Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Jasper’s words played through my head as we walked down the hall to the conference room. And even though I felt as if I were marching toward a firing squad, my heart was alight with happiness.
The woman I love. The woman I want to spend my life with.
That’s what mattered—us, the future. Things might seem difficult or uncertain right now when it came to our jobs, but our relationship was solid.
And that was what I had to hold in my heart when I felt nervous.
Because I was definitely nervous about this meeting.
What happened today would forever define our careers—his future, mine, that of the entire Huxley brand.
Stay calm.
I greeted a few of the board members as we entered, and then Jasper pulled out a chair for me.
We were about to start when the door opened, and Graham strode into the room.
I wasn’t surprised Graham had shown up. And while, yes, he’d come to show a united front to the board, I also knew he’d really come all this way to support his brother.
There was a rustle of interest through the room as Jasper went over to hug him. The CEO didn’t call a last-minute emergency meeting on a Sunday unless something big was going down. Graham’s presence was further proof of that.
“Thank you all for coming, especially on such short notice,” Jasper said, standing in the center of the room. He looked every bit the CEO that he was. And I knew he finally believed that.
Nervous energy coursed through me, though I tried to maintain a composed facade. This was it. There was no going back—not that I’d want to. We’d kept our relationship a secret for long enough. Too long.
“Taking over as CEO has not been an easy task, but I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made these past months.
We are a family company, and that’s one of the things that’s always set us apart in the luxury hotel industry.
Yes, we deliver excellent service and unparalleled luxury, but at our heart, we are family owned and operated. ”
Jasper shifted on his feet. He’d spent all weekend working on his speech, wanting to get it just right. I observed the room, trying to gauge the temperature of everyone as Jasper continued speaking.
“My grandparents had a long and successful marriage and a thriving business. It’s something I’ve always admired.
Something I’ve always wanted for myself—a partner who was as invested in the success of this company as I am.
Someone who complemented my skills but was a strong leader in her own right. ”
I inhaled slowly and let it out even more slowly. I knew what was coming next, and I was finally ready to face it.
Jasper turned to me, his smile warm. Encouraging. Full of love and trust. He was checking in with me. Giving me one last chance to back out, and I loved him even more for it.
I returned his smile, confident in our relationship but also in my own worth. I could see the pride radiating from him. It helped steady me, calm me.
“I’ve found that person,” Jasper said, returning his attention to the room.
“A partner in every sense of the word. A woman who is resilient and intelligent and so incredible. She adds so much to my life and to this company. Which is why I hope you’ll continue to recognize her accomplishments just as you did when the board unanimously voted to temporarily promote her to SVP.
” He turned and held out his hand. “Halle.”
There was a ripple of surprise at his announcement. I stood, my shoulders back, head lifted as I walked over to join Jasper. Standing by his side felt right, all the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place.
“Isn’t that a violation of company policy?” someone asked, and I tried not to react visibly.
“Technically speaking,” Leith said, “no. Though it is a potential conflict of interest. As the board, we will have to consider the implications for the brand and how it might reflect on the company.”
“Halle and I are very aware of the potential ramifications,” Jasper continued. “But we see this as an opportunity to remind the public of the fact that Huxley Grand is a family business. And we will always be a family business.”
“No disrespect to your relationship,” Leith said. “But, technically, Halle’s not family. Not legally speaking. You aren’t married.”
“Not yet,” Jasper said, smirking at the shock on his siblings’ faces. He slid his hand into mine, his touch warm and reassuring. “I don’t believe marriage or even blood makes a family, but Halle and I do want to marry in the future.”
There was a murmur of agreement from the room, and I tried not to let myself be too hopeful.
“How is this going to look to our employees? To the public?” someone else asked.
“It all depends on how we spin it,” Nate said. “You know that.”
I could feel Jasper’s excitement vibrating through him. What was that about?
“What if…” He looked at me when he spoke.
“When we announced our relationship, we also announced a sweepstakes. One lucky couple would win the wedding of their dreams, hosted by the Huxley Grand. Second prize could be a honeymoon at one of our resorts. And third could be a night in the bridal suite.”
