The Billionaire's Marriage Contract(11)

“Today, I think. I just need you to go over all of the paperwork before I brief the rest of the staff.” Amy stared down at the papers on the desk. “I really need you to make sure that thing is bulletproof.”

“When are you going to pick out a dress?” Callie asked.

“I’m not going to,” Amy replied. “This is just business. No need for all of the blushing bride crap, ok?”

“But you’d make a beautiful bride,” Callie replied as she turned to sit at the desk. She scanned through the documents. “There’s nothing here that you should worry about. So, you and Ethan? Do you think your ‘business’ will result in any adorable little tycoons? I bet they’d have his blue eyes.”

“I thought you barely knew who he was.”

“Everyone knows who he is, Amy. You know, if you have second thoughts, I’d be willing to take one for the team.”

“He’d eat you for breakfast,” Amy said.

“So you’re saying he’s good with his tongue?”

“Callie! That’s a client you’re talking about!”

“Isn’t he my brother-in-law now?”

“I guess so,” Amy said. “Either way, I don’t want you to talk about how hot he is.”

“I never said anything about how hot he is, just that he seems like he knows how to please a woman.”

Amy put her hands over her ears. “Who are you and what have you done with my innocent baby sister?” she asked with a laugh.

“I buried her outside the beltway right after you hired me,” Callie joked.

“You’re funny when you don’t get much sleep,” Amy replied.

“Who said I got any sleep last night?” Callie said.

“Stop! No more!” Amy shrieked. She rubbed her hands over her face as she tried not to smile. Maybe Callie was a bit wittier than she gave her credit for. That would serve her well in dealing with the clients. After she composed herself, she asked, “So what’s the deal with Whitman? Who or what did the senator screw up?”

“It’s nothing,” Callie replied. “I have it under control. Not even a scandal. He wanted us to help him run some puff piece about protecting birds near his summer home.”

“Ok,” Amy said. “Just make sure to keep me in the loop on this one. Did Rich or Laura seem to think anything was strange about it?”

“No. Everything seemed to check out.”

“Ok,” Amy looked up at the clock. She wanted to run out and buy coffee and donuts for the staff before she broke the news to them that she’d be taking the next two weeks off to spend time with her husband. Of course, she’d also have to tell them that she was getting married that afternoon. “I’ll be back in half an hour. Have senior staff ready in the conference room when I get back. And, don’t say a word about what’s going on or I’ll have you answering phones for the next year.”

***

By the time Amy returned with coffee and assorted deep-fried breakfast foods, the entire staff of her small office had assembled in the conference room. As she placed the donuts and crullers down on the table, she could sense the anticipation in the room.

“Ok. I’ll ask. What the hell is going on?” Rich asked as he motioned for the box of donuts. Amy slid it over to him, and he flipped it open. “Jelly? What kind of trouble are we in here?” He thought back to all the times Amy had eased bad news with sugary or fatty foods. There was the pizza before two sleepless weeks; there was the barbeque spread for when she had everyone work through the Fourth of July weekend, bags of candy before all-nighters where they saved the ass of some politician or CEO. Because he assumed the worst, Rich reached forward and grabbed a jelly donut. “Might as well make it count,” he said.

Amy smiled nervously at Rich and Laura and she motioned for Callie and Jen to join them as they grabbed food and poured themselves cups of coffee. “I have a big announcement to make,” Amy started. “This one is going to come as a bit of a shock to all of you.” She watched the anticipation growing on their faces. She just knew that this was going to knock Rich over. “I’m getting married.”

“Get out,” Rich said.

“What?!” Laura half shouted.

They both turned to look at each other in disbelief. “What’s really going on?” they asked in unison.

“I’m getting married,” Amy said again.

“To your desk?” Rich asked.

Amy laughed. “To Ethan Cole.”

“No shit.” A smile spread across Rich’s face. “I should have known. How long have you two been…” He leaned forward and slightly nodded as he tried to ask his question in the most delicate way possible. Laura elbowed him in the ribs before he could finish. “… an item?”