Stuck in Paradise with You

Chapter 42

42

CARRIE

Rachel insisted I take the week off when I eventually landed back into JFK on Joe’s private jet in the early hours of Monday morning. Though I reluctantly accepted – I could actually use a break to process the madness of everything that happened in the British Virgin Islands – she agreed we could meet this afternoon, Friday, to talk.

I’ve barely spoken to Luke since leaving Charithonia. Quick calls here and there because the power on the island is still coming from the generators and his signal has been intermittent.

Still, I know I’m doing the right thing by going to see Rachel today. I knew before I spoke to my mom over breakfast in my apartment yesterday, when she told me, ‘At this point, my counsel for or against Luke won’t make a difference.’

We were sitting at the small table in my open-plan kitchen-diner, eating French toast that Callum made, Eddie drooling at my feet.

‘You’re too far gone,’ she said, blatantly trying to be stern but with the slightest curve at the corners of her mouth betraying her. ‘Let me just say this: he had better treat you right this time because if I see those lonely eyes of yours again, he’ll have me to answer to.’

‘And me,’ Callum called from my stove, waving a spatula.

Mom placed her hand over mine and though she shook her head, her expression was tender. ‘You’re already on a moving train, darling. To jump off now will hurt anyway, so you might as well close your eyes and lean into the ride.’

I made a sarcastic comment about her swallowing a psychology textbook, but she was right; I am too far gone.

I alight the subway and head for my firm’s high-rise. I drop my tote and laptop at my desk and go straight to Rachel’s office, right on time, primed to tell her that I want to be with Luke. That, yes, he is the CFO of the Hettich group but I won’t work on any Hettich files, I won’t share any confidential information one way or the other, and once I’ve handed recent matters back to Eric, I’ll have nothing to do with Joe or his business.

If she sees me being with Luke as a blocker to partnership, then… I’ll be sorry. I’ll hate it. But some things, I’ve finally realized, are more important than work.

I knock on the door of her significant office space and when she calls, ‘Come in, Carrie,’ I step inside.

Rachel is behind her desk, as I’d expect. Only I don’t expect to see Joe Hettich sitting in one of two chairs in front of her.

‘Joe?’ I ask, as if my eyes have deceived me.

He chuckles. ‘Hey, Carrie.’

‘What are you doing here?’

He gestures to Rachel. ‘Rachel and I were just having a chat about a few things. I was explaining to her the extent of my, ah, misdemeanors, shall we say? And she agreed to let me stay here to witness you sign those.’ He points to the desk in front of Rachel.

Rachel picks up a short stack of papers in front of her. ‘Your partnership contract,’ she says, grinning.

‘My what now?’ I ask, aware I must look gormless with my mouth wide open.

She laughs. ‘You want to be a partner, don’t you?’

I move closer to her desk. ‘Yes, of course, but I—’ My synapses abruptly start firing again and I remember why I requested this meeting. ‘But, Rachel, I need to tell you something first.’

She leans her head to one side. ‘If it’s that the Chief Financial Officer of one of our biggest clients has fallen in love with you?—’

‘Again,’ Joe adds.

‘Again,’ Rachel repeats. ‘Then, I already know that. I also know that Joe here played the role of creator in that relationship, so I’m taking that as his waiver of any conflict, even if there was one.’

‘Waived,’ Joe says, making me chuckle, again. This time, I think with disbelief, or giddiness, or just something that’s making my stomach jiggle like it’s full of yo-yos.

‘So, would you like to come on over here and review your partnership contract?’ Rachel asks.

‘Yes.’ I press a hand to my tummy to steady it. ‘One hundred percent, yes.’

I’m typing a message to Luke as I walk back to my office, having signed my partnership contract and shown Joe to the elevator. I can’t believe that from the first of next month, I’ll be a partner. I’ve waited and worked hard for so long for this.

Yet, more than my new role, I’m ecstatic that Luke and I are in the clear. We can be together, at last, and I can’t wait.

I had no idea he was back in New York; he’s kept it secret. But now that I?—

I stop dead in my tracks when I open the door to my office and here, in the flesh, dressed in a dark-blue suit and a crisp powder-blue shirt, looking exactly like the man I fell in love with seven years ago, is Luke.

He’s giving me a lopsided smile, casually perched on the edge of my desk, his hands in his pockets, a box of flowers to one side of him and a bottle of champagne and two full glasses on the other.

I bite my lip, trying my best not to run to him before my door has even closed behind me.

‘What are we celebrating?’ I ask.

He leans his head to one side. ‘Your well-deserved partnership, of course.’

I cross the space between us, unwilling to take my eyes from his, my lips turning up. I step between his thighs, my breath hitching when his hands take hold of my hips.

I reach for the two glasses of fizz and hand one to him. ‘How about, to trying to get it right this time?’

His eyes narrow, and his pupils dilate. He clinks his glass against mine. We each sip, then set down our glasses. As he replaces his hands on my hips, I take mine into his hair, twisting the longer strands against the top of his neck between my fingers.

‘I love you, Luke Chalmers,’ I whisper.

His eyes close and his half smile turns into a full-blown beam. ‘I love you so much, Carrie.’

Our lips meet. For the first time, there’s nothing taboo about our kiss, and it’s brighter than any flowers, it fizzes more than any champagne, and it’s sweeter, so much sweeter, than any promotion I could have gotten at work.