Chapter 26
Harry
“Ready for your big moment?” Dom asked, grinning down at me. It was suddenly painful to look at him. The intensity that had conjured up in my bedroom when we were getting dressed dampened out on the deck of the yacht, but it hadn’t disappeared.
It had been four hours since we were down in my bedroom, but my body was still wired from his touch.
“No,” I said, “but I’m looking forward to it.
” I stopped myself from frowning, but mainly because there were too many people watching.
The Board hadn’t told me which way they were voting.
I couldn’t tell which set me more on edge: the announcement of my position in The Foundation, or the hungry onlookers, their gazes darting between Mum and I, ready to take the side of the winner.
Dom and I stood near a bucket of chilled champagne. I’d hoped the position would block me off from some of the more hungry socialites, but there were too many sharks circling around, waiting to strike.
“You know it’ll be fine.” Dom nudged my shoulder with his own, his voice dangerously close to my ear.
I wanted to stop the fierce wave of heat that bloomed as he stayed pressed against me.
It was so hard not to simply fall into him.
He would have let me get away with it too, which made it even harder to resist temptation.
“You’re basically a natural at this. Just do what you always do,” he said.
I looked up at him. “What’s that?”
“Smile.” He winked, and I twisted my lips. I prayed the fire rising in my body wasn’t making its way to my cheeks. It was bad enough that he’d caught me once already. Plus, I didn’t want him to move.
I thought I had been exhausted before with my late night sessions with Molly, but a new desire had risen to the surface ever since I'd imagined Dom in my office bathroom, and it wouldn't leave, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.
I didn't want to lose my connection to Molly, but I couldn't keep sexting with her when the only face I saw when I stroked myself was the man's standing next to me.
Soft violins and cello laid the background to the general chatter of the guests. The musicians had their own platform to the left of the boat; it was only a foot off the ground, but high enough to separate them from the crowd.
Most of the waitstaff wore dark blue, milling around the rainbow of guests that Mum had hand-picked for the announcement. Everything from the decorations to the guests was bursting with colour from all angles. Unsurprisingly, I was the only one in salmon pink.
It was a warm summer night, and a perfect time for a party.
“Anyway, I’m sure I can stop complaining about myself for at least five minutes before it starts,” I said, looking up at him.
“Oh, don't worry about it. It makes me want to open you up and dive in. I can think of lots of ways to make you feel good,” Dom said, his face creasing with a smirk, his tone heavy with the promise of sex.
I had to remind myself repeatedly that ‘sexy' was Dom's resting state, and it had nothing to do with me.
I was amazed I could keep myself under control after the way he had responded to me in my bedroom. I kept my hand hidden by my hip, tapping away, my focus on the steady beat of my fingertips on my thumb, racing in time with my heart. I needed to be more concerned about the vote than about him.
Swallowing dryly, I met his heated stare straight on.
“Dom, I—”
“Harry!” I looked up to find Mum glaring at me from five feet away.
She pushed past Dom, her sunshine-yellow dress billowing around her.
“It’s time,” she said dramatically, actually showing her nervousness for once.
She shot Dom a quick nod before she wrapped her fingers around my upper arm and tugged me away.
It wasn't until we reached the upper deck that she actually let me go.
I stood to her left against the metal railing that looked out onto the deck of the ship. Dad remained on my other side, presenting ourselves as a strong, united family. Mum happily fed her arm through mine, while Dad held a microphone, ready for his speech.
Dad lifted his champagne glass, tapping lightly against it with a fork. Waiters weaved among the crowd, handing out flutes to prepare for the toast.
Dad placed his glass on the shelf below us before picking up the microphone, and nerves jumped through me. It was finally coming.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome.” His voice boomed over the crowd as the chatter and music ceased.
“Thank you for joining us tonight as we celebrate the twenty-ninth annual Fischer Gala. Each one of your donations goes towards hundreds of projects sponsored by The Foundation, and we are happy to say we have raised ￡700,000 before the night has even begun.” There was a pause for polite clapping.
It wasn’t an unusual amount for us to raise in one night.
The only difference was the exclusivity of the event.
Mum said the yacht made it easier to sort out the riffraff, which earned her a scowl from all of us at dinner last night.
She made sure the only way to board the yacht were the small boats that ferried people back and forth from the banks of the river in full view of cameras and onlookers.
“I have a special announcement for the evening.” He turned to me with a genuine smile.
Dad had perfected the art of handling people like a wartime general, but he still had a soft spot for his children.
“I’m overjoyed to say that the Board has taken my son’s tireless work towards the great cause of The Foundation and have granted him the title of Director of The Fischer Foundation. ”
Relief swept through my body as my hand tightened on the railing. I wanted to sag and gasp and shout because I'd finally done it. But I had to keep acting like the person I'd trained myself to be.
