Page 123 of From Rivals to I Do

Before we can do much else, we both hear the elevator ding, and a few of the people I’m meeting with start walking down the hall. Rayne runs out of the conference room to greet them.

Soon, they walk into the room and greet me with handshakes. Henry Vici is an environmental lawyer we consult with on large projects involving significant land changes. He’s an old family friend, too.

“How’s your dad doing?” he asks as he sits down.

“He’s going in for his first treatment in a few days, but his spirits are still high,” I answer. I didn’t realize Dad had told people about why he was stepping back from the project.

“We were all so sorry to hear the news,” Victor Davies chimes in. Victor is the communications specialist we hired for our press releases and publicity.

The elevator dings, and the last two people scheduled for the meeting make their way to the conference room. Alexandria Blackstone runs the construction

company working on the project. She’s worked with my father plenty of times, but I’ve never worked with her. We’ve mingled at holiday parties and work

events, but I have no idea what she would be like today. Carmen Nichols is an old friend of mine. His father worked closely with mine before the latter’s death, and Carmen and I grew up together.

He and I have drifted apart since our teenage years, but we’re on friendly terms. Carmen is the client this project is for. He is building a series of luxury

apartments and condos in a small beach town. While his goal is ambitious, I don’t support what he’s doing. The small town he’s building in has been adamant

about not wanting their lives to change too much due to this construction, but it seems like Carmen is intent on buying up any buildings and shops he can until

he practically owns the town.

The two walk in, and I shake their hands before they sit down.

“Thank you all for coming in. As I understand, my father has already told you why he has to step away from this project. But I assure you, you’re in good

hands. I’m going to do everything I can to ensure this project is successful,” I say to start the meeting.

Rayne pops in for a moment, just like I asked her to, with a tray of mugs and fresh coffee, and places it in front of the group. I smile at her to thank her, and

she leaves the conference room. A few people start pouring their drinks and leaning back in their chairs for me to continue.

I gave Rayne several papers and documents to make copies of before the meeting commenced, and she hasn’t brought them back to me yet. I look through

the glass walls and see her struggling with the copier. My heart jumps in my chest. I can already tell this meeting is going to be a disaster.

I start talking and moving the slides on the projector, watching Rayne from the corner of my eyes as she tries to figure out the printer. Papers start flying

through the tray and landing on the floor, and she frantically runs around to pick them up. All my business associates have their back to her, and I’m very

thankful for that.

The copier stops spitting out paper, and she organizes everything into four different piles before stapling it all together. She walks into the conference

room, and I smile at her, holding back a laugh as she hands everyone their papers.

“Thank you, Rayne,” I say, and she nods at me.

I was extremely stressed about this meeting, but for some reason, I’m glad she is here. I’ve only met her twice, but having her here is kind of calming in a

chaotic way. The meeting lasted a few hours, and I walked everyone to the elevator as we finished up. We mingle in the waiting room by Rayne’s desk for a few

minutes, chatting and catching up since many of us haven’t seen each other in quite some time.

As soon as everyone leaves, Rayne and I instinctively turn to each other and laugh.

“I’m so sorry about the papers. I don’t know what happened with the copier,” she says with an embarrassed look on her face.

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