Chapter 21
PAIGE
The MindMeld launch party is in full swing, the conference room transformed into a glittering wonderland of tech and triumph.
I adjust the strap of my green dress—which Jamie somehow convinced me to wear through a combination of bribery and thinly veiled threats—and try to ignore the nervous flutter in my stomach.
"Stop fidgeting," Jamie hisses, appearing at my elbow with two glasses of champagne. "You look amazing, and you know it."
I accept the glass, taking a larger sip than is probably appropriate for a professional event. "I look like I'm trying too hard. And these heels are a workplace safety hazard."
"You look like you're about to bring a room full of investors to their knees," Jamie corrects. "Which, by the way, is exactly what you're going to do when you demo MindMeld in..." She checks her watch. "Twenty minutes."
Right. The demo. I should be focused on that, not on the fact that I haven't seen Alex yet. Not on the way my skin prickles with awareness, like it knows he's here somewhere, watching.
I haven't seen him all day, which is unusual even given our recent awkwardness. Normally he's everywhere, turning up like a bad penny (a devastatingly handsome bad penny) just when I've convinced myself I'm over him.
"Earth to Paige." Jamie waves a hand in front of my face. "You're doing that thing again."
"What thing?"
"That thing where you pretend you're not scanning the room for a certain marketing genius with annoyingly perfect hair."
I glare at her, but it lacks heat. "I am not scanning the room. I am... conducting a thorough security assessment."
"Uh huh." Jamie's tone could not be more skeptical if she tried. "And I suppose your security assessment requires you to fix your lipstick every five minutes?"
I snap my compact shut, caught. "I just want to look professional. For the investors."
"Sure, because investors really care about whether your lipstick is 'Ruby Temptation' or 'Scarlet Seduction.'"
"It's 'Code Red,' actually," I mutter, then immediately regret it when Jamie's eyes light up with unholy glee.
"Oh my god, you're wearing his favorite shade. You're so far gone it's not even funny anymore. It's just sad."
I open my mouth to deny everything, but the words die in my throat as a familiar voice says my name.
"Paige."
I turn, and there he is. Looking devastatingly handsome in a perfectly tailored dark suit, his hair artfully tousled in that way that makes my fingers itch to run through it.
"Alex," I say, proud of how steady my voice sounds despite the fact that my heart is doing its best to escape my chest. "Congratulations on the launch."
He steps closer, his eyes never leaving mine, and the rest of the room seems to fade away. "I have something for you."
Before I can respond, he's pressing a piece of paper into my hand. I look down, my breath catching as I recognize the familiar patterns of Enigma code.
"How did you—"
"I pay attention," he says softly. "To everything about you, Paige. Including your obsession with World War II ciphers."
My hands shake as I decode the message, years of practice making the complex algorithm feel like second nature. The words slowly emerge:
PAIGE - FOLLOW THE CLUES. EACH ONE LEADS TO A PLACE THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO US. BUT FIRST, READ THESE.
He hands me another stack of papers—emails between him and Hollis about CupidCode. I scan them quickly, my heart pounding so hard I'm sure he must be able to hear it:
From: Alex Spencer
To: James Hollis
Re: CupidCode Acquisition
I appreciate the offer, but I can't make this deal without Paige's consent and involvement. She's the brains behind CupidCode, and she deserves to be a part of any decisions made about its future.
I understand the potential for profit, but that's not what this is about for me. This is about supporting Paige, about helping her bring her vision to life. I won't go behind her back, not again.
I'm sorry, but my answer is no. Unless Paige is on board, fully and enthusiastically, there is no deal.
"Alex," I whisper, tears stinging my eyes. "I don't understand. You never—"
"I never betrayed you, Paige. I would never do that to you." He takes my hands in his, and the familiar warmth of his touch sends sparks racing up my arms. "I know I hurt you, and I'm so sorry for that. But everything I did, I did because I believe in you. In us."
I stare at him, hardly daring to breathe. "There's an us?"
He smiles, that soft, tender smile that's only ever been for me. "There's always been an us, Paige. From the moment CupidCode matched us, from our first fight, our first kiss... it's always been you and me."
I close my eyes, overwhelmed by the rush of emotions. "The clues," I manage to say. "What do they—"
"They lead to a letter," he says. "The real one, not this encoded version. But I couldn't wait for you to find it to tell you how sorry I am. How much I love you."
My eyes fly open. "You love me?"
He laughs, the sound warm and rich and achingly familiar. "Of course I love you, you brilliant, infuriating woman. How could I not? You're the most amazing person I've ever met. You're brilliant and stubborn and absolutely terrifying when you're debugging, and I love every single thing about you."
And then he's kissing me, right there in front of everyone, his lips soft and sure against mine. I melt into him, my arms winding around his neck as his hands settle on my waist like they belong there. Like they've always belonged there.
When we finally break apart, both of us breathing hard, I can't help but smile. "So," I say, my voice husky. "About these clues..."
He grins, pressing another encoded message into my hand. "First stop: the coffee shop where you threw a muffin at my head."
I laugh, remembering that day. "You deserved it! You were being an ass about Python versus JavaScript."
"I was trying to get your attention," he admits, his eyes twinkling. "Did it work?"
I pull him down for another kiss, quick and fierce. "You always had my attention, Alex Spencer. Even when I wanted to strangle you."
"Especially then," he murmurs against my lips.
We stand there for a long moment, just holding each other, the party swirling around us unnoticed. I can hear Jamie somewhere in the background, possibly crying or possibly plotting world domination—with her, it's often hard to tell the difference.
"I should probably do the demo," I say reluctantly, not making any move to let go of him.
"Probably," he agrees, his arms tightening around me. "But first..."
He pulls back just enough to look into my eyes, his expression serious.
"I need you to know something, Paige. I'm in this.
All the way. No more misunderstandings, no more holding back.
I want everything with you—the late night coding sessions, the arguments about programming languages, the way you steal all the blankets and then complain that you're cold. "
I laugh through my tears, my heart so full it feels like it might burst. "I do not steal the blankets."
"You absolutely do. And I love that about you too." He brushes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. "I love everything about you, Paige Reynolds. Even the parts that drive me crazy. Especially the parts that drive me crazy."
I take a shaky breath, letting myself be vulnerable in a way I haven't since Brian broke my heart. "I love you too, Alex Spencer. Even when you're being an insufferable know-it-all about marketing strategies."
"That's my girl." He grins, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Now go show these investors what the future of AI looks like. I'll be right here, cheering you on."
I squeeze his hand once before stepping away. "Save my place?"
His smile is soft and sure, full of promises I'm finally ready to believe in. "Always."
I walk to the front of the room, my heels clicking against the floor with newfound confidence. As I begin the demo, my eyes find Alex in the crowd. He's watching me with that look—the one that makes me feel like I could conquer the world.
And maybe I can. Maybe we can do it together, one line of code at a time.
After all, that's what love is, isn't it? A partnership. A perfect match.
Just like CupidCode predicted all along.