The next morning, Jada strolled into the office with determination setting her shoulders. A quick peek in the break room revealed the same table set-up as the previous day, and she smiled to herself. How much could she get Jackson to change around here? How much could she make sure was permanent? The CEO may not have planned to give her all this bonus stuff when they’d made their arrangement, but it was going to happen. She wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

On her desk, Jada found a stack of papers that she had to go through for the marketing department's latest project, and she found herself correcting errors in the signage with a gentler tongue than normal. It was strange to be in such a good mood just because she had made the tiniest bit of an impression on her boss, but after trying for what felt like forever to get anyone at this company to wake up and step up, it was a welcome change.

Jada doled out suggestions to her team and had lengthy conversations about appealing to their customers’ humanity. Her team seemed to back the idea and were eager to get started. It felt like they were doing some of the best work they had in a while. Apparently, everyone was ready for a bit of a revamp.

By the time Jada had gotten her editorial work finished, the afternoon had snuck up on her, the clock revealing it was 3:30. She checked for messages from Jackson and was surprised to find her inbox empty. Not that she minded; it was nice not to have to answer a million questions for once. Jada allowed herself a free moment to check her phone, and her heart sank as soon as she did.

The text, from her mom, read: “Hey, honey. Dad’s been asleep for a while now. He can’t seem to stay awake. No word on a donor yet, but don’t worry. What about you, honey? Everything okay at work? We love you. Be safe.”

The reminder of the real reason she had agreed to this ridiculous “business arrangement” hit Jada hard in the chest. Her father needed her so much, and here she was in a great mood because she’d earned free lunch for a few employees. No, it wasn’t enough. She needed to get this money and be gone. There was no way she wanted to stick around in the marketing department after this was over.

Jada had never really liked her job. She had never really liked any job she’d had, if she was being honest. Jada had no clue what she wanted to do once she left, if indeed she could. She wasn’t sure how much the transplant was going to cost, nor how much her father’s insurance would cover.

Unable to help herself, Jada pulled up Google. In the search bar, she typed “average cost of kidney transplant.”

Three hundred thousand dollars. As she looked at what insurance typically covered, it was another slap to the face. Had her parents reached the maximum deductible? Would their provider cover the typical 80%? Their Medicare wasn’t going to help much. Did they even have a secondary provider?

The panic was crowding around her again, and the clear walls of the office offered no relief. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her team members funneling out of the office. Then Matheson passed by with a little wave. It was quitting time already. She’d completely lost track of time.

Jada knew she was expected in Jackson’s office at any moment, but she was in no mood to look at flowers now. Ugh, just go. You need to make sure this goes smoothly. Your dad’s counting on you.

* * *

By the time she reached Jackson’s private sanctum, Jada was having a difficult time hiding her foul mood. The CEO was signing papers at his desk, minus a tie, and when she came in, he smiled.

“Hey. Just a second. I need to finish up the contracts for this deal with—” He looked up and stopped. “You don’t really care, do you?”

“Not really.” Her tone was sharp.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just a rough day. Sorry.”

“Okay.” He didn’t press any further, and it was both a relief and a disappointment. Jada needed to vent, but it wasn’t smart to drag her boss into her personal life, even if they were about to get fake married.

Jackson finished up with the paperwork and stood from his desk. If the head honcho could ever manage casual, this was it. He was actually wearing jeans—designer jeans, but still. His button-down was still tucked in, and Jada had a feeling the belt he was wearing had cost more than her education.

“Thank you for waiting. We’ll meet Jacques downstairs and head out.” He must have realized Jada wasn’t looking at him. “If that’s all right with you?”

Jada couldn’t believe her ears. Had Jackson actually asked her opinion about something?

“Yeah, of course. Let’s go.”

The drive was quick and, keeping with tradition, quiet. Jada couldn’t think about anything but her father, and Jackson was wrapped up in his own thoughts. After all, this was an important deal to him, and he was probably praying that Jada wasn’t going to screw it up.

Pretty hard to screw up standing there saying “I do,” but whatever, she thought.

