Chapter 44
44
[Genie]
M y meeting with Greetings Ambassador was amazing. I was taken on a tour of their current in-house creative rooms. They continued to praise Quirky Girl Calendar and loved my preliminary ideas for a future calendar line. I hadn’t been at my best during my presentation, and I was grateful for under eye patches and make-up as I’d cried most of last night. I talked a bit numbly through the interview, but they still made me an offer before I left the building.
It was everything I’d dreamed of happening with them.
And I couldn’t wait to get out of New York.
The city was too loud and crowded. The streets shadowed by tall buildings. A constant chill in the air despite the heat of late May. I only saw a sliver of the sky.
Twenty-four hours has passed with no contact. I’d sent Judd a long text, explaining that I loved him and apologizing again for losing the ring, allowing him the time and space to concentrate on finding the lost item.
He didn’t answer.
And it hurt. Like throat clogging, sternum aching, gut punching hurt.
Losing the ring had been an accident, but Judd made a promise to me, and he reneged on it. And all my insecurities rushed back in. All my reasons not to commit to someone, not to believe in someone, nearly chokes me.
Despite the silence from Judd, I worry about him. I miss him.
Eventually, Vale sent me a text to check on me. She’d already listened to me apologize profusely for losing a family heirloom that was incredibly sentimental and invaluable.
Vale swore that Judd was overreacting and just being an idiot as boys can be, especially when I said I didn’t want us to end.
“Why would you end?” She’d asked. “You’re engaged.”
How did Vale not know the truth?
“People don’t call off weddings for losing silly rings.”
I disagreed. My mother had shut down marriages for lesser offenses. But I was not my mother.
And I needed to get back to West Virginia.
As the hired car drops me off in front of the hotel, I stall, surprised by a man holding a bouquet of sunflowers and pacing in front of the building.
“Judd?”
He stops moving and steps closer to me, pausing short of hugging me. “I’m sorry I’m late.” He holds up the flowers, then lowers them like he’s disappointed he doesn’t have something grander to emphasize his apology. “I missed the flight. Got caught in the delay of a later one. Spent the night in an airport in Ohio.”
“Ohio?”
“ That plane was grounded for technical problems.” He sighs. “All the airport shops were closed. I didn’t have a charger for my phone, which died. Only this morning was I able to catch a flight and find a charger to borrow.”
He stares at me with those hopeful eyes. “So, I’m late.” He exhales out a breath. “But I made it.”
He didn’t stand me up.
I close the final distance between us, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding tight to him. “Oh, baby. I’m so sorry again. Did you find the ring?”
As I pull back, Judd lowers his head and shakes it. “We didn’t. But it’s okay.” His gaze latches on me. “You’re the most precious thing in my life, Genie. You. And I’m sorry I lost my head for a minute.” He brushes my hair over my ear and cups the side of my neck.
“I love you,” he reminds me. “More than anything. You’re what I’m fighting for.”
“You’ve already won me. And I’m so glad you’re here. I love you.” He made it to me. He came for me. Then I chuckle. “It sounds like you’ve had quite a night.”
“I was doing everything I could to get to you this time.”
I press up on my toes and kiss him. With a bouquet in his hands and people walking by, we kiss on the New York street until Judd is lifting me by my thighs.
“Take me to your room?”
“Absolutely.”
When he sets me back down, he takes my hand, and I lead him to the elevators. Once inside the lift, he says, “How did the meeting go?”
“It went really well. They have the latest graphic technology and so many ideas for the line.”
Judd nods, lowering his eyes as we stand close in the enclosed space. “I’m so excited for you. When does the transfer happen?”
When do I hand over my company?
“Actually . . .” I pause until Judd is looking at me. “I’ve had a change of heart.”
“Really?” Judd watches me.
“A certain someone ran my financials and a certain someone else then gave me some ideas on how to make this work on my own. Or rather with some help.”
Judd’s mouth slowly curls. “Oh, yeah? Anyone I know?”
I swat at his chest and lean toward him. “I think I might be more of a hometown girl than a major conglomerate cog. With a little help from Sylver Seed & Soil’s merchandising manager, you’re looking at the new Quirky Girl Paper Company, and the designer of a future line exclusive to Sylver Seed & Soil.”
Judd’s thick brows crease. “Are you certain about this decision?”
Sheepishly, I glance up at him. “You said you’d help me, right?” I didn’t want to rely on Judd, but he is knowledgeable about financial matters, and Clay had been pretty adamant he could help me as well when I had a more official meeting with him earlier this week. I wanted comparative information before I met with Greetings Ambassador, and I’d been fortunate to have more details about doing this on my own before this moved-forward meeting.
An open-mind helped as well.
“Anything you need, firefly. Anything.” Then Judd kisses me against the elevator wall until we reach my floor.
We stumble out of the lift and down the hall, awkwardly kissing as we walk. When we reach my room, we practically tumble inside. Judd drops the flowers on the dresser, and I leap up into his arms, circling his waist with my legs.
He drops me to the bed and then it’s a whirlwind of clothing being removed and kisses in between until we’re naked and breathless.
Judd flips me to my knees, crawling up behind me and wrapping his arm around me. He flicks at my clit while nipping at my neck.
“I never want to lose you, firefly.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Come home with me?”
“Live with you?”
“Couple goals,” he murmurs to my neck, sipping at my skin but when he pinches my clit and slips inside me, all conversation is lost.
Couple goals . Living together.