"Caro, please gather Ms. Gonzales's personal items and show her tothedoor."
“Absolutely Mr. Morgan.” Caro stepped out of the shadows and nodded herhead. She went toward the living room to collect Jennifer'sthings.
Jennifer’s hands clutched in prayers as she said, "Peter, despite everything you said, I'd take you back if youasked."
She threw herself on the ground and tugged athislegs.
He stepped out of her grasp. "Have some dignity. We are not living in one of yourtelenovelas."
He heard the door close andCaro yelled something in Spanish that made his ears blushed. He chose to ignore the comment and walked outside to stare at the ocean and his yacht. The only place he'd been happy in a long time was with Belle on the yacht. Nothing stirred except a party boat in the ocean that tookpictures.
He loved Belle. He had to find a way to tell her and beg her for anotherchance.
Peter changedhis shirt to ensure no smell of perfume remained anywhere on him. He took a fast shower and changed. The water wiped away how clammy his skin was from being near Jennifer. He loved Belle and would never leave her, if she forgave him. Tonight he'd sleep in the hotel hallway until Belle came out. He'd have to apologize to her and beg her for anotherchance.
His heart thundered that she'dleave if he didn't find a way to tell her that shebelieved.
Finished, he strolled through his empty mansion with enough grounds to host twenty middle class families that might never see each other. The walls had art, but nothing was warm here. No matter what he did to the place, Mitch Morgan and the lessons of the House of Morgan lived in every corner. Peter vowed he'd find a way to makethis place a home and not amausoleum.
He checked his tie and continued to the entry way. Caro stopped him near the door. "Your staff decided to chip in and buy you a Christmaspresent,sir."
Caro's light red Christmas uniform was the standard house uniform almost everyone wore to blend into the background. He narrowedhisgaze.
"Did everyone receive the bonusesIleft?"
She curtsied and lowered her gaze. Then she held open a small box. "Of course. This is foryou,sir."
He paid his staff well as long as they kept the house spotless and didn't interfere with his life. The house worked like a well-oiled machine, and the less people who left the easier hislifewas.
He swallowed, and didn't want to anger his maid. Then he gazed at the box andopened it. He held out a ribbon that was personalized with the year and a portrait of the three Morgan siblings from hischildhood.
Caro smiled. "It's a Christmasornament."
“You were always the artist, Caro.Thankyou.”
She wouldn't have known them when they were that young. Caro was two years younger than Victoria, and though she went to school with his sister, she was stillthe daughter ofthemaid.
She then said, "We're hoping next year you get a tree and have a family to celebrate theholidayswith."
He placed the present in her hands. "Thank you. Let's hope Belle forgives me. Please put this in my room. I have togonow."
"We're all cheering for you." She nodded her head. "The captain has said nothing but glowing things about your Belle, sir.We're all happy youloveher."
"You heard everything?" His face heated. It seemed his fate that he could keep no secrets when it came to Belle. His expectations were up. "She doesn't know that so wishmeluck."
He tugged his ear and tried to figure out how he'd apologize. He thought about stopping for flowers. He walked toward his limo and didn't wait for thedriver.
He lethimself in the door. "Take me to theBiltmore."
He gazed out the window, and they began to roll past his palmtrees.
Belle might like flowers, but he needed a better plan ofattack.
