“GENTLEMEN, THIS CONCLUDES our business relationship.” Nichole stood inside the private dining room of Sapphire Cellar and addressed the two partners of Fund Infusion and her former business associates. “In A Pinch is no longer available for sale.”
“We had an agreement.” Vick Ingram dropped his cocktail glass onto the table and rose from his chair. A bottle of champagne sat in an ice bucket and appetizers waited to be sampled, as if Vick and Glenn had already begun the celebration. Before Nichole’s arrival.
“We had signed NDAs.” Nichole remained steady and tall. “We never had a binding sale contract.” For that, she was thankful for her impromptu ski-moon in Tahoe and the interference of her make-believe marriage.
“Was this another fake invention like your pretend marriage?” Glenn asked. A twisted frown emerged from beneath his thick mustache. “After all, we never were allowed to validate your code. I suppose it doesn’t actually exist and you’ve wasted our time.”
“The code exists. The app is built and functioning.” Nichole lifted her chin, drawing on even more confidence. Her inner strength she fully embraced. And besides, the only time being wasted was hers.
“Then you should want to sell.” Glenn stabbed his fork into a shrimp. “It would seem without Chase Jacobs to depend on, you’d be in need of the money.”
She had her own money and knew could depend on herself. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t have liked Chase beside her though. “I want my app to launch nationwide. But that’s the problem, isn’t it? At least, for you and your main client and In A Pinch’s only active competitor in the market.”
“Excuse me,” Glenn sputtered, and wiped his napkin across his mouth.
“How do you know about our clients?” Vick smoothed his hand over his wrinkled tie.
“I have people like Chase Jacobs in my corner.” And family and friends who had her back. Always. Just as she had theirs.
“Chase Jacobs is nothing but a fraud,” Glenn claimed.
“Is that because he exposed your true intentions for my program?” Nichole took aim, hit her target. Controlled the meeting. Maybe it was the dress. Or the power color: red. Or perhaps it was simply Nichole. She’d found her own inner power and a confidence she didn’t expect to ever give up again.
“We fully intend to acquire your app,” Glenn stuttered.
“It’s not available,” Nichole said. “I won’t allow you to pay me off and kill my creation.”
Vick shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his face pinched into an unflattering shade of pink. “I’m sure we could come to some kind of agreement.”
“There is no agreement if it includes shutting down In A Pinch.” Nichole straightened, every part of her steady from her heels to her chin. Even inside, nothing swayed. Nothing faltered. “You can let your client know I will take In A Pinch to market and it will hold up against anything they develop.”
Vick and Glenn exchanged an uncomfortable look.
“But they better hurry. In A Pinch has technology and offerings your client hasn’t even come up with yet. And they’ve been in the market for several years.” Nichole smiled and waved to the table of now-cold appetizers. “Enjoy your dinner, gentlemen.”
Head high, shoulders straight, Nichole exited the private dining room. Never wobbled on her heels. Never looked back. Welcome to the game, Nichole.
She allowed her smile to extend across her face. Allowed herself to relish the moment. Allowed herself to own her victory.
She walked into the bar of the Glasshouse Inn, chose a stool in the very center and greeted the bartender. She had one more item on her to-do list. The most important task on her list.
She pulled out her cell phone, opened her text message app and typed:
Meet me for drinks at Glasshouse Inn. I’ll wait as long as I need to.
Nichole put her phone to sleep and turned it over on the bar top. Now she waited. And for the first time all evening, she wavered. Worry clipped along her spine. But she refused to bend. Refused to give up now. She intended to fight, and she intended to win.
“Nichole.”
She closed her eyes, soaked in her name coming from the one person she’d have waited all night for: Chase. And suddenly a calm assurance replaced the worry coursing inside her. She spun around. “Chase. You’re here. That was really quick.”
He tugged on his suit jacket and motioned toward the exit. “I was outside with the valet.”
“You were here.” He’d already been in the parking area. Already been on his way. Nichole rose, closed the distance between them to less than a hand’s width.
“I was coming here to see you.” He opened his arms. “Nichole, I’m...”
