Yes. The gesture he’d made hadn’t been big enough. He needed to come up with something better. Something guaranteed to both woo her and show his commitment.

While sifting through ideas in his mind, he opened a can of beer and swigged. The golden liquid coursed down his throat and refreshed not only his body but also his brain. Perhaps he could return to his previous plan to win her over. The one he hadn’t been able to complete before she’d blindsided him with the pregnancy.

That’s it! He needed to show he could fit into Itirangi and make a life with her, and his previous plan was the first step to achieving that. Aria was passionate about the town. She wanted to stay here and raise their baby in her cozy green nursery with the polished wood cradle and colorful stuffed animals. If Eli wanted a future with her—which he was coming to realize he desired more than anything—he had to adapt. She’d made her terms clear.

Living in Itirangi might be inconvenient from a business perspective, but it would have other perks. Distance from his parents, for one. Eli wasn’t particularly attached to Auckland, but a quarter of New Zealand’s population lived there, which made it a business hub. Then again, most of his business could be conducted via phone and video conferencing. His second-in-command, Sterling Knight, would be happy to take on more responsibilities.

Sterling was the antithesis of Eli. He had grown up in a poor neighborhood of West Auckland, then worked two jobs while he put himself through university and supported his terminally ill mother. While Eli had started his company with a wide network of business connections, Sterling had fought his way into the business world tooth-and-claw. The two men, fortuitously seated next to each other at a conference, became friends, then colleagues who worked together seamlessly despite their differences. No one deserved success as much as Sterling did, and Eli had ensured he had all the opportunities he could ask for. The past few months, he’d begun worrying that Sterling might decide to leave and begin his own company. He certainly had the skills and the contacts to do so. If Eli handed over some degree of control to him, he could kill two birds with one stone: keep Sterling around for longer and become less dependent on his Auckland-based office.

But first, he needed to show Aria he could be a part of Itirangi. Eli grabbed his notepad and began to work.

CHAPTER 25

Aria sank to the floor and hugged herself. Her feet were puffy and numb, and she couldn’t stand on them any longer. Tears poured down her face. Stupid pregnancy hormones.