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I set my phone down and smiled at Beau.
"What do you think?" I asked, waving at him. "How is it from this perspective? This is the background." I moved a little so he could see the frame.
"You look so beautiful," he said, smiling.
He was so sweet and irresistible that I grabbed my phone again, clutching it close to my chest and staring at him from close range. He held his camera out and I saw the window behind him with the purple drapes and the Tokyo skyline.
"Pretty, but I was looking at you," I said turning my phone as if that would help aim the camera back at Beau. He was smiling as he faced the camera toward himself again, and my heart raced at the sight of his white teeth and curved easy smile. He was wearing a button-down shirt and tie. He looked masculine and dapper, and my heart beat faster at the sight of him.
"Your uncle is so cool," I said, changing the subject on purpose. "He helped me move this desk around. Isn't it nice from this angle?"
"I see it. It looks good. But I was looking at you," he said. "You look amazing, Holland."
"Thank you. I was thinking the same thing about you. I've never seen you in a tie."
"I try to avoid them. Kai told me to wear it."
"I love your face. I'm so thankful you called. I'm nervous, and I need you to tell me it's going to be okay. You guys will have five different people at the meeting, and it will just be me over here. I don't have an entourage. Should I feel bad about that?"
"No, you should not feel bad. He knows you run your business alone. He's already seen all of your stuff. He knows what to expect. You're beautiful and captivating. I'm so proud of you. It's going to be amazing. Just be yourself. That's all he wants to see."
I smiled shyly and stared at Beau. "I'm not sure what happened to my life since I met you, but it's good. I'm thankful to you for believing in me so much."
"I believe in you because you're the real deal. Your stuff is the real deal. It's a great idea for a small business."
I stared at him on the screen. I had seen him on a video call since we got back in touch, but he looked all dressed up today with his hair combed back. I wished I could be there to see him and smell him. I wanted to hug him and hold onto him. I had done it before, but never when I could fully let go. I had never been confident in the fact that I could have a future with Beau.
I missed him like crazy. He had been busy in Japan, and I was busy with this whirlwind decision, so we didn't have much time to talk. I couldn’t wait until I saw him in person again.
"Thank you for staying back and being a part of this," I said.
Beau was leaving to go camping today, and they pushed their trip back a few hours so that he could be a part of this meeting. He would be in the room with Mr. Mori, but he would be on my team, and I couldn't have been more thankful.
"What time are you heading over there?" I asked.
"His boardroom is upstairs in this same building, so I'll just walk up there ten minutes before it starts. I'm about to go."
"What if I'm shaking? What if he asks me to hold something up to the camera and my hand is shaking?"
"You know what to do. Just be yourself. It's all stuff you know about. He wants to ask about your process. He's not going to throw a bunch of business jargon at you. He's a really nice guy."
"Thank you."
"You've got this," he said. "And I'll be right there in the room."
"You look really handsome," I said. My smile became a flirty stare.
Beau wasn't just kind and pure and wonderful, he was also incredibly handsome to look at. I stared at his face, at his jawline. He was cleanshaven at the moment but I had seen hair growing along his jaw, and I could see a shadow. I was drawn to him physically. I couldn't imagine wanting anyone else. Beau was better than everyone else. I couldn't believe he had focused his attention on me. I was excited about the meeting and everything, but right then, I felt a wave of love and desire for Beau that was greater than my nerves.
I could easily handle this meeting—but I could hardly wait to see him. Suddenly Tokyo seemed like the end of the earth, and ten days seemed like an eternity. My heart ached to be near Beau, and I held onto the hope of Chicago. I knew we would pick up where we left off when I saw him there. I imagined us going out on a date. I thought of seeing music with him at the Marble Inn. I wanted to do that again.
I wanted to relax and have the encounter not be fake this time. It hadn't all been fake for me, and it would be such a relief to relax and just go on a real date without pretenses. I wanted to see live music with him again. I could just imagine the feel of him behind me while I danced and relaxed into his arms.
"Where's Ralphie?" he asked, snapping me out of it. "He's being quiet."
"He's not here. He's with your dad and Casey. They knew I had an important call, so they took him out on the lake."
"Okay, well, I need to let you go," he said. "I should walk upstairs, and you need to get ready for the call. You look and sound amazing, though. You have nothing to fear."
