45. Ember

45

EMBER

“ A ll the rooms are completed. I am debating about changing the theme of room six. It doesn’t have the same feel as the others. Other than that, the private rooms are ready.” I’m standing at the front of the main conference room. The PowerPoint I created is only a display to show the entire team, including Elena and Christian, the final layout for the club.

“The voyeur stage just needs backstage curtains installed, and I am waiting for our updated AOL logo for the Chat Room entrance.” Cruz writes down the items we’re pending because he tracks everything, and I swear nothing gets past him. Smiling when he looks back at me, giving me a thumbs up.

I told him how nervous I was about this presentation, being that it’s literally in front of half the executive staff of the company. But I know this club inside and out, so the moment I stepped up here, I knew exactly what I needed to say. It’s been the easiest presentation I’ve ever done, and I’m giddy with excitement. In fact, I can’t stop smiling like an idiot.

“On Saturday, both the app and the website will announce the soft opening date and allow members to upgrade their membership in order to purchase tickets. I suspect we will have, at minimum, a thirty percent increase of our existing members upgrading and an additional five percent of new sign ups. We’ve paid minimal for public marketing, to avoid negative press, but with our social media profiles and current member base, I think this will be substantial growth for the initial opening, and within a year, I suspect our numbers will triple.” Christian peers over at Elena. Her lips are turned up in a semi-permanent grin as well.

“Lastly, we’ll have double the security we would typically have on staff. I’ve tasked Dietrich,” I look over at Christian’s head of security, sitting next to him at the table, “with building a team for opening night. He can give us the details as we get closer to the opening, but we will be bringing on an outside security vendor for placement, both outside and inside, to ensure the protestors don’t scare away the clientele and we don’t have anyone enter the club that shouldn’t.”

Over the last few months, we’ve had a lot of incidents —people spraying graffiti on the exterior of the building or trying to start fires. We’ve always had security in the parking lot, which has prevented some vandalism but last week, while I was away, a small group of protestors tried to break inside, so we’ve increased our twenty-four-hour security as we’ve gotten closer to the opening date.

It will die down eventually, but until then, I’m doing everything in my power to protect what we’ve built. Just because they don’t agree with the lifestyle that others have, doesn’t give them a right to destroy it. We have consensual loving adults with open sexuality. What gives these protestors a right to say they can’t express themselves in open and honest ways? Their beliefs are beyond unreasonable, and I hate that they throw out such hate and violence. Those actions force people to hide their true desires from others, feeding their own guilt, making them feel like they are not normal for what they need. I know because I’ve spent my life pushing those desires into a black box, hiding it from everyone.

Until Hudson. Until his support allowed me the permission I needed to tell him what I desired. And he did everything in his power to bring all of those to life.

“I’ll email out an agenda for opening night and everyone’s tasks for the week leading up to it. Does anyone have any questions?” I glance around the room at all the executives, seeing everyone excited and humming words of praise and encouragement.

Cruz raises his unusually long arm straight in the air, pushing it as far as possible to the ceiling, like I’m going to ignore him if he doesn’t.

I smile and point at him. “Yes, Cruz.”

“I have a great idea for room six’s theme,” he shares enthusiastically, as Cruz normally does.

“Oh, yeah? Give it to me,” I reply, shifting the papers in front of me, so I can look at the specs for room six, even though I have them memorized.

“Well, I think we’re missing the boat with the people who have a food fetish. So I suggest we stock it with things we know that group of people like. Whip cream, strawberries, chocolate syrup… cucumbers. You know, stuff like that. We can call it something fun, like Flavor Fantasies or Edible Euphoria, or ooh, ooh, Culinary Playground.” Cruz wiggles his eyebrows, but stops and cranes his neck back when he sees my wide-eyed expression.

I side eye over to Christian, who is pinching the bridge of his nose while Elena just giggles, looking at her folded hands on the table.

Another executive is nodding, like it’s the best idea since sliced bread.

