Bailey
The energy in the ballroom was almost electric. Employees from the office and all four of Bryce's restaurants mingled with various friends and business contacts of his like they'd known each other for eons. From servers and bussers to lawyers and businessmen, everyone in the room was dressed to the nines and enjoying the Winter Wonderland I had created. It was heartwarming. Seeing all these people, from all walks of life, together and enjoying the atmosphere I'd spent the last month and a half dreaming up, made every painstaking detail feel worth it.
And yet, no one in this room, no amount of joy written on anyone's face, even carried a candle to the glow emanating from the man beside me. Bryce spoke to each person in this room like they were long-time friends. He remembered more names than I had probably forgotten in my lifetime. It was no wonder that there wasn't much employment turnover at the Jordan Group. With a boss like Bryce Jordan, why would anyone ever want to leave?
Bryce made no attempt to hide the change that had occurred in our relationship in the last three days. He held my hand as he circulated the ballroom, wrapped an arm around me as he stopped at talked to every single attendee and whomever they brought with them, dropped a kiss on my head as certain older board members rattled on about business and what they thought his next move should be. And the most shocking thing to me? No one so much as flinched. It was almost as if they expected us to arrive hand in hand. As if they expected to watch the man of the hour gaze at me with what could only be described as complete adoration. No one stuttered, no one stammered, no one even so much as asked any questions. It was almost strange how little they seemed to care.
Maybe transitioning from our strictly working relationship to lovers wasn't going to be a difficult as I had previously thought.
After cocktail hour, we all settled in at our pre-assigned seats for a three-course plated dinner. Waiters circulated offering water and wine as Bryce readied himself to address his company.
"Are you nervous?" I asked, running a hand down his forearm as he stood and buttoned his tuxedo jacket.
"Not in the least," Bryce answered before stooping to press a chaste kiss to my lips. "This is by far the least nerve-wracking thing I've done today."
I arched a recently micro-bladed eyebrow. "What exactly were you up to today?"
Bryce gave me a cool wink. "Time will tell." He pressed another kiss to the crown of my head. "Back in a flash."
The dull roar of a hundred plus people chatting stopped the instant Bryce Jordan stepped onstage. A smattering of applause began and before long, the entire room was nothing but a sea of clapping hands. Bryce just smiled and gave the room a small wave before he took his place behind the microphone stand. He didn't have so much as a notecard with him, but that wasn't surprising. The man I knew had no issue speaking from the heart.
"Thank you," Bryce began with a nod and another wave as the applause began to grow softer. "Thank you all for being here this evening to celebrate with me. I know taking time out of your schedule for a work thing isn't everyone's favorite thing to do, so don't worry, the food will be worth it." A small hum of laughter erupted and softened before Bryce continued.
"As most of you know, this year has been... difficult for me, to say the least," Bryce spoke, his voice thick with sincerity. "Six months ago, I lost the most important person in the world to me, my mother, Hazel. If you've been with us for longer than six months, it's safe to say that you've met her. Hazel was the figurehead of Jordan Group. She certainly didn't have to work, but she wanted to. She wanted to be there in the trenches, with all of you. She wanted to see the challenges you faced and help me with practical solutions and methods to strengthen what we do each day. And if you've been around at least a year then you know that Christmas was my mother's favorite. She was a kind, giving woman, day in and day out, but only grew more so when the Holidays approached. She planned these parties so that every single one of you could experience the best. Taking care of those who take care of us was something she'd instilled in me since birth. It had always only been my mother and I, and it was her and I until the very end."
Bryce paused as emotion began to invade his voice and I glanced around, finding many eyes, including my own, clouded with tears.
"After she died, I... immediately thought that these get-togethers would be a thing of the past," he continued. "The thought of celebrating without her hurt more than losing her did, honestly. The thought of having to do all of this..." He motioned around the room. "Pull all of this together on my own, was daunting and sad to say the least. And when I started knocking around the idea of not having a party this year, another woman, very dear to me..." His eyes met mine, "reminded me that Hazel would have my ass if I even debated not celebrating all of you."
