Autumn - In Love With My Boss (An Office Romance)| Completed

Chapter 45 - James

I decide to try calling her one last time.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

"Hello, this is Autumn Lewis. Please leave a message."

I hang up.

Why does she not answer my calls? Where is she?

I take a deep breath and leave my car.

The night is extremely chilly but clear. We even have a full moon. So romantic. I want to puke.

Slowly and not at all in Christmas spirit, I enter the fucking hotel at Cedar Bay Park. Let's get this over with.

Over a hundred people are already gathered in the concert area, and the event has barely even started. Stills is setting up his equipment on stage, while the guests admire modern art in the form of colorful blobs and splatters in expensive wooden or metal frames. Yeah, I'm not particularly an art enthusiast. Hell, no idea if the pictures are worth a couple hundred thousand dollars each or a few cents. But I don't need to. All I need to care about is that the event will be successful.

I look around to find Hunter. Shouldn't be too hard by the eccentric way he usually dresses.

Then, I see her. Standing right in the middle of that huge hall, meeting my gaze.

She smiles her shy smile, blushing, as she walks over to me, her lilac dress rustling with every elegant movement she makes.

"Hello," she says quietly.

Am I dreaming? Is this really Autumn? My Autumn? She is here?

"Hey," I respond, utterly confused. "I've tried to call you close to a thousand times. I've been knocking at your door for hours on end. You apparently didn't want to talk. And now you just show up here, like nothing happened."

Sadness is spilling over her beautiful face, tinting the amazing amber of her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

That is all she says. I'm sorry. Period.

So, I guess I'll start. At least I get to say everything that I've been meaning to say these past several days.

"Autumn, I'm sorry, too. What my aunt said to you was awful. And it isn't true. I never had office affairs."

She nods. "I know. You told me you were no saint, and that is okay. You also told me you don't usually have affairs with employees, and I believe you. However, I can't say I didn't hurt, but I had some time to think about everything. I believe you."

Relief washes over my heart like the cleansing wave that it is.

"Then, tell me, why did you not talk to me? Why did you not come to work?"

Her teeth gnaw at her bottom lip nervously, and I get the feeling there is something really important that she is about to share.

"I was sick."

Oh.

"I'm sorry. The flu? Why didn't you say anything? I would have checked on you."

"James," she says in such a serious tone it gives me chills. "It was not the flu. It was morning sickness."

Morning sickness. Phew. She sure had me there. For a moment I thought it was serious.

Wait, what? Morning sickness? Morning fucking sickness? As in ...

"I'm pregnant."

Holy. Mother. Of. God.

"What?" Yeah, I'm aware that I should say a bit more, but I'm not able to.

"The night I ran out of your aunt's house, I got terribly sick. When it didn't get better after a couple of days I went to the doctor. They did a blood test, which revealed that I'm... I'm pregnant."

"Oh Autumn, I..."

She doesn't let me end my sentence.

"I didn't know how to tell you. I had to come to terms with this myself. I was so afraid how you might react, I was afraid that you don't want to see me again, and I still am. I'm so stupid. I should have clarified that I'm not on the pill, I should have not been so irresponsible. But when I'm with you, I can't think straight. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to cause you any more trouble than you already have."

Autumn is rambling and rambling. If I don't cut her off, I'll never get to say anything.

"You're fired."

There, that should do it.

It does. She stares at me, horrified about my words.

"You're..." she stammers. "You're firing me?"

"Yes. You're fired. Effective immediately."

She shakes her head in disbelief, tears forming in the corner of her soft brown eyes.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because I can't have my wife work for me."

Now the tears start falling and won't stop.

Please, sweet girl, don't cry. There is absolutely no reason to. That is, unless you don't want me. And in that case, I should be the one crying, because I do want you. I've wanted you all along, but it took a tiny unborn baby to make me realize that you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.

I never planned this, but it feels like the most natural thing in the world as I drop to my knees in front of her, drawing the attention of the first onlookers.

By the time I take her petite hand in mine, about thirty people have gathered around us, watching us breathlessly.

I don't have a ring, obviously, but I do have a promise of forever.

"Autumn, you have been through so much in life. That you trust me enough to share this with me makes me feel a very special man. I promise you I will never let you down, whatever life may throws at us. I will always be there for you, I will protect and care for you, for our family. I know you will be a wonderful mother, to my daughter, and to our child. You are so sweet, loving, and caring. You are beautiful in every single way. I love you, Autumn, more than I can put into words. Let me love you for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?"

My girl is sobbing so badly that I'm not convinced her answer will be positive. The more seconds tick by, the more uneasy I become. Have I just made a fool out of myself, in front of the press, who's taking pictures of us now, by the way; in front of my colleagues; basically, in front of the entire town?

She motions me to get up. I oblige, with a queasy feeling in my stomach.

As soon as I'm back up on my feet, her arms fall around my neck.

"You are the love of my life. Of course I will marry you."

Our kiss is so intense, I'm not really surprised that the press lunges at the opportunity to get some close shots. I can already picture tomorrow's headlines:

CEO Playboy Taken Off The Market

Or

Event Manager Soon To Plan His Own Wedding

Be that as it may. I have my girl, my Autumn, the soon-to-be Mrs. Marlow; and that is all that matters.