by Tara Lain
Harper kissed his cheek softly as Mama slid out of the car. John Jack followed and then Remy and Harper.
There were only a few people outside the club—a couple of guys who were likely members of the press standing around smoking, and the valets.
Mama said, “If there’s anybody here, they must all be inside. Come on.”
Remy murmured, “Make way for the conquering Merceds.”
The timing was perfect. As they walked in the back of the reception room, the members of the press and even a TV news camera were clustering toward the front of the room where Sylvan Hoag had just started talking.
Mama pushed the door open so hard it slammed against the wall, making a crash.
Several of the onlookers turned around. One of the women said, “Oh my God, it’s Anastasia Merced!”
Mama waggled her fingers and said, “Hello, darlin’. I’ve got somethin’ to say. Want to come hear what it is?”
Several of the reporters peeled off from the crowd facing Hoag, and when they moved, others followed. It only took a couple of minutes to build a substantial audience.
Mama stepped back a few feet so more people could see her. Remy, Harper, and John Jack lined up beside her.
Sucking in a breath of courage, Remy slid his arm around Harper’s shoulders. A couple of cameras clicked and then a few more.
From the small stage, Hoag said, “What’s going on? Hello?”
Mama spoke in her full, husky voice. “You all know me, I think. I’m Anastasia Merced. These are my sons, John Jack and Remy, and beside Remy is his significant other, Harper Treadwell.”
A little murmur went up from the growing crowd.
Mama smiled beatifically. “Yes, this is our first announcement of my son’s betrothal. Isn’t it exciting? We’re thrilled.” She leaned forward and raised her hand to her mouth in a mock whisper. “Of course Sylvan’s not thrilled since Harper’s his ex. He’s so pissed to lose this treasure that he’s cooked up a whole fantasy story to try to get even, poor baby.”
“Hey, John Jack, what does your board of directors think of a gay Merced?”
John Jack gave the reporter a look so disdainful, it could have been bottled. “Come on, Harry. Do you seriously think any member of our board cares about the sexual preferences of any of us? Let’s keep our eyes on the ball, man. We’re here to talk about the future of the retail sector in the American economy.”
Mama batted her lashes. “Besides, I promise to sneak you all a picture of the ring as soon as Remy pops the question.”
Harper flashed his big eyes at Remy, and cameras winked again.
“So what about retail, John Jack?” One of the reporters stood with his notepad poised.
“I’m gonna leave that announcement to Remy and Harper.”
From the front of the room, Sylvan said into the microphone. “Could you please take your discussion outside? We’re trying to have a press conference here.”
Remy smiled. “Why sure.” He walked to the door holding Harper’s hand, and the whole pack of reporters followed.
Outside, Remy hopped on a bench, then extended his hand to Harper, who jumped up beside him. Remy said, “Okay, everyone, here’s the news. We’ll be putting out an official announcement soon, but consider this your exclusive preview. Merced Enterprises is committing itself to the future of online grocery shopping. You know that despite the predictions for growth, no company has actually created a dedicated, devoted customer following. Customers simply haven’t entrusted their produce and meat orders to algorithms and machines. You also know that if any company is set up to conquer this challenge, it’s Merced. We have the real estate, the inventory, and above all, the brand.”
Mama grinned. “People trust their food to Merced.”
Remy nodded. “Plus, we have the technology to make it all come together.” Remy looked at Harper. “But food shopping isn’t about computers, supply chains, and delivery systems. As my fiancé taught me, food is personal, and we believe we have the formula for winning people’s confidence and their grocery orders. So this is official. Merced will not only enter the online grocery race, we’ll win it with the same dedication we brought to conquering retail. We’ll bring you lots more details about how we’ve put together our master plan, but right now that remains the secret sauce.”
One of the women reporters said, “Aw come on, Remy, no fair. Give us a hint.”
Harper grinned at Remy and drawled, “We’ve added a lot of Southern hospitality.”
