Barely.
He sat beside the maintenance cart drinking coffee.
The CEO approached.
He looked up.
“You’re early.”
She pointed.
“You’re awake.”
“Improvement.”
The CEO smiled.
Then noticed a small box on the cart.
“What is that?”
The Single Dad looked at it.
“Nothing.”
“Terrible lie.”
She reached.
He stopped her hand.
“No.”
The CEO stared.
He stood.
Picked up the box.
Then looked toward the aircraft.
The silver fuselage reflected both of them.
“I had a whole plan.”
The CEO’s pulse changed.
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It involved dinner.”
“Better.”
“Your daughter?”
“My daughter helped.”
“Worse.”
He smiled.
Then became serious.
“First time you saw me here, you thought I was asleep because I didn’t care.”
The CEO winced.
“I remember.”
“I was asleep because I cared too much to go home.”
“You were right to stay.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I was right about the airplane.”
“Wrong about everything else.”
The CEO looked confused.
He continued.
“I should’ve called someone.”
“Should’ve transferred the work.”
“Should’ve gone home to my daughter.”
“Should’ve trusted other people.”
The CEO listened.
The Single Dad looked toward her.
“You taught me that.”
She laughed softly.
“I yelled at you until you went home.”
“Effective teaching style.”
He opened the box.
A ring.
Simple.
Elegant.
The CEO stopped breathing.
The Single Dad did not kneel immediately.
He knew her better than that.
Instead:
“I don’t want you because you own this airplane.”
“Good.”
“I still think the paint is ridiculous.”
She smiled through tears.
“I don’t want you because you’re rich.”
“Also good.”
“I want you because you learned to ask before deciding.”
The CEO’s face broke.
“And because you showed my daughter that powerful women can admit when they’re wrong.”
The CEO laughed through tears.
“Rarely.”
“Occasionally.”
He took her hand.
“Will you marry me?”
The CEO stared at him.
Then toward the aircraft.
Then back.
“No.”
His face fell.
She smiled.
“I’m not saying yes beside the maintenance cart where I fired you.”
He stared.
She continued:
“Move five feet.”
The Single Dad burst out laughing.
He moved.
She nodded.
“Better.”