Nichole stepped into his embrace, set her finger over his mouth. She’d owned her newly discovered confidence with Vick and Glenn. Now she had to believe in her heart. “I’ve been thinking quite a lot recently.”
Chase reached up, curved his fingers around hers and pressed their joined hands against his chest. Nichole felt his rapid heartbeat, heard her own—just as rapid. Just as fast. He waited. His gaze fastened on hers.
“We tried the pretend part of a marriage and it didn’t work out.” She’d forgotten they were only pretending. And if she believed in Mia’s photographs like her friends did, Chase had forgotten too. She moved fully into him, stepping right into his personal you-can’t-ignore-me space.
His arm locked around her waist and anchored her in place. Exactly where she wanted to be. She arched one eyebrow and enhanced the challenge in her words. “I’m proposing we try it for real this time.”
“Do you think we’ll have different results?” Teasing. But in the depths of his green eyes, she saw it. Recognition. Tenderness. Affection.
Her reply came in a breathless whisper. “Definitely.”
“So do I.” He released her and dropped onto one knee.
Nichole touched her throat, tried to catch her heart cartwheeling from her chest. She’d come to fight for Chase. For them. Now her entire body wanted to float. To dance on those clouds.
He pulled a ring box from his jacket pocket, opened the lid and revealed a square-cut sapphire, her birthstone, surrounded by sparkling diamonds. “Nichole Marie Moore, I love you. I loved you the day you challenged me to be more than a cheater. I loved you for remembering I liked red licorice. And I love you even more now.”
Tears fell from her cheeks; her hands trembled. Her voice went missing. She struggled to locate even the smallest sound. Something to acknowledge she’d heard him. Something to express the love bursting inside her. But Chase wasn’t finished.
“You showed me how to like myself—every part of myself—and it’s a gift I’ll never be able to repay. But I want to try for the rest of our lives.” He paused, but there was nothing unsteady about the breath he drew. Nothing hesitant in his words. “Nichole, will you marry me?”
“Say yes, Mom!” That familiar exuberant shout came from across the hotel lobby. “I already did.”
Nichole covered her mouth, trapped her gasp against her palm. Wesley stepped into the bar area, his grin wider than Nichole had seen in far too long. More tears soaked her cheeks. She glanced at Chase. How could she possibly love him any more?
“I brought backup,” he admitted.
“You asked Wesley if you could marry me.” A tremor snaked up her legs. The good kind. The kind that anticipated being swept off her feet, then being caught safely.
“He’s part of our team.” Chase’s one-sided grin returned, tripping delight up into his gaze. He tipped his head toward the entrance. “I might’ve asked the rest of the family too.”
Nichole gaped. Brooke, Dan, Ben, Josie and the rest of her extended family walked into the bar. Chase’s family followed, Travis and Elliot included. His mom wiped the tears from her eyes. Wesley helped Nonna, holding on to her arm and beaming with pride.
“Has she said yes yet?” Nonna patted Wesley’s hand, then pushed her glasses up. “I’m ready to celebrate. Haven’t been here in an age, but I recall the bartenders make a delicious Shirley Temple.”
Happiness surged through Nichole, uncontainable like those stardust sprinkles on the clouds. She launched herself into Chase’s arms, confident he’d never let her fall. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you.”
Chase caught her and spun her around. Their kiss ended too soon. He pulled back, touched her cheek. “You should know I’ve drafted my retirement statement and scheduled my surgery.”
“You should know we’ll be there with you every step.” Nichole framed his face with her hands. “Always right beside you. We’re a team.”
Chase set his forehead against hers. “We’re a family. It’s the strongest team there is.”
Nichole fell into another kiss, then leaned back. A tease in her own voice. “Does this mean you can share your grilled cheese recipe now?”
His laughter shimmered around the chandeliers. “I love you more than you can know. And I’m quite fond of you in the color red.”
“I quite like it myself. I think red suits me.” Nichole curved her arm around his waist and forgot about recipes and dresses. She saw only Chase, her family and her future.