Page 33 of A Vegas Crush Collection #3

the godfather

Devon

“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” I say as we make our way along the carpeted hallway toward Max Terry’s sprawling office.

I’ve never been up here. This place is for superstars. This is where player deals happen. This is not where a lowly nutritionist comes to beg for her job while explaining that she’s pregnant with the brand-new GM’s twin babies.

I stop short of the door, trying to control my breathing, trying not to puke on the pristine, gold and cream-colored carpet of the executive suites.

“No worrying please, because it’s going to be fine.” Grant takes my cheeks in his hands and plants a kiss on my forehead. “I promise.”

Grant knocks and then steps in without awaiting an answer. As I make my way in behind him, I take in the floor-to-ceiling windows and the view of the city that comes with them. This beats my closet in the basement by a long shot.

When Max Terry stands, I’m caught off guard by how handsome and warm he is. He has a genuine smile as he steps from behind his desk, extending his hand to mine. He shakes my hand, then Grant’s, and then beckons us both to take a seat on a white leather couch.

“Max, you remember Devon Pearson. Team nutritionist.”

“Devon.” Max greets me warmly. “It’s so good to see you again. I’m embarrassed I haven’t been down to compliment your work before this. I’ve heard such amazing things about the much-improved fitness and nutrition regimen Grant has prescribed for the team.”

“Thanks so much. I really enjoy my work here. And Grant gives good direction. He knows exactly what he wants for the team.”

Grant gives Max a few updates about the program and lets me share some of my most recent success stories. Max seems genuinely interested in the work I’m doing, and he lavishes compliments on Grant, congratulating him on his good leadership.

The nervousness in my stomach threatens to have me hurling all over this pristine space again. There is no way Max is going to be okay with us being together. No way. My knee starts to bounce, and I’m startled when Grant reaches over and takes my hand in his.

Max is surprised, too, judging by the way his eyebrows shoot into his hairline. “What is this?” He gestures to our entwined hands.

“Max, I should have probably talked to you about this right away. I met Devon the same day you offered me this job. She was at a conference at my hotel, and we hit it off. We made a pact to not talk about work or exes at the time, and that seemed refreshing, but it also meant we never knew we were both employed by the Vegas Crush Organization. Not until I got here and took that first tour with you. I was…shocked, to put it mildly, finding her working here in Las Vegas, of all places. It was too late by that point when we realized the situation we were in.”

“We tried not to take it any further, sir,” I chime in.

“But we just found out we’re having twins together,” Grant adds. “It was unplanned and unexpected, but it happened, and I wanted you to hear it from us—the whole story—before it got shared around the rumor mill.”

Max recovers himself and tilts back in his chair, chuckling. “Wow. That’s some fast progress with the team, fast progress in the bedroom.”

Grant tenses beside me, sitting up ramrod straight, his hand tightening around mine. I clear my throat and beat him to a response, saying, “I’m sure you didn’t mean that quite like it came out, sir.”

Max, to his credit, looks properly embarrassed. “Of course not. No. Please, I apologize. I just meant this all happened for the two of you, very fast.”

“If it’s going to be a problem, I’ll exit the position and let you hire someone else,” Grant says tersely.

Max looks absolutely horrified at this prospect. “Why would I ask you to exit the position? Why would I want you to leave for that matter? You’re doing a great job here.”

“I’ve heard about the non-fraternization policy. I thought you might see your brand-new general manager flouting the rules as a problem.”

Max chuckles. “Well, that policy got thrown out the window the minute Evan Kazmeirowicz about burned the world down to get to his wife, Holly. Oh, and then Pam did nearly get herself fired for having…relations…with Georg in the PT gym. Then later proposing in the most public way possible prior to a championship game. Oh, and then there was Viktor and Scarlett, now happily married parents. So, I’d say we’ve been able to let it slide when needed.

Especially when it’s the real deal. Who am I to interfere, you know?

” He rubs his hands together and clasps them, leaning back in his chair. “So, this is the real deal?”

I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding in pure relief. “Yes,” I tell Max, almost wishing I could go over and kiss him on the cheek in grateful thanks.

“It was a surprise,” Grant adds. “But a good one. And yes, it’s real.”

“Okay, then. You have my blessing, or whatever it was you were looking for.”

“Thank you,” we both say at the same time.

“Okay, now get back to work,” he jokes, waving us on our way.

We leave his office, and we’re halfway down the hallway when I break into hysterical laughter.

“What?” Grant asks.

“That was like a scene out of The Godfather.” I can’t stop laughing. “How bizarre was that meeting just now?”

“That was a bit weird. You know I had the same thought about just coming up here and asking The Godfather for his blessing myself.”

“You did?” I laugh at him.

“Mm-hmm.” Grant has his hands in his pockets and his head tilted curiously as he takes in my strange emotional outburst. I’m nearly crying from laughter, and I can’t figure out if it’s humor, relief, or what, but somehow, all the crazy emotions I’ve been experiencing feel like they’re lifting.

It’s like I can finally breathe without having to worry about losing my full-time job.

So, when Grant pushes me against the wall and crashes his lips down onto mine, I nearly forget that we actually are at work.

Nearly. But with more giggling, I do manage to push him back. “He said we had his blessing, not that we could make out in the hallway while we’re on the clock, Grant Gerard, you cad.”

Grant laughs and takes me by the hand. “Fair enough.” He walks me the rest of the way down to the elevators, where he presses the down button for me.

His office is up here on the executive floor, so this elevator will be my ride only.

When it arrives, and I step in, he smacks my ass playfully. “Now get back to work.”