"Bailey took on this evening without so much as a blink of thought. She planned every detail, every decoration, every sparkling light, all on her own, just as my mother had before her. She never so much as asked my opinion, which, I admit, for me, was a bit hard to deal with, but I knew I had left our annual celebration in the very best hands." Bryce's eyes shone as he gazed at me, twinkling like stars under the stage lights. He swallowed and cleared his throat and turned his gaze back toward the expansive crowd. "You see, Bailey reminded me of the one thing I'd forgotten Christmas was about. It's not about the party, or the gifts, or the delicacies. It's about showing love to the people around you. Showing your heart to those that have made their place there. It's about honoring those that are no longer here to celebrate, but leave their mark on our hearts and in everything we do. Hazel Jordan may be gone, but her heart, her love, her admiration for every single one of you, will never die. I won't allow it to."
"This night is about celebrating all of you, no matter your status in this company or your position. Whether you're in the kitchen, behind the bar, or behind a desk at the office, there is not a single one of you more important than the next. I have always strived to make sure that all of us, from owner, to manager, to the dish crew, are treated with the same respect as the suits in the office. Because, when it comes down to it, there wouldn't be suits in the office if it weren't for those of you running tables every night. There wouldn't BE a Bryce Jordan without every single one of you bringing your time, your dedication, your heart into our establishments on a daily basis. I am so proud to call every one of you part of this family. YOU are the backbone. You are what makes this crazy dream I had at eighteen, truly work. You are what make it possible for me to expand without so much as a worry that the original things will go awry. You are what keeps me going and I am so very lucky that you all have decided that Jordan Group is a place you want to call home."
"As we approach the New Year, I know that there are many adventures waiting for us. I cannot promise that they will all be successful or that they'll all be kind, but I can promise that as long as we all have each other and work together as we have for all of the adventures behind us, that none of them will be in vain. Thank you for trusting in me to lead you. Thank you for giving me your time, your passion. Thank you for making Jordan Group the success that it has been. I couldn't have done any of this without every single one of you and this evening is only a mere snippet of my appreciate. Drink, dance, and have the night of your lives. Merry Christmas."
A chorus of 'Merry Christmases' rang out as the entire room raised their glasses to the man we all called the boss. Bryce onstage raised his, before giving the crowd a smile and heading back for me.
"How'd I do?" he asked with a beaming smile, brushing his lips against my cheek before taking his seat.
"You were amazing," I answered, inching my chair closer to his. "These people are lucky to work for a man that cares about them so much."
Bryce's smile only widened. "Just wait til they get their bonus checks at the end of the night."
I laughed as waiters began circulating the room with the first course. "Oh, I'm sure there will be some tears. You're a very generous man, Bryce Jordan."
"Hopefully not just in business," he retorted with a mischievous smirk as he sipped from the wine glass in his hand.
I shook my head. "I think I'll need more than one night to truly answer that."
"You're welcome to a lifetime of them."
"You are ridiculous," I stated as I felt a flushed fire creep across my cheeks.
"But I'm yours."
The flush only increased as I felt Bryce's hand wrap around mine under the table. His fingertips barely brushed the velvet on my thigh, and I was already struggling to keep my breathing even.
This man.
He was everything. He was the romantic hero in all of those cheesy books, or movies. He was the man that women's daydreams were made of. All strapping and strong and ready to confess his undying love at a moment's notice. The fact that he was real was in itself, mind blowing.
I would never stop thanking whatever higher power there was, that he had chosen me. Thought I still couldn't make sense of it, I was no longer intent on questioning. He wanted me, I wanted him, and that was all I needed to know.
Once dinner was over, the real party began. Tables were cleared and then moved out of the way so that the center of the room became a dance floor. Deanna had already made friends with one of Bryce's head chefs, and was they were the first couple on the dance floor. I just kind of stood back and watched Deanna and her new friend as Bryce schmoozed and I was perfectly content. So, so very content.
By the third song, I felt a hand on my elbow and turned to see Bryce beaming down at me. "You finally come to dance with me?" I asked with a grin.
"Not exactly," Bryce smirked, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. He rested his chin atop my head and began to sway. "I have your Christmas gift. You should come with me."
I turned toward him and arched an eyebrow. "Sir, we are at a party with all of our coworkers."
Bryce let out a loud guffaw. "You know, you're actually the only one talking about sex."
"Oh, well then, I'm not going anywhere." I turned back to watch the dance floor but Bryce's fingers dug into my stomach and I laughed.
"Come on, you."
I rolled my eyes and forced a sigh. "Fiiiiine," I taunted. "Where are we headed?"
"My suite."
My eyebrows drew together in confusion as he took my hand and lead me toward a back entrance of the ballroom. "We live in Seattle and you have a driver. Why would you get a suite?"
