Page 58 of My Ex's Best Friend

"Good morning," Jake offers with a warm smile as we reach the group, extending his hand for a handshake. "I'm Jake, and this is Kiera. We're thrilled to be here and to share our proposal with you."

The board members reciprocate with polite greetings. A redhead woman steps forward with a polite smile.

"I'm Catherine, the museum director," she says, her tone both welcoming and authoritative. "This is Micah, our chief curator, and Isabel, our financial advisor."

“Let’s talk inside,” Isabel says, smiling.

Just before we cross the threshold, Jake subtly pulls me aside, his eyes holding a mischievous glint. Without warning, he steals a quick kiss.

My eyes widen, and I instinctively glance around to make sure no one saw us.

"Jake, what are you doing?" I whisper, my cheeks flushed.

"It's for good luck," he says, his tone light but earnest.

I can't help but chuckle. "Good luck kisses now, really?"

He shrugs, the hint of a smile lingering on his lips. "Can't hurt, right?"

Before I can respond, we're ushered into the room, the door closing behind us.

The room settles as Jake begins his introduction.

I take a moment to collect my thoughts, glancing around the room at the attentive faces of the board members. The kiss, albeit unexpected, seems to have worked its magic, as a newfound calm washes over me.

Jake does an amazing job and transitions to my part of the presentation and I provide a detailed timeline, addressing the financial aspects with transparency.

When we are done, Catherine, the museum director, smiles. "Your proposal is intriguing. How do you see this collaboration evolving in the long term?"

I glance at Jake, who’s letting me keep the rein. “We’re very excited for the collaboration and hope to be there with you in the long run. Our team brings a genuine love for art restoration, and that reflects in each project we take over.”

“There’s no doubt about that,” Catherine says. “That’s the reason we chose Bennett Restoration.”

“And we’re grateful for your trust,” Jake says.

“Looking forward to working together,” Catherine says. “We just want another meeting to finalize everything.”

“I’ll have it set up,” Jake promises.

“This will be a good thing,” Catherine says. “For the museum. We’ve received the highest grant for museum restoration this year and intend to use it well.”

I nod. “We won’t let you down.”

Catherine smiles at me.

As the last of them leaves the room to just Jake and me, a wave of relief washes over me. Unable to contain my joy, I turn to Jake and wrap my arms around him in a tight hug.

"We did it. I can't believe it."

He returns the hug, his warmth a comforting presence. "We make a great team, Kiera. I knew we could pull it off."

I pull away slightly, looking up at him with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Jake. For everything."

"How about we celebrate with some ice cream?"

"You don’t have to ask me twice."

“Perfect. Will you accompanying me to all my meetings after today?” Jake says.

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