Page 74 of The Fix Up

Holly shook her head to clear the negative thoughts.You’re a smart, savvy, career woman who just saved her own business.Now it’s time to save something more important than that.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the car door.

CHAPTER15

“And with that, I’d like to formally welcome the Kleinberger team to the Langley Enterprises family,” Ben said, beaming with the smile Holly recognized as his most genuine. “We promise you’ve made the right choice. Thank you.”

The ballroom erupted into applause, and Holly clapped from her spot behind a tall, potted palm tree. She’d tucked herself in the back of the room to remain unobtrusive, not wanting to embarrass Ben in his big moment, not wanting to rattle him before his speech.

But now she just felt like a stalker. A stalker wearing really uncomfortable shoes.

She moved forward as Ben began walking toward the edge of the stage. He’d nailed the speech. Most importantly, he’d done it without her. All that passion, all that energy, all that commanding presence had been up there on that stage with him, and he’d done it all on his own.

She edged toward the front of the room, hoping she could get to him before a crowd formed around the man of the hour. She wanted to tell him how proud she was, how well he’d handled himself up there on that stage.

But more importantly, she wanted to tell him she was sorry. That she wanted to be his partner, his helpmate,his girlfriend, if only he’d still have her.

She was nearing the front of the room now, and she resisted the urge to wipe her sweaty palms down the skirt of her beaded teal evening gown. A group of Kleinberger executives had clustered nearby, but as Ben stepped off the stage, she saw he was alone. She ordered herself not to run, not to fling herself into his arms the way she wanted to.

God, he was gorgeous. She watched him wave to a white-haired man who was slipping out the door, and her gaze locked on Ben’s big, familiar palm. Then she let herself take in the rest of him, admiring the whole package. He wasn’t wearing a tie or even a tux the way some of the other men were. But something about his presence made it clear this was a man in charge. This was a man who could roll up his shirtsleeves and get the job done. This was a man who didn’t give a fuck about someone else’s dress code.

“Ben,” she said softly.

She thought her voice was too quiet to carry over the crowd, and she started to repeat herself.

But he must have heard her somehow. The instant his gaze swung to hers, a flood of warmth rushed through her body. She moved forward, her hands loose and awkward at her sides.

“Ben,” she said again. She started to reach out and shake his hand, but stopped herself. Now wasn’t the time to be businesslike Holly.

But with executives milling about on all sides of her, it wasn’t the time to throw herself into his arms, either, so she settled for clasping her hands in front of her. “Congratulations,” she said. “It was a beautiful speech. Truly amazing.”

“Thank you.” He looked her up and down, and she half expected him to ask what the hell she was doing here. Instead, he smiled. “You look damn good,” he said.

“Thank you. So do you.” She took a shaky breath, her well-rehearsed speech fleeing her brain as she lost herself in those amber-flecked eyes. “Ben, I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry and I’m proud of you and most of all, I miss you. I miss youa lot.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say a word, Lyle Langley stepped up beside him and clapped his son on the shoulder.Hard.

“Ben, my boy! Nicely done. Of course, you could have added in a bit about the return-on-investment and skipped all that crap with the data about?—”

“I’m sorry, Dad, could you give me a minute?” He gave his father a measured look. “I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

Lyle looked at Holly and raised an eyebrow. Then he turned back to Ben. “I think you’ve got more pressing things to deal with right now.”

“Actually, I don’t.” There was something intimidating in Ben’s tone, something Holly had never heard before. “Nothing else is more important than the conversation I’m having right now.”

“Ben.” Lyle’s voice was equally cold, and he glanced toward the team of Kleinberger execs making their way toward them. Lyle gave them a wave and a smile so sugary, Holly nearly choked on the saccharine. The Kleinberger team waved back, drawing closer now to their awkward little huddle.

Holly thought about trying to rescue Ben, but the steely look in his eye told her this was not a man who needed rescuing. This was a man who had everything under control.

Lyle looked at his son again. “Don’t blow this. Now isn’t the time to be making chit-chat with girls.” Lyle turned to Holly and fired off another one of his schmoozy smiles. “Sweetheart, why don’t you run over to the bar and grab us a couple glasses of Laphroig? The twenty-five-year, neat.”

“That’s enough, Dad!” Ben’s voice carried over the crowd. Several people nearby stopped talking, and everyone turned to stare. The Kleinberger team froze, close enough now to hear every word of their conversation.

Ben stared at his dad. Lyle stared back.

Holly stared at them both and wondered if she should have come here at all.

Part of her expected Ben to back down. She’d hardly blame him if he did.

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