Page 18 of Coming Home

“I’ll just leave you ladies and take my seat so we can get this evening rolling,” Anthony said.

The man stepped to the podium in the center of the stage and gave it a gentle tap. “Ladies and gentlemen if you’ll make your way to your seats we’ll get this evening started. The catering staff will be around with salads and wine while we go through all the preliminary formalities of the evening.”

Emily looked out across the audience as the speaker went through a list of introductions to those on stage with her. He then gave a quick opening address and invited another speaker to the stage to talk about the work the organization had done over the course of the last year.

Two speakers later, the president stood and took the podium again.

“Tonight, we’re thrilled to have a couple with us who have made a huge difference with their donations. The organization has also impacted them personally as a family member suffered through this disease for two decades. Tonight I would like to invite someone to the stage to present one of those people with something special.”

Emily smiled as the man dabbed at his eyes and made a mental note to reach out to whoever the couple was. When the president continued speaking, Emily’s mouth dropped open.

“David Eastman is a respected business man in the community who recently won his own battle with cancer. Through it all, his wife Emily stood by his side, having just lost her brother Tristan. Tonight I would like to invite David to the stage to introduce his wife to all of you.”

A hand rested on her shoulder briefly, and Emily turned to find David standing behind her.

Tears immediately filled her eyes. What was he doing here? She fought to regain her composure as he stepped to the podium, taking a moment to shake the president’s hand.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for inviting me into your space. When my wife told me she was being asked to speak, we thought I wouldn’t be able to make it. Then Mr. Granger let me know they were doing something special, and I knew I had to be here. Let me take just a few minutes and tell you about Emily Ballenger Eastman. I met her three years ago at one of your events.”

Emily could barely see the crowd through her tears as listened to David recount the night they met at an event much like this one.

“I spent the next six months watching her as she cared for her dying brother. He’d reached the final stages of this awful disease, but Emily was determined to make sure he was as comfortable as possible. And then a month after his passing, we found out I had cancer.” He paused and glanced at Emily, throwing her a little wink to make her smile. She dashed at the tears dripping down her cheeks and tried to regain her composure.

“Now, I’ll be honest. I was a mess and tried to convince her she needed to move on. I’m just grateful that she was more stubborn than me. She carried me through my treatment, even planned our wedding and made our Houston space a home all while finishing a degree she started a decade ago. Now she’s pursing a master’s degree and PhD and I couldn’t be more proud of her. Tonight, I am thrilled to present her with the Tristan C. Ballenger award for Excellence.”

He turned to her with a plaque and for a moment Emily was frozen. “I think that’s your cue, honey,” Abby said from beside her.

Emily nodded and pushed back from the table. When she approached the podium, David took her by surprise when he set the award aside and captured her face in both hands, taking her mouth in a tender kiss. Emily could feel the cameras flashing all around them as the audience clapped and cheered and made sappy “aww” noises.

When he stepped back, Emily couldn’t help but brush her lips with her fingers briefly before she sucked in a breath and took the plaque he was offering her as she turned and faced the audience to give the speech she had prepared about raising awareness for the research being done by organizations like this one and the need for funding them.

At the end of the speech, as the audience clapped, David approached and took her hand. He led them both off stage and out a nearby exit.

When they were alone in an empty hallway, Emily stopped them and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you for that. I didn’t know how badly I wanted you here until you showed up.”

He lowered his head until their lips connected as he brushed a stray tear away with his thumb. “I’m so proud of all you’ve done in your life, Emily. I never want you to doubt that.”

When he stepped back, he looked around and gripped her hand. “Come on. We should get out of here while we can still escape without the press accosting us.”

“Why would the press be interested in us?”

He laughed. “You saw all the photos being snapped when I kissed you on stage. I suspect we’ll be the talk of a celebrity gossip column or two.”

Emily never understood the fascination with celebrities or why being a mega billionaire automatically gave you celebrity status but it was something she’d had to learn to deal with as part of David’s baggage.

She let him lead her to a car outside and slid gracefully into the limo.

“What about your party?” she asked when David was settled next to her.

He smiled. “We’re going to make a quick appearance so I can toast the employees and then we’re heading for the airport. James already picked up Tamara and our bags.”

She laid her head on his shoulder. “Thank you, David.”

“Anything for you, sweet Emily.”

10

David watched Emily doze next to him on the private jet and smiled. They were on their way to Colorado and would be touching down any moment. Hopefully, they could leave the real world behind for as long as possible. He’d insisted she take a break from her thesis and there had been pouting when he told her to leave her laptop at home, but he’d met her halfway and agreed to leave his work phone at home too. Lydia, his driver, and Patrick—who would also be in Colorado—were the only ones from work that had his personal number. Lydia was competent enough to keep the company running while he took the holiday off to celebrate with his wife and their friends.

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