“You can’t fire me!” Charles yelled as I led him to do the door. “This place will crumble without me!”
Dad laughed. “Everyone is replaceable. Someday you’ll learn that, Charles.”
Charles struggled against my grip as I dragged him, but he was no match for my strength. I dragged him, kicking and screaming like the little bitch that he was, out of the office.
I walked over and gathered all the damning photos and stuck them back in the envelope and turned to face my father. “So,” I said. “What now?”
I expected him to go off on me, yell at me and shame me for putting us into this position. Instead he grinned at me and said, “It looks like we’re hiring.”
Chapter 28
Victoria
“I heard you had quite a week,” Christine said to me as I stood before her desk. My boss was sitting there looking super sharp as usual in her leopard dress of all things, flawless makeup and an elegant updo, smiling at me as if I were the winner of some unknown prize.
Christine had continued to progressively show me more respect. She was even asking for my opinion on matters and complimenting me on what I wore, which was an absolute rarity.
All in all, I had to wonder if finally standing up to her that day I almost quit caused her to respect me.
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied respectfully.
She sat back in her seat, her eyes on me. “I heard that Tyler Locklin interrupted one of my auditions.”
I paused, not sure where this was going. Christine had known about this incident since the day it happened, but she was just now mentioning it. I hadn’t told her that I’d resumed my relationship with Tyler, not sure how’d she react—not that it was any of her business. “Yeah, but the audition was almost over when he did, and April got rid of him fairly quickly. I’m sorry, Christine, I know I said he wouldn’t cause any more trouble.”
Christine raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Did she?”
“Yeah.”
“Then what was he doing up here in my office after hours?”
I froze. Did she know? There’s no way she could’ve known, could she?
“One of the interns said she saw him coming up here.”
Relief flowed through me as I realized Christine didn’t know the extent of what went on in her office. I’d done my best to clean up and get everything exactly right, after all.
“He came up with some ruse to get his way up here. We had a little talk . . . and worked things out.”
“You did?” Christine asked in surprise. “Well, good for you. Don’t put up with any shit from him though.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay, enough with the chit-chatting, Victoria. Get to work,” she said. “I’m expecting a call from Pierre about scheduling a meeting.”
“Yes, Mrs. Finnerman.” I turned and began to walk from the office.
“Oh and, Victoria?” Christine called.
I paused, half-turning to regard her. “Yes?”
Christine had a serene smile on her face. “I could use some coffee.”
“Open your eyes,” Tyler commanded, removing the blindfold from around my head. He’d come and picked me up after work, a tradition we’d started before our little split. He told me had something to show me, but he would only take me if I agreed to put on a blindfold.
Suspicious, it took some convincing for him to get me to agree, but of course I eventually gave in. Tyler always gets what he wants. Besides, I’ve always loved surprises.
Anxious, I popped open my eyes. It was an empty building. “What is this, and why are we here?” I asked, confused.
“It’s yours. You’re standing in your new startup location,” Tyler said. “Sure, it needs some work, but we’ll have it whipped up in no time.”
“Oh my God,” I said, tears pooling in my eyes. “It’s amazing!” I managed before frowning. “But I had the impression you weren’t serious about this.”
Tyler waved me off. “Nonsense. I admit, I did suggest it a little too quickly before, but I’ve consulted with a few experts, and we’re going to make this work.” He grinned at me.
Tears came to my eyes and I felt weak in my knees. “I can’t believe this,” I said, noticing that little smirk he had on his face. “What? You have that and that’s not all look going on right now.”
“It’s the best part. Christine Finnerman has agreed to send over her two best lieutenants to work alongside you.”
“April and Gabe,” I breathed, feeling dizzy. This had to be some sort of dream.
“I-I-I-” I stuttered, unable to find the words.
“Love me?” Tyler finished.
“Yes, of course that, but . . . what if this business fails? What if I fail? And do I even want to know what it took to get Christine to agree to that?”
“Then it fails and at least you tried. This is your dream, and it’s right in front of you. It’s time for you to go out and seize it. But I know you three aren’t going to fail,” Tyler said firmly. “All that slaving for Christine is going to pay off, trust me.”
“You didn’t answer my last question.”
“Details, details. Does it really matter?” Tyler said with a grin.
I don’t think I loved Tyler more than I did in that moment. I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a deep kiss.
“Damn, I should give you surprises like this more often,” Tyler breathed when I finally pulled back away from him, breathless.
I giggled. “Oh shut it.”
“Seriously, I want more of where that came from.”
I playfully poked him in the stomach. “Later.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.
Tyler stared at me wearily. “All right. I’m going to hold you to that.”
I smiled, then sighed a second later.
“What’s the matter now?” Tyler asked.