I didn’t show a single emotion. Fischer smile and easy mannerisms, even though I wanted to turn to Mum and rub it in her face like Cat or Jazz would.
I could feel Mum’s displeasure radiating off of her but, up here, no one would notice. She could go on all she liked about having friends in high places but when it came down to it, the Board could see who was better for The Foundation.
And I was finally done. I could rest properly for the first time in years. Even if it were only for a day.
I’d actually done it, and all those years of work had all been worth it.
The applause was louder this time, but no more overwhelming than the chatter that had come before. Excitement and overexertion were seen as an extravagance most of the guests were not willing to indulge in.
Molly would have loathed it.
“And now, a few words from Harry himself,” Dad said as he handed over the microphone.
I had planned for my success and written a long speech to say how much this meant to me, but all I wanted was to throw myself back onto my sofa and spend days in a blissed out puddle and not having to think about anything.
So, rather than my prepared speech about the cause, I simply raised my champagne glass, the rest of the crowd copying me.
“Thank you all. It means so much that you have chosen my leadership going forwards, but I want to give a toast to the real reason we are all gathered here.” My sigh was silent, and I refrained from staring pointedly at Mum.
“To my grandmother, for her relentless pursuit and determination to find good in every corner of the world. And to all of you who give so generously.” I bowed my head, genuinely grateful to those who had kept The Foundation running for so many years. “Cheers.”
“Cheers!” they echoed back, everyone drinking in celebration. The musicians strummed up again, the light violins signalling the end of the toast and announcing the next event.
Maybe I could have a small party with some of my friends. Just a few hours of drinks and then Dom would stay the night to relax and talk after everyone left like he did when Molly worked nights.
That was why my gaze dropped to his. He was right at the bottom of the curved steps to my left, a soft smile on his face as he took a drink.
His arm was around Cat, who leant her head on his shoulder, her hand fed around his back as her other clutched her pregnant stomach.
He whispered something to her, never taking his eyes off me.
Ease settled over me at the sight of them. There were people in my life who were proud of me, without me having to give something up just to be with them. Today was the culmination of years of hard work, and not once had Molly messaged me.
Seeing Dom grinning made me realise I would be happy if it was just us. I didn't need any kind of party, I just wanted him. We stood by each other, taking on whatever life threw at us, and it showed that he was the one here and Molly had left.
I tried not to stare. I really did. But there was something about the way he looked at me.
I could feel him, like he was inside me; his gaze boring into me and capturing mine.
My heart picked up a beat and I drew in a quick breath, so absorbed in him that I almost missed Mum snatching the microphone away.
It was only when it left my hands that I looked up, her eyes sparkling. “And I have another wonderful announcement! My son—”
I cut her off as fast as I could, nerves exploding as I grabbed the microphone back, though she fought me. I wasn’t about to let her steal the spotlight with whatever fake announcement she had planned. She’d already given a speech when the party opened. Today was mine to celebrate.
“Would like to ask his mother if she would give me the honour of the first dance?” I moved back from her, pulling the microphone from her bony grasp before she could do any more damage.
I offered her a hand, giving the microphone back to Dad, knowing already by the slightest downturn of his lips that he was angry Mum attempted to take over the event with one of her ‘spectacles’, as he liked to call them.
She continued to clutch my arm as we made our way to the stairs on the left, straight towards Dom and Cat. My lungs tightened with every step, and I couldn’t resist falling into his gaze as we descended.
Mum waved like the queen she was, until we reached the base of the steps. Dom was there instantly. He released Cat, moving towards us, throwing his arms around me, suddenly wrapping me in his warmth.
“Congratulations.” His breath traced the shell of my ear, and I shuddered. He gave me a squeeze and kissed my hair before he said, “It’s what you’ve always wanted, right?”
He moved away, and I expected another one of his wide grins, but what I saw there nearly floored me.
It wasn’t just that burning heat that had been plaguing me since he’d looked up at me during brunch.
It was deeper, hiding pain behind a forced smile that had his eyebrows drawn as he stepped back from me.
A sudden coldness swept across my body as I tried to understand what it was.
Because I swear, I was beating with the same pain.
The crowd pulled me away, but I managed to throw one more glance at Dom, though he was already gone. He murmured something in Cat’s ear that had paranoia spiking through me as she smiled.
Mum led me into the centre of the dance floor.
Her dress swayed around her ankles as she took up her position.
More couples spread out around us, just as the violins began.
I could already tell from the look on her face that I was in for another hissed argument about me ruining her life, but with that look in Dom’s eyes filling my mind, I honestly didn’t care what she had to say.
I just wanted to find him. I wanted to know what he was feeling and what it meant, even though I’m sure it would be the worst decision of my life.