As they pulled up to the florist’s, Jada saw that everything had been set up outside. The space was huge and contained rows upon rows of flower and plant stands, all reaching from the ground to nose level. The colors and smells were intense, and the selection was more than she’d seen anywhere. The tulips, daffodils, and happy faces of flowers she couldn’t name brought a small smile to her face.

Jackson got out of the limo and again reached back to help her out. Shaking her head, she accepted this time.

“Such a gentleman,” she said, “You know you don’t have to impress me, right?”

Jackson didn’t respond but instead gestured toward the little city of flowers. When they got to the main entrance, a woman greeted them.

“Hi there. Mr. Hays, correct?” Her voice was warm and deep.

“Yes. Thank you for setting this time aside for us.”

“Certainly. The space is closed off for you, and you can take your time pursuing the options. I’ll be right here if you have any questions.” She took her place at a small desk that was set up and patted her paperwork as she sat down.

The two of them started down the closest aisle, walking at a leisurely pace.

“We don’t have a personal flower guide? I’m so surprised.” The snarky tone in Jada’s voice was obvious.

“I thought you’d appreciate being able to wander freely,” Jackson smirked.

“I do.”

Jada picked up her pace and scampered off toward an enticing bunch of lilacs just waiting to be smelled. She shoved her nose into the flowers and smiled at the amazing fragrance.

They were both quiet as Jada wandered through the aisles ahead of Jackson, sniffing random flowers along the way. Every type of flower imaginable was there, displayed in full blooming glory. It took a moment, but Jada found a section of irises that were set directly in the middle of a row. Her love of them was impossible to disguise, and as she stroked the soft petals and marveled at the colors, Jackson let a smile break free.

“Irises, huh? I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“I love them. They’re like tiny thrones made for dazzling fairy queens.”

Jada let her fingers find a stalk that was free to be pulled out and took the flower in her hands. It was exquisite. The deep purple color burst into bright yellow near the center, and the ruffled edges clung delicately to a few droplets of water.

With her attention on the gorgeous flower in her hand, Jada almost missed the laugh that Jackson let out. She turned on her heel to catch him smiling widely and moving closer. It was a sight to see. When he smiled like that, when he let that deep, throaty laugh break free from his firm chest, he was breathtaking.

“What a description! Irises it is.” He bent down to her hand and inhaled the fragrance. “I think that was a pretty successful trip.”

Who was this? It certainly wasn’t Jackson Hays, billionaire CEO of JPH Tech. Where was the brash, money-hungry closer? He was acting so different; it was as if he were actually enjoying himself.

“Yeah, it was.” Jada smiled back, and as Jackson straightened, she set the flower back in its home.

“I didn’t have anything else planned for tonight. Would you like to take a walk?” The hopeful expression on his face confused her.

“You’re just gonna tell Jacques to wait?”

“Um, yes, I guess so.”

“Why don’t you send him home for the night, and when we’re done we can catch a cab?” Baby steps, sure, but it was something.

Jackson hesitated for a moment but then seemed to find something in Jada’s eyes. “All right. Let me go tell him. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay. I’ll let the woman know we chose irises.”

Again, Jackson’s do-everything-himself attitude was shaken by her actions, but Jada only thought that he had better get used to it. After a moment, he just smiled again and headed off toward the limo.

A few moments later, as Jada finished talking with the florist, Jackson came walking up.

“Everything set?”

“Yup. We’re good. She said they’ll be delivered the morning of the ceremony, if you can email the address to her.”

“That’s fine. Thank you.”

“Where is the ceremony, anyway?” Jada realized she had no clue.

“Oh, just this small place I found.”

That was evasive, but as Jackson turned toward the sidewalk, he gave the impression he didn’t want to talk about it. Jada was a bit annoyed, but she had other, more pressing matters to deal with.

* * *

Jackson led the way, and the two of them strolled along San Francisco’s downtown streets with ease. As they settled into a calm pace, Jackson began asking question after question about Jada. It seemed like the emails he’d sent reflected his intent on getting to know her as a person after all.