I nodded, loving the idea. It reminded me of the bachelorx auction, and if the sweepstakes went half as well as that, it would definitely distract from news of our relationship. And as an added bonus, it would garner a lot of positive press.
Everyone seemed to perk up, and when I looked at Sloan, she was grinning.
Nate gave Jasper a thumbs-up. Graham surveyed the room with a cool, detached stare.
That was nothing new. Even so, the fact that he was here said everything.
It was the first board meeting he’d attended in person since moving to France.
And he was showing everyone—Jasper included—that he had faith in his brother.
“It could generate a lot of positive buzz,” someone on the board said.
“While also downplaying the more problematic aspects of their relationship,” said someone else.
I squeezed Jasper’s hand, and I tried not to get too excited. Maybe this was actually going to work.
“It sounds like the board has a lot to consider,” Leith said, and everyone quieted down. “Jasper, you will have to recuse yourself from any vote relating to this matter.” We’d expected as much. “But before any decision is made, we will need more information.”
I braced myself. I didn’t want to answer questions about my personal life, about my relationship with Jasper. But I also wasn’t surprised. I certainly would’ve had questions if I were on the board.
“You speak of marriage,” Leith said to Jasper. “Which leads me to believe this relationship has been going on for a while.”
Jasper and I, along with Pierce, had discussed this in depth. We didn’t want to lie, but we also didn’t want to give the board more reasons to distrust either of us.
“Halle and I have known each other for a while, and we’ve always enjoyed working together. We didn’t want to bring this matter to the board until we were certain of our relationship.”
“And are you?” Leith asked. “Certain?”
Jasper looked to me, and I said, “We are.”
“It’s easy to say that now, at the beginning of a relationship. But what if you break up?” another board member asked. “We’ve seen how messy divorces can be.” She was referring to Knox and Nate, even if she didn’t specifically mention them by name. “We don’t want that disruption for the company.”
“Neither do we,” Jasper said.
“But you can’t guarantee that your relationship won’t have an impact on the company.”
“No,” I said. “But I think we’ve shown that we can successfully work together, regardless of our personal relationship.”
Leith’s expression was impassive, but then he turned to Jasper. “Were you in a relationship when you voted for Halle’s temporary promotion to SVP?”
He shook his head. “No.”
Leith leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “So the relationship began sometime after she transferred to LA?”
Jasper looked at me, and I sensed his hesitation. The fact that we’d been together before my move could both help and hinder our argument. Ultimately, I thought it was best to just put it all out there. Maybe the board would see it as an advantage.
Jasper shifted on his feet. “Not technically speaking, no.”
“Technically speaking?” Leith frowned. “What does that mean?”
“We were…” Jasper cleared his throat, and I knew he was contemplating whether to even say the words.
“Intimate previously,” I finished for him. I knew Leith was just trying to do his job, but it felt beyond invasive. “Before I moved to LA.”
Leith arched one eyebrow. “Is that why you voted in support of Halle’s transfer to LA?”
“No.” Jasper’s voice was strong, clear. “I voted for the transfer because Halle’s excellent at her job.”
“Right, but—” Leith steepled his fingers “—you can see why we might question your impartiality, considering your personal relationship, can’t you?”
Jasper released my hand and stepped forward, fists clenched. “I would not let a personal relationship compromise what’s best for the company. Not with my siblings. Nor with a romantic partner.”
“Mm.” Leith seemed skeptical, as did several other board members. Jasper’s family was silent, unemotional but supportive.
“So explain the timeline to us,” Leith said. “Because it sounds to me like this relationship has been going on longer than you initially let on. And…more concerning, you broke up at some point.”
I tried to resist fiddling with my necklace.
We’d been hoping to avoid this, but that now seemed impossible.
Pierce had suggested that the board might be more sympathetic if some of the backstory came from me.
He wanted to make sure that they saw me as a willing participant, not someone coerced into an affair with a superior.