The CEO’s Quadruplets

            “Honey, I’ve been intoxicated since lunch today.”

            “I know. You weren’t drinking while you were away. I bet one glass of wine can put you on the edge of drunk now.”

            Bella smiled and nodded. “I’m like a teenager with wine coolers.”

            Amory laughed and kissed her cheek. “I would have loved to see you like that.”

            “You can get the gist of it tonight,” Bella joked before finally turning the focus of the conversation towards Amory as their first of five courses came. “What about you, babe? What good news do you have for me?”

            Amory grinned. “Do you remember that western script my university friend wrote?”

            “Uh, yeah. I think so. It’s the reboot, right?”

            “It’s a sort of sequel to our first big movie at the studio. The famous western star Duke Mitchell had it as his watershed role that won him several awards and made him a legend. We got word his grandson Silas is wanting to break into acting after studying theater at some arts school back east.”

            “That’s cool. Are you going to talk to this new young guy about the film?”

            “Even better, he found out about it and contacted us. We’ve green lighted the project with him as the lead. It’s going to be a lot of young talent, and I think if it gets a good reception, we might have a franchise on our hands!”

            Isabella could feel the thrill in Amory’s eyes. She knew the one drawback from running the company was that he rarely got to be a part of the creative side of movie making. He had studied in college, but when his father was diagnosed with cancer his dreams of creating were quickly set aside to take over the company the more his father’s health regressed. This could finally be his big chance to be like his heroes. Amory Blake could become something like this century’s Orson Welles. Isabella was nothing short of happy for him.

            “That’s wonderful, Amory!”

            “Thanks. The opening scene is going to be gripping. It will begin with visiting Duke’s new grave, and his grandson will play his youngest son. His family was murdered by Duke’s old nemesis, except for his sister who was taken. He’s going to travel across no-man’s land in a coming-of-age story about loss of innocence and the importance of loyalty in tumultuous times.”

            “Sounds gripping,” Isabella encouraged him, watching his boyish grin widen.

            He nodded, stabbing his fork into his last bite of antipasti as he added, “This is going to be very special, no matter what happens. I’m putting everything into this movie that I can.”

            “I hope not too much.”

            “I love this movie, but don’t worry. I am still a businessman first and foremost. I won’t tank the studio with his film. I have other things to invest in.”

            “Like what?”

            “Like you.”

            Isabella tried to hide her smile. It was a somewhat cheesy line, but she could not help but love when Amory said things like that to her. There was a lull in the conversation as the next course came for each of them. They each ordered a shrimp polenta that was so smooth and divine that Isabella felt like it could be eaten without teeth. The waiter accompanied the dish with a mildly fruity white wine. Isabella quickly popped off the little tails as she listened Amory take their conversation into a new direction.

“Do you remember what you first told me when we met?”

Isabella smiled. “You look a bit like Jimmy Stewart, the iconic actor, but you have brown eyes instead of his blue.”

“I knew from that moment that I had to have you, Bella.”

“No other girl thought to use a movie-related compliment?” Bella joked, feeling her cheeks get warmer as bashfulness grew inside her.

“None as stunning as you.”

Bella’s cheeks and ears felt hot as she sipped her white wine, making her suddenly thankful that her melanin content disguised her sudden bout of bashfulness. Amory still unnerved her with looks like that, but it was the same smile he always gave her. His charm enveloped her entirely as his eyes twinkled and his dimples emerged with a boyish lopsided smile. They could have been at the center of a packed audience of a million people or standing alone in a desolate landscape, but when Amory wore that expression Isabella knew he could not see anything else but her.

“You always looked like sunlight to me. Every time I think I really know you, you surprise me, Isabella, and end up shining even more brightly than I realized. That’s why when I saw this on my last trip to New York I knew that this was meant for you.”

He pushed a pink velvet box across the table. It was the perfect rosy shade to match the pink from her collegiate sorority, which was a detail only Amory would have thought about. Enclosed inside on a white pillow, an art deco ring sparkled.

Amory added as she looked the ring over, “I know we’re already married, but it bothered me that you did not have the engagement ring you deserved. I thought something a little unconventional was fitting to our situation as well.”

An engagement ring fitting of a New York socialite from the last turn of the century, the pea-sized diamond in the center was a nucleus to an array of little diamonds shooting outward like a mosaic of a sun. Isabella considered getting some sunglasses just to look at it as the light caught on the main diamond. Lights refracted around it, and it shimmered against her husband’s face. It made Isabella realize she had said nothing since she opened the box, and the main course was arriving.

Isabella waited for the waiters to leave her roasted pork and Amory’s beef shank before finally responding. The clink of clean white stoneware against the wooden table as the last plate of roasted seasonal vegetables was placed in its designated spot. Isabella smiled at the young man, and then turned her attention to her husband.

“Would you do the honors?” Isabella asked playfully as she held out her hand.

He grinned, and taking the glimmering piece of jewelry out of its box, he slipped it onto her finger with ease.

“Thank you, Amory. It’s a perfect fit.”

“I took three of your regular rings with me to a jewelry shop in Bel Air. I wanted to make sure it was right. There’s nothing more embarrassing than having a ill-fitting engagement ring. They specialize in antique rings, so if there’s ever a problem we can take it there.”