Everyone started asking questions at once. Mama held up her hand. “That’s all for now. We don’t want to take up any more of your time. After all, I’m sure Sylvan Hoag has some very important announcements.” With that, she threw her head back and laughed.
As they walked toward the limo, Remy glanced over his shoulder at the sound of high heels clicking behind him. He turned to see Felicity. He smiled. “Hi.”
She stopped in front of him and smiled back. “Hi.”
Harper, who was still holding Remy’s hand, said, “I’ll leave you two to talk.”
Felicity reached out. “Wait. I just want to say congratulations. I’m really happy for you. I gather Remy convinced you that what you saw at his house was all my doing?”
Harper smiled, a little tightly.
“I’m truly sorry. Sylvan was threatening my professional future, and I was confused—until I realized that without integrity, I didn’t have any future at all.”
Harper’s smile reached his eyes this time. “He used both of us.”
“Yes.” She glanced at Remy. “Remy and I were never really a match.” She grinned. “I have to confess, I feel a little relieved to know I never had a chance, but even if he’d been more interested in my gender, I still wouldn’t have been the one for him.”
Harper nodded and extended his hand. She shook it, and he wandered away toward the limo.
Remy said, “I honestly didn’t mean to lie to you, Felicity. I never stopped running long enough to figure out who I was or what I wanted.”
She gazed at him levelly. “I believe that. We both did a lot of self-deception.”
“I really appreciate you telling Mama about Hoag. It would have been a lot more stressful to be taken by surprise.”
She frowned. “I helped create the problem. I’m genuinely sorry. By the way, based on what you said today, I’m confident on making a provisional buy recommendation on Merced. Keep me in the loop and it will get unprovisional.”
“Appreciate your confidence.”
“I trust your business sense, Remy, and from what I hear from Sylvan, you’ve added a ton of talent with Harper Treadwell.”
“A lot of the ideas you’ll see implemented in the coming months came from Harper.”
“Sounds like a good match.” Her smile looked sad. “It’s good to see you happy.”
“I wish the same for you.”
She nodded. “I’m working on it—now that I know it’s possible for people like us.” She finally warmed her smile. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “It was fun, Remy. I enjoyed being a part of the marvelous Merced clan even if you do drink sweet tea.”
“Try it. It’ll change your life.”
Laughing, she waved a hand as she walked toward her car.
Remy turned, and all he saw were huge blue eyes surrounded by dark rims gazing through the window toward him as he walked to the limo—the eyes he wanted to see first thing in the morning and last at night forever.
HARPER BLINKED back tears as Eartha and two of the other admins hugged him on all sides.
Eartha said, “I knew Remy was too smart to pass you by, but I never dreamed how completely he’d appreciate your finer qualities. I’m over the moon. Joy and love to you both.”
Remy hurried out of his office and clasped Harper by the arm. “Enough gushing. I need my assistant in the office.”
“Your assistant?” Eartha planted her fists on her hips. “You gave him up, and I got him. You’ve never officially reclaimed him.”
Remy looked around seriously, glanced down at his hands, grinned, and pulled off a gold ring he wore on his little finger.
Oh my God!
Harper couldn’t close his gaping mouth as Remy dropped to one knee there in the middle of the office. “Harper Treadwell, you deserve much better than this impromptu proposal, but will you accept this ring that belonged to my daddy as a placeholder until I can get you your own? Will you marry me—after we’ve worked out about a thousand details?” He held out the ring.
“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.” Harper fanned his face.
Remy made a sideways grimace. “Oh my God yes, or oh my God no?”
“Yes! Of course yes. A thousand times yes.” His heart wouldn’t stay in his chest, and he had to press his hand there.
Remy grabbed Harper’s left hand and slid the ring he’d worn on his little finger onto Harper’s ring finger. It was a teeny bit big, but not much.
The whole office burst into a riot of clapping, whistling, and yelling.
