I nod toward a man in the second row, and he’s handed a microphone.
Before he speaks, he clears his throat. “Mr. Banks, when exactly do you plan to make this move?”
I don’t hesitate. “Tomorrow.”
Shock and surprise wash over people’s faces. When I glance back at Julie, she’s staring at me like I just set the entire ballroom on fire.
A woman with diamond bangles lifts her hand. “Nick, how will this affect your, uh … public persona? People see you as New York’s most eligible bachelor. Is that changing?”
I lean into the mic. “I’m not sure if you’ve been on the internet lately, but that’s already changed.”
More whispers happen. A dozen more hands lift; their questions are variations of the ones already asked. I field them as best as I can.
“Will this decision impact your investors’ confidence?” another man asks.
“Absolutely not.”
And then the question I was waiting for comes.
“Do you plan on getting married soon?”
It hangs in the air. Some lean forward, waiting for me to spin or dodge it.
Before I can answer, Asher strides forward, his voice firm. “Let’s keep the focus on business and not my brother’s private relationship. Banks Advertising and Marketing Firm is stronger than ever, and tonight’s announcement makes that clear. Questions about Mr. Banks’s personal life are irrelevant here. Now, anything else?”
Asher meets my eye, his expression proud. His jaw flexes, his throat works, and for once, the man who never lets emotion show looks happy for me in the best possible way. He gives me a slow nod, then moves away from the microphone. He claps a heavy hand on my shoulder, squeezing hard, his eyes locking with mine. A silentyou did it. A silentI’m proud of you.
It’s the first time I’ve seen him look at me like I’m not just his broken big brother. Right now, he’s looking at me like I finally got it right.
Even though Asher shifted the conversation, I don’t let the question fade away. My silence stretches until the room hushes again, every eye on me. Then, I answer anyway.
“Marrying Julie is absolutely happening,” I say.
The ballroom explodes with whispers, gasps, and lifted phones. But I don’t care. I step down from the stage, walking past the tables, through the chatter and the stares, straight toward Julie.
Before I reach her, she’s on her feet with tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
I stop in front of her, cupping her face in both hands, and kiss her sweetly.
“Do you mean that?” she whispers.
“Of course I do.”
When we kiss, it’s without hesitation. Her hands clutch my suit jacket, her body molding against mine, and for a moment, the ballroom ceases to exist. Her eyes are shining.
I lean my forehead against hers, my voice a near whisper. “You’re my endgame, Jules.”
“And you’re mine.”
We leave before the ballroom swallows us whole. Security ushers us through a side exit, cameras still flashing, voices chasing us into the night. A limo door opens, and we slide inside, letting the chaos fade into muffled silence behind us.
Julie exhales, leaning into me, her hand still gripping my lapel, like she’s afraid to let go. “You just set a bomb off in the ballroom.”
I grin, pulling her into my lap, kissing her until she gasps. “I’d do it again. A thousand times.”
Her laugh is soft but real.
Her fingers trace my tie. “Where are you going to stay? In Cozy Creek, I mean. With me?”