Bryce shrugged. "Thought it'd be fun. Plus, I had some business to attend to today and it was easier to do it from here."
"Okay..."
It was Bryce's turn to roll his eyes. "Stop being so suspicious. Have I ever led you astray?"
"Considering I'm currently boning my boss..."
"You are the devil, woman." Bryce tugged me onto an elevator where he swiped his room key and the ride started.
I could feel a swarm of nerves kick up in my stomach. I didn't know what this man had planned, but if it was anything like the last few days had been, I was certain it wasn't a small gesture.
"You know," I began, my voice crackling with nervousness, "I didn't get you anything for Christmas..."
"You've already given me the only gift I wanted this year..."
A flush heated my cheeks. "Bryce..."
He stepped toward me, resting his large hands on my hips. "There is nothing else I want, Bailey. Just you."
I tipped my chin up so that I could meet his eyes. "You have me. I think you always have."
Bryce's smile was as warm as it was sincere. "Let's hope you're still saying that in a few minutes."
I blinked in confusion as the elevator stopped and he led me into the suite. It was all steely gray and modern, poinsettias littered the tables, with a Christmas tree in the corner. It took a moment of gawking around before my eyes landed on a neat folder on the dining table next to a chilling bottle of champagne.
"What's going on?" I asked, confusion running rampant.
Bryce cleared his throat, and if I wasn't mistaken, there was a nervous glint in his eyes. "I think I've got out next business venture figured out."
"Oh?" I asked, internally questioning what that had to do with me... or us, rather.
"I bought a hotel..."
My eyes went wide. "What? Where?"
"London."
I felt the panic rise like bile in my stomach. "You're... you're moving?"
"No," Bryce argued. "I'll be back and forth. I'll probably be mostly in London while things are getting ready, but I'm not leaving Seattle. I can't. This is where everything started."
"Okay..."
"I want you with me."
I nearly choked. "What do you mean?"
"I want this to be our project, Bailey. I want your name on this too."
"I don't understand..."
Bryce took a few steps and lifted the folder from the table, extending it to me. "Maybe this will help."
I, a bit skeptically, took the folder and began flipping through the documents. I didn't know a lot about contracts or the legality of what he was offering me, but I knew enough to understand what was going on. "Bryce..." I began softly. "This... this is a shareholder's contract..."
"I'm aware, darling."
"You want me..."
"We have a few investors, but it only totals about fifteen percent. I own the other eighty-five. Unless..." Bryce stepped in front of me and wrapped his warm hands around mine. I hadn't realized how tightly I was holding the folder. My knuckles were nearly right. "If you sign these, we split that. Right down the middle. Or... almost. You'll own forty percent and i the other forty-five."
I couldn't stop my head as it began waving back and forth. "Why are you doing this?" I whispered. "I don't... I don't understand. I haven't done anything..."
Bryce gulped. "You're so wrong, my love. You've done so much more than I can even list at this moment. I have always felt as though this company is as much yours as it is mine and... now it will be."
"Bryce, I can't accept..."
"And just in case that doesn't make you see how serious I am..." Bryce took a gathering breath and unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket and then, blowing what little was left of my mind, he sank to one knee.
"Bryce!" I exclaimed, though my voice was barely audible. I could feel hot tears building in my eyes. "Are you crazy?"
"Probably," Bryce stated, his voice a trembling chuckle. "But I haven't gotten anything I've wanted by sitting on the sidelines, so..."
"You're not seriously..."
He interrupted me by pulling a black velvet box from his jacket pocket. "Oh, I am seriously."
"Bryce."
He cracked it open, and it was like the floodgates opened. Suddenly I was sobbing so hard I couldn't even see. I covered my face with my hands, my brain hurriedly trying to figure out what was going on.
"Bailey..." he purred d reaching up to take my hand. "Baby, look at me..."
"I can't," I squeaked out.
"Yes, you can."
I sniffed a bit, and pulled my hands down, just to reveal my eyes. Sure enough, my boss, who'd become my best friend and now the man I loved, was kneeling before me, a grand, sparkling emerald cut diamond on a delicate silver band staring back at me.
"Bailey Travis, I love you more than I could even attempt to put into words," Bryce began, his own emotion thickening his voice. "I might not be able to adequately speak it, but I'd like to spend the rest of my life showing you."
He took a deep breath and straightened his posture, his teary gray eyes locked on mine with such intensity it made it hard to breathe.
"Bailey, my love, will you marry me?"