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“Okay, I promise,” she says, going over to her bag and pulling out a pair of earrings she got from her grandmother when she graduated from high school. They conveniently match the engagement ring I bought. “I needed that reminder. Thank you.”
Harper turns around and meets my eyes. Her gaze is just a little softer when she notices I’m wearing slacks and a button-up shirt. “You’re dressed to impress.”
“You are too,” I admit with a smirk. “Good to go?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
I grab the extra room key, then we leave.
On the elevator ride down, we’re greeted by an older couple. I interlock my fingers with Harper’s and squeeze them in a silent gesture to let her know we’ll be fine and she has nothing to worry about. She returns it with a grateful smile.
“Harper. It’s so nice to see you, dear,” says an older woman, who looks to be around the same age as my grandma.
“Nice to see you too, Mrs. Davenport.”
Harper’s polite as she glances over at me wearing a sheepish grin. We know what’s coming. Grandma Bishop makes the same face when she’s about to ask questions she shouldn’t.
“And who’s this handsome young man?”
I lean into Harper and wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer.
“This?” She makes a big show because we only have ten more floors until we’re at the bottom. Harper giggles. “This is my fiancé, Ethan.”
I notice how she leaves out my last name, and I wonder why. Texas may be big, but I swear Grandma knows everyone within a three-hundred-mile radius.
“Congratulations,” she says, her eyes lighting up. The double doors slide open, and Harper excuses us before giving her a friendly wave goodbye.
“And who was that?” I ask as we move farther away.
“That’s Mrs. Lacinda Davenport. Her family runs the famous cowboy boot retailer Davenport Boots. They’re known for having the softest leather and sending soft peppermints with their orders. She also knows your grandmother, and I don’t want her to call Rose. She’d drive here in that Cadillac, and…”
I kiss her knuckles, and she instantly stops talking, then laughs.
“I was rambling, wasn’t I?”
“It’s fine. Want some coffee?” I ask, noticing the mugs and variety of creamers.
Harper turns her head and spots it too. “Oh my God, yes.”
After we’ve drunk a cup, Harper checks the time on her phone. “I should probably get going.”
“Let me walk you there,” I offer. She leads the way to the back entrance for the panelists. Before she goes through the double doors, I take a step forward and tip her chin upward, then press a soft kiss on her lips. Immediately, she sinks into me, and then she pulls away.
There’s a questioning expression on her face. “What was that for?”
“What were you thinking about before?”
“A million different things.”
I meet her eyes. “And what are you thinking about now?”
“How you just kissed me when no one was around.”
“Exactly,” I offer. “That was the point. A distraction to help you relax and not be so tense.”
Harper swings her arm back and playfully slaps my chest. “Well, it worked. Now I’m obsessing over that instead.”
I lean in and give her another kiss. “And that one’s for good luck.”
Just at that moment, Shayla walks past us, and I swear I hear her huff.
“Okay, I really gotta go. I’m super nervous,” Harper whispers.
“Don’t be! Just imagine everyone out there is in their underwear,” I say with a wink.
She scrunches her nose and shakes her head. “Probably a really bad idea.”
We say our quick goodbyes before parting ways. I’m not sure who’s more stunned about my sudden burst of confidence, but I know how her body reacted when no one was around. That wasn’t for show.
I make my way into the large conference room. After I grab a schedule and quickly look it over, I understand why Harper’s been so nervous. It’s packed with people eagerly waiting for the panel to start. I move to the front so I’ll be visible to Harper if her eyes wander over the crowd. A familiar face might help calm her.
Soon the conference starts, and each person is introduced before walking on stage. I make sure to whistle loud and clap for Harper. A few heads turn, but I don’t care because my excitement comes from a genuine place.
The six panelists sit behind the table and adjust their microphones. Mrs. Davenport is the announcer and gives a brief introduction, then the questions begin.
“So Harper, first of all, congratulations on your engagement,” she says. Harper’s cheeks go bright red as the entire room bursts into applause. She waves everyone off, but I can tell it blindsided her. Shayla—who’s sitting a few seats away from her—tenses and acts annoyed that Harper’s receiving any attention.
Mrs. Davenport continues. “You’ve quadrupled your sales in the last quarter and grown your social media to over a hundred thousand followers. It’s impressive for a small soap maker, considering the competition. Tell us a little bit about how you did that.”
