Page 30 of Clock Strikes Paradise (Island Escapes #4)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Elise

As I stepped across the floor of the private ballroom at Orchid, the atmosphere enveloped me like a warm embrace—the results of our afternoon.

Shimmering gold and black streamers adorned the walls, meeting in the ceiling and announcing New Year’s Eve in all its grandeur.

The white marble floor shone beneath my feet, reflecting the twinkle of the chandeliers above.

Black-and-gold helium-filled balloons danced across the ceiling, blown by a gentle breeze wafting through the open windows.

Tropical hardwood ceiling beams arched elegantly overhead and framed the lush potted orchids that graced the walls.

In one corner, a band played soft calypso music while couples swayed on the dance floor.

As I walked through the room, my gaze fell upon Clay, looking as if he’d just stepped off the cover of a magazine in his tailored Brioni tuxedo.

Hair perfectly groomed and the definition of tall, dark, and handsome, he was the walking embodiment of raw power and success.

That small voice inside me tried to speak up, but I quashed it.

Clay had proven himself to me. What more convincing could I possibly need?

I’d continued with the ball preparations after he and Evan stepped out.

Then I got dressed and arrived at Orchid early, just to make sure nothing was amiss.

As I panned my gaze around the room, I had to admit it was all perfect.

I didn’t know what the future held, but I couldn’t believe the changes just a few days had brought.

The new position I’d been working toward. And best of all, Clay.

The man, not the mogul.

My heart nearly stopped when he caught sight of me, his eyes sliding up and down my body. Closing the distance between us, he subtly touched the small of my back, sending a thrill down my spine.

“You look absolutely stunning tonight,” he whispered near my ear, his rich voice full of warmth before he pulled back to a respectable distance.

His words made me flush, and I smiled at the compliment. I was dressed for the occasion with my hair styled in an elaborate updo and a sparkling silver evening gown hugging my curves. My matching high heels clicked against the floor, and I almost felt like a fairy-tale princess myself.

I let my eyes linger on him. “Thank you. As much as I’ve enjoyed getting to know Casual Clay the last few days, you’re impeccable in a tux.”

He bowed crisply, somehow managing to look dashing and not like a butler.

My attention shifted to an elaborate wall clock that hung nearby, its hands indicating it was now closing in on midnight.

Nate and Camille snuck out a side door facing the beach, practically tiptoeing.

Clay and I exchanged glances, wondering where they were off to.

With a shrug, Clay said, “It’s their loss if they want to miss the big event. It’s time to get the show on the road.”

He tipped me a wink, and affection for him surged through me.

We had been circumspect tonight, reverting to our traditional roles during the gala.

I didn’t want to detract from his well-deserved celebration, but I couldn’t deny how much I appreciated the subtle glances and fleeting touches he’d given me throughout the evening.

“Are you ready?” I asked him quietly. “You’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

“More than ever.”

With that, Clay took a glass of champagne from a passing server and stepped onto the stage in front of the microphone.

The room quieted as everyone faced him, anticipation hanging in the air.

A resort employee set a soft-pink box on a stool next to him, its contents hidden from view, which piqued my interest. This wasn’t on our checklist.

“Good evening, everyone,” Clay began, his voice steady and confident. “I’d like to raise my glass to Celeste Rhodes.”

Wearing a lovely dark-blue dress, she beamed up at him. Her husband stood on one side of her and her white-haired father on the other, both in tuxedos.

“Congratulations, Celeste! I am confident Podium is in excellent hands and its future will be limitless. And we’re delighted your father and husband could make the trip and celebrate with us as well.”

As he spoke, I smiled at how he refrained from mentioning anything financial. The sales price had been fifteen billion dollars—a figure that would become public knowledge soon enough. Laurent’s offer had been twenty billion.

“Cheers to all of you as well,” he continued, toasting the audience.

The room erupted in resounding applause, glasses clinking together in celebration.

Clay had flown all of Podium’s senior staff in his private jet to attend the gala, not wanting anyone to miss what they had worked so hard to accomplish.

“Podium has always been a family business,” he told Celeste, his voice filled with sincerity. “I hope it will continue to be that way under your leadership.”

Celeste smiled warmly and called out, “We’ve been planning to open a New York office, and now we have the perfect excuse! Rest assured, all Podium employees will remain on board.”

The audience cheered even louder. My heart swelled for the man on stage. He had dedicated so much of himself to Podium, and this night was a testament to his success.

“None of this would have been possible without the incredibly hard work and dedication of everyone in this room,” Clay continued, then smiled.

“I’d like to thank my brother, who has disappeared at the most important moment, which is pretty typical.

” He paused as laughter rippled through the room.

“But without Nate’s presence and hard work, Podium would never have become what it is today. ”

Then his eyes settled on me. “Finally, I want to acknowledge Elise Briggs, whose contribution was invaluable.” Our eyes locked, and my heart skipped a beat. A blush crept up my cheeks as more applause sounded.

“Elise, you’ve been by my side for three years, and you’ve worked nonstop on Podium for the past year. None of this would be happening without you.”

He paused, inhaling deeply as he let his gaze linger on the view outside the open doors.

“Returning to Calypso Key represents a very real turning point in my life. I arrived a very different man than I’ll be leaving.

And that’s a good thing. In a very short time, Elise, you’ve shown me there’s more to life than work.

I’ve let that slip away, but now that I’ve got a firm grasp on it again…

I’m not about to let life—or you—get away. ”

The room erupted in applause once more, a low murmur rippling through it, and tears filled my eyes. People shifted away from me, leaving me the center of attention. My hesitations about his sincerity were in the past now, but seeing him on stage like this was beyond my wildest imagination.

After a final smile at me, Clay addressed the audience again.