Remy pulled Harper to his feet and gave him a very PC sort of kiss, then he grinned at Eartha. “Okay. Now he’s mine.” With a triumphant smile, he pulled Harper into his office where his mother and brother were standing at the door, applauding wildly.
Anastasia grabbed Harper up in a huge hug. “Welcome to the family, honey.”
Harper’s own glow warmed him all over. “Thank you, uh, Mama.” Then he smiled so big he thought his cheeks might crack.
Anastasia closed the door to Remy’s office and pointed at the table. “Sit, sit.” They all gathered around the table. Anastasia looked at Remy.
He said, “We have a bunch of things we need to do at the same time in order to launch our online ordering initiative.” He turned to Harper. “But nothing is more important than getting a trial of the online support team underway. I’m sad to tell you, that means we need to get you back to Arkansas to get your group of Southern comforters trained and ready to go.”
“Oh.” Harper stared at Remy. “But…. Oh.”
Remy took his hand. “We made some bold promises today, darling. And I don’t think we can meet them if we don’t split up—for the short term.”
Harper nodded and smoothed his thumb over the ring on his finger. “Okay. I understand.”
“But here’s what I want you to do. I’ve already texted a realtor I met in Windy Pines, and she’s in the process of negotiating an offer for River Oaks.”
Harper gasped softly.
Remy smiled. “I thought you might like that as an engagement present.”
Harper couldn’t catch his breath. “I-I can’t think of anyplace more perfect.” He grinned. “Except maybe beside the road with you.”
Remy barked a laugh. “So when you get to Windy Pines, you move into River Oaks, and the minute we own it, you can start making whatever changes you want to instigate.”
Harper shook his head. “But you need to make those decisions with me.”
“Uh, do you remember how good I am at that?” He smiled.
Harper held Remy’s hand. “But you’ll be very decisive about River Oaks because it’s your place, Remy. The place you’re supposed to be.”
Remy’s face lit up. “You’re right. I’ll be there every weekend, and we’ll make the decisions together.”
John Jack looked up from his phone. “Wait, are you telling me that my California boy brother is about to make his home in Arkansas?” He started to laugh.
Remy shook his head. “Rub it in, bro. Rub it in.”
Chapter Nineteen
Six months later—
HARPER WALKED through the aisles between the cubicles that had been built into the main rooms of the big sunny old house next to the community center building. Voices came from every direction as Windy River residents talked into their headsets.
Harper paused by one of the spaces and peered in. Jocelyn was gazing at her computer screen. “I swear, Mamie, you’re just gonna love this new brand of cheese. It’s entirely from pasture-raised cows, and it tastes so different. We’ve got a special price on it, and trust me your kids are going to love it.” She listened, pecking on her keyboard. “Sounds good, darlin’. What time would you like that delivered? Perfect. The Merty men will be on your street right around that time.”
Harper chuckled. They’d named the online ordering service MercedToYou, which everyone shortened to Merty. Instead of fighting it, they’d gone with it, creating a character based on Jocelyn who they called Merty. People loved it, especially since it was real. There was a Merty in real life and customers wrote her fan mail and chatted with her on Facebook.
Harper’s headset buzzed, and he hurried back to the desk he was covering for Josiah. He hit the answer button. “Hi, Mrs. Toderick. It’s Harper.”
“Oh, hi, Harper. Where’s Josiah today?”
“He went to see his sister’s ultrasound. Her new baby.”
“Oh my God, that’s so exciting.”
“He’ll be back soon. Want me to have him call you, or can I help?”
Her voice sounded amused. “Hmm. Didn’t I read that you thought up the whole Merty idea?”
“No. Not the whole thing. Just a few elements of it.”
“Well, I’ll bet you can handle my order. You ready?”
“Fire away.”
