“We did our best to stay apart. We tried for four years to tell ourselves that these feelings were just hormones. That we weren't feeling something real.” He looked around the room, making eye contact with each and every reporter. “Now, after four years, we've realized that that isn't going to work. We're not teenagers anymore. We're adults. And those feelings only got stronger.”
He turned and held out his hand for me. I took it without hesitation. His green eyes pulled me into him, stronger than any magnet.
“There are those who might say this is wrong,” he said, turning back to the podium. “What's wrong about it? We're in love. We plan on getting married. How are we any different than any other couple our age?”
My heart stalled and warmth spread out behind my breast bone. We plan on getting married. In my heart, I wanted that, but I had never had the guts to even think it. It was always something too far away and impossible to even dream of. My imaginary futures with James had never gotten that far. But now that I heard him say it, I wanted it. I wanted it more than anything.
“As adults, our parents no longer define us. I run a billion-dollar corporation. My mother has no say in it. Allie is earning her degree, yet her father isn't the one dictating her classes. So, I ask you, why should their marriage define us? Their marriage is for them, not for us. I can honestly say that if we had been given the choice five years ago on who they should marry, we both would have chosen someone different.”
I smiled. I liked Nancy, but there was no way I would have ever set her up on a date with my dad. There was no way I would have chosen to make James my stepbrother.
“But we didn't get that choice. We respected it, because we love our parents and want them to be happy, but it was not our choice. We don't get to chose who we love. We just love them.” James turned and looked at me, his eyes sincere and bright. “And I love Allie.”
I beamed at him. More flashes went off as we gazed lovingly into one another's eyes. They were eating the presentation of reluctant lovers up with a spoon. This was going as planned. All that was left now was the question and answer part, which unfortunately the part that made me nervous.
James turned back to the crowd, my hand tightly wrapped up in his. “Now, I'll be happy to answer a couple of questions.”
Every reporter in the room's hand shot up.
Audrey stepped out from the side of the room. I hadn't even noticed her there, but she was dressed professionally. She pointed to a man in a dark suit.
“Do you have any idea who leaked the photos and why they would do such a thing?”
“That's an excellent question,” James said. “I am having it looked into. Right now, we believe it was a disgruntled employee. As to the why, I don't wish to speculate, but these kinds of photos and stories are very lucrative. Next question.”
More hands. Again, Audrey picked one out.
“How long has this relationship been going on?”
James squeezed my hand. “Over a month. We wanted to continue to keep it quiet, as I'm sure you can appreciate. Unfortunately, this employee betrayed not only my trust but all common decency. We hadn't even told our parents yet when the news broke. Next question.”
Audrey stepped out, carefully searching the crowd before selecting a reporter. I had a sneaking suspicion that she had pre-screened many of these questions, yet for all intents and purposes, it looked like a real question and answer session. I was impressed with her abilities so far.
“How are your parents taking the news?”
James looked sadly down at the podium. “I don't know yet. We had wanted to tell them ourselves. I'm sure they've always suspected we had feelings for one another, but they didn't know that we had started dating. Unfortunately, they found out this morning reading the news paper just like everybody else. With all the publicity surrounding us, we haven't had a chance to sit down with them and have a discussion like every other couple would. That chance was stolen from us.”
More cameras flashed and I leaned into James as if offering him support.
“Last question,” Audrey announced. “You, in the gray skirt.”
“What do you want people to know about this? About you two?”
It was such a softball question, I knew that they had pre-selected these questions. That was James though, controlling everything so he came out on top.
“Thank you for that question,” he started. I tried not to roll my eyes. He'd make a great politician if he ever decided to change careers. “I want people to know that we're no different than any other young couple in love. We're nervous to tell our parents, we're excited for the future, and we have dreams for what will happen next in our lives. Our parents' late-in-life marriage has nothing to do with us. Feel free to report that billionaire James Coleman is off the market, but that's really the only news story here.”
The camera flashes were blinding. It was like being caught in a strobe light convention. I just held onto James and smiled, hoping that I didn't look too much like a deer in the headlights.
“Thank you all for coming,” Audrey called out. “That's it for tonight. If you have any other questions, you can direct them to Mr. Coleman's press secretary. Thank you.”
James turned and pulled me away from the flashing lights, away from the mess of reporters. I followed him, doing my best not to trip on my own two feet out of a big heavy door with two big guards on either side into an empty hallway.
With the doors firmly closed behind us, James pulled me into a kiss. It reminded me of the passion of our first kiss, our lips meeting so strongly that I was sure they would come out bruised. I pressed my entire body against him, wanting more.
He pulled back, breathless. “Well, there's one good thing that came out of all this.”
“And what's that?”