Page 69 of The Guy Who Became My Grumpy Boss

I leaned down and took the opportunity to kiss her.

She smiled, and a contented sigh came from her throat.

“I am now,” I said.

Only then did I notice how tense she was under my touch. I leaned back and met her gaze. “Are you okay?”

Jessica closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “It’s madness out there.”

“Can I help?” I asked.

“No.” Jessica snuggled her head into my chest. “Just as we got the allergy thing worked out, one of the teams started their smoke machine, which sent someone into an asthma attack.”

“We said no smoke,” I said.

“I know that, and you know that, and they probably knowthat, but they don’t care. Or didn’t, until Catherine went after them.”

The thought of the stern older woman berating people for being idiots warmed my insides. “Did she enjoy herself?”

Jessica laughed. “I think she did.”

Someone’s phone buzzed. It didn’t matter whose it was, because I glanced at the clock and saw that we had five minutes before the official start time. “We need to go.” I kissed the top of Jessica’s head.

“I know. I just needed a second.”

I rubbed her back and felt the muscles loosen.

“Thank you,” she murmured into my shirt.

“No, thank you.” I kissed her again, then gently pushed her away. “You did your part, now it’s my turn.”

Jessica smiled up at me. “I’ll be right there when you need me.”

I squeezed her hand. “I’m counting on it.”

She squeezed back and then we walked into the hallway. We held hands until we turned the last corner. I felt a keen loss as her fingers slid away from mine.

Catherine must have put her foot down, because when we arrived in the ballroom, everyone seemed to be in their spots, waiting.

“Peter! There you are!” Marissa cried from where she’d parked herself on the low dais that the hotel had erected at one end of the ballroom. Amelia and Tyrell were there too. Behind them stood a table covered in trophies.

Some of the pressure I’d released built back up, but Jessica’s next words kept it from becoming too much.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her.”

I should tell her she didn’t have to do that, but instead, I replied, “Thank you.”

“You’ll owe me, mind you,” Jessica said from the corner ofher mouth as we drew closer.

“Name your price.”

She laughed.

I resisted the urge to put my palm on Jessica’s back as I followed her up the two stairs to the dais.

Marissa tried to maneuver her wheelchair toward me, but Jessica skirted around everyone, came up behind Marissa, and held her in place. Jessic said something to Marissa, and while Marissa’s expression didn’t fall, it did change.

Jessica raised her eyebrows at me as if to say I’d better get started because she was charging me for this by the minute, so I plucked the microphone from the table and turned it on.

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