Chapter 67

The following morning, Olivia woke with a knot in her stomach. She wasn't worried about the purchase of the hotel, no, that she knew how to handle. It was her other major event planned for the day that had her a little short of breath. Since her decision to re-propose to Natalia, she had not been worried, didn't think once about the possibility of her saying no, she only worried about the offer of being her equal, sharing her wealth and business, but now, only a couple of hours away from asking the love of her life to marry her again, she wasn't worried, she was terrified.

What if everything she put Natalia through after her return was too much? What if she didn't want to be tired to Olivia Spencer, bitch on wheels, terror of the beacon? What if marrying someone with a short life expectancy wasn't something Natalia would want? So many what if's swirled in her head. She was feeling dizzy and sick.

Just as she was about to rise and prepare for her day, she felt warm arms encircle her, calming her instantly. She allowed herself to relax into the embrace. Her body melting against Natalia's. Natalia kissed her neck and shoulder. "You're thinking too loud. What's wrong?"

Olivia twisted in her arms so she was facing her and gave her a quick kiss. "Nothing sweetheart. It's just going to be a busy day."

"Yes, yes it is. And we have…" she turned her head to see the clock. "About an hour before Mel gets here. Why don't you go shower and I'll order us up some breakfast? And no, we don't have time for five more minutes." She giggled.

Olivia chuckled and snuggled more against her. Pressing her lips to the crook of Natalia's neck. "There's always time for five minutes with you."

"Not this morning there's not." Natalia kissed her head and rolled out of bed. "Now go. Shower."

Olivia grunted but got out of bed anyways. "Yes dear." She said with a wink. Kissing Natalia's cheek as she passed on her way to the shower.

Olivia stood under the water spray, attempting to slow her thoughts and calm her nerves. She had a plan in place, maybe not the most romantic, but, she felt it suited her and Natalia. Her heart knew that Natalia would agree to marry her without a doubt, it was her head that was causing the problem. Olivia had always had a problem accepting happiness, believing that she deserved it, today was no different. This may be the second time she was proposing to this woman, but it was definitely more nerve racking. She wasn't just proposing this time, she was offering Natalia everything she had. This was new territory and Olivia was terrified.

While Natalia showered, Olivia steeled herself and made sure she had everything in order to ensure her plan went off without a hitch. The two were both dressed and finishing breakfast when Mel knocked. Natalia rose from the table, running her hand along Olivia's shoulders as she went to answer the door.

"Morning Mel."

Mel smiled brightly and gave a small nod. "Good morning Natalia. You ready for today?"

"I'm fine. Olivia is the one taking such a major step. I can tell she's nervous. I've never seen her quite like this."

Mel tried to hide her knowing smile. Olivia's nerves had nothing to do with the business at hand and everything to do with Natalia herself. She quickly entered and joined Olivia at the table. The three went over everything for the hotel. Olivia planned on paying the full asking price, the property was well worth it, however she wasn't going to make it easy for the seller. Mel went over all the paperwork with them, making sure to explain every detail, not for Olivia, but for Natalia. Olivia had requested that Mel make sure everything was understood. She thought it might make it easier for Natalia to except being made co-owner and sign her name beside Olivia's for this new hotel if she already understood all the legal aspects of it.

Once everything was in order, Mel handed Olivia the file and then pulled another much thicker one from her briefcase, handing it to Olivia as well with a small wink. Natalia raised in eyebrow at this but said nothing. Figuring one folder contained the original offer from the seller and the other containing the new offer with the changes she and Olivia had discussed. The three women walked down to the conference room where the meeting was to take place, being greeted by the current owners, Mr. and Mrs. Williams, and their lawyer.

They all sat at a long table. Olivia, Natalia, and Mel on one side, the Williams, and their lawyer on the other. They spent a little over an hour coming to an agreement that suited all parties. Olivia's heart began to beat faster as the time for signing came closer. She took a deep breath so her voice wouldn't shake when she spoke.

"Okay, everything seems to be in order. Natalia and I feel that your establishment will be the perfect addition to our business. Before we finish up could we have a few moments to discuss somethings please?"

"Of course." The small woman across from her answered. "Take all the time you need."

She, her husband, their lawyer, and Mel, all exited, leaving just Olivia and Natalia in the room. Olivia turned to Natalia with a nervous smile. "Natalia, before I sign this, I need to ask you something."

Natalia could sense the unease in Olivia's voice. Could see the apprehension in her eyes. "Okay. What's going on Olivia?"

