“Wow. I mean…he’s no Brock or anything, but…you are the luckiest,” Mira said as we lounged next to each other on the couch.
“I know.”
“And he’s lucky too.” She nudged my elbow. “Although, just out of curiosity, does he know you make me use a chore chart in the apartment? I feel like that could really change things.”
I laughed. “I’m hoping to surprise him with those extra adorable parts of my personality.”
A knock at the door had me almost running to open it. So imagine my surprise when it was not only Duke standing outside, but Mike and Ryan as well.
I stepped back in surprise. “Hey.”
Duke was the only one not in a suit. He was Casual Duke today, and something about his jeans and baseball hat was really working for him. Or maybe it was the smile on his face as he stepped inside, snaked an arm around my waist, and kissed my temple.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Ryan said, turning away.
I laughed and motioned the two of them inside. After introductions to Mira were made, she left us alone so she could go shower, and we all squished in together on the couch and loveseat, Duke’s hand on my knee. Then, they got down to business.
“We’re here to formally offer you a position with RDM,” Mike said, a knowing smile on his face.
I stared at him blankly for a minute. “What? How?”
“Anita cheated. We just fired her, and we want to give a position to you and Shawn.”
My mouth dropped open, and I looked to Duke for confirmation. He nodded.
“We thought it was strange that there was one company who voted almost 95 percent in Anita’s favor. The other two offices were mostly split between you and Shawn. So Mike made a phone call, and it was discovered Anita had a cousin at that company, and she had threatened the cousin to bribe the employees to vote for her.”
My hand flew to my mouth. “Are you serious?”
“Yup.”
All the accusations made about me using Duke to get ahead in the company, and she was the one cheating?
“Can’t say I’m that surprised,” I said.
“Us either.”
“But how can you hire both me and Shawn? I thought you could only hire one.”
Mike nodded toward Duke. “We, and your man over there, have been working nights and pulling in extra clients, trying to bring in more income for the company. We recently had some big clients sign on with us, and we’re bringing in more revenue. We can afford it. And we want you.”
“That’s why we came to tell you instead of Duke,” Ryan added. “It’s pretty obvious that he wants you no matter what, but we wanted it clear that we also want you. Professionally speaking.”
A smile broke out across my face. I was getting hired for my dream job, and I also didn’t have to say goodbye to Shawn, who—besides Duke—had become one of my favorite things about RDM. I turned to meet Duke’s eyes and found them warm and crinkly and already on mine.
“What do you say? Do you want it?“ Mike asked.
Duke kissed me, much to the groans of our audience.
“There is definitely going to be a handbook of rules at the office now,” Ryan muttered. “No more of this guideline crap.”
I pulled out of Duke’s embrace. “I accept!”
We stood so I could walk Mike and Ryan to the door. “Don’t worry about coming in today,” Mike said. “Get whatever you need to do out of your system before you’re an employee again. And you too, Nora.”
I laughed and gave Mike and Ryan each a hug of gratitude, feeling, once again, how amazing the effect of one random night could be on a life.
After closing the door, I turned back to face Duke.
