Chapter 38 THE AWARD CEREMONY
NOVA'S POV
The dress arrived at my door that morning in a black garment bag with no note inside.
I unzipped it and stood there for a second just looking at it.
Emerald green, floor length, with crystal detailing across the front that caught the light every time the fabric moved.
It stopped high on my thighs on the left side where the split sat, and the back dipped low enough that wearing a bra was not an option.
It fit like it had been made for me specifically, which it probably had, because Matthias did nothing without measuring it first.
I wore my hair down. I put on the earrings he got alongside the dress and looked at myself in the mirror for longer than I needed to and then picked up my bag and went downstairs.
His car was already at the gate when I stepped outside.
He got out before I reached it, which I had not expected, and he stood by the passenger door and just looked at me for a moment without saying anything.
He drove to the hotel with two other vehicles following from behind, where he parked. He stepped out and opened the door from my side and he held out his hand.
I took it and stepped out of the car at the hotel and the cameras went off immediately, white and sudden, and I felt his hand tighten around mine.
He turned to me, tipped my chin up with two fingers, and pressed a short kiss on my lips right there on the steps.
Paparazzi were all over the place.More cameras. I heard them.
"Ready?" he said against my mouth.
I nodded and he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm as we moved toward the entrance.
His bodyguard closed in behind us before we made it three steps.
"Mr. Hale." A woman with a recorder pushed forward from the left. "Is it true you are now dating a member of your rival's inner circle?"
Matthias kept walking.
"Mr. Hale, does this mean the rivalry with Blackthorn Industries is over?"
Another one came from the right angel this time, a camera shoved forward above the crowd. "Nova, how do the Blackthorn brothers feel about this relationship?"
I exhaled through my nose and kept my face forward.
Matthias pulled me closer against his side and the bodyguard pushed the last of them back.
We went through the doors and the noise dropped behind us all at once.
The ballroom was already full. Round tables covered in white linen, low gold centerpieces running down the middle of each one, a stage at the far end with the award podium already set up.
The ceiling above it all was strung with warm light that made everything look softer than it probably was.
I saw Vanessa before I saw Callum.
She was at the Blackthorn table, already seated beside Callum. Her hand was on Callum's chest, tracing slow strokes as she whispered something into his ears.
Elias sat two seats away looking at his phone with his jaw set. Callum had not looked up yet.
I pulled my eyes away and followed Matthias to our table.
He pulled my chair out and I sat down. I kept my face neutral and my back straight as I looked at the empty seats around us.
We were the only people at the table.
Matthias sat beside me and rested his hand on my shoulder.
"Baby," he said, nodding toward the waitress who had appeared. "Champagne or something stronger? They have Hendrick's gin if you want it."
"Champagne is fine." I smiled at the waitress and she moved off.
I looked around the table again. They were eight chairs. How come we are just the two people here.
"Why are we the only ones here?" I asked, turning to him.
"We're early." He straightened his jacket. "The event doesn't start for another hour. My colleagues will be here soon."
I nodded and picked up my water glass.
He was right. Forty minutes later the other seats filled up, two women and three men, all from his company I guess. They were warm to me, nothing like I had expected.
I was almost relaxed.
Almost, because every time I glanced toward the Blackthorn table, either Callum or Elias was already looking back. They were either staring or stealing glances.
And Matthias kept kissing me at every given opportunity.
I kissed him back each time and smiled like nothing was happening.
Heaven knew that at some point I wished I had disappeared into thin air.
The coordinator took the stage just after eight. She was a tall woman in a silver dress, her hair pulled back, a microphone in one hand and a folder in the other.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the thirty-second annual Meridian City Business Excellence Awards.”
“My name is Caroline Reeves and I will be your host for the evening. Before we begin, I want to introduce the judging panel who reviewed this year's nominations."
She ran through the list of judges, the applause rolling up and settling after each name, and then she opened her folder and the room went quiet.
Matthias's award came fourth on the list.
"Kane Tower Enterprises, Innovation Leadership Award. Mr. Matthias Hale."
The table applauded Matthias as he stood, buttoned his jacket, and walked over to the stage slowly.
He took the award from Caroline Reeves and stepped to the microphone.
"I built Kane Tower on one principle," he said, his voice carrying easily across the room. "That the people who challenge the way things are done are always more valuable than the people who maintain it. This award belongs to everyone at Kane Tower who refused to accept good enough." He paused and picked up the award. "And it belongs to the woman at my table tonight, who challenges me every single day to be better than I was the day before." He looked directly at me. "Nova. Come up here."
The room turned towards me, every camera light was directed at me. All attention was on me.
I did not move for a full second, unable to process what was happening. I hated attention like this.
Matthias extended his hand from the stage.
His colleague beside me touched my arm lightly and smiled as I pushed my chair back and stood up walking to the stage because what else was I going to do? Nothing.
He took my hand when I reached him, pulled me close, and kissed me.
His free hand slid to my back and then lower, and I felt the exact moment his palm settled on my backside. Pressing my ass.
The moment I wanted the stage to open up and swallow me. But hell no, it didn't.
The crowd erupted.
Caroline Reeves leaned toward her microphone with a wide smile. "I think we can all agree, wedding bells might not be too far off for these two."