Page 58 of Beauty and the Boss Man

Aiden leads me to a chair in the front row that is marked with a RESERVED sign.

“This is all you, sweetheart,” he says, removing the sign.

But only one seat is reserved. “What about you?” I ask.

He points to the stage, and I see a table with a few chairs. “I have to sit there. After we each speak, they will do a short panel where people can ask questions.”

I nod. Although I wish he was sitting next to me, at least he will be some good eye candy to gawk at.

It’s only a few minutes before the moderator comes in to get things started. Everyone takes a seat, and the man gives a short introduction.

After he’s done, the first speaker walks to the podium. He’s a rugged-looking man who is probably in his mid-fifties.

His speech is all about how he used powerful marketing and advertising to grow his business. He spent years in a rut before it finally took off, and now, he’s netting six figures a year.

The second speaker is much younger and discusses the magic of social media and blah, blah, blah. Honestly, he seems a little full of himself.

Next up is Aiden, and I swear I feel nervous for him. But if he’s the least bit anxious, it doesn’t show. He looks completely at ease.

The microphone makes an ugly high-pitched squeal as he begins talking, but it doesn’t seem to phase him.

“Good afternoon. My name is Aiden Montgomery, and I'm the founder, owner, and sometimes, the grunt man for Montgomery Construction.” That gets a small laugh out of the crowd.

“I wish that I could stand up here and give you some magic formula to make your business take off. I wish there were a magic button you could press to make you rich, but there’s not. There’s just blood, sweat, and tears—and a hell of a lot of hard work.”

“When I first started my business, every penny I had that didn’t go toward cheap food like instant noodles went toward paying for my business. I was sleeping in my childhood bedroom in my parent’s house to save on rent. I was taking small jobs that I could do by myself since I couldn’t afford to hire anyone yet.”

He pauses for a moment, rubbing his beard as he thinks.

Taking a deep breath, he continues, “I’m not going to stand here and sugar coat things and tell you it’s going to be easy. It’s not. You’ll have to make sacrifices you never imagined.

“I’m also not going to stand up here and bullshit you. Honestly, I was surprised when I was asked to speak at this conference because I don’t feel like I’ve done anything awe-inspiring. Yes, I have built a successful business, but it took years and a ton of work. And I didn’t do it entirely alone.

“As I said, I had very supportive and understanding parents who let me come back home, so I could save money. I have a fantastic crew—some of which came to work for me when I could barely pay them minimum wage.

“And then, there’s my assistant.” He pauses again, and I feel myself gasp.

He goes on, “I use that word, but honestly, she hasn’t been my assistant for a while. She walked in with her business degree in hand, and when I took the time to listen, she gave me a full-blown presentation on all the things I was doing wrong. At first, I didn’t know how to take it, but when I put my ego aside, I realized she was right. Truth be told, my business wouldn’t be what it is today without her.

“My point is that you should accept help when it’s given. And when it is given, show how much it’s appreciated.”

Aiden turns and looks right at me before adding, “Sometimes you don’t know how wonderful it is until it’s staring at you right in the face.”

Hearing his words brings up all of the emotion I’ve been trying to shove down all week. The man I’ve always look at as my grumpy boss is looking at me with the same sentiment that I’m feeling.

This week, I’ve realized just how much of a good man he is—a man that I would be lucky to call mine. I’ve dated enough of the bad ones to know a good one when I see it.

And Aiden Montgomery might just be one of the best.

We’ve only been here for a week, but there’s something real brewing between the two of us. That makes me happier than I’ve ever been, yet simultaneously terrifies me.

Because he’s still my boss.

And everything could end very badly.

But I can’t deny the fact that I find myself quickly, and very deeply, falling in love with him.

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