When I nudged Beau’s foot, he moved to the last slide, the new Junior Woodsmen logo. Their previous one had been a true emblem of the team: it was ugly and had generally sucked, so Taylor had used her graphic design skills to create something a lot better. Everything was looking better for the Juniors, especially when the Woodsmen CEO started nodding and saying that he agreed with Beau, that they had been overlooking this opportunity for much too long.
“I’m glad we put you in charge,” he told my boss.
“Thank you, but Cate was instrumental,” Mr. Gowan answered. “She was the key.”
“Thank you,” I echoed. I breathed out quietly and thought that we might have saved both of our jobs.
“And I’m going to be a father,” Beau announced, and I kicked him again but it was too late.
When the meeting was over and we had all shaken hands, I hurried out to the players’ parking lot, the special area where only they were allowed to go. Ronan was waiting for me there, standing next to the bus that he and the team would take to the airport in just a little while. The security guard would have stopped me but he started waving and walking to meet me as I ran. Yes, I was actually running, and I barreled into him and threw my arms around his waist.
“What happened?” he asked. “What went wrong? Did that Gowan idiot start blabbing something?”
“He did at the end. He told everyone about his baby and how happy he is.”
“I knew he wouldn’t be able to stick to the script.” It was a script that Ronan had helped to prepare. He and I had talked through the situation many, many times, and he had argued that I was framing it wrong.
“You accomplished so much good stuff for the Junior Woodsmen. Your boss approved everything, even if he wasn’t aware of it. That’s how you have to go at this,” he had told me.“You announce, ‘Wow, check out how great we are!’ and make the project belong to both of you. If the Woodsmen execs have a problem with it, then they’ll have to face how they failed to supervise new employees and how they also failed to keep track of their money. I couldn’t put in an order for a box of filters at the car dealership. You hadn’t even been there for a year and you bought a new roof, and no one really blinked. But as far as you’re concerned, boom, it’s done and you and Beau Gowan are awesome. Check out all the success.”
That had been my tactic for the meeting today and now I was happy to report the outcome. “It didn’t really matter that he talked about his baby. They loved the presentation and they loved the changes and the strategy for the future. They’re going to start promoting everything on Woodsmen social media, showing off how good the facility looks and putting the marketing plan into action.” I looked up at him. “It worked. I think it’s going to be ok.”
“Hell’s bells.” I felt tension go out of his body. “I’ve been thinking all kinds of things out here. I was considering sneaking in to eavesdrop, but I had a feeling that someone might see me. I’ve never been called inconspicuous.”
“Have you been called a great hugger? Because you are.” I put my cheek against his chest. “That was more stress than I’ve felt in a long time.” I’d been sweating, nauseated, hot, cold, close to anxious tears, and also close to hysterical laughter. “I don’t think anyone could tell. I’m pretty good at hiding my emotions.”
“Yeah, sure you are. I can feel you shaking right now but you’re not wearing your coats. Is it because you’re cold?” he asked,and I nodded. “Put your arms around my neck and I’ll warm you up,” he ordered as he bent down.
I did and then he stood, so that now we were eye to eye and I dangled in the air. But he held me tightly and he was smiling. “You pulled it off,” he said.
“You helped, so much. Just knowing that you were here waiting for me made it easier,” I said.
“I couldn’t have waited much longer because our bus is leaving soon. I was going to have to delay it somehow. I was planning to buy time by suggesting that we all take some golf shots.”
“You don’t have clubs and it’s snowing,” I pointed out, because delicate flakes had started to fall and land on his dark hair, tiny sparkles decorating him.
“I need the practice, though. I’m hoping to win my own crocodile.”
“You can share mine,” I said. “I’m happy to share my food, my car, my…anything. Anything you want.”
“And what’s mine is yours, Cate. Everything.”
Then he leaned forward and he kissed me. It was gentle and slightly hesitant, and I froze in surprise.
“That wasn’t due to shock, not this time,” he said when we broke apart. “Is that ok?”
I nodded and kissed him back. It quickly turned from gentle to more like…well, real kissing. His tongue did crazy things in my mouth, things that were so thrilling that my toes curled inside my leather boots. I wrapped my legs around him and then hishands grasped my butt. I moaned a little, quietly, which made him grip harder and pull our bodies closer.
And then there was yelling and hooting.
We broke apart again, because those noises had come from his teammates. They were all walking out of the stadium and toward the black and orange bus, and they were also watching the show we’d been putting on.
“I’m going to hear about this all the way to Virginia,” Ronan said, but he was smiling like he didn’t care at all.
I wasn’t sure about the expression on my own face—maybe dazed amazement? Who knew that a kiss could have felt like that? I wanted more of it, which probably also showed.
“I’ll be home Saturday night,” he told me.
“I’ll be there,” I answered. We had moved in the last of my belongings the weekend before.
