Shelby, Michael would like you in just about anything. I don’t know why you’re worried about what you’re wearing anyway. If I had an unbelievably rich silver fox that was taking me on a week-long vacation to Maui, I’m pretty sure I’d be naked the whole trip,” Lin responded with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

I wadded up a pair of shorts I was just about to pack and chucked them at her. She laughed and ducked out of my room.

My phone buzzed in my back pocket as I squished the contents of my suitcase down so I could attempt to close the zipper. I slipped the phone out of my pocket and couldn’t help the butterflies that took flight in my stomach as I read Michael’s text message.

***

Michael: I can’t wait to see you in Maui! After all of your hard work this semester, you deserve to be pampered. The car will be there to pick you up in an hour.

Shelby: I can’t wait to see you when I get to Hawaii! I wish we could be on the same flight, but I guess I will have to be patient.

Michael: I am so sorry that this business meeting is running late and I have to change my flight. It will all be worth it when we are lying on the beach together in the Hawaii sun.

Shelby: I can’t wait! I am so ready to get out of this snowy weather. I have two pairs of socks on, and I am still cold.

Michaell: I am glad I planned a beach vacation rather than a ski trip.

Shelby: I have always known I picked you for a reason. I will text you before the plane takes off. I have a few more things to pack before the car gets here. I can’t wait to see you when I land!

Michael: I can’t wait to see you.

***

I sighed and slipped my phone back into my pocket. Too much of my and Michael’s relationship had been happening over text these past few months, and I could not wait to be with him in person for an entire week.

My sock-clad feet softly padded against the hardwood floors of the apartment Lin and I shared since we both moved to Cambridge to start law school at Harvard.

Our two-bedroom apartment was nearly twice the size of the one we shared with Aubrey back in New York. I still hadn’t gotten used to having my own room since we moved in.

I stepped into the kitchen where Lin was sitting at the barstool working on her laptop. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration as she clicked the refresh button.

“Are you still waiting for the grades to be posted?” I asked as my own heart stuttered slightly at the thought of seeing them for myself. I had debated on waiting until I got back to check, but I knew it would ruin my vacation to have the weight hanging over me.

“Yes, they said they would be up today. So why are they not up? How am I supposed to know if I need to start packing up my stuff because I failed everything if they never post the grades?”

“Lin, you didn’t fail everything. We stayed up late every night studying our brains to soup to make sure that didn’t happen.”

“I would just feel better if I knew for sure,” Lin said quietly.

I nodded as compassionately as I could as I made my way to the fridge to grab a water bottle. The thought of failing any of my classes made my throat suddenly dry. I took a big mouthful as soon as Lin squealed.

“They are up! They are up!” Lin squeaked, her face inches from the screen.

I struggled to swallow the water so I could ask her if she had passed, but she beat me to it.

“I passed everything,” Lin said a little breathlessly, her eyes round with shock.

“That is amazing, Lin! Congrats!”

“You have to check yours, Shelb,” Lin said, spinning her laptop in my direction.

I hesitated, not sure if I wanted Lin to witness my reaction if I got bad news.

“You can’t go on your trip without knowing,” she said softly.

I nodded and pulled her laptop to me, entering my information. I took a deep breath as the screen loaded.

“I passed,” I said, and I am sure my eyes looked as shocked as Lin’s as I tried to mentally process the grades glaring off of the screen.

“I knew you would; you basically have all of our textbooks memorized,” Lin smiled and pulled her laptop back.

“Holy s**t, Shelb! You didn’t just pass; you got straight A’s!”

“I honestly can’t believe it,” I said as the excitement started bubbling up.

I couldn’t wait to tell Michael the good news. He had helped me get a job at a small law firm near campus, and I couldn’t help but feel like this would make him incredibly proud.

“Well, this will really give you something to celebrate this week,” Lin said with a wink.

“Honestly, I am just glad there isn’t bad news to cast a shadow over this vacation. I really need it. I think if I even look at another example court case, my head will explode.”

“Tell me about it. I can’t wait to let loose a little during the break before we have to start cramming every night again,” Lin said as she flopped onto the couch in our living room, the light streaming in from the large bay windows.

“Are you really going to stay here instead of going home to visit your family?” I asked.

“I am for a while. But. I promised my mom that I would make it back to ‘Boringville,’ Ohio, in time to watch all my brother’s kids open their Christmas presents,” Lin said with an eye roll.

“I think that sounds nice.”

“Oh, it is, but I need to let off some steam before I go.”

A car door shut on the street below, causing Lin to lean over and look out the window.

“It looks like your chariot is here, milady,” Lin said in a mocking pompous voice.

Sure enough, the car Michael sent had just pulled up, the driver standing next to the back door, waiting to escort me to the airport.

I ran to my bedroom and grabbed the handle of my suitcase as I quickly scanned my room one last time for anything I had forgotten.

I turned to find Lin standing at the doorway, and I wrapped her in a big hug.

“I am going to miss you. I will see you in a few weeks.”

“Go have fun and get a tan for me,” Lin said into my shoulder, hugging me back tightly.

“I will!”

I made it down the last few stairs of the building, the wheels of my suitcase clacking down the steps behind me. The driver was already at my side as I stepped out onto the sidewalk.

“May I assist you with your bag Miss Hatton?”

“Yes, thank you,” I said, my breath already turning to a white cloud in front of my face.

The driver opened my door, and careful to avoid the snowy slush, I slid into the back seat. The soft leather seats were warm, and sparkling water was already waiting for me in the cup holder. I mentally prepared myself for the luxury I had to get used to whenever I spent time with Michael.

At times I still felt like I didn’t quite belong in his world.

The drive to the airport was quiet and uneventful. Sooner than I anticipated, we were pulling into the airport. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Michael.

***

Shelby: We just made it to the airport. I still wish we were flying together, but I can’t wait to see you.

Michael: I hope you enjoy your flight. I can’t wait to see you too.

***

“Oh, hold on, let me get my ticket so I can tell you which gate to drop me off at,” I said, scrambling through my overstuffed carry-on.

“There is no need for that, Miss Hatton. Mr. Astor has everything arranged,” the driver responded.

He pulled away from the main flow of airport traffic and headed down a private lane. Stopping at a large gate, he put in a pin on the keypad and pulled through. Lined on the side of the lane were multiple hangars with expensive private jets in each.

“What in the world are you up to, Michael?” I mumbled to myself as a smirk made its way onto my lips.

The driver pulled into the last hangar and stopped. He came around and opened my door for me just as a man in a crisp grey suit came walking down the stairs of a silver Express Air jet.

“Did you really think he was going to let you fly in anything less than a private jet, Miss Hatton?” the driver said with a smile and offered me his hand to help me out of the back seat.

“I should have known better, but he just keeps on surprising me,” I said back, unable to hide my excitement.

I could barely keep from running as I walked to meet Michael. Without saying a word, he slipped his hand under my chin and brushed a soft k**s against my lips.

“I thought you had a business meeting,” I whispered, barely pulling away from his k**s.

“I just couldn’t stay away from you that long. Do you mind if I join you on your flight?” Michael said, pulling back to look at me.

“As long as I can have you all to myself.”

A smile spread across his gorgeous mouth, and he grabbed my hand as we walked to the stairs of the private jet. A server was standing there with a bottle of champagne and two empty glasses. Micheal took the bottle and poured me a glass.

“We have a deal.”