Forty-Seven
T he phone in Scott’s office rang. Arlen looked away from staring at his nieces’ attempts to sneak a cupcake sitting on the tray waiting to be served for dessert and Elizabeth thwarting their said attempts.
“You going to answer that?” The giant man asked at the conclusion of the second ring.
Just as Lauren looked over at him. He had promised her no work calls today, but this call would be one she didn’t mind him taking. He held up a finger in the universal sign of one moment and smiled. “Yep, I’m going to answer it.”
The answer was for Arlen, but the gesture was for Lauren. She nodded once. Giving him permission he didn’t need, but wanted, to leave the party to take the call.
As soon as he entered his office, he closed the door behind him and cut off the constant buzz of the chatter from the guests in the kitchen.
The landline was his “office” phone. The only way he would conduct business now. No more calls on his cell phone and no more clients having a direct line to him. Without sitting down, he lifted the phone from its cradle.
“Georgia?” He’d been expecting her call. He hoped it had come earlier, but better late than never.
“I’m holding the signed papers in my hand, freshly delivered by the courier. You are no longer the owner and president of Professional Performance.”
“It’s all done?”
“Assuming the certified check attached to the signed contract clears. Yes. I’ll drop it off at the bank on my way home. The branch manager knows it’s coming and is staying late for me.”
“What are you going to do with your share?”
“Buy Rupert a car to work on. I’m going to have to find ways to keep him busy so I can do nothing for a few months at least.”
Scott chuckled. “Thanks, Georgia.”
“Just invite me to the wedding and I’ll be happy.”
“We’re not even engaged yet!”
“Then hang up the phone and go fix that!”
He didn’t reply with words. Instead, he hung up the phone, opened the middle drawer of his desk, and pulled out the robin egg’s blue ring box. They had initially balked at including the rhinestones, but eventually gave in when he told them the story. He opened the box and looked at the pink diamond surrounded by the rhinestones with pink paint set on the white-gold band. With a self-satisfied smile, he snapped the box closed and returned to his friends and hopefully soon to be wife in the kitchen.
All told, he’d been gone for less than five minutes. He vowed to himself that he’d never make Lauren wait longer than ten minutes and he had kept that vow. Scott looked around the room and couldn’t think of a better time or place.
“Hey Lauren, I have a question for you.”
His proposal wouldn’t go down as the most romantic, but no one could ever claim it wasn’t perfect.
Even the way she said yes and kissed him was perfect.
The End