“Yes,” I surprised myself with how quickly and completely I meant it. “I do.”
Something flared in his eyes, quickly smothered. “Then believe me when I tell you that Rebecca will not be a problem for you.”
I huffed out a breath, studying his face. The absolute confidence I saw there was impossible to doubt. “I believe you.”
Jack nodded once, seemingly satisfied, then added an arancini ball to my plate. “Great. What else?”
“Nothing else. But I do have an idea I think you’ll like.”
“Throw it at me.”
I was really starting to adore how seriously he took me.
“We should mix the teams up,” I said, the idea taking clearer shape as I voiced it. “Half the Western people move to Eastern, and vice versa. That way, my people, who are already experienced with my methods, can help coach and reassure the Eastern people through the process.” I paused, adding the most crucial detail. “Oh, and Tiffany needs to move away from Neil.”
I watched Jack’s face as he considered my proposal, the way his eyes narrowed slightly in concentration, the subtle shift in his expression as understanding dawned. A slow smile spread across his face, transforming his features from merely handsome to absolutely fucking devastating.
“That,” he said, his voice low and rich with approval, “is absolutely brilliant.”
Pride bloomed in my chest at his immediate recognition of what I was suggesting. No questions, no mansplaining my own idea back to me, just pure appreciation for the strategy.
The warm glow of his approval settled around me like a favorite blanket. For a moment, I forgot about the family barbecue, my mother’s cutting remarks, the stress of our fake relationship. I was just a woman having dinner with a man who respected my mind and valued my ideas.
“Oh, I do have one more suggestion.”
Jack picked up the tongs and selected the biggest piece of garlic bread from the basket, dropping it in front of me. “What is it?”
“Pleeeease can we digitize everything?”
His deep, rumbly laugh made me shiver. “Now, that’s the best idea you’ve had yet.”
JACK
Ileaned back in my chair, allowing myself a rare moment of satisfaction as I surveyed the quarterly projections on my screen. The numbers were still far from ideal, but for the first time since I’d joined Catalyst Digital, there was a clear upward trajectory. A week and a half into Mia’s leadership of both divisions, and already the difference was apparent.
Porter had taken the news better than expected, though “better” was relative. He’d puffed up like an agitated rooster, his face cycling through several interesting shades of red before settling into a resigned pallor when I made it clear this wasn’t a suggestion but a done deal.
The team integration had gone surprisingly smoothly. Even Tiffany had been relatively subdued, though that might have had more to do with being separated from Porter and placed directly under Mia’s watchful eye than any genuine change of heart.
And the digitization process... I couldn’t help but smile at how enthusiastically Mia had thrown herself into modernizing the company’s systems. She’d mapped out an aggressive timeline that would have most of our processes paperless within two months, a feat I’d initially thought would take at least six. When I’d expressed concern about the ambitious schedule, she’djust given me that determined look I was coming to know well, raised one eyebrow, and asked if I trusted her.
I did, of course, so that was that.
My thoughts were interrupted by a light knock on my open door. Mia stood there, arms laden with an impressive stack of folders. She moved into my office with that subtle sway of her hips that never failed to make my pulse leap, her eyes bright as she deposited the entire stack onto the low cabinet against the wall with a satisfying thump.
“One down, eleventy hundred to go,” she announced, dusting off her hands with exaggerated pride.
My eyes involuntarily traced the curve of her hips in her charcoal gray pencil skirt before I caught myself and forced my gaze upward. Professional. Keep it professional.
“Making great progress.”
“It helps that everyone on my team is highly motivated to get it done.”
“That’s great news.”
“Yeah.”
She lingered by the cabinet, fingers trailing along the edge of the folders. Something in her posture pulled at me, a slight hesitation that seemed out of character for the confident woman who’d been commandeering conference rooms and reorganizing entire departments all week.