“So I know where your mother is from, but what about your father?”

“Arizona. It’s where I grew up. He met my mom in college.”

“Hmm. Why San Francisco, then?” Jackson was staring at his feet.

“Well, there’s an amazing art program out here, and I wanted to take it. I agreed to go to college first, and then I had to start working right away because I needed the money. What about you?”

Jackson seemed a little surprised by the return question, but he did answer. “I grew up here.”

“So do your parents live here too?”

“Umm…” There was a change in Jackson’s face that, however much he tried to bury it, let Jada know she had hit a nerve.

“What is it? Did I offend you?”

“No, no. Nothing like that.” Jackson attempted to shake the question off and move to a new subject. “So. Do you like the city?”

“Not so easy, bud. What’s up?”

Jackson huffed out a deep breath and shoved his hair out of his face. He looked up at the sky, which was purple and red in the late evening, and sighed. Jada didn’t push, but she let the silence draw out until Jackson had to say something.

“I don’t know them.”

“What?”

“I never met my parents. I grew up in an orphanage and then foster care.”

The admission seemed to actually pull a weight off his shoulders. Jada was taken aback. Here was the guy who had it all, and it turned out that was a rather recent development. He’d grown up alone. Jada couldn’t imagine not having her parents be a part of her life. The experience seemed so fundamental.

“Wow. That sucks. I’m sorry.”

Jackson let out a burst of air that was sort of an angry laugh and then shrugged. “It is what it is. I didn’t have much growing up, but when I was in school, my teachers saw I was on the smarter side, so I was able to get a scholarship for private school.”

“Well that’s good.”

“Yeah, mostly. I mean, I learned a lot and I was able to develop my skills, of course, but the children there weren’t overly friendly.”

“What do you mean?” Jada knew kids could bully, but everybody went through a bit of that, didn’t they?

“Most of the other students were rich, and I definitely wasn’t. They didn’t like to let me forget that.”

Jada pictured rich, snotty kids picking on a boy without parents for not having enough, and it turned her stomach. She’d always assumed Jackson had been fed baby food with a gilded spoon, but he’d come from nothing.

“So is that why being successful is so important to you? You want to show those kids that you could have it all too?”

Jackson stopped in his tracks. He stared down at her with wide eyes and brows that reached his hairline. Yet again, Jada had let her big mouth run away with her. She looked down at the pavement, embarrassed, and heard Jackson blow out a long breath.

“Honestly, I haven’t given much thought to my motives. I knew I wanted to be successful. I knew I didn’t want to live my life like I had in the children’s home. I would always tell myself, never again. I would never be poor again. Guess I succeeded there.”

“I’d say,” Jada murmured.

Across from them was a small park area, and a set of benches. Jackson nodded at them and asked her if she’d like to sit. They went over to take a seat on the nearest bench. The air was getting cooler, and Jada hugged her jacket closer to her.

“We don’t have to sit here if you don’t want to.” Jackson looked genuinely concerned.

“No. I’m fine. Just a bit nippy. I’m liking the fresh air too much to leave now.”

Jackson said all right but then looked around the park area, searching for something.

“What?” Jada asked.

Apparently spotting what he was after, Jackson said, “Ah, perfect. Just wait here a moment.”

He walked over to a small shop on a nearby corner and went inside. Jada sat on the bench, watching people walk by and enjoying the sunset for a few minutes before Jackson returned. He was carrying two cups.

“Here.”

He handed her a paper cup of hot cocoa, and Jada graciously accepted. It was the perfect solution to the slight chill in the air.

“So this is a little off topic, but what does the P stand for?” Jada sipped at the steaming beverage.

“The P?”

“In JPH Tech. I assume it’s Jackson something Hays Tech.”

Jackson shook his head, swallowing a hot mouthful of chocolatey goodness before answering. “It’s just an initial, just P. At the children’s home, the staff used the names given to us by our birth families if available. I always hated mine. So when I was older, I changed my name.”

“You chose Jackson Hays?”

“Yes. Why?”

