Chapter 1 #2
They made their way down to the conference center and followed the noise toward the large ballroom, set up with at least twenty tables hosting eight chairs each, many of which were filling up.
The tables were aimed at a small stage, with a mic at a podium in the middle and three chairs set off to the left behind it, with large projector screens set up on both sides of the stage.
There were registration tables in the back where a small line had formed, and Quinn and Mel joined the queue.
They waited patiently, and when it was their turn, they approached a lovely blonde at the end of the table.
Mel leaned toward her, and Quinn knew that she was going to be reliving their hotel check-in.
“I’m Mel Hayes, and this is my business partner, Quinn Miles,” she said, over-enunciating the word ‘business’ unnecessarily.
“Nice to meet you,” the girl said, and she walked her fingers through the name tags in front of her, searching for their names. “I’m Audrey Palmer. ”
“Audrey Palmer,” Mel said. Quinn tried her best to manage her face, to not let her expression show any form of recognition. “Like, Palmer Palmer?”
“Yes,” Audrey confirmed with a laugh, handing them their lanyards and name tags, each with SPEAKER printed under their names, the Prism Group logo added as well—a nice touch. “Scotty Palmer is my uncle.”
Scott Palmer, the CEO, the P in J&P Industries. Quinn hoped that it wasn’t audible when she gulped.
“I see,” Mel said. “Well, Audrey Palmer Palmer, I hope we get the chance to see you more throughout the week.”
“I’m sure you will,” Audrey said, and she sounded like she might be flirting, which Quinn couldn’t even consider at that moment.
Audrey handed them each a folder, a notebook, and a pen.
“The schedule of events is in the folder, both a printed copy and a QR code to access the conference app. We invite our facilitators to attend any and all sessions that strike their interest. We feel like it’s a good way for you to get to know our company and our people. ”
“That was a good speech,” Mel said, complimenting Audrey before leading Quinn to a table in the middle of the room that only had two seats remaining open.
Quinn certainly wasn’t her best self while they ate dinner, one of many reasons she was grateful to have a partner like Mel, who could charm any audience.
While she tried to keep it together, chiming in when necessary, Mel handled most of the interactions, introducing them and their business to the folks at their table, beginning to make the connections that they’d taken the trip to build.
Towards the end of the meal, someone tapped on the mic, and the feedback rang out across the room, quieting the individual conversations.
“Good evening, friends,” an older man they both recognized immediately as Scott Palmer said into the mic.
“Thank you so much for joining us here this evening. I’m not going to speak for a long time tonight, given that there will be plenty more opportunities for you to hear me yammer this week.
However, I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for the folks that are in this room.
Between the vendors that we bring in to sponsor this event and the speakers that will be leading seminars and workshops throughout the next several days, you all help us bring this week to life. ”
Somehow, Quinn had missed that the seats behind Mr. Palmer filled while he was speaking. There was Audrey, from the registration table, on the end, next to a man that could only be her dad, the younger Mr. Palmer. Jeremy, Quinn recalled—the CFO of J&P.
And then Quinn’s breath caught because there she was .
Olivia Palmer, Scott Palmer’s daughter.
The most beautiful person that Quinn had ever met.
Sure, she hadn’t seen her in ten years, and she could see the passage of time in the way that she held herself.
Her dark, wavy hair was tamed, pulled back and pinned tightly, her cheekbones sharper, and Quinn reluctantly noticed that time had been kind to her curves, wrapped as she was in a tailored-for-her-body cornflower blue dress.
She was stunning .
She looked older, yes, but Quinn could still see traces of her Liv in her bright blue eyes, in the way they crinkled as she smiled at her dad before glancing out at the audience.
It was only a few short moments that Quinn had the chance to stare at her before Liv’s scan of the room got to Quinn’s table, and once again, her breath hitched.
Because Liv’s eyes found hers, locking on with an intensity that made Quinn’s heart race.