“I just don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you for all of this.”
Suddenly, Tyler’s face brightened. “I know exactly how you can repay me.”
I stared at him warily. “What is it?”
“You can be my date to Brad’s wedding tomorrow.”
“Ugh,” I groaned. “I don’t know. I don’t really have anything to wear.”
Tyler pulled me in close, the smell of his cologne that I so loved tickling my nose. “You’re in fashion. I’m sure you can find something. And it’s not a request,” he added. “It’s an order.”
Epilogue
Tyler
There’s a saying that you get what you pay for, and I got exactly that with Brad’s wedding. The event was a lavish affair, being held at the Promade. It was a small fortune to rent it for the day, but it was worth it.
All the wedding guests were dressed in the high-end attire designed by Christine. I’d supplied the money for top-notch catering, a band, and best of all, relieved my best friend of tremendous stress.
Not to say that he wasn’t still stressed. Even with everything I’d done to help, Brad still couldn’t help being nervous. It was his wedding, after all.
“Calm down, man,” I whispered to him as we waited. We were both dressed in almost identical tuxes, black and white, our shoes freshly shined and our hair nicely styled.
“You’re going to stroke out before Katie even makes her way down the aisle.”
“I just want everything perfect for her,” Brad replied, and I could understand.
All the guests were waiting. The music was about to start and I was about to walk with Brad out to the altar.
“Get ahold of yourself,” I growled. I felt like Brad was being ridiculous.
Before he could reply, a tiny dog, a Yorkshire Terrier dressed in a tuxedo, came running to me.
“What the hell is this?” I demanded with a ridiculous laugh when the dog reached me, wondering what the hell a dog was doing here.
Brad eyed the dog and groaned. “That’s Katie’s little baby, Hercules. Fitting name for a five-pound dog, huh? She doesn’t go anywhere wi
thout him. I told you she’s an animal lover. Anyway, she insisted he be a part of the wedding. Sorry I didn’t tell you, but don’t worry, he’s well-behaved.”
I shook my head. “You’ll never learn to put your foot down.”
Brad grimaced. “That’s not all. He’s supposed to walk in with us.”
I turned on him and rolled my eyes. “Hey, whatever floats your boat. It’s your wedding.”
“Let’s go,” I ordered. “It’s time.”
Brad pulled himself together, and when Katie reached the altar, he looked in total control of himself. I was proud of him.
The priest began, and I found my thoughts drifting to Victoria and what the future might hold for us. I could see her with the guests, and she looked absolutely stunning.
“And now you may kiss the bride!” The priest cried exultantly at the end.
With a smile on his face, Brad locked lips with Katie, and the crowd went wild, confetti flying everywhere. Hercules even got in on the excitement, running from person to person, looking for attention.
Victoria smiled at me while clapping, and I made my way over to her, grabbing her hand. “I’ve never seen a best dog at a wedding before,” she said as we made our way to the punch bowl.
I rolled my eyes. “He’s cute, but don’t even get me started on that one.”
“I think I might want one just like him.”
“That’s going to take some serious convincing,” I said with a grin.
Victoria laughed, her eyes sparkling. “I was just kidding. Kind of.”
It was time for my speech. At first I was nervous as I got up onto the stage, not sure what I was going to say. I’d originally prepared a speech, but then I decided against it because I was usually good at talking off the top of my head. The words seemed to flow right through me and I found myself enjoying it, making light-hearted jokes about Brad and causing the audience to laugh.
“To Brad,” I said as I came to the conclusion of my speech, raising my wine glass to toast the audience, “and his new wife.”
The crowd went wild.
“That was a great speech,” Victoria complimented, coming up and wrapping her arm around my waist. She smiled up at me, and my heart jumped in my chest at the sight of her. She looked so beautiful and so happy. I was proud that she was mine.
“Wasn’t it?” I asked.
Victoria’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at me. “So, um, I think I have a little surprise of my own.”
I arched an eyebrow curiously. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”
Victoria bit her lower lip in a teasing manner. “Well, you remember that deposit you made?”
I frowned in confusion. “Huh? What deposit?”
“The one you made after pounding me into submission,” Victoria replied with a mischievous grin that I daresay rivaled one of my own.
“Oh,” I said. “That.” I thought for a second before I grasped her meaning. “You mean I’m going to be . . .”
“A daddy,” Victoria said in excitement.
She ran her fingers up my shoulders coyly. “Are you ready?”
Sweat beaded my forehead, and I actually felt dizzy for the first time that evening—and I hadn’t even started drinking yet. Not from nervousness, but from the whirlwind of emotion now hitting me all at once.
“I am,” I said, smiling, picking Victoria up into an almost bear hug and planting a deep, passionate kiss on her.
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