“Aww,” I said, looking at him with love. “I missed you, too.”
“I got us a little surprise,” he said, pulling me in and kissing my neck.
“Oh, yeah? Do we have time for that?”
“Not right now.” He chuckled. “But later we will. I
booked the presidential suite at the hotel where the party is being held. Whenever we are ready, we can just slip out the back and go right up to the lap of luxury.”
“I like the sound of that.” I giggled as he kissed me hard on the neck.
“For now, though,” he said. “We have to get going. They’re going to want to see me there before the huge crowd descends. Are you ready?”
“Let me just grab my bag,” I said, walking into the kitchen and yelling back at him. “You said this is for your shareholders?”
“Well, not exactly,” he said, smiling as I walked back toward him.
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t want you to be nervous, so I just told you that.” He laughed. “It’s actually the company’s anniversary party. We have one every year to mark when I first started the company. Everyone thinks it’s silly, but I think it’s super important. Everyone comes to work every day in this empire, but they seldom think about the company I started from a small shop in West LA, with no employees but me, Jordan, and John.”
“Oh,” I said, looking nervous. “So, there will be press and stuff?”
“A little,” he said. “What is even more important than the press is the fact that this night is dedicated to everyone that works for me, from the mail room to the Vice President. We take this night and honor the hardest workers in the company, give them bonuses, and remind them just how important they are to the inner workings of the company. Employee morale is everything in this world, and I want to make sure they know how important they are to me.”
“That is really amazing,” I said in awe of his generosity. “You continue to surprise me every day.”
We headed out to the event, chauffeured in style in a shiny new limo. When we got there, we went in the back entrance to avoid all the photographers out front. Nathan ushered me to a seat at the head table, and I sat, watching him prepare for his speech. When everyone was seated, the lights went down a bit, and a spotlight came up. The crowd cheered for Nathan, and I watched the charisma that just shined through his every movement. He was amazing to watch and to listen to, and I could tell that the people in that room really adored him as their boss and their friend. That was the kind of business owner I wanted to be, someone that was in touch with the heart of the company.
“I am so glad that everyone could make it tonight,” he said during his speech. “And we all should take a moment and send some good vibes to Mrs. Burlington from accounting who had open heart surgery last week. We hear she is doing amazing and is recovering as we speak. On that note, I want to remind you guys yet again of how important you are to me and this company.”
I sat there smiling, watching as he locked eyes with me several times during his speech. The intensity of his stare made my heart skip a beat, and I could feel myself falling in love with him with every passing moment. I was surprised at how easy it was for me to let go with him.
The whole night was turning out so wonderfully. His speech ended, and he got a standing ovation, and I could see the pride beaming from his face. He came down and sat next to me, holding my hand tightly in his as the awards were handed out. He clapped and cheered for every single person that crossed that stage, and I wondered if he actually knew all of them.
When the awards were done, we sat at the table enjoying dinner and drinks, laughing with the other couples around us. He was so attentive to me the whole time, never leaving me alone for more than a couple of seconds. After that, we mingled through the crowd, meeting some of the new employees and finding ourselves engrossed in conversation with several of the lower level employees. He talked to them the same way he talked to the upper management, with grace, respect, and dignity. I met so many people, I was losing track of all the names and departments they worked for. As we turned around to get a drink from the bar, I spotted Lindsey coming through the doors on Jordan’s arm, waving wildly at me. They weren’t supposed to able to make it, but I was so excited to see them both there.
“Hi,” I said excitedly, hugging Lindsey tightly.
“You look amazing,” she said, taking my hand. “I love that dress.”
“Thank you,” I said proudly. “And so, do you!”
“So, this is the famed Lindsey,” Nathan said, shaking her hand. “I’ve heard so much about you. Between Jordan and your best friend, I feel like I already know you.”
“Everything they say is true,” she said, swirling her hair. “Unless it’s bad, and then they are liars to the end.”
“They speak nothing but the best about you,” he said as we all laughed.
“So, are you two having fun?” she asked.
“I always have fun with this amazing woman,” he said, squeezing my side.
“I’m so glad you’re dating.” She giggled. “Are you going to be coming to the wedding together? That would be so great. I could totally put you two at the same table. Would you want to sit next to each other?”
“Lindsey, take a deep breath,” I said, laughing. “You are overloading again.”
“She talks a mile a minute when she gets excited.” Jordan laughed. “It’s adorable.”