“Okay, I want to change my usual meat order. We’re having friends over, and I’m not sure what to serve—”
Harper looked up as Josiah rushed toward the desk. “Wait, Mrs. Toderick. Josiah’s here, and he knows your order best.”
“Oh good. I can hear about the baby. Thanks for standing in, Harper.”
Harper took the headset off and extended it to Josiah, who slipped into the computer chair as Harper stood. Harper mouthed, “Mrs. Toderick.”
Josiah nodded. “Hey, Mrs. T. How’re things in sunny Wisconsin?”
Harper wandered over to the window and stared out at the sunshine of the early fall. The last six months had defined intense. He and Remy had raced back and forth across the country on the company plane and commercial flights so Harper could help oversee the final touches on code in California and still manage the training of the support team in Arkansas. Meanwhile, Remy had to run Merced Technologies while spearheading the rollout of MercedToYou in operations, delivery, sales, and marketing. They’d tried to be together most weekends and had succeeded pretty well, but often the being together part meant working all day and falling into bed in Remy’s still-unfinished house at night.
In Windy Pines, Harper at least got to live at River Oaks, which made his heart sing. Still, at any given moment, he had at least twelve guys working on renovations to the bathrooms and kitchen, knocking down walls to create more closet space, and cleaning out places where age and dry rot had attacked the porch columns. Harper joked that Remy felt right at home when he visited since the place was such a mess.
But now MercedToYou was up and running. They’d fine-tuned the ordering through a round of pilot locations and then turned it loose with the Windy Pines residents as their secret weapon. “The high-tech company with Southern hospitality,” the press said, and, so far, the operation was an unqualified success, thanks partly to his mom who managed the support team with gentle compassion and an iron hand. Your kid got sick at school? Somebody covered for you in a minute. You overslept and made you and your kid late? That was cause for a reprimand and a warning. Only the best got to work at Merty according to his mother. Of course, the best were most of the people from Windy Pines who wanted a job, plus some from surrounding communities. Small businesses were picking up, thanks to better support from the Merty employees who now had money to spend locally. A couple of new businesses were even in the process of opening.
Grocery shoppers loved being able to fine-tune their sele
ctions, even in the middle of the night. But above all, they loved talking to their “friends” from Windy Pines who understood about food and who made sure they got exactly what they wanted right on time.
“The perfect combination of high tech with high touch,” the press screamed.
Harper sighed. Man, I’m tired—in the best way. Well, no, the best way would be after three straight days of sex with Remy, but being satisfied with a job well done was good enough.
The room behind him suddenly got still. He looked over his shoulder, and half the people in the cubicles were peeking over their walls at Harper. What the…?
Oh yeah.
Standing in the archway from the entry to the MercedToYou office was Remy.
Harper gave a squeak and ran full-out through the aisles until he got within jumping distance. Should he? Not very professional! Who the fuck cares?
He hurled himself in the air, nearly losing his glasses, and Remy caught him, laughing, and then kissed him pretty thoroughly for a PDA moment.
Harper pulled back. “Oh my God, oh my God, you didn’t tell me you were coming.”
“Nope.” He flashed his dimples. “This is an official surprise. I’m kidnapping you, and your mom’s given me permission. She says she can handle things tonight while we go away.”
“Away?”
“Yep. I’ve got a few of your things in a bag in the car. You ready?”
“Oh wow. I mean….” He looked around anxiously.
His mom bustled forward from her office on the other side of the entry hall. “Go. Go. Shoo. Have a good time.” She kissed his cheek, then gently pushed him toward the door.
A couple of people waved from their cubicles, grinning.
“Okay. I’m ready. Did you bring my—”
“Yes. And if I didn’t, we’ll buy one.” Remy grasped his hand and pulled him out into the sun. By the curb stood a shiny new black Prius.
“What’s that?”
“Your new car.” Remy smiled and opened the passenger door. He closed the door and walked around before Harper could say anything.
When Remy got into the driver’s side, Harper said, “I don’t need a new car.”