Page 139 of Opposites (Never) Attract
From my family.
I had to get out of the conference room. Everyone had quieted down. Mr. Berkley was saying something, but I couldn’t focus enough to listen. My chest was tight. I was having trouble breathing. When had this conference room become the most cramped space on planet Earth?
If I could just make my way toward the door…
“As you know, we don’t make these kinds of announcements very often, but this particular person is very deserving.”
“‘Scuse me,” I whispered, even as I tried to push through a forest of suits. “I just need a second.”
“Oh. My. God. It’s happening again.”
I could feel a certain commotion in the room, a shifting energy, but I still focused on pushing through my co-workers to get to the conference door.
“He’s back!”
“Who’s back?”
“What’s happening? Everyone, I demand your full attention. This is a big moment in the history of Berkley and Brothers!”
I was three feet away from the door, but still at least ten people deep. I’d been crouched down to obfuscate my escape, so I couldn’t see anything. But I could hear him.
“Sunshine?”
I popped my head up, and that’s when I saw him.
Black denim jeans, black denim shirt.
Black cowboy hat.
Aviators.
“You are interrupting my meeting!” That was from Mr. Berkley, who was now standing at the head of the table. “Someone call security.”
“Don’t think you’re going to want to do that, Mr. Berkley.” That came from Jared, who was seated at the table and slumping down into his brown leather chair.
He had a point.
“Sunshine?”
“I wish he’d call me Sunshine,” sighed one of the associates in front of me.
I raised my hand so he could see me. “I’m here.”
He looked over at me and whipped off his aviator sunglasses. The smile on his face was enough to take my breath away. He was carrying something in his hands. Looked like a rolled up poster.
“Do you mind?” he said to a few of the people pushed against the glass walls of the room, and they immediately moved.
“You’re that cowboy friend,” Mr. Berkley said, like it was an accusation. “I hope you know what you’re doing.Because here at Berkley and Brothers, we don’t tolerate such…such…outbursts!”
“This will just take a second,” Tag told him, calmly. Like crashing corporate meetings was a hobby he had.
He rolled out the poster against the glass and pressed it down with some adhesive. Then he crooked his finger at me to come closer.
I couldn’t feel my cheeks from smiling so hard. This time, everyone parted to make room for me so I could see what he’d put up.
Wanted: Sunshine Calloway to come home.
“Did the town make that for me?” I asked him.
