29. Vincent #2
The room broke into wild applause, and I finally allowed myself to feel hopeful. It seemed I’d convinced the people in this room that I was sincere. Maybe I’d convinced her too.
I took a breath as I waited for the applause and cheering to die down. I felt a little dazed. The lights were suddenly too bright, like I was a specimen being examined. But I’d opened myself up to the scrutiny. It was fine; this was exactly what needed to happen.
“Now I’d like everyone to experience Perpetual. I have sample vials for all of you to enjoy. Team? Can we get them passed out?”
A synchronized group of Summit employees started handing out the small gift boxes with miniature reproductions of the bottle along with a message about the scent profile. It was one thing to talk about the fragrance, but I needed them to experience it, to understand the emotions wrapped inside it.
I refocused on the camera. “Piper, if you’re still watching, please open the bottle, close your eyes, and breathe it in. This fragrance is an encapsulation of what we shared. Sun, laughter, and love.”
By now, the audience was opening the sample vials, and their reactions made it clear we had yet another hit on our hands.
But honestly? None of that mattered. The only opinion that counted was Piper’s.
“Before I wrap up, I’d like to open the floor to questions. Anyone?” I glanced around the room as hands shot up. No surprise there. This was about more than a perfume now.
I pointed to a reporter from New York Magazine who had always sided with me when the Maya coverage got bleak. “Andi? What’s your question?”
The bookish brunette stood up and took the mic from an attendant. “Hi, Vincent. I love Perpetual, it’s a beautiful scent.”
People applauded in agreement.
“I think the question everyone wants answered is about the fake relationship aspect. Jerry aired that footage from the launch party, and what you said was…damaging. So can you clarify it for us?”
I clenched my jaw for a second, steeling myself. We had to address the elephant in the room, and as uncomfortable as it was going to be, I was glad we were starting here. The world needed to know the real story. I needed to set the record straight—for myself and for Piper.
“Yeah, that wasn’t my finest moment.”
Laughter echoed around the room, the tension easing just slightly. But I knew this part couldn’t be brushed off with humor.
“I want to be real here,” I said as everyone settled again.
“I don’t often share the details of my personal life.
But since you all have heard half of the story, I think it’s important to fill in some of the background.
” I paused to collect my thoughts. “Yes, my relationship with Piper started off as a mutually beneficial partnership. There’s no need to talk about the specifics, but we found ourselves in the position to help each other, and we went for it.
We had defined parameters to our deal at the start, but the more time we spent together, the more our feelings for each other grew.
What had started off as fake became more real than I’d ever experienced.
Piper is…exceptional. Falling for her was way too easy.
We just fit together, like we were destined for one another.
But I will say that I didn’t make it easy on her.
Honestly, I’m amazed she was able to put up with me for so long. ”
I recognized Aiden’s laugh from the back of the room. Typical.
“And then I screwed everything up. Three times. Losing my cool at the launch party, not apologizing to Piper for hurting her, and worst of all, not telling her that I loved her all along. But hopefully, I’ve been able to right my wrongs. Now the world knows how I feel…”
And what happens next, I thought, is up to Piper.
That was enough to make me dizzy. Piper now held my heart in her hand. She could crush it or nurture it.
People in the audience started shouting more questions, but there was no need to continue. I’d said everything I’d come to say.
“That’s all I have time for today,” I said with a nod. “Thank you all for coming. Here’s hoping that the love you find is perpetual.”
I gave a quick wave, then hustled back to the holding room, which was blissfully empty. My heart was pounding like I’d just sprinted a mile, and I needed a few minutes to clear my head. No cameras, no questions, no lights burning down on me. Just quiet.
But the quiet wasn’t calming me down. My head was still spinning, my heart still racing.
No, what I needed was to finish what I’d just started.
I’d told my driver to wait for me out front. I knew my team probably wanted to do a postmortem and check metrics, but I had no interest in gauging how my message had landed with the world. Metrics wouldn’t tell me if I’d reached the person who mattered most.
I slipped out the service entrance before anyone could corner me. The first thing I did once I was in the back seat of the sedan was pull out my phone to call Piper.
My fingers hovered over her name for a moment as I felt a brief flicker of hesitation. Had she even been watching? I swallowed my disappointment when I saw that she hadn’t called me first.
The car eased into traffic as I dialed. Fuck, I needed to see her, but I wasn’t about to force the issue. I held my breath as the call rang through, waiting for the voicemail message I’d become far too familiar with.
The phone rang again and again, and just as I was about to give up hope…
The ringing stopped.
There was a pause, a moment of silence so thick it felt like it was squeezing my chest, and then I heard the sweetest of sounds.
“Vincent?”