The recognition was not subtle. She almost seemed excited to see Quinn, though she was trying to mask it.
Of course she was, Quinn thought. There was something about the way she started shifting that made Quinn think she was even more affected than Quinn that they were in the same room, and she got the sense that Liv was fighting the urge to jump down off the stage and run over to her.
They both missed the conclusion of her dad’s speech, but the next thing Quinn knew, Liv was stepping from the stage and heading in their direction. Quinn wanted to disappear. She wanted to stay in that moment forever, watching as Liv walked over, confident and on a mission and gorgeous.
“He seems like a nice guy,” Mel whispered to Quinn.
“Mmhmm,” was all Quinn could respond. She agreed with the statement, even if it confused her, but she couldn’t say more.
Mel looked at her, concerned. She reached out and took her hand for a second, squeezing tightly before letting go. “I know this is a big deal. But you’re making me nervous. Are you okay?”
Quinn took a deep breath. She needed to pull it together.
They were there for their business, and this was a great opportunity.
She shook out her shoulders and breathed again, letting most of the tension she’d been feeling go.
She was helped along in this action by the realization that Liv slowed down ever so slightly when she saw Mel squeeze her hand, and that made her feel just a little lighter.
It was so ridiculous, the entire situation, but Quinn thrived in ridiculous situations.
“I’m good.”
She rallied at exactly the right moment, Liv approaching just then. When Mel saw her, she did a double take before extending her hand. “Hi, I’m Mel Hayes, with the Prism Group.”
“Olivia Palmer,” Liv replied, and it was clear that she was trying to split her focus, though her eyes kept returning to Quinn, like she couldn’t help herself.
“I know, we’re so excited to be here,” Mel said. “This is my partner, Quinn Miles.”
“Nice to meet you, Olivia,” Quinn said, keeping her voice calm .
But Liv’s face fell. It was barely anything, and maybe most people would have missed it, but Quinn noticed. “Yeah. Um, welcome. I’m really excited about the workshop you’re putting on later this week. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go check in with my cousin on something.”
“Have a nice night,” Mel called after her, and they both watched Liv speed away before Mel turned to Quinn and, through tight lips, said, “What the fuck was that about?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Quinn said, surprised that Mel had picked up on any weirdness, given how totally cool she’d played it.
“There was a weird vibe,” Mel whispered, careful not to make a scene. “Do you know her?”
Quinn was not a liar. She may have neglected to be 100% honest, sure, but no matter how much she didn’t want to have this conversation, she knew that this was going to come out eventually, and she was not going to explicitly lie to her best friend. “It was a long time ago. Don’t worry about it.”
“Olivia…Olivia. I don’t remember you ever mentioning an Olivia.” Mel was clearly trying to put the puzzle pieces together, but she was missing a vital piece of information.
Quinn didn’t meet Mel’s eye. “I knew her in college. Undergrad, obviously.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Mel’s face morph from a state of confusion to shock.
After a few moments, she grabbed Quinn’s arm, yanking her out of the ballroom and into the nearest restroom.
She had the presence of mind to ensure that they were the only people in the room before she shrieked, “You didn’t think that it would be appropriate to share with me that you fucked the daughter of the CEO of the company we’re here to work with? ”
“It was a long time ago. I wasn’t sure she’d even remember me,” Quinn said, and it hurt how much she meant it, even if she knew it was absurd .
Mel’s face softened, despite her rage. “This is your Liv, isn’t it? Your ex?”
Quinn took a deep breath before nodding ever so slightly. “Not an ex, exactly. But yes.”
“I’ve never seen you so broken. I cannot believe you didn’t tell me!” Mel took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, before she remembered, “You gave me a hard time for hitting on the front desk girl earlier!”
That was fair. Quinn didn’t have an excuse. She hadn’t warned her friend that this event was going to be, to put it lightly, complicated for Quinn. Mel had every right to be irritated.
Because Liv was here.
And Quinn? Quinn was fucked .