Her lips curve, teasing. “Rich assholes usually aren’t my thing. You’re an exception.”
“Thanks.”
God, Iloveher.
She’s not impressed or intimidated by the glitz, the money, the politics. I’ve never been more certain that she’s the one for me.
Julie’s eyes flick down over me before she leans close enough for only me to hear. “By the way … I really love this suit on you. Especially the orange tie.”
I glance down at the burnt color against black and white. “Want to know a secret?”
“Of course,” she says.
“I picked it for you.”
Her grin is kind. “It reminds me of us.”
And just like that, the whole ballroom fades away.
I mutter into her ear, “I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Same,” she tells me.
The orchestra crescendos, and silence falls across the crowd.Asher signals me from across the room, and I know it’s almost time for the quarterly wrap-up. I’ve led this presentation a dozen times before, and it focuses on numbers, projections, and the kind of hollow wins that keep shareholders happy.
I press a kiss to Julie’s temple, lingering there for a second, and then straighten my shoulders. “Wish me luck.”
Her hand squeezes mine. “You won’t need it.”
With her sexy gaze burning through me, I stride toward the front of the room.
I step up onto the stage, the polished wood gleaming under the lights, the microphone waiting. Tonight, my chest pounds with anticipation.
Faces turn toward me. Many familiar, some powerful enough to shift entire industries with a single phone call. Usually, I’d care about that, but right now, I don’t.
“Good evening,” I begin, my voice carrying across the space. There are at least a thousand people in attendance, and the event is also being streamed online. “Every quarter, I stand here and walk you through the numbers. Our growth, our projections, our new contracts. And tonight, I will do the same. Rest assured, the numbers are fantastic. Banks’s Advertising and Marketing Firm continues to thrive because of this team and because of the trust you’ve placed in us.”
A polite ripple of applause sweeps over the room, and I pause, allowing it to fade.
“But tonight,” I continue, “I want to talk about something else first.”
All eyes are locked on me.
“For years, I thought success looked like this.” I sweep a hand toward the glittering chandeliers, the polished glass, the endless skyline behind me. “Money. Power. Headlines. But somewhere along the way,Ilost track of who I was. Of whathomemeant. And what was actually important.”
My gaze finds Julie’s. Her lips part, her chest rising.
“I’ve recently learned that success isn’t always about where you stand, but who stands beside you.”
Whispers spread through the ballroom. Investors lean forward, and some people look confused.
“That’s why, tonight, I’m proud to announce the firm is expanding with a new satellite office.” I pause, letting the words sink in. “In Cozy Creek, Colorado. The new office will be fully operational by the beginning of the first quarter next year. I’ll personally be based there, working remotely with the corporate team, alongside my department. This also means that we’ll be able to expand our clientele, which is always a win.”
The room erupts in applause. Some people are surprised. I find Asher, and he’s grinning. We discussed this a few weeks ago, and he gave me the final proposal.
I let the clapping subside before I finish. My voice is steady, my decision absolute. “The firm will continue to grow exponentially, and this is just one of the ways we’ll make it happen. Now, since that announcement is out of the way, let’s continue with what you’re here for—numbers.”
After I’ve run through the quarterly report and future predictions, I open the floor to questions. Several hands shoot up into the air.
