But it’s odd that that should happen right after our vacation. I want to kick myself for how I treated her on the plane. Jesus, Ijust wanted toownher. I could feel her slipping away, the whole situation between us a thorn in my side.
I wanted her there as my girlfriend; that was the truth. I wanted to teach her to scuba dive and buy her everything in the world to eat so that she could taste it for the first time. To watch her face as she experienced all the things I love in my life, and to learn what she loved in return.
Fuck, I’m late.
When I walk into the conference room, it’s filled with people. Barnes’s financial advisors, his wife, and one of his sons stand with him behind his chair.
But the atmosphere in the room is unexpectedly upbeat. It’s rare for a merger of this kind to be mutually beneficial to all parties, but with Barnes remaining on, everyone seems to have relaxed.
I smile and note Barnes’s eyes moving behind me as the doors swing shut. I wonder whether he might be looking for Amelia, and quietly hope he has the professionalism not to mention our little business trip together.
Vanessa and my legal team are seated on our side of the table as I take a seat.
“Where’s Amelia?”
That’s the first thing out of Barnes’s mouth.Where is my EA, who shouldn’t have any bearing on this deal and yet has somehow become integral to it.
I feel Vanessa stiffen beside me, but find myself chuckling.
“My executive assistant appears to have charmed Mr. Barnes completely,” I say, glancing around the room. “Unfortunately, she’s out sick today, but I’m sure she’d wish you well if she were here.”
Barnes eyes me curiously from the other side of the table, and I give him a long look. He gives a brief nod, takes a seat, and we open the folders in front of us.
Both our legal teams have already reviewed and countersigned the documents, but this is the final rubber stamp. We both take a few minutes to review the revisions implemented under our verbal agreement, and I feel a rush of satisfaction as I realize just how much money this deal will generate.
We both sign, and as he finishes his signature, Barnes turns to his wife, a happy smile spreading across both their faces as the deal is finally,finallyagreed upon.
The love between them is palpable, a warmth shared in their eyes that could never be manufactured—or bought.
God, what I wouldn’t give to have a relationship like that one day.
I stand up, and Barnes does the same. As we shake hands, the room breaks into spontaneous applause, and I nod to the door as Kaitlin ushers in the catering staff with several bottles of champagne to celebrate.
I stand in the room alongside Barnes as several members of the board come in to congratulate us. It’s a jovial atmosphere, and everyone is in a cheerful mood, but I just want to be out of there.
After spending as little time as I can in the room, without appearing rude, I make my excuses, heading back to my office.
Instead of going inside, I signal to Beatrice that I’m done for the day and head down to the parking lot. For once, Melvin isn’t waiting for me, and I have to call him to come pick me up. He looks surprised as he draws up beside me a few minutes later, and I get in.
He stares at me in the rearview, waiting for my instructions. When I left my office, I didn’t know where I was headed, but now the idea slides into my mind like a beacon.
“Where did Amelia go when she brought me all that stuff when I was sick?”
“A Whole Foods market, sir,” Melvin says. “Are you feeling sick?”
“No. Amelia is. She’s called in sick today.”
“Oh dear,” Melvin squints at me. “Do you know what’s the matter?”
I hesitate. “No. But she brought me a whole bunch of stuff when I was sick. Maybe I could do the same.”
“Chicken soup is traditional.”
“Yeah, but she makes the best one I’ve ever tried. We’ll have to settle for second best on that. How long will it take if I stop off there and then head to her house?”
“About an hour, maybe an hour and a half depending on how long you take to find what you want.”
I look at him reproachfully. “Melvin, are you saying I don’t know how to shop?”