“Elise is fond of saying that life isn’t a fairy tale, and she didn’t believe our story could have a happy ending.

She even referred to me as a prince, if you can believe that.

” He shrugged, a playful grin crossing his face.

“So I figured, if I’m supposed to be Prince Charming, I might as well act the part. ”

He turned to the soft-pink box beside him. It was about a foot square with an elaborate white bow on top. He lifted the lid. The audience collectively gasped as he pulled out a glass slipper, glittering and shimmering under the spotlights.

“So, I have a bargain for you, Elise,” he said, pinning me with his eyes. “If the slipper fits, will you finally believe in happy endings?”

A spotlight was trained on me, and I realized my mouth was hanging open.

Snapping it shut, I forced my feet to move.

In a daze, I climbed onto the stage. My legs were shaky, but I managed to reach Clay, whose eyes never left mine.

Growing quiet, the audience crowded closer, eager to watch the show unfold.

With a trembling leg, I shook off my right shoe.

The cold marble of the stage bit into my bare foot, grounding me in reality even as my mind swirled with disbelief.

Clay hunkered down before me, holding the glass slipper.

I laughed as that lock of hair sprang free across his forehead and he casually swept it back into place.

As he placed my foot inside, the slipper seemed to mold itself around me like a glove.

A perfect fit.

The crowd roared, their excitement echoing through the ballroom.

I burst into laughter, holding my hands against my mouth as Clay reached into the box and removed a second slipper.

He carefully placed it on my other foot before rising again, his smile contagious.

I could hardly believe what had just happened, and yet, here I was, standing on a stage in front of a crowd of people with two glass slippers on my feet.

“When? How... did you make this happen?” My quiet words were halting, dumbfounded.

Instead of replying, Clay merely winked at me. After a glance at the wall clock, he took my hand and led me back to the microphone. I moved in a daze, every detail in the room both impossibly vivid and ephemeral.

“It’s a couple of minutes to midnight,” he announced, “so let’s all hit the dance floor and welcome the New Year in style!”

As the band broke into a soft, tropical tune, we made our way to the center of the dance floor.

I could have been floating on air except for the solid clicks my perfectly fitting heels made against the floor.

Couples surrounded us, dancing to the music, but all I could focus on was the man before me.

The man who’d just turned my life into a fairy tale.

The world around us slowed, fading to background noise as Clay and I swayed together on the dance floor.

I’d never seen him dance, but I wasn’t surprised that he moved gracefully and easily.

My school dance lessons came back to me, and the perfect vision was maintained as I glided in his arms. His gaze never left mine, and his hand gently traced the small of my back.

Goose bumps pebbled both of my arms. The soft music enveloped us, creating an intimate cocoon that made me forget the people celebrating all around us.

“Ten... nine... eight...”

The crowd began counting down in the background, their voices a distant murmur to my ears. Our lips drew closer, drawn together like magnets.

“Seven... six... five... four...”

“Yes,” I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn’t believe this was happening, that this man who had only seen me as his assistant for so long was now inches away from kissing me very publicly.

“Three... two... one...”

The anticipation built, electrifying the air between us.

“Happy New Year!”

Everyone shouted, and at that moment, our lips met. My arms found their way around Clay’s neck, while his wrapped around my waist, pulling me even closer to him.

Our kiss deepened, fueled by the emotions we were both experiencing. His body was warm against mine, and his embrace was firm and confident. Time stood still as we lost ourselves in each other, standing on the dance floor and encased in our own enchanted world.

Eventually, the cheering crowd broke through, and I realized they weren’t just celebrating the arrival of the new year—they were cheering for us. Sheepishly, I pulled away from Clay and offered a smile to our friends and colleagues.

“Thank you,” I murmured, heat warming my face.

“Let’s keep dancing,” Clay suggested, his eyes full of mirth as he led me back into the rhythm of the music. “So did I pull it off?”

I started to speak, but only a squeak came out. I cleared my throat and tried again, still in awe of the evening’s events. “How did you do all this?”

His grin took up half of his face. “Evan wasn’t kidding when he said he could make anything happen.

And I’m not exactly a slouch in that department either, you know.

I’m not sure exactly how he got the slippers made so fast, but he did.

After we left the meeting this afternoon, I snuck out one of your shoes to use as a size guide and Evan did the rest.”

I laughed, still in shock. “This is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“Then I’ve done my job,” he said, pulling me closer.

We danced to the obligatory “Auld Lang Syne”, staring into each other’s eyes as the first moments of the new year unfolded around us.

Clay leaned down to capture my lips once more, and I threw my arms around his neck.

Still kissing, he picked me up and spun me around him in a circle. Both of us started laughing.

Our mirth was interrupted as Nate and Camille appeared next to us, looking somewhat flushed but with wide grins on their faces. “Looks like we missed something big,” Nate said with a grin.

Clay frowned at him. “Yeah. The entire speech, countdown, and celebration. Where have you two been?”

Camille’s lovely smile widened as she held up her left hand, displaying a sparkling diamond ring on her finger. “Having our own celebration. We’re engaged!”

“Congratulations!” I screeched, momentarily forgetting my own surprise and delight as I threw my arms around Camille. She hugged me back, her eyes shining.

“Congrats, little brother,” Clay said, shaking Nate’s hand. “Looks like the Harmon boys managed to do pretty well in the end, doesn’t it?”

As I slid against him, I looked up into his eyes, still a pale blue but not so icy anymore. “I can’t imagine any happier ending.”

We shared another kiss, this one sweet and tender, and moved to the rhythm once more.

Nate and Camille danced alongside us. The soft music played around us, and the intoxicating scent of orchids filled the air.

As I stared out the open window at the gentle ocean, a meteor bolted across the sky in a long, white streak.

I didn’t need to make a wish.