“It sounds like something a dude would pick is all.” Jada laughed at him and smiled playfully.

“Ha, ha. Very funny.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Jada sipped again at the hot chocolate. “What was your name before?”

“I really don’t want to say. It’s embarrassing.”

“More embarrassing than Jackson?”

“You just can’t help it, can you?” He shook his head at her.

“I really can’t. It’s just so…I don’t know, but I feel like your last name should actually be Steel. Jackson Steel, billionaire CEO of Steel Industries.” Jada set off the name with elaborate hand gestures and almost spilled her drink. “It’d make a great Batman villain name.”

“Ugh. You tease!” Jackson shoved lightly on her shoulder, making an amusing, half-angry face.

Jada laughed loudly. They both sipped at their drinks till they were empty and Jackson took the cups to the trash at the corner. Jackson sat back down and leaned against the metal of the bench.

“It’s Edmund.” His voice was low and quiet.

“I’m sorry. What was that?”

“Edmund, all right!”

“That’s not bad at all! You big baby. I think I’ll call you that from now on.”

He glared at her. “Don’t you dare!”

“Fine, fine. Only when we’re alone.”

“Ugh. I never should have told you.”

“You really shouldn’t have.” Jada leaned back and crossed her arms. “Edmund.”

He tried to look at her with disdain, but she was smiling so widely that he couldn’t maintain his composure. He simply shook his head, and they both laughed.

During their conversation, night had crept up and the streetlights had lit up the park with an artificial glow.

Jackson, or as Jada would think of him from now on, Edmund, looked over at her.

“It only seems fair that you reveal something embarrassing as well. After all, fair is fair.”

Jada chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Okay. Let me think.”

“Edmund” waited patiently while she attempted to think of something embarrassing enough to count as an admission that was also safe enough to maintain her integrity.

“I don’t know how to dance.”

Her boss shot her a look. “You can’t be serious.”

“Well, I am, Edmund.”

“Would you stop that?”

“Nope.”

“You honestly don’t know how to dance?” He leaned in a bit closer.

“You could say I’m rhythmically challenged.”

Jada remembered her cousin’s recent wedding and the awkward maneuvers she’d had to pull to get out of the group dances and waltz requests.

“I don’t know if this counts as embarrassing to the level of my story.”

“What do you mean? I still have bruises from when I last hip-swirled my way into a buffet table.”

He burst out laughing, and Jada joined right in. She was surprised by how comfortable she felt with him now. But knowing more about a person always helped in humanizing them, and Edmund definitely seemed more human, and approachable, than Jackson Hays.

Finally, he caught his breath. “All right, that definitely counts. Right into a buffet?”

“Oh yeah. It was bad. I bruise like a peach.”

He laughed again, and as the energy of the evening settled down, they both realized they had better head back.

“We should probably go.” Jada stood up off the bench.

A little reluctantly, Edmund joined her. He was so tall, and Jada found herself appreciating his frame more than she’d have liked to admit.

“Yes. That’s a good idea. Do you see a cab?”

They looked around, and quickly spotted a yellow taxi pulling up outside a nearby restaurant. They ran over and hopped inside. Edmund directed the cab to the office, and the drive proceeded without a peep. Some of the magic that had been conjured on the bench remained, but now the quiet of the evening was closing around them, leaving them feeling a bit awkward.

The car pulled up to the office garage, and Jada stepped out, holding the door open a moment.

“Well, I’ll see you later.”

“Yes. We don’t have anything arranged for the next few days. I’ll email you with the fitting details.”

“The fitting?” Jada was gripping her purse high on her shoulder.

“For your dress.”

She’d completely forgot about that part.

“Oh, okay. Yeah just let me know.” She put her hand on the car door to shut it, then something made her pause. “The lunch was really nice, by the way, but it’s too bad those cakes got wasted.”

Jackson smiled widely. “They didn’t.”

“What?”

“I gave them to a shelter. They said they’d have enough dessert for the next three months.”

Jada was speechless.

Edmund nodded gently. “Yes, well…” He hesitated a moment. “Good night.”

“Good night.”