Abby

 

The hotel room was cramped, but nice. I had a little deck area I could venture out on whenever I had coffee, and if I’d had the time to have a cup I would’ve done just that. But, the conference was going to start in a couple of hours and I looked like a wreck. Waking up at six thirty was not a good look on me, and I was here representing Murphy, Inc. With Colin being a keynote speaker, I needed to look my best. Everything needed to be recorded and I had to have the first formal article submitted to my boss so she could turn it around to the press by the time the nightly news came around.

Plus, part of me wanted to look good for Colin.

I hopped in the shower and quickly washed myself down. I wrapped a towel around my hair before I dried my body off, then slipped into a pair of high-waist black pin-striped pants. I took the time to blow out my hair, giving it the voluminous lift it needed in the dry winter air of Kansas. I applied a bit of makeup and slipped on a gray blouse that accentuated the curves of my chest. Tucking it into my pants, I then grabbed my crimson red coat. I looked fabulous, I felt fabulous, and I was ready to P.R. my first ever conference for Murphy, Inc.

Hopefully I wouldn’t blow it.

I grabbed my purse and stuffed my notepad into it. I was ready just in time to go snag a decent seat before everyone started flooding in. I slipped into my black heels and made my way to the elevator, spotting a familiar face before I walked in.

“Abby! Hey!”

“Maggie! I didn’t realize you were going to be here!”

I embraced my work colleague before the two of us stepped onto the elevator. Maggie Adams was Ted’s secretary and had become a wonderful friend of mine. Colin held down things in L.A. while Ted held down things in Minnesota, and I had become accustomed to seeing her every morning. I would bring her coffee and she would always have a cookie to offer, and we’d start our days off gossiping about the entire office before I’d book it to my desk.

“Wherever Ted goes, I go,” Maggie said.

“Sounds like you’re his wife,” I said.

“I might as well be. But he pays me well, so I go. I don’t have much of a life anyway, so it works out.”

“Well, once we get back to Minnesota, I’m dragging you out.”

“Honey, I’m too old to go out.”

“You’re only thirty-nine. Get over yourself,” I said.

“Thirty nine is not the new twenty nine,” she said.

“But forty is the new thirty,” I said, winking.

“I should slap you with my purse for that comment.”

“Hey! You look fabulous. You rock higher heels than me on your pajama days. Don’t lie to me.”

“Did you have any problems getting here? You flew out of Minnesota, right?” she asked.

“The plane was grounded,” I said. “I had to get a rental car and drive here.”

“Holy hell, did you hit all that weather coming down?”

“I did. It was awful. I was an anxious wreck the entire way. And you’ll never guess who I had to do it with.”

“Do what with?” Maggie asked.

“The road trip. Mr. Murphy was on that flight as well.”

“You drove down here with Colin!?” she asked.

“I did. I couldn’t drive in that weather even if I’d wanted it. It gives me the heebie-jeebies,” I said.

“How was that?” she asked. “Riding with Colin, I mean.”

“It wasn’t terrible. I mean, he had his upbeat moments.”

“Colin? Upbeat? We’re talking about the founder and CEO of Murphy, Inc. right? The keynote speaker at the conference?”

“The one and only,” I said, grinning.

“That man isn’t upbeat. On his best day, he’s tolerable.”

I threw my head back and laughed as the elevator doors parted. I knew that was Colin’s reputation, and it wasn’t unfounded. When I first met him, that was exactly how he was. Tolerable on his best day, and easily killable on his worst. But I knew a different side of him. A side that was aching to be let out. He just had to trust the right person, and a few times I saw it shine through.

And when it did, his presence lit up a room.

But I knew I had to just agree with everyone. If I didn’t, it would bring about questions, and I knew I couldn’t talk about what was going on between the two of us. Whatever the hell ‘it’ was. There would be questions flying from the mouths of many people, and I wouldn’t know how to answer any of them. I was just as in the dark with whatever the fuck it was that blossomed between Colin and I when we were together, and the last thing I needed was to be cornered about it.

So, I simply agreed with people on his disposition and kept on going.

Though a part of me really wanted to correct them.

“Where are you seated during the conference?” she asked.

“I’m in the right middle portion, nine aisles back.”

“Lucky,” she said. I’m all the way over to the left. The very left seat in the front row. That’s the side of the stage where Ted’s spending the bulk of his time, and I need to be easily accessible.”

“You know that man couldn’t tie his damn shoe unless you put it on his calendar,” I said.

“And you can bet your sweet ass it’s on there, too.”

We laughed as we scurried across the road, then I parted from Maggie with one last hug before I went to find my seat. She was right. I had a wonderful seat. I was front and center with the majority of the stage, but I could also see back behind the curtains on either side. I shrugged off my coat before I sat in my seat, tossing the crimson red fabric across my lap. I dug out my notepad and readied my pen, then took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

It was a hell of an adventure, but I was finally here.

I opened my eyes and scanned the stage as people started to trickle in. I looked over to the right of the stage and craned my neck, trying to see if I could catch any movement. I wasn’t sure who I was looking for, or even why I was trying so hard to find someone, but when his face came into view I smiled.

An involuntary smile that almost hurt my cheeks.

Colin looked dashing in the suit he had on. It was a navy suit that was tailored to the ridges and edges of his body. He wore a silken royal blue tie against a light blue shirt, and I could feel the heat in my stomach beginning to pool. His eyes connected with mine and a grin tugged across his cheeks, bringing a light to his blue eyes that I’d only ever seen a few times before.

He would be the best-looking man on that stage this afternoon, whether he wanted to be or not.

He rose his hand to give me a little wave and I waved back in return. His eyes turned back towards the stage as people started to settle in their seats, but then I saw him turn his eyes back towards me.

Not his entire face, just his eyes.

And for a split second, I could’ve sworn he winked at me.