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Ohwow. I can quite literally feel my head expanding like a hot air balloon with this surge of new power. My heels come off the stage a little.
I’ll never let Cole live this down. Tonight, at dinner, he will have to refer to me asDirectorPaige Young if he wants me to pass the salt, or maybe even theesteemedPaige Young. Are only lawyers allowed to useesquire? Because that could be a seriously cool title too ...
I’m so lost in my thoughts that it takes me a moment to realize the crowd is clapping for me, and not just in that half-assed way where they think if they do it, it’ll make this whole thing end faster.Okay, the girl got a promotion. Whoop-de-do.
They’re actually happy for me!
When I look out at the sea of smiling faces, my eyes well up with unshed tears. There’s Dr. Missick right up front, giving me two enthusiastic thumbs up. Desiree and Maddox are going crazy right behind him, thankfully fully clothed today. Serge and Blaze sit a few rows back, and I see Blaze mouth “Good job, Paula!” And for a microsecond I’m concerned that the poor guy just cannot get it together enough to remember my actual name. Then he winks and redeems himself.
Camila and Lara, Oscar, Théo—they all cheer the loudest.
Just when I think the crowd might band together and do a proper wave or give a resoundingGo, Paige! Go!, the clapping trickles down and people mostly get bored again, like,What now? AmIgetting a promotion?
“Will there be refreshments in the lobby? A custom cake in the shape of my head?”
Cole’s expression sobers. “No. Meeting adjourned. Back to work.”
There’re only weak protests as everyone shuffles out.
Cole turns his microphone off and nestles it back in the stand before turning to face me with a sheepish smile.
“Do you hate me?” he asks, tilting his head in that adorable way.
With that face, if I was harboring any anger, it would have already dissolved.
I narrow my eyes. “Only a little. I would have appreciated a heads-up.”
“But that would have ruined the surprise.”
“Hmm ... surprise, huh?Well, give me the details. Does my promotion come with a raise?” I waggle my eyebrows at the possibility.
He keeps his smile in check when he replies. He’s the boss man right now, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love it a little. “Yes, I’ve suggested one with HR. You’ll work out the kinks with Beverly. Also, the excursion team will get a sizable budget increase.”
What! Under Todd, our budget was laughably small. There was no way to keep all our equipment up to date, and all our complaints fell on deaf ears. When we worked up the courage to bring it up with him, Todd would inevitably shoo us out of his office with a brush-off equivalent toHere’s five dollars ... don’t spend it all at once, kid.
“Oh my god!We can upgrade our yoga mats and paddle boards. Oh!Oh, we can get better snorkeling gear!”
Cole’s smiling, watching me flail around. I can’t wait to tell everyone. They’ll be so excited. We’ll have to catalog and inventory ourcurrent gear and then create a system to figure out what we need to replace first. My heart skips a beat I’m so excited.
Oh dear.
Maybe I’m more like Cole than I thought. This much excitement over work?!
“We’ll celebrate tonight,” Cole tells me, his gaze holding a dangerous promise.
My stomach flutters, and I step closer. I can’t touch him, even though I’m dying to. We’re still up onstage, and while most everyone has already trickled out, it’s still not appropriate. We’ll have to save it for later.
Speaking of . . .
“I know just the way to celebrate. You should do arealexcursion with me! Y’know ... goat yoga, hot-coal walk, late-night forest trek. Your choice.” I wink.
He fights to hold back an eye roll. “As tempting as it sounds to exercise with hooved animals, I was thinking of something a little more private ...” His leisurely gaze eats me up from head to toe. “Maybe like a personal, behind-the-scenes tour of your ...” He leans in close and finishes his sentence by whispering a word into my ear.
“COLE!”
I playfully shove him back. My cheeks are onfire.
He doesn’t even look slightly contrite. Mostly just smoking hot. Ugh. The injustice of it all!
