The other six occupants, Asha, Caren, Eloise, Grady, Rai, and Cyrus, were friends from our houses on campus. They all lived within an hour or two from the hotel, and we’d made plans to meet up for New Year’s Eve.
Olivia had mentioned this party to me a couple of times, and I dug around until I was able to score tickets for all of us. The hotel manager was also a sucker for a good romance and had been a willing accomplice in my plans for the night.
There were two empty seats at our table because my first surprise for Olivia had been delayed in Las Vegas. Danny had arrived a few hours ago, but he was waiting at the airport for Delia’s plane to land.
Thankfully, we were barely into the first course when Olivia gasped and shot up from her chair. She squealed with excitement and walked swiftly toward Delia, who was rushing to meet her in the middle. “I can’t believe you're here!”
“When I heard you scored tickets to this event, I had to come and see what all the fuss was about.” Delia winked at me when she hugged her friend.
Danny said something, and the girls laughed before turning to come to the table. I stood, and we shook hands before pulling each other into a back-slapping man-hug. “Thanks, man. It means a lot that you both came.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it,” he replied with a smile before turning to help Delia into her seat on Olivia’s other side.
Conversation flowed freely during the meal, all of us laughing and enjoying the company. Olivia was beaming, and I loved seeing her so happy.
Once the meal and dessert were cleared away, a band came up on the stage and began playing. Couples wandered out to the dance floor, and eventually, Olivia—who was leaning back against me from her chair—looked up and asked, “How about a dance, sexy?”
I leaned down and kissed her forehead before answering. “Anything to get you in my arms, baby.” She chuckled as she sat up and put her shawl on the table with her clutch. I gritted my teeth but managed to keep from ruining the moment by dragging her up to our room to do as I’d threatened.
But her dress was quickly forgotten when she was pressed up against me, and we were slowly swaying to the music. “I don’t care what’s happening around me,” I murmured as I rested my cheek on the top of her head. “Having you in my arms is heaven on Earth.”
Olivia dropped her head back, and her green eyes were misty as she met my intense gaze. “I know I was really mad and made you grovel, but I have a confession to make.”
I raised a brow. “Oh?”
She nodded, and her cheeks turned adorably pink. “I’m grateful that you asked me out in order to help Danny. Otherwise, we might not be right here, right now, and nothing could be more perfect.”
I pressed a tender kiss to her mouth before whispering, “I’ll have to work hard to top this moment then.”
Olivia giggled and laid her head on my chest, completely missing the fact that I hadn’t been joking.
Midnight neared, and while I’d expected to be nervous, I felt confident and excited. I’d waited much too long to officially mark Olivia as mine. Giving her something that would warn off all the assholes who would have otherwise hit on her.
Danny hadn’t been the only one intimidating guys on campus for two years. If I caught some guy ogling my girl, we had a very firm conversation that led to a threat of dismemberment if I caught them doing it a second time.
At twenty minutes to midnight, I walked Olivia to our table and excused myself to use the bathroom. Once I was out of the ballroom, I saw the manager waiting for me with a giant grin on her face. She waved me over, and I followed her to a door marked “Staff Only.” She used a key card to unlock it and gestured for me to enter. “Everyone is getting into position now. Just give us two minutes, then you can go up on stage.”
I nodded and shook her hand. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
She smiled and said, “Happy New Year,” before leaving me alone.
I waited as instructed, then inhaled deeply and took the steps up the side of the stage. The hum of conversation ended, and every eye turned to me. “Um, hello. So, I’m sorry to interrupt your night—well,”—I shrugged—“actually, I’m not.” A smattering of laughter drifted around the room.
“Two years ago, I met the perfect woman. And, like many guys, I guess, I did something truly stupid.”
There was more laughter, but Olivia, who had turned around in her heat to face the stage, was staring at me with wide eyes and her mouth forming a little O.