“You will say yes,” she said. “I can hear it in your voice.”
On Sunday night, I didn’t call or text him to ask if I could come over, because if I did, I might chicken out. If I hesitated for even a second, I’d start thinking about how insane this was. About how fast things were moving. About what it meant. So instead, I went to his apartment and knocked on his door. To my surprise, when I tried to open it, the door slid open.
Theo looked up from the kitchen island, where a half-empty glass of wine sat next to his open laptop. He froze when he saw me. Then his eyes dropped to the suitcase in my hand. To the overnight bag slung over my shoulder. To me, standing there with a heartbeat so loud I could barely hear myself speak when I finallysaid… “Yes.”
He blinked. “What?” I set the bag down, hard.
“I also want my days with you, my mornings in your bed, and my coffee in your kitchen.” For a long, quiet moment, he didn’t move. He didn’t speak. Then, just like that, his face cracked into that boyish smile I’d fallen for a hundred times already.
He came toward me without hesitation, wrapped his arms around my waist, and lifted me clean off the floor. “You’re really doing this?” he murmured into my neck, voice almost disbelieving.
“Yeah,” I whispered back. “I’m all in.”
He set me down, cupped my face in both hands, and kissed me like he already knew this was forever.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
theo
The elevator doorsslid open with a soft chime, and for the first time, I didn’t step into Hayes International alone. Sam was beside me, sleek in navy, confident as ever. A vision of calm until you looked closer, then you’d see the slight twitch of her fingers, the way she flexed them at her side like she was rolling the nerves out. I brushed her knuckles with mine.
“You okay?”
“I’m walking into a boardroom where my father, sister, and my boyfriend-slash-CEO will all be sitting. What could possibly be stressful about that?” I smirked. “You forgot Harper.”
“Harper doesn’t scare me.” She laughed, and we walked down the hall, past curious glances from staff who didn’t need a memo to know something had changed. I was aware, too, how natural it felt to arrive like this, with her. Howright.
9:30 a.m. sharp.
Harper opened the boardroom door for us. Naomi sat at the far end, arms crossed. Nico winked at Sam. Cameron gave a quick nod. Max was already sipping espresso, flanked by two VPs who looked like they’d just stepped out of a yacht catalog. HR reps were poised, folders ready. And Pascal, Sam’s new assistant, was bright-eyed, borderline terrified.
Everyone looked up. “Morning,” I said, settling at the head of the table with Sam to my right. “Let’s get started.” Chairs shuffled, the conversations finished, and the door clicked shut.
“This will be brief,” I began.
“Effective last Friday, my relationship with Samantha Hayes, your International Business Strategist, was formally disclosed, cleared by HR, and reviewed by legal. There will be no gossip about our relationship, no rumors, and I expect no issues. This is our personal lives, not part of the business. We all do our jobs, and we move forward.”
Max cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair. “We were briefed that HR and legal approved that you sleep with your Strategist, not that you are in a formal, or soon-to-be-married serious type of relationship? What the hell did I miss?”
A few nervous whispers. Naomi rolled her eyes so hard I was surprised they didn’t get stuck.
But I didn’t hesitate. I looked right at Sam and smiled at her like asking for forgiveness because I might need it later.
“Well, you didn’t miss anything, because to be frank, it’s none of your business, or anybody else’s. But just so we are all clear. Yes. We are in a serious relationship, and marriage will come whenever she’s ready for it.”
Silence. Every head turned to me, then to her. Sam blinked, her mouth opening just slightly like she wanted to say something, but she had forgotten how to speak. Nico let out a slow whistle. Naomi muttered something about needing stronger HR documents. Cameron whispered, “Holy shit.” And Harper, Harper just sipped her coffee and smirked like she’d known it all along.
The moment the door closed behind the last VP, I felt it, Sam’s stare. It burned hotter than any boardroom spotlight. She stood slowly, not saying a word, heels clicking with purpose as she walked toward me.
“My office, now,” she said under her breath, low and lethal.
I followed without protest. Once inside, she shut the door behind us. She didn’t wait for me to say anything before she turned on her heel. “Are you fucking insane?”
I leaned against the edge of her desk, arms crossed. “About which part? The ‘that’s none of your business’, or the marriage comment?”
Her eyes widened. “The marriage comment. Theodore Jones, what the fuck?”
“You didn’t like it?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer. But I also knew she didn’t hate iteither. Sam paced once, then turned back to me, hands flying to her temples. “You dropped a future marriage proposal into a boardroom with my father, my sister, and half the executive team. Do you understand how insane that is? Even if it was a joke to shut him up.”
