Epilogue
Ellison
“Wow, this really is in the heart of downtown,” Charlie said. “And you’re wanting to purchase the entire thing?”
“The company has hit a great moment of growth with the luxury resort, and we don’t have enough room for all the employees,” I said.
“The grand opening went that well, huh?” she asked.
“We’re already booked for the next year and we’ve only been operating for three weeks,” I said.
“Oh my gosh. That is really fantastic, L!”
Charlie threw her arms around me while we gazed at the massive property that loomed over downtown. It was a beautiful building that had been foreclosed on when the previous owner went in too hard and too fast with his budding technology company.
And I was getting a steal of a price on it.
“Come on, I wanna show you something,” I said.
“Lead the way, Mr. James,” she said.
I took her hand while we walked through the building, showing her the massive front office where the main secretary would sit. I talked her through my future plans to get into residential real estate and how I wanted to dedicate the first five floors to helping new real estate development experts get their businesses of the ground.
“They could rent the space for a much lower price than anywhere else in the city, and they would have access to a very professional first impression when potential buyers and builders walked in,” I said.
“Oh, L. That’s fantastic,” she said.
“I thought you’d like that. Come on, there’s much more.”
We rode up the elevator to the penultimate floor and I showed her all the senior management offices. I wanted all my VPs to be located in the same area, so last-minute meetings would be easy to call and arrange.
“Everyone’s office would be private and reinforced with partial sound absorption materials, but we would all be accessible in case we needed information on another department,” I said.
“These offices are huge, L. Are you sure the company can afford all this?” she asked.
“All of this as well as the furnishings. Plus, it’ll be a wonderful tax write-off, at the end of the year,” I said.
“So, these are all the VPs of the departments, but where will you and Michael be located?” she asked.
“That’s what the top floor is for,” I said, with a smirk.
“I should’ve known,” she said, as she rolled her eyes. “Let’s go see the beautiful view from your new office.”
I lead her up the staircase while I took deep breaths through my nose. I was trying to keep my excitement under control, especially since she was under the impression that we were going to look at my office.
“And here is the grand finale,” I said.
I pushed open the door into a room that had already been redesigned. The floor-to-ceiling windows boasted of the best view of the city, and you could see the entire state for miles. The cherry mahogany desk sat opposite of the main door of the office, with a comfortable leather chair rolled up at the helm. The office was outfitted with a television mounted on the wall, the most up-to-date technology, file cabinets and bookshelves that were pressed into the corners of the room, and comfortable seating in the corner in case the owner of the office wanted to use it for private meetings.
“Holy shit, L,” she said. “This office is incredible. Are all of them gonna look like this?”
“For the most part,” I said.
“What’s that small door over there? In the corner?” she asked.
“Why don’t you go look and see?” I asked.
“I mean, if it’s just the bathroom, I don’t care about that.”
“Just go take a look at it, sweetheart,” I urged.
She shot me a funny look before she strode across the floor and I couldn’t help but take her in. Her stomach was comfortably protruding from her body, and her breasts were growing large preparing for the milk she was making for our child. Her hips were wider than I remembered them, boasting of a thickness I got to rub my dick up against every single morning. The way her walk had turned into a slight shuffle tugged at the corners of my mouth, and every single time her hand mindlessly moved to rest on her stomach, I couldn’t help but be jealous.
Her body was doing something mine would never be capable of. Bringing a child to life—a child I thought I’d never have—would always put her a step above me in life. I would be able to give her the world and anything she could ever dream of. If she wanted a gold-studded car, I could get her a gold-studded car. If she wanted a temperature-controlled hot tub in her bedroom, I could have one installed before the weekend was out. If she wanted to fly to Italy for the day just to have fresh pasta for dinner, I could do that and then book her a spa day where they fed her even more pasta.
But, I couldn’t grow a life. My body would never be able to rip itself apart, shift its organs around, grow the life of a human, and shove it out before going on with its day. No matter how much pleasure I brought her in bed, or how strong I got in the gym so I could carry her in my arms for the rest of my life, I would never be able to give her what she was giving me.
And she would always be the better half for it.
Her gasp pulled me from my trance and I could see her glistening eyes all the way across the room. I walked up to her as she entered the room and I could see the absolute surprise across her entire body.
“It’s a—a—”
“A nursery,” I said.
“You have a nursery in your office,” she said.
“No,” I said, as I got down on one knee. “You have a nursery in your office.”
I pulled out the ring that had been burning a hole in my pocket for days. I had gone back to that jewelry store that had stopped me in my tracks that day and bought the ring my eyes had landed on. A beautiful heart-shaped diamond protruded from the top with emeralds the color of her eyes lining the white gold band.
When she turned back around, her hands flew to her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Charlene Simpson, you have been the single greatest motivator and muse my world has ever witnessed. You captured me from the moment your lips slammed into mine in Finland, and I knew from the moment we danced in that sleazy salsa bar that I’d never be able to let you go. My life is better with you in it, my company is better with you in it, and this world we are creating will be better with you in it.”
I stood up and splayed my hand across her stomach, feeling our bouncing baby boy kick lightly against her stomach.
“With this ring, I not only promise you my life, my love, and my heart, but I promise you half my company,” I said.
“What?” she breathed.
“This office is yours, if you want it. This nursery—outfitted with a crib, toys and diapers—is yours if you want it. This building wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for your work in Helsinki, and the life we’re creating wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for your ability to simply be yourself.”
“What the hell are you saying, L?” she asked.
“I’m not saying anything,” I said, as I picked up her left hand. “But, I am asking.”
“Asking what?” she whispered.
“Will you marry me, Charlene Simpson? Will you marry me, be the Senior Vice President of my company, and co-own this real estate empire with me?” I asked.
I watched her entire body tremble as tears flooded down her face, quickly dripping down her neck. I stood there, the ring poised against the tip of her finger, while my eyes searched hers for any sign of an answer.
“I know we won’t only build a solid family, but we’ll build a real estate empire together. Do this with me, Charlie. Please.”
In one fell swoop, she slipped her finger into the ring before she threw her arms around my neck. She pulled herself up onto her tiptoes and barreled her lips into mine, pressing her stomach deep into my body as my arms wrapped around her back. The sun started to shine through the windows of the nursery as it reflected the setting of another day, and I could feel our beautiful little boy kicking hard against my stomach.
“Feels like I’m not the only one that wants an answer,” I murmured into her lips.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Yes, I will marry you. Yes, I will be your Senior VP. Yes to—to all of it. To everything. From here on out,” she said.
Our foreheads rested against one another’s while I held her in the nursery of her new office, and suddenly the world shifted into place. Everything that felt off and rigid about the company had now creaked its way into the slats I’d built for it, and I was holding the missing pieces in my arms. Charlie was going to be a fabulous mother and a shark of a real estate developer, and I had a front-row ticket to the entire show.
And so long as she’d let me hold her like this—her body close to mine so I could protect her from harm—I’d commit every single moment I could to memory.
Because that’s what happens when a person like Charlie enters your life.
Just as they mold themselves into your life, you mold yourself right back.
***The End***
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