Lucas stood up, moving forwards, thanking his colleague and accepting the mic.
“Thank you for coming. As Brian said, we wanted to make this announcement with everyone present. As you know, this company has been my life for more years than I care to remember, and we are very much a family.” Star’s heart stuttered – surely Lucas wasn’t going to announce what she thought he was going to announce. She held her breath as he continued: “My health has not been at its best recently. My heart surgery and recovery have taken their toll. I’m fighting fit, however, but this time away has made me re-evaluate things.” The floor was silent as Lucas continued to speak. “As it stands, I am stepping down in my role of CEO.” The place erupted. Lucas just stood silently waiting for the floor to die down again. “I’m not sure whether that was in celebration or commiseration,” he said with a chuckle once he could be heard over the noise.
“Commiseration!” someone shouted from the back, before others joined in, ending with a round of applause for the man who had led the company to success.
Star watched as Lucas swallowed hard. She could see the mistiness in his eyes. She would miss her mentor and friend; the office was not going to be the same without him.
“I will be available for consults,” he added, “but I think my Mary deserves a round-the-world trip and some quality time with her workaholic husband.” The floor erupted in applause again, and Star found herself wiping tears from her face. The future was changing.
Lucas held up his hands, calling for order. “I’d like to introduce my replacement as CEO of Hunt and Hunt – my son, Damian Hunt.”
Star’s heart stopped as she watched Damian appear from one of the side rooms and make his way to his father. Her cheeks flooded with colour and her palms grew clammy. She hadn’t seen him for weeks, hadn’t heard from him since he’d left, but he was here and taking over his father’s position. What about New York? What about his position there?
Lucas returned to his seat as his son took centre stage. Damian’s deep tones echoed round the room. “Thank you, everyone. I’m honoured to be here and want to thank the Board for making this transition as smooth as possible. My months working here made me realise that this is my home, and I’m proud to be working with you all in Hunt and Hunt London. We have some big projects in the pipeline, and this is going to be a mammoth year for all of us. I look forward to working with each and every one of you. Thank you.”
Star found herself caught up in the swirl of people moving back to the exit and their desks. Her mind was all over the place, so she was shocked when she felt someone grab her arm and pull her sideways into one of the meeting rooms.
Spinning round, she looked up to find Damian staring down at her. “You came back,” she murmured.
“I came back,” he said. “I needed to sort out a few things, but I realised I couldn’t live without you. You are my life, Star, and wherever you and Skylar are, I need to be there. I want to watch her grow up; I want to spend every night with you. I’m miserable without you.”
Star felt the tears as they tracked their way down her cheeks, incapable of stopping them, not wanting to. They’d been hidden for too long. “How?”
“I had to go back. I’m sorry, but once I’d made up my mind, I needed to go and sort out the New York office. It was a mess when I got back, but that is something for another time. I didn’t want to say anything to you, as I didn’t know if I’d be able to keep my promise, but Dad deciding to retire, made the decision a lot easier and the Board was more than happy for me to step into his shoes.” Damian smoothed her tears away with his thumb. “I love you, Star, you and Skylar. I want us to be a family.”
Star felt her legs give out beneath her, the edges of her vision closing in. Damian was there in an instant, sweeping her up and settling her down in a nearby chair. Lucas entered and rushed over as soon as he saw Star, grabbing a bottle of water from the side table as he went.
“What have you done now?” Lucas said.
“Nothing!” Damian said, concern clear in his voice. “I only told her I wanted us to be a family and she fainted in my arms.”
“I’m okay,” Star said, smiling at them both. “I kind of skipped breakfast this morning, as Skylar had an assembly, and then with the meeting and everything, I haven’t managed to grab anything.”
“Take the girl home, or at least out to lunch,” Lucas ordered Damian.
“My pleasure,” Damian replied, scooping Star up into his arms and heading for the door.
Star smacked his shoulder gently, wiggling until he put her feet on the ground.
“I’m fine. Yes, I’d love to go to lunch, but I’m not having you carry me out of here like a damsel in distress. You can save that for our wedding night. I take it that was a proposal?”
Damian grinned, dropping to his knees in front of her. “Damn straight it was. Star Roberts, will you marry me?”
“A thousand times, yes. I’m never letting you go again,” Star said, throwing herself at Damian, who caught her with ease.
Lucas huffed behind them, “Mary is going to be so mad she missed this!”
Chapter Twenty-one
Four Months Later
Star looked at herself in the mirror. Her dress fitted her like a glove, while her hair was loosely curled around her shoulders. Mary stood at her back, gently attaching her veil. Daphne Roberts stood slightly to her side, holding a beautiful diamond necklace in her hands. Star’s relationship with her mother had improved over the past couple of months. The coffee Star had had with her father had been a turning point, and Daphne had softened, as if all she had ever needed was for Star’s father to take control. And so, Daphne had mellowed overnight, even taking an interest in her granddaughter. There had been lots of tears that day, as her mother hadn’t been as immune to Lily’s loss as Star had thought. They had shared that pain, albeit seven years late.
Skylar quizzed her grandmother for more stories of Lily every time she saw her, which was now frequently.
Christian had held true to his promise and the Duprees went silently into the background. Christian had taken Skylar to see them after several discussions with both Damian and Star, and according to Skylar, they were wonderful. Star was not so sure she could ever forgive Mr Dupree for his treatment of her sister, but she held her own water whenever Skylar was around. Maybe time and age could mellow even the blackest of hearts. If only Lily had lived to see it.
Daphne fastened the necklace round Star’s neck. “Something old,” she said. “This belonged to your father’s grandmother.”