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Everyone around the table nods in agreement.
Archer leans back, not giving either of our fathers the respect to meet their eyes. “Perfect. We can start with the Bishop vote and then the Moore one. Before the vote, I’d like to make a few things clear. First and foremost, do not vote yes on removing either of these men unless you’re prepared to have Winnie stay on as head of design. I will not run a company if she isn’t involved.”
“Archer,” I argue, not wanting him to sacrifice what we’ve been planning because of my past mistakes.
He looks at me, fire in his eyes. “It’s a nonnegotiable for me,” he clips out, not elaborating further.
“Agreed,” Tyson speaks up. I look at him, blinking quickly to try and hide the fact my eyes are misting over.
Archer clears his throat, continuing to lay out his plan for the merger if he were to be voted CEO. Immediately after Tyson and Archer being voted in to take over control, they’d initiate the beginning of the merger. Archer would have fifty-one percent decision-making power while Tyson would hold the other forty-nine percent.
Archer tried to reverse it, giving Tyson ultimately more power than him, but Tyson didn’t want it. He told me if I trusted Archer, then he did, too. And that he was okay with letting Archer have the final say in things.
Archer wants to immediately announce the merger so it doesn’t affect the stock. He wants the world to know that we’re a united front so investors don’t get spooked and pull their money. It takes five minutes for Archer to lay out his plan perfectly. I listen to him, but mostly, I admire the view of watching him command a room like this. It’s evident how members of both boards respect him and are interested in everything he says.
Finally, he stops, casually putting his hands behind his head once again. He leans back with a smile. “Now, let’s vote. We’llstart with voting Spencer Bishop out as CEO. If a majority vote is decided on, it will go into effect immediately. Spencer”—he stares daggers at my father—“upon removal of your position, you will be hearing from my people later today with a very sizable offer to buy you out. If the board decides you’re no longer competent enough to run Bishop Hotels, I’d suggest you take it.” Archer swallows, clearing his throat slightly. “I also suggest that you don’t make a scene on your way out. My patience only goes so far. And if you insult my wife again, I fear I won’t manage to stay professional.”
“This is ridiculous,” my dad spits. For the first time in my life, I see fear in his eyes. He knows this won’t go the way he wants it to, and he’s lashing out because of it.
I stare at my dad the entire time his board unanimously decides to vote him out. I spent all of my life being scared of him in a way, and I want to break free of that. There’s nothing scary about him. I hope that this teaches him a lesson.
Archer will buy him out for a significant amount of money. He and Mom will be set for the rest of their lives. Maybe he’ll finally be a good husband to her and give her the attention she deserves.
Dad stands up, his eyes moving from Tyson to me. “I regret having the both of you.” He seethes, his focus staying on me. “Especiallyyou. You ruined my life.”
I manage a smile. “You did that all on your own.”
He angrily puffs out his cheeks, muttering something indistinguishable under his breath before he pushes the door open and leaves. You can hear his cursing all the way down the hall before he finally disappears.
Archer whistles. “Well, now that that’s over, let’s move on to the next vote.”
—
“You’re unusually quiet,” I comment in the back seat of Archer’s town car. His hand rests on my thigh, the same place it’s been from the moment we both slid into the car to head home.
Archer looks over at me, his lips pressing together as his eyes roam my face. “I’m just thinking,” he answers. He brushes his thumb over the top of my hand.
“Thinking about what?”
“You.”
“What about me?”
The corner of his mouth twitches with the hint of a smile. “I’m just utterly in awe of you. Watching you today…I think I fell in love with you all over again.”
My lips part at his answer. I shift, nowhere near expecting the answer he gave me. “I could say the same thing. Watching you get a unanimous vote on both sides, seeing how much they trusted you to do big things with the merger. You’re a force to be reckoned with, Archer Moore.”
Archer shakes his head, bringing our joined hands to his lips. My eyelids flutter shut as he presses a kiss against my thumb. “I don’t want to talk about me right now. I want to talk about you. God.” He lets out a long breath, looking out at the window for a moment before looking back to me. “It’syouthat’s the force to be reckoned with, baby. The way you stood up for yourself to your dad, the way you were brutally and bravely honest with everyone in that room. Or even how you came up with some of the best ideas I’ve heard for the merger and what to do. I’m just so fucking lucky to exist at the same time as you. To know you. To get to love you. To be yours.” The last part is said so low I almost don’t hear it.
I hurriedly unbuckle my seat belt and close the distance between us. I press my body to his, wrapping my arms around his neck as I fuse our mouths together. His hands find my hips immediately.
“You need your seat belt on,” he says against my lips.
I smile, distracting him by kissing him all overagain. He lets me, his tongue caressing mine. I’m well aware that our driver can see everything that we’re doing, but it just doesn’t matter to me right now.
All I can think about is how much I love this man.
“We’re almost home,” I finally answer, pulling away from him just enough to look into his eyes.