“What?” His arms are splayed out, palms face up, confused at my expression .

“Okay… wow… um, great idea in theory. Love those room names. But uhhh, we’d be taking on a bit too much liability with potential…” I pause, picking my words wisely, “infections,” I say, softly.

And fuck it. I have to say it.

“Plus, cucumbers belong in salads, not vaginas.” I shrug at Cruz.

Cruz’s shoulders slouch with a dramatic eye roll.

“Alright, any other questions?” I ask the room.

“Yes, I’d like a minute.” Christian stands up from his seat at the head of the table, buttoning his suit jacket, stoic and serious, as usual. It’s a hard contrast from the desperate man I saw at the club behind that glass wall completely falling apart for Elena and Jake. My cheeks flush, which is great timing to make me appear shy instead of turned on.

I smile and pull my seat out to sit next to Cruz, who is currently giving me the stank eye from turning down his idea. “Great names. Icky idea. Who wants to clean that?” I whisper.

“Who wants to clean any of the rooms?” Cocking his head to the side.

So, yeah, he’s got a point there.

“It’s necessary to recognize Cruz and the support he’s provided throughout this project.” Cruz stands halfway, taking a small bow with a smile, eating up the praise in a way I’m envious of. “Necessary, but clearly not needed.” It’s the first smile that’s crossed Christian’s face and, of course, only Cruz can bring out the playful side of him during a business meeting.

“The entire team really came together on this one, but I’d like to take a moment to recognize Ember for the outstanding job she has done running this project. She came to me with this idea only a few months ago, and I’m truly shocked and incredibly pleased it’s come to fruition effortlessly. Even though it was far from that.” He meets my gaze and grants me a proud smile. I press my lips together, unsure of how to reply to his praise. He continues circling the table.

“Every detail was well thought out, planned, and you did a stellar job building this from the ground up. There is just one thing that doesn’t fit.”

My face falls. What? What doesn’t fit? His eyes flick to mine, studying me. Like he’s trying to tread lightly.

My confidence sways with his words, my mother’s face flashes behind my eyes, and I question everything instantly. My thoughts run rampant before I squeeze my eyes shut, stopping the stampede of nonsense.

Fuck that. I may not have the most sexual experience. I may be young compared to this group. But I fit. I fit here.

I steel my spine and open my mouth to defend myself, but Christian continues.

“ XConnect Live. Yes, we’re bringing the app to life. In all literal terms. But after some thought, another name fits better, so I went ahead and filed the updated name with the city and worked directly with the contractor to create the proper signage for the building.”

He fucking did what? I mean, I know it’s his company, but he didn’t even tell me.

He steps to the corner of the room, where a poster board is on a display stand, draped with a white cotton overlay. I noticed it there when I came in, but figured it was for something else.

He grips the corner of the white drape. “Ember, you came to us, brand new to the corporate world, but with an ambition I have never seen in anyone. I can’t express how happy I am that you chose to work here.” His eyes soften as he looks back at me, and I furrow my brows, a bit confused as I nervously bite the corner of my face off.

He continues, “The definition of ember according to the dictionary is, ‘a small piece of glowing coal or wood in a dying fire.’ In my eyes, you have already revived XConnect in ways I never predicted with this brave idea, bringing something that was potentially dying back to life. It’s only fitting that the club be named after that drive and motivation. After you.” He slips off the sheet, revealing the poster, which is a sketch mock-up of the front of the building, my building, that I’ve seen day in and day out.

AFTERBURN is beautifully displayed over the front of it.

My hands cover my mouth, that falls uncontrollably.

Everyone claps, cheering, while Cruz shoulder bumps me. Christian and Elena smile at me.

I can’t believe it. Tears flood my eyes and I’m utterly speechless. My hands tremble from nerves, from excitement and happiness, and I have no idea how to navigate through all the different emotions rifling through my body.

“I don’t know what to say.” My voice splintered from the boulder in the back of my throat. “Thank you.”

“You deserve it, Ember.”