Chapter 37 #4
I swallowed the creeping burn of tears assaulting my throat.
That was…. My heart exploded in a shower of confetti.
I shook my head and placed my hand over his heart.
“Thank you.” I sniffed and blinked because those damned tears really wanted to be part of this.
Needing a moment, I peered around the room, then looked back at him.
It wouldn’t be right until I’d apologized too.
“Do you forgive me for lying by omission? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my past with Mark, Amanda, and Piranha.
I was scared, but that isn’t a good excuse.
I hate that I hurt you, that what I did gave your father and Queen B ammunition to manipulate you. ”
He cupped my cheek, and it was like being welcomed home.
I sighed at the pleasure of it. This felt right.
“Of course. You didn’t have a choice. I understand why, and it shouldn’t have mattered because you didn’t do anything wrong.
And honestly, when Amy told me what they did to you, how anyone could think you’d help them was beyond me.
My father didn’t do his homework, and now he’s going to pay for it.
I’m just sorry it took me so long to ask the right questions.
” He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back.
Someone yelled, “Get a room!” Laughter echoed around the venue.
Curtis chuckled. “Looks like we’d better get this show on the road. Why don’t you go up there and tell us all what you’ve decided.” A flame of uncertainty flickered in his gaze, like a candle in a breeze trying not to go out.
I placed a quick kiss on his cheek, squeezed his hand, and released it, making my way up the stairs to the lectern.
When I looked across the crowd, my mouth dried.
Two-day-old donuts, but there were a lot of people.
I took a deep breath and hoped my voice came out loud enough.
I didn’t know if I could do it. I’d never been good at public speaking, and really, I’d never had much of an opportunity to do it.
Everyone was staring at me, waiting. I opened my mouth, but no sound exited.
Do it for Curtis.
Was it normal to feel like throwing up when you were nervous?
Imagine everyone as pastries. Look, Amy’s a croissant, Kayley’s a jelly donut, Queen B, with that scowl on her face and a prison cell in her future, is a burnt, sugar-free quinoa cookie with marzipan icing.
I shuddered at how disgusting that sounded. Right. I was ready.
“Hi, everyone. As you’ve heard, I’m Faith Emery. I love marketing, and I can’t wait to work alongside Curtis.”
Everyone clapped, and Amy shouted, “Way to go!”
I glanced at Curtis. He smiled, giving me an encouraging nod.
But his uncertainty remained. And I knew why.
“Curtis had kind things to say about me, and I want to return the favor.” I looked at him as I said, “You’re a generous, kind, sexy, amazing man.
Thank you for doing all this. It’ll take a while for it to sink in because I don’t feel like I deserve any of it, and other than my amazing best friend, Amy, no one has ever done anything much for me, let alone something this incredible.
But you make me want to believe in myself and reach for the Milky Way.
I can’t help but think back to the day I crashed into you in the break room.
That day, all I wanted was my favorite thing in the whole world—a chocolate donut.
Little did I know that chocolate donuts weren’t really my favorite thing.
My favorite thing is you. I love you more than all the donuts in the world. ”
While some of the guests hooted their approval, Curtis’s face lit up brighter than the sun.
It burned through me from my head to my toes.
I needed to be off this stage and in his arms. He must’ve understood the look on my face because he joined me on the stage and wrapped his arms around me.
I breathed in the scent that was distinctly Curtis, letting it settle within my bones.
It was safe to let him all the way in. I’d been through so much in the past few weeks, but none of that mattered now.
All I could think about was this moment and the fact that there’d be many more similar ones.
I’d get to hug and kiss him whenever I wanted.
I nuzzled my cheek into my favorite pec—who was I kidding, they were both my favorite—and sighed.
More applause quieted into aws and ahs. The only people who frowned and stayed quiet were Queen B and Curtis’s father.
Queen B drained a glass of wine—her last hurrah before she was arrested.
I knew it wasn’t nice, but I was doing a little jig in my head.
She deserved every shitty prison meal without wine in her future.
Curtis’s mother gave Knight Senior a dirty look, then turned our way, smiled, and placed both hands over her heart.
His brothers and sister were high-fiving. I grinned.
I had so many questions. How did Curtis get this gorgeous place for the business? How much was I getting paid? Was I going to crash with Amy for a while or get my own place?
I didn’t know if it was too soon to move in with Curtis, though maybe he wouldn’t want that just yet. But at least we had time to figure everything out. I didn’t have to operate on cat-pee fumes, donuts, and desperation. I had security.
I still couldn’t believe I owned more of this business than Curtis. And if Amy had a hand in the paperwork, there was no way she would’ve let him do anything that could potentially hurt me. How was this all real?
Tonight was the icing on my life, and I couldn’t be happier—I was safely in Curtis’s embrace, and I had a job and an actual company.
Shut the front door! I was going to be able to live in New York and see Amy whenever I wanted.
I spared a small thought for the grocery store I’d have to give notice to.
I’d still have to pay the rent on that shitty apartment, but now I had a proper job, I could easily afford it.
Life couldn’t be sweeter.
I peered up at the love my life. Curtis smiled down at me, turning my stomach to butterfly mode. “I think we should seal this deal properly.”
I tilted my head to the side. “With a handshake?”
He grinned and shook his head. “No. Like this.”
He lowered his mouth to mine, the soft, insistent pressure of his lips like heaven. I never wanted to be out of his arms again.
Pour some sprinkles on me because this donut girl was done.