She frowned and then pursed her lips together. “He came to see you while you were gone.”
“He did?”
She nodded. “I gave him a hard time, but he passed the test.”
“What test?”
“I needed to make sure he was serious. That he actually loved you and wasn’t just trying to win because his ego couldn’t handle being told no.” She bumped my shoulder with hers. “He passed. He told me all the reasons he loves you, and they were good reasons. Real reasons. Not just ‘sweet tits’ or ‘nice caboose.’ He talked about how you make him laugh and how you’re the only color in his black and white world.”
I felt a fresh wave of tears threatening. “He said that?”
“He did. And then I told him he could talk to you, but you weren’t home.” She grinned. “I may have put him through unnecessary torture, but it was worth it to see him squirm.”
“Abby!”
“What? Someone needed to make him work for it.” She gestured at the screens, which were now playing regular advertisements again. “But that? That was next level. He justtold the entire world he loves you. He put himself out there in the most public way possible.”
“Okay, yes, it was worth the trip out here,” I said, giving her a side hug.
“Duh.” She laughed. “You have to let him bare his soul. It doesn’t sound the same coming from me. You have to hear it from him.”
She was right. I owed him that much after everything he just did.
CHAPTER 38
DANE
Ichecked my watch for the third time in five minutes. Keith was late.
Of course he was late. His disrespect had been an issue for some time now. He’d been showing up late to meetings, questioning my decisions in front of the team, and making inappropriate comments about female employees despite being warned. His little vacay to Miami had not been on the books. I knew I had a lot of balls in the air, but I would have remembered something like that. He took advantage of our friendship and his position in the company. He’d been taking advantage that way for too long.
I was done.
I had about forty minutes before I needed to be at my next stop.
Lucas appeared in my doorway. “He’s here. Coming up now.”
“Good. Is Norma ready?”
“She’s been ready.” Lucas grinned. “She’s actually excited about this. I don’t think she’s ever liked Keith.”
“No one’s ever liked Keith. I was the fool keeping him around.”
Keith strolled into my office a moment later, looking completely unbothered by the fact that he’d been summoned by the CEO and chose to make me wait. Lucas and Norma followed him in, closing the door behind them.
Keith glanced back at them with a smirk.
“Wow, all three of you? I didn’t know I was so popular.” He threw himself onto my couch, sprawling out like he owned the place. “What’s this about? Another lecture about appropriate workplace conduct?”
“No,” I said, remaining standing. “This is about the end of your employment at Cupid’s Arrow.”
Keith blinked. “What?”
“You’re fired. Effective immediately.”
He laughed. “Good one, Dane. What’s this really about?”
“This is really about me firing you.” I nodded to Norma, who stepped forward with a folder.
