She pressed more keys on the computer, re-reading the first message.
“I’m sorry, Joline. I didn’t take your preferences into consideration and pushed you to a relationship you weren’t ready for. But we can go slower this time. Just come back to me and we’ll work things out. I promise, I’ll listen this time.”
The second message was just as sweet. “I’ve fallen in love with you and I really don’t want to face another day without your smile and your presence. You love your job just as much as I love my business. I get that now. But I need you to explain it to me again, in person.”
“Well?” Shantra asked, her eyes bright with hope.
“I have to go to him,” Joline gasped as soon as she saw her friend.
Shantra was astounded. “So fast? Wait! You can’t…” but Joline was already out the door, running down the hallway with her hair flying out behind her.
Shantra shook her head. “…Gotta make the man work for it, woman!” she whispered. But Joline wasn’t a woman who played games, when she wanted something, she went after it with both hands.
Joline burst into Rais’ office, wiping at the tears one more time. “I love you too,” she burst out.
Rais swung around, about to snap off the head of whoever had dared to enter his office. But at the sight of Joline standing there in his doorway, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “You’re here?” he said, his voice grumbling in disbelief. “Joline?”
“I’m here,” she told him.
He stood up and came around his desk; still not sure he believed she was standing in his office looking so beautiful that his teeth ached. “Where have you been?” he asked as he walked towards her.
Joline threw herself into his arms and hugged him, so in love with this man. “I love you!”
“I love you too,” he told her, wrapping his arms around her slender body and burying his face in her hair. “I love you so much and I’m sorry I messed up so completely.” Pulling back, he looked down at her. “Can you ever forgive me for making such a muck of things?”
“Yes. If you tell me that you love me again,” she said through another sob.
“I love you,” he groaned and pulled her close once more. “Damn, I love you so much. I was so worried about you! Don’t ever do that to me again!” And then something occurred to him. “Wait, how did you get here so quickly?”
She laughed and wiped the tears out of her eyes again. “I’ve been here all along.”
His eyes widened in astonishment. “Here? In Kilar?”
She laughed and kissed the middle of his chest. “In the palace,” she corrected.
He was still as that fact sank into his mind. When he realized what she was saying, he growled out his sister’s name. “I’m going to beat that woman!” he said, moving Joline to the side so that he could find Shantra.
Joline laughed and the sound stopped his momentum. He looked back at her and shook his head. “No, I think I’m going to beat you first.” And with that, he walked back over to her and lifted her into his arms. “In private,” he told her.
She laughed, delighted with his plan. “I think that would be wonderful,” she told him and wrapped her arms around his neck, happy once more.
Epilogue
“I’m not opening another store this year,” Joline said as she pulled the dress down over her three year-old daughter’s head. The colors went perfectly with Sitra’s coloring and Joline made a mental note to thank Shantra for the gift.
“You should,” Rais said as he straightened the tie on seven year-old Mica’s neck. They were getting ready for their official photos and Joline was arguing with Rais about everything lately.
She spun around and glared at him. “We’re not expanding any more this year! I’m not going to saturate the market with Jesek Designs too quickly.”
“You’re losing out on a marketing opportunity. Everyone is talking about your clothes after those two actresses wore Jesek dresses to the Oscars.”
Joline stood up and took Sitra’s hand. “Momma says you’re too pushy, Daddy,” Sitra said, defending her mother with that same defiant lift of her chin.
Rais chuckled as he lifted his son into his arms. “Is that what she says?” He turned to Mica. “Do you think I’m too pushy?”
Mica shook his head. “Momma already told me that we gotta be pushy because business people are pushy.”
Rais looked over at Joline, eyes wide and eyebrows lifted. “Oh, Momma said we have to be pushy?” he repeated.