Olivia's voice cracked when she attempted to speak. "Na..Na…Natalia, I..we…"

Natalia took her hand; she could feel it trembling. "Hey, what's wrong honey?"

Olivia looked down, then reached into the pocket of her suit jacket, pulling out an envelope and handing it to Natalia without a word. Natalia looked at it quizzically and then back to Olivia. "Olivia?"

"Just open it, please. I promise I will explain everything. Just, open it."

Natalia could feel the weight and shape of something more than paper. She opened the envelope and looked inside, pulling out her engagement ring and a letter folded with another piece of paper. She unfolded the letter and read.

Natalia, Sweetheart,

I was hurt the day I asked you take this ring off. I let my pain take over and turn to anger. I was so scared of being hurt again that I had closed myself off to you. I cannot convey how very sorry I am for that. I walked out that day, not allowing you to say anything against my request for you to remove the ring. You did as I asked, leaving a note telling me you knew I would give it back one day, well today is that day. You may have this ring back if you wish, however, you may not put it on. You will never again where this ring on your left ring finger. Before you get upset, flip to the next page.

Natalia had tears streaming down her cheeks, unable to even look at Olivia as fear and hurt entered her features. She pulled the second piece of paper from behind the letter, fear and hurt turning to confusion and happiness. As she realized what she was holding. It was a marriage license from Iowa, almost completely filled out by Olivia. She turned her chair to face Olivia and found her on one knee, with a different ring held out in front of her. More tears, happy ones, sprang to her eyes and her hand flew to her mouth.

Olivia took her left hand in hers. Smiling through her own tears as she looked up at the woman she loved more than life itself. Her voice shaking, but strong. Tears silently rolling down her face. "Natalia, the first time I did this, I didn't do it very well. I just blurted it out, in our kitchen, and it was interrupted by Phillip. You deserve better than that. You deserve the world. I want to give that to you. Natalia, you have given me so much. You gave me my heart, both literally and figuratively. You set aside our difference to give me a heart so my daughters would not lose their mother, and then you became a mother to my daughter. You are so much more than just the woman I love; you are my best friend. You were there for me when no one else was. You believed in me and you saw the good no one else even looked for. Because of you I am a better person. I want so much to be a person worthy of your love, your kindness, your grace, your faith. I want to be everything you need and want in this life. I strive for that every day. I have a heart again. A full and open one, because of you. You did the impossible Natalia; you tamed the beast. My life is so full and so happy because of you. I have almost everything I could ask for. Only one thing could make my life complete..." She paused for a breath and gripped Natalia's hand tighter. She looked deep into Natalia's eyes and continued. "Natalia, I don't deserve you, and I don't know how I got so lucky in life to have you, but I'm overjoyed that I did. Please do me the honor of making me complete and becoming my wife. Natalia Maria Rivera, I ask you again, for the second and last time, will you marry me?"

Natalia couldn't speak. She slid to floor in front of Olivia, tears streaming nonstop. She threw her arms around Olivia's neck and hugged her tight, trying to stop her sobs. She kissed the side of Olivia's neck and nodded.

Oliva had felt the nod but needed to hear the words. "It that a yes?"

Natalia pulled back and took Olivia's face in both her hands. "Yes. Yes. YES!" She kissed Olivia hard. Trying to transfer all of her happiness at Olivia's proposal through the kiss.

Pulling out of the kiss, both women were smiling ear to ear. Olivia removed the ring from its box and slid it onto Natalia's finger. It was white gold with a one caret gold diamond in the center with five colored stones surrounding it, one for each member of their family. "I know you loved the original ring, and it's beautiful, but I couldn't let you put that one back on. It's our past, and I want nothing from our past carrying into our future. We have worked so hard to rebuild, and this is a new beginning for us. I wanted our new beginning to start with a new ring. Is that okay?"

"Okay? Olivia I love it. I love you." She kissed Olivia again and got to her feet. Pulling Olivia up with her.

Olivia pulled Natalia against her. "I love you too. So, there's more."

"More? Olivia…"

"Just um, sit. Okay?"

The two sat back in their chairs and Olivia took the top paper from the second file Mel had given her. "Um, I need your approval for something."

"Okay." Natalia said a little hesitantly. Olivia handed her the paper and Natalia looked it over, confusion etching her features. She looked up at Olivia. "What is this Olivia?"

