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I’m hoping. Praying. Promising to sell my firstborn. Anything to talk to her.
I want to throw myself at her feet. Tell her how much I love her. Beg her to never leave.
Overdramatic much? Yes. Yes, I am.
Why wouldn’t I be? All I had to do was tell her she’s my forever.
I failed.
It doesn’t matter that I have all this shit going on. Nothing should ever take precedence over Shay.
Not my mom. Not my siblings. Not even the stupid sale of my company.
How the fuck did I let Shay leave without expressing the depth of my commitment to her?
I’m destroyed.
Now it’s Sunday morning. I’m sitting next to Miles in Hungry Llama’s conference room along with our CFO and legal team. Joar Jacoby, his lawyer, Seth, and two other attorneys are across the table, which is filled with stacks of paper and legal briefs. Miles is clicking through a series of slides on a digital projector that displays the information we’ve been asked to pull together during the due diligence process.
My focus should be in this room, but it’s everywhere but here.
“Okay, we’re on slide fifty-two, profit and loss statements from the past twelve quarters.” Miles subtly kicks my chair to alert me that my part of the presentation is beginning. “And now, Austin will take you through the financials.”
I look up, force a tight smile. “Excuse me, gentlemen, I need a second.”
Rising from the table, I step out onto the balcony and gulp fresh air.
It’s unseasonably warm so the city is bustling with activity. Shoppers. Tourists. Diners. I look down at couples walking hand in hand to the symphony next door and all I can think of is Shay.
How my failure to pull the trigger has destroyed our beautiful love story.
She’s still at her parents’ house, not answering. Her engagement ring remains hidden in my safe. I should be mentally preparing for a tropical vacation with Shay right now. Somewhere exotic and warm where I’d find the perfect moment to ask her. Promise her forever.
Instead, she thinks I don’t love her enough to commit.
Pulling out my phone, I scroll through my texts. My desperate attempts to reach out, each one met with silence.
I hear the door open. “Andrews, is everything okay?”
Fuck.
“Joar, my apologies. I know I’m being unprofessional, which isn’t like me. There’s a personal situation…”
Joar claps me on the back. “Woman problems?”
“Yeah.” I shake my head, mortified. “It’s fine. Give me a second, I’ll be right in.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Shay? She was here Friday? Did the marketing presentation?”
I nod. “I royally messed up.” Embarrassingly, my voice cracks.
Joar leans back against the building. “Oh, I’ve been there. Tell you what, we’re nearly done. If you finish the financials, Seth and I can finalize the offer. Then we let the lawyers hash the rest out. Reconvene Monday.“ He reaches for the door handle. “Then you can go make it up to her.”
I’m not sure whether to be mortified or grateful, but it doesn’t matter at this point, so I decide to get my ass in there and do my fucking job.
The room is filled with a buzz of energy as the representatives from Jacoby International process the financial information I shared. If they wanted Hungry Llama before, I’m confident they’re going to make us a deal we can’t refuse now.
Sinking back in my seat, I sigh with relief. I rallied and finished the most critical presentation of my life.
