Page 50 of Clock Strikes Paradise

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 offto.

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 theaudience. 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 avery 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 shookoff 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.