"Well, it's um, it's the name of our company. Now that we are franchising, I want to have all of our hotels under a balloon company name. I'm also going to be transferring all of our business dealings, stocks, and investments to be under the company name. It will make things…"

"Olivia wait. You keep saying ours. What are you talking about?"

"Well, that's the other part of this." She held up the file Mel had given her before they came down to the meeting. "This folder contains everything needed to make you co-owner of SRHR as well as several other documents."

"Co…did you say co-owner?" Natalia sputtered.

"Yes, I did." Olivia took Natalia's hand and focused her attention on chocolate brown. "Natalia, I know you are a very proud woman. You have worked very hard your entire life for everything that you have. I know you don't like charity, and that's not what this it. For the first time in my life, I want to share everything I have with someone. I want to be equal in every aspect. Natalia I have never done this before. In all of my marriages, I have always kept my business and my finances separate. I have never truly shared my life with anyone. I want to do that with you."

"Olivia…"

"Wait, please. Just let me get through this. Okay?"

"Alright."

"You are the love of my life. You are the person I am meant to spend the rest of my life with. I want that life to be one built on respect, honesty, love, and above all else, trust. You and I, we have been through so much, both separately and together. Before meeting each other, we both had trying lives. And after meeting, I made yours a living hell for a very long time. Somehow we formed a friendship, and that grew into so much more. I love you Natalia, more than I have ever loved anyone. But maybe more importantly, I trust you, completely. I know when you came back I said I didn't and that I might never be able to, but I was wrong. I was hurt and angry, but after reading those letters, after understanding that you didn't just leave me, that you had reasons for your departure, maybe not ones I agree with, but non the less, you had your reasons. I know that I still have all the trust I always had in you. I trust you with my life. That includes a lot. My heart for one thing, something I have never truly given to anyone, I give to you. I also give you the two other things in this world that mean the most to me, my daughters. I know you love them as much as I do. I trust you to protect them as I would. Now, I want to make you my equal in every way I can. Natalia, you've told me that you love all of me. Part of that includes not only my bad attitude and craziness, but it also includes my business and my fortunes. I want to do this right with you. Our children have all given their blessing on this. In fact, they are all pretty excited about it. But, before we do this, I need to know that you're all in. Natalia when I took you back, when I chose to let the past die and move forward with you, it was all or nothing for me, for the first time in my life, I am getting married for the right reasons. There is no ulterior motives, nothing but love and trust and honesty. I need to know that you feel the same…"

"Of course, I do, but…"

"I'm not done. Natalia, if we are going to do this, then we are doing this together, as a team, completely. I want you to become co-owner of our business. Spencer-Rivera Hotels and Resorts is for our family, and I can't imagine running it without you. Building it into everything I know it can be. I also want to add you to everything. My bank accounts, my investments, several other business deals, everything. I have never done this before Natalia. I have always kept this part of my life for just me, for Emma and Ava. With you, it's different. I want us to build this company and this family together. I want our entire family to benefit from it. Rafe and you included. This is my legacy for my girls, I would like it to be yours for Rafe as well. That's why I started training Rafe. This will be his company too, just like it's my girls. One day I want to hand it over to all three of them. Natalia, I'm asking you to marry me, all of me. The good, the bad, the poor health, and yes, the wealth."

Natalia was stunned, for a moment all she could do was stare. Her head was swimming with a million different thoughts. She wanted to fight this. To tell Olivia no, she couldn't except it. It was too much. She wanted to refuse share in half of everything that Olivia has, but she knew she couldn't. Olivia was trusting her with everything in her life, she was willing her to be her equal in every sense on the word. As much as she wanted to say no, she couldn't. Olivia wouldn't except that. She wanted to say absolutely not with every fiber of her being, but she knew that her refusal to except this, would hurt Olivia. No one had ever offered her so much, not the money, but the total trust. As much as she wanted to deny this, she knew it wasn't an option if she wanted this life with Olivia. She willed the voices in her head into silence and swallowed the lump in her throat. Looking into nervous green eyes, she placed a hand to Olivia's cheek.

"I will except this, on two conditions."

Olivia swallowed audibly. "And those are?"

"One, I don't want to make it official until after we're married."

"And two?"

"Two, you have to agree to be added to the deed for the farmhouse."

"Natalia…"

"Ah, ah, ah. If you want me to have half of everything you have, then you will do the same. I may not have much, but, the farmhouse is our home, I never want you to worry about not having a real home again. I have been thinking about this for a while now, I just didn't know how to approach you about it. So, deal?"

