Derick’s POV

I checked my watch for the hundredth time. My plans for Macy were falling apart. I had hoped to surprise her today, but a sudden emergency meeting had thrown everything off track. Every minute dragged as I stared blankly at Mr. Cole, who was rambling on about some convoluted deal that seemed to take forever.

This meeting was important for the company, no doubt, but the longer I sat here, the more I felt the weight of the minutes slipping away. I couldn’t help but think about ...