Page 88 of Bad Habit
“We’re kind of stubborn bastards.” And that is the voice that I needed to hear the most. I step to the side and am met with Oliver lifting me up and hugging me tightly.
“I like you stubborn.” I kiss his cheek as he lets me back down. We’ve been so good the past week. I’ve spent the night at his house every night since I left Scott at the restaurant. I only felt slightly guilty for that.
He takes my hand and we all turn at the same time to face the long hallway that leads to the conference room. I feel AJ take my other hand and give me a reassuring squeeze. A small reminder that I can do this and that it’s too late to back out now. We walk in sync down the hallway but when we reach the door, I pull Oliver back a little bit. When we are far enough away from the group I whisper, “I need you to promise to not be mad when you walk through that door.” His eyes go a shade darker as he immediately goes on the defense. “And behave.”
“Mia.” He questions.
“Just promise me.” I beg him.
I know he can hear the worry in my voice because his voice gets softer, “promise, baby.”
I let go of his hand and push my way through the group. I only stop when I pass Melinda and give her arm a kind squeeze. Rory is next to her and nods his head in support. I open the door to reveal the room filled with a team that I single-handedly chose and put together.
I’ve been grinding for this past year to reshape my entire company into what it’s about to become. I can feel my heartbeat so fast that I’m pretty sure everyone else can hear it too. My whole team stands to greet me, and I hear Oliver mutter something but I keep walking to the front of the room anyways.
When I make it front and center I turn and face the whole room. Davey walks up next to me and hands me the clicker for the presentation and a bottle of water. I let out a heavy breath before bringing my eyes up to Oliver. He’s standing in a room full of every guy that he personally interrupted me on a date with. I know he is seething right now because I made him promise to not be mad, knowing damn well that he hates walking into something and feeling ambushed.
“Melinda, will you please sit here?” Davey guides Melinda to her chair at the table. “And you all can sit here.” Davey motions to the seats on the side of the room. The triplets are all wearing the same look on their face, really showcasing how identical they are.
“Now that everyone is here, we can begin.” I turn the powerpoint on and go through the first slide. I motion to my left, “This is Davey, he’s my new personal assistant. He will be treated with all the respect in the world. If you need something during the meeting, just get his attention and he will make sure you get it.” I motion for everyone to sit down.
“For the sake of everyone in the room being on the same page, my name is Mia Cassidy and I am the founder and owner of Giving Grace.” I click and the new logo that I had Devyn design comes up on the screen. With two giant letter g’s lighting up the screen. I make eye contact with Melinda as she takes in that I am her silent partner. That I have been her silent partner since the beginning. Rory is smiling proudly behind her and squeezes her shoulders gently.
I don’t know how I expected her to react, but her covering her mouth and crying was not it. “And we’re here today to talk about the future of this company and the partnership with Melinda’s youth center.” I’m stillstaring at Melinda when she smiles and nods for me to continue, not an ounce of anger in her eyes. I take another short breath and stand a little taller as I gain more confidence before nodding to where the investment banker that Oliver met at the bar is sitting. “This is Will, he will be head of finance.” I glance back to Oliver who also doesn’t look angry, more bewildered. I go down the line. “This is Blake, he will be on legal.” It’s the guy that Oliver found me having lunch with in Charleston. “This is Echo, he is my tech genius.” I nod to yet another guy that Oliver crashed my date with. Then I give an appreciative smile to where Scott is sitting. He really was so great about me ditching our lunch. “Scott is sitting in for his mom, Sheila, who will be a special advisor on the program.”
Everyone leans forward and waits for me to continue. “Giving Grace is named after my grandmother. I lovingly call her Gigi.”
“Brilliant fucking girl.” Oliver breathes out and my chest is flooded with warmth. I’ve worked so hard to make this a reality and it’s finally happening.
“I vetted over fifty members for this team. And you are the chosen ones I trust the most. We will be taking Giving Grace and giving her a facelift and expansion. Starting with a second location of West Haven. It will be a sister school. Meet Eddie West, owner and founder.” I click for the next slide as Davey opens the door for Eddie and my grandmother to walk through.
I waited until this week to talk to them both. I needed Gigi to be an investor and get it up and running and I knew from working at West Haven that I didn’t want any other gym to be the center focus for the program. The triplets all nearly fall out of their seats when their dad walks by, but not AJ.
“We are expanding Giving Grace to more kids and building a better program. Reformation for kids to train in sports for scholarships. Foster kids to have memberships to come and take classes and find a haven when they need it. We’re going to implement big sister/littler sister andbig brother/little brother programs.” I look around the room before landing on where AJ is staring at me. “And there is only one person who can help make sure that program is successful and reaches the kids it needs to reach. My best friend and strongest person I know, Avery Jude Davenport.”
I click the next slide to show her teaching a class at the gym. Then I click through the next few slides that showcase the first steps of this company and how we will consistently raise money to fund it and find investors. I go through the plan, step by step. And with each passing minute I know that I am exactly where I need to be. I am doing what I was created to do. I can make a difference.
I give everyone a break and dismiss. Mainly so I can do damage control with my people. After Davey leaves and gently closes the door I cautiously make my way over to where they are all sitting. Eddie and Gigi on each side to support the oncoming bombing of questions.
“Everyone knew but us?” Eli is the first to speak as usual.
“You boys can’t be trusted with secrets. You never have been good liars. Which means I raised you well.” Eddie is quick to defend my decisions.
Melinda stands up and if I’m honest, this was the moment I have been most afraid of. Her face is still a little red from where she was crying at the start of my presentation. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I just wanted to help at first. Then you gave me a job and I got hands-on experience of how it feels to stand side by side with these kids. And how much you are changing their lives. And I just fell in love with it. I wanted to do more.” I choke out the last few words and she wraps her arms around me tightly, patting my hair as she soothes me.
“You are phenomenal, sweet girl. I am so proud of you.” She whispers while still holding me tightly.
Rory steps up and hugs me tightly. “Thank you,” he whispers in my ear. “For taking care of her.” The break in his voice is almost enough tobreak me. Nobody loves Melinda more than her son and I’m so thankful he isn’t mad at me keeping this all from him.
“I think you’re kind of a wizard actually. This is so badass. Like you own this? When did you create a whole company? You’re building a second gym? Do we get to help run it? Dad knew? AJ too? I feel like we are on a TV show. This is insane.” Maxwell is full on losing his mind and I am dying of laughter.
“So you weren’t actually on dates with all those guys?” Eli asks me and I shake my head.
“Dates are just a meeting, Eli. They don’t have to be romantic. Each of those guys have a purpose and I needed them. But I needed to know that they were okay with just me, and not my background.” I explain to Eli but really I’m speaking to Oliver.
“You probably feel so dumb right now.” Eli laughs, jokingly punching his brother’s arm.
“I’m actually so turned on right now.” Oliver takes a full step forward and kisses me harshly. “Prettiestandsmartest girl in the room, always.” He gives me one more sweet kiss as his dad clears his throat.
