Page 44 of Hitched to My Enemy
She leaned down to kiss me, brief but tender. "Come on. Your empire awaits, and we have a schedule to maintain."
We moved through our morning with practiced synchronicity—sharing the bathroom, Harlow reviewing security protocols on her tablet while I confirmed staffing assignments. When she emerged from the closet in a tailored jade blazer over a cream silk blouse, I felt that now-familiar tightening in my chest.
"Professional enough for the commission, coordinated enough for opening day," she said, catching my appreciative gaze as she fastened pearl earrings. "Verdict?"
"I think you're remarkable." I moved behind her, hands resting lightly on her shoulders. "And I think we should tell everyone today."
Her eyes met mine in the reflection. "About us? The marriage?"
"All of it." I turned her to face me. "No more pretending we're just colleagues. No more hiding what matters most."
A smile bloomed across her face—the unreserved one she'd only recently begun showing me. "You're sure? Today is meant to spotlight the Jade Petal, not us."
"The Jade Petal exists because of us—your standards, my vision, our partnership." I grinned. "Besides, I'm tired of pretending I'm not married to the most brilliant woman in Nevada."
She laughed, the sound still new enough to warm me from within. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Hardwick." She straightened my tie with practiced fingers. "Alright. Today we go public. After the opening ceremony."
"After the opening ceremony," I agreed, sealing the promise with a kiss that threatened to derail our carefully planned schedule.
***
The command center hummed with activity as we arrived. Carmen Torres approached immediately, tablet in hand.
"Final security sweep complete, Mr. Hardwick. All systems optimal. First VIPs arrive in forty-five minutes. Media already setting up in designated areas."
"Staff check-in?" I asked, scanning monitoring screens showing every angle of the casino floor, hotel lobby, and entrance plaza.
"One hundred percent attendance. Everyone's in position."
"Excellent." I nodded to David Wilson, the new CFO who had stepped up admirably after Bryce's removal. "Financial systems?"
"Fully operational. Backup protocols in place." Wilson handed me a report. "And preliminary bookings have exceeded projections by twenty-two percent."
Harlow maintained slight distance, professional mask firmly in place for the staff, but I caught her subtle nod of approval as she reviewed security protocols. We'd agreed to maintain appropriate boundaries in public until our announcement, though most of my senior team had likely suspected the nature of our relationship.
The investors arrived precisely on schedule—a group whose combined wealth could purchase a small nation. Leading them was Marcus Kellerman, whose initial skepticism had been my biggest hurdle during financing.
"Hardwick." He extended his hand, his assessment taking in not just me but the operation behind me. "Impressive command center. Very... transparent."
"Transparency is our operating philosophy," I replied, shaking his hand firmly. "Would you like to see the monitoring systems before the official opening?"
For the next thirty minutes, I guided them through our security and compliance protocols, emphasizing the innovative oversight model Harlow had developed. The systems spokefor themselves—elegant, comprehensive, unprecedented in the industry.
"The transparency approach has generated more positive press than traditional marketing," Wilson explained, displaying media analytics. "Consumer confidence metrics are tracking forty percent above industry standards."
Kellerman nodded thoughtfully. "And the Gaming Commission? After that business with Delacroix?"
"Fully supportive." I gestured subtly toward Harlow, who was speaking with Torres across the room. "Investigator Clarke's collaborative oversight model has become a case study in effective regulation. The commission has asked her to develop formal guidelines for potential industry-wide implementation."
"Quite a turnaround," Kellerman noted. "Last I heard, she was the one who shut down your previous venture."
"She was," I acknowledged. "Sometimes our harshest critics become our most valuable allies."
After the investors departed to prepare for the opening ceremony, Harlow approached, professional composure perfectly maintained despite the private smile in her eyes.
"They seemed impressed," she observed.
"They should be." I lowered my voice, for her ears only. "You saved me in ways you don't even realize. Not just the casino—me."
