I feel myself sinking into the chair, exhaling so hard I hear the fabric of my dress tearing slightly.
Karen murmurs something horrible about Mr. Thorne, Mason, and I turn to give her a look, narrowing my eyes which she doesn’t even notice.
If Mason’s not coming, then I’m not staying. I feel like I’ve humiliated myself enough already today.
A tub of rocky road and a bath sounds much more appealing than sitting here for another four hours, squeezed into this stupid dress.
I get up to leave, with nobody even noticing.
By the time I reach the side exit, I feel my lip quivering. The tears I wanted to hold back until I got home are coming.
Someone opens the side door at the same moment I do and I walk right into them.
A wall of man I recognize instantly from his cologne, his rock hard body against the flats of my raised hands.
Mason!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mason
After re-thinking my whole business model and trying to get a hold of the so called executive arms of my companies I’m so late for the charity auction, I almost forget what’s brought about this change in me.
Almost.
My main reason for living now.
It takes running right into her as the ultimate sign that things are right on track. I want to hold her and to tell her everything.
But she’s has tears glistening in her eyes, and not in a good way.
“Jules, what is it? What’s happened?” I ask her, taking her gently by the elbows as she looks up at me.
Her hands on my chest are like defibrillators, zapping fresh life back into me, making my heart pound for her again, along with other parts of my anatomy.
Seeing her upset puts me in a defensive mood.
Protective, and I remember what the old woman said at the soup kitchen.
Looking around, I try and see who or what might have upset her so much, not even thinking for a second it’s because she thought I wasn’t going to turn up.
“I just feel stupid,” she says, her breath shaking. “I thought you weren’t coming, and this dumb dress, and my boss.”
It all comes tumbling out of her mouth so fast I barely have time to take it all in.
Someone else is at my side, eagerly trying to get my attention. “Uh, Mr. Thorne.”
“Not now,” I growl, without even looking, and they quickly move away from us both.
I’m so over this whole auction business before it’s even started. I know what I want, she’s right in front of me, and it kills me inside to see Jules so upset, whatever the reason.
Someone else is calling out for me now, from somewhere behind Jules, but I wave them away with my hand, eager to rest it on Jules’ arm again.
“Whatever it is, we can work it out,” I tell her, not wanting her to run again like she did earlier today.
I’m never letting her go again, not even for a minute.
I feel like putting her over my shoulder, walking her up to my bed, and claiming her right now. But I have to know she wants me, as well as the fact I do have some public announcements to make after today’s outing to the soup kitchen.
My eyes have been opened to two things today: Jules and the fact my business isn’t really my business at all.
And I know I have to claim both to be whole again.
It takes some control, but I hold her at arm’s length, looking her up and down if only to convince myself that she’s really here. That any of this is real.
“You look amazing,” is all I can say.
She rolls her eyes and looks upset all over again.
“I mean it Jules. You look amazing,” I tell her again because she does.
“You do mean it, don’t you?’ she asks, blinking and sniffling.
“C’mon,” I tell her. “Let’s get you a seat. I have some announcements to make, then we can have dinner here if you want?”
She looks so hesitant like she’s gonna bolt again, but my hands are still holding her, and I don’t plan on letting her go.
Eventually, she stabs a little nod, and looking shyer than ever, she lets me take her arm in mine as I walk us both over to the main tables by the podium.
The lights come up, and there’s a strange silence as half the room stands, and the other half are sort of looking at each other, not sure what to do.
I hear a few snickering laughs, then the slow, fractured applause starts.
I sit Jules down, and whisper in her ear, “I’ll be right back, just going on stage for a minute.”
Her hand clutches mine, and the look of total terror in her eyes makes me feel like I should’ve gone with my gut and just taken her over my shoulder.
Not everyone likes to be in the limelight, so with a firm squeeze of my hand on hers as reassurance, I bound up to the podium.
I close the hand she just touched, hoping it’s captured some of the magic she just transmitted, holding the sensation of her on my skin as long as I can.
Ready to say what I have to say to my so called dream team of employees.
There are the usual acknowledgments. “We are here to hold an auction, with all funds raised going to the sponsor’s designated charities, with Thorne Industries matching each one, dollar for dollar.”
Perfunctory applause follows, but I can still feel the whole room watching Jules.
“If you all haven’t done so already.” I let everyone know. “Download the app on your phones, the link is everywhere here in the room,” I continue, pointing to the huge screen behind me with the logo for the event and the link.
“After downloading the app you can bid your top amount on your choice of candidate and their charity, or compete with other bidders as the evening goes on. And now that I’m here dinner can
