“Everyone agreed,” Emily added, glancing over at him, that damned beauty mark making him barmy. “You agreed. Don’t tell me you’re changing your mind.”
“No,” he assured her. “You’re right. Ozzie’s happiness is worth the gamble.” Because, like everyone else, he happened to love the obnoxious wanker.
“See.” Emily pointed at his face. “I knew there was a warm heart buried somewhere under that cold exterior.”
He frowned. She thought he was cold? When she was around, he was so hot, he wanted to shed his clothes. And then ask her to shed hers.
He opened his mouth to say…he wasn’t sure what, but he was stopped when Becky quietly told Samantha, “Ozzie has spent his whole life being rejected by the people he loves. First there was his mother. Then there was his frickin’ father. Add the women his father brought into the house who would coddle Ozzie and dote on him until they eventually realized they were no replacement for Ozzie’s mother, and they ended up leaving too. And even though I don’t think Ozzie ever loved any of the women he took to bed, he certainly cared about them. But did any of them stick around?”
Samantha started to say something, but Becky talked right over her. “No, they did not. We’re all hoping you’re different.”
“But wh-what if…” Samantha wiped her red, puffy eyes and blew her nose. “What if he doesn’t love me? What if he rejects me?”
“Guess that’s a risk you’re gonna have to take. Is he worth it?”
Samantha swallowed, searching Becky’s eyes. “Yes. He’s worth everything.”
“Good answer.” Delilah slapped her on the back, and Christian breathed a sigh of relief.
Becky glanced around the table. “I think it’s time, don’t you?”
Christian’s heart clenched for Ozzie. This would be the moment of truth. The moment they’d all know if Samantha was worthy of Ozzie. Or if she would kill their careers.
Delilah placed both hands on the table and pushed to a stand. “Let’s do this.”
“Do what?” Samantha blinked in alarm.
“Follow us.” Becky stood and motioned for Samantha to do the same. Blowing out a breath, Christian trotted after the women to the bank of computers.
Grabbing one of the rolling chairs, he noticed that Emily positioned herself directly behind him. “Here goes,” he muttered.
She nodded. When he tilted his head back, he discovered her smile had disappeared. Now that the time had come, she was nervous. Which was why he wasn’t as surprised as he might have been when he felt her tentatively reach for his shoulder. She needed to hold on to something. He was a daft prat to feel such joy that she’d chosen him.
“Christian?” Becky turned back to him. “Do the honors, will you?”
He nodded and switched on the monitor in front of Samantha. After he used the keyboard to type in the needed information, the screen flashed once before crystallizing and revealing one of the world’s most recognizable faces. The president of the United States. The software they used was similar to Skype, only with a bazillion firewalls backed up by having the signal bounced through just about every satellite speeding around the earth.
“Whaaaaa?” Samantha’s eyes were wide and unblinking as the president turned from looking over his shoulder. The windows of the Oval Office glinted behind his back, but they were soon obscured by the imposing presence of General Pete Fuller in full dress uniform.
The general leaned down, his rough face looking huge when he held it too close to the camera. “Oh good. We’re on,” he said before straightening.
Samantha swayed, grabbing hold of the edge of the computer table until her knuckles turned white. “M-Mr. P-President,” she stuttered.
“Samantha Tate.” President Thompson waved. “It’s so nice to meet you. These folks”—he tipped his chin to include those gathered behind her; they could see themselves in a little picture-within-a-picture down on the right-hand side of the screen—“have told me so much about you.”
“Th-they have?” Samantha shook her head. She was white as a ghost.
Christian understood. It wasn’t every day one had a chat with the commander in chief.
“Yes, they have,” Thompson said. “And that’s why we’re having this meeting.”
“Showtime,” Emily whispered, her fingers tightening around Christian’s shoulder.
Chapter 25
Samantha was dreaming…