Olivia smiled and kissed Natalia. "Deal. However, I do need you to sign for this hotel with me today. It will save Mel a lot of paperwork down the road and save us a fair bit of money."

"I can do that." Natalia smiled.

"Good. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Okay, let's allow them back in. We can finish up with the purchase and then we have several documents to go over with Mel. Then, I would like to take my fiancé back to our room and have a little celebration."

"Mmm, what kind of celebration?" Natalia asked with a smirk.

Oliva bent and kissed her neck. Kissing to her ear and nibbling. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see." Before Natalia could respond, Olivia stepped away and motioned the others back into the room.

Once all the paperwork was signed, by both women, and the purchase finalized, Olivia, Natalia, and Mel were left alone in the conference room. There was a staff meeting scheduled for the following morning to introduce the new owners but before that, Olivia wanted Natalia to sign all of the personal documents to make them equals. She also had one more surprise to reveal to Natalia.

Mel went over everything. Natalia signed her name to each and everyone. At the end there was only two left. Before signing them, Olivia wanted to explain herself.

"Okay, so there are two things left for you to sign. The first one, it a name change form for after we're married. You once told me that if you ever took another name it would be Spencer. As much as I love the idea of you taking my name, I thought it would be more appropriate for us to take each other's names. I was thinking Rivera-Spencer or Spencer-Rivera. What do you think?"

"Well, I think that since you chose to name our company Spencer-Rivera, that we should go with that."

"We can change it if you want. The papers haven't been filed yet."

"No. I like it. I'm just an awe that you want to take my name."

"Of course, I do."

Natalia smiled brightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too. So, Spencer-Rivera it is. The last thing is a third parent adoption form for Emma."

"What? You, you want me to adopt Emma? What about Phillip?"

"Yes. I want Emma to be legally yours as much as she is mine. I talked to Phillip and he feels the same way. If something happens to me, he wants Emma to stay in her home, with her other mommy. He has already signed. It's the one document that I want filed now instead of waiting until after we're married."

"I…I don't know what to say. I can't believe you want me to legally adopt Emma. I mean, in my heart she is my daughter, I just never dreamed that this would happen."

"Well, you love Emma, and she loves you. She is already your daughter; this just makes it legal. Gives you the same rights that I have."

Natalia was in a bit of shock. Today had already been so much. Olivia re-proposed, she became the half owner of a hotel, and signed paperwork that would be filed after their wedding to make her half owner of The Beacon, and everything else of Olivia's. This was the final straw. She broke out into happy tears. Unable to stop them.

Olivia took her into her arms. "Hey, hey baby, calm down. What's wrong."

Natalia sniffed. "Nothing, nothing's wrong. This is just a lot. No one has ever given me so much, and now Emma. I just, I need a minute."

Olivia rubbed her back. "Take all the time you need." She kissed her temple and they sat there for a few moments, Olivia soothing Natalia until she finally settled.

Once she was calm and wiped the tears, she signed the adoption papers for Emma. Mel was given instructions to only file them, the papers for their company, and the new hotel papers. She was to hold onto the rest until after they were married. Mel left and headed back to Springfield. Olivia took Natalia's hand and led her up to their suite.

Once they reached their room, Olivia asked Natalia to give her a few minutes. She entered, making sure not to open the door all the way. She hurried to the room and changed, laying on the bed to wait for Natalia. Just as she got herself settled on the bed, she heard the door open and Natalia gasp.

Natalia walked into the room and her jaw dropped. A soft gasp escaping her lips. There were candles lit all over the room. A huge bouquet of daisy's sat on a vase on the table. Rose peddles making a path to the bedroom. She followed the path and opened the door, her eyes about popping out of her head. There was Olivia, in the middle of the bed, surrounded by rose peddles. Propped on one elbow, one leg stretched out, the other bent at the knee, and a hand resting on her hip. She was clad in a deep purple see through negligée.

Olivia watched Natalia's eyes darken and fill with lust. She watched as she slowly regained the ability to move and stalked towards the bed. Before she could utter a word, Natalia was sitting next to her on the mattress. Running a hand with feather light touches up her outstretched leg, over her hip, up her side, her arm and shoulder, reaching around to grip the back of her neck and bring her into a heart stopping kiss.

This kiss was somehow different again. It was all the love they held for one another and so much more. It was passion and fire but also sweet and tantalizing. This kiss was the end of their past and the beginning of their future. It was two hearts blending together to beat as one.