“No idea,” I murmured, genuinely sympathetic but only half listening. My eyes had already darted to Jack’s office door across the floor. I stopped dead still. It was open. His office door was open. He was back? No, that can’t be right. He would have called, or texted, or come by.
Just as I managed to get my feet to start moving, Emily gripped my arm, stopping me. “What the fuck is this about?”
“Wh-what?”
“Why is everyone standing around your office?”
Dazed and a little confused, I dragged my gaze from Jack’s office door to my own. There were at least twenty people gathered there. Half of both sales teams, Rebecca, Tiffany, Porter two of the directors and someone else from HR. My heartwas pounding as acid churned in my gut. Had Rebecca finally found a way to get me fired?
Feeling more than a little sick, I approached the group. “What’s going on here?”
Rebecca whirled around, her face flushed with vindication. “Ms. Harris! How nice of you to finally grace us with your presence.”
“It’s 8:45,” I replied, glancing at my watch. “I’m fifteen minutes early.”
“Early for what? To continue making a mockery of this company’s professionalism?” She jabbed a finger toward my office door. “This is absolutely unacceptable behavior. I’ve been waiting for you to slip up, and this time I have concrete evidence of your disregard for appropriate workplace conduct.”
I blinked, utterly confused. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t play innocent.” Tiffany’s voice dripped with malice. “The evidence is right in there.”
Rebecca cut in again, practically vibrating with self-righteous energy. “I’m going back to my office to draft your termination paperwork right now. You’ve brought this on yourself, Ms. Harris. You’ve always been a troublemaker who thinks the rules don’t apply to you, but this time you won’t get away with it.”
“Now, Rebecca,” Director Johnson began. “About that… “
I looked around at the gathered faces, some sympathetic, others curious, a few women smiling brightly. Whatever this was about, it was clearly significant enough to draw an audience.
“I still don’t know what?—”
“See for yourself.” Porter gestured toward my office door.
Thoroughly bewildered, I stepped forward and pushed open the door.
The sight that greeted me stole the breath from my lungs.
Every surface, my desk, my computer monitor, my bookshelf, my walls, even the windows, was covered with bright yellow Post-it notes. Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. And on each one, written in Jack’s familiar handwriting, were three simple words:I love you.
My hands flew to my face, covering my mouth as a gasp escaped me. The room seemed to spin as I took in the sea of yellow, each square a physical manifestation of everything I’d been hoping for, everything I’d been afraid to believe could be real.
It took me straight back to that very first note Jack had left for me. Back then, I couldn’t have imagined this moment, couldn’t have dreamed someone would love me this boldly, this completely.
Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the vibrant yellow into a golden haze. My heart felt too big for my chest, each beat sending waves of emotion crashing through me. He loved me. Jack Sullivan—brilliant, gorgeous, complicated Jack Sullivan—lovedme.
My gaze landed on my computer monitor, where a single blue Post-it stood out among the yellow sea. In the same familiar handwriting, but with words that made my knees buckle:Marry me, Mia?
I stumbled forward, one trembling hand reaching to touch the blue square as if to verify it was real. The sapphire ring hanging from my necklace suddenly felt heavy against my skin.
In a daze, I floated back to my office doorway. The crowd had fallen silent, watching my reaction. I barely registered their presence as my eyes instinctively sought Jack’s office across the floor.
And there he was.
Standing in his doorway, leaning against the frame with his hands tucked casually in his pockets, his shirt sleeves rolled up.His hazel eyes locked on mine, warm and intense and full of love. A half-smile played at the corners of his mouth. He’d never looked more gorgeous, moreright.
A hush fell over the entire office as heads turned from me to Jack and back again, confusion evident on every face except Emily’s, who had a knowing gleam in her eyes, and was already wiping away tears.
Without breaking eye contact, Jack straightened and began walking toward me. His stride was unhurried but purposeful, navigating between desks and chairs with fluid grace. The confidence in his movements, the intensity in his gaze, the slight curve of his lips, all of it made my heart race wildly in my chest.
When he was close enough, I reached out and grabbed his tie, walking backward into my office and pulling him with me. My hands were visibly shaking, but I held on like that tie was a lifeline.
