The CEO Above My Desk (Mckenzie Shinabery) novel Chapter 250

Chapter 250

Violet

The next hour passed surprisingly quickly.

Once the pizzas were set out, people naturally spread throughout the reception hall, filling plates and claiming seats while conversations flowed easily from table to table. The nervous energy that had existed when everyone first arrived slowly disappeared beneath laughter, food, and the comfort of being surrounded by people they genuinely cared/about.

I ended up sitting at one of the larger tables with Rowan, Theo, Camille, and Devin while several employees pulled chairs over to join us.

The pizza had been absolutely demolished. Entire boxes disappeared within minutes.

Camille alone was responsible for what I suspected was at least two and a half pizzas. Possibly three.

Theo had stopped counting after the third slice.

“The baby was hungry,” Camille defended for the fifth time.

“The baby is going to come out asking for ranch dressing,” Devin replied.

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Camille pointed at him with a breadstick. “That’s not funny.”

“It was a little funny.”

Ju

Amp

Even Rowan laughed at that.

Across the table, one of the accounting managers started telling a story about Theo accidentally sending a company–wide

email several years ago.

Theo immediately groaned. “No.”

“Oh yes.

Everyone leaned forward immediately.

Theo covered his face.

The employee looked delighted. “He accidentally attached a personal grocery list instead of the quarterly report.”

Laughter immediately erupted around the table.

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Camille blinked. “You did what?”

Theo looked miserable. “I was tired.”

The employee wasn’t finished. “He emailed over three hundred people asking if anyone had seen the sale on frozen

waffles.”

The table absolutely lost it. Even Rowan doubled over laughing.

Theo looked personally betrayed. “You promised we would never discuss this again.”

“We lied.”

“Clearly.”

For a little while, things felt wonderfully normal. People shared stories. Laughed. Talked about old projects. Discussed vacations. Complained about deadlines.

The kind of conversations that happen when people finally feel safe again.

Eventually, though, I glanced at my watch and realized it was time.

I slowly stood from my chair. Then clapped my hands together.

Immediately conversations started quieting.

“Oh no,” Devin muttered.

“Oh yes,” I replied.

A few people laughed. Others looked nervous.

Good.

“Alright everyone!” I called out. “It’s game time!”

Groans immediately filled the room. Theo dropped his head onto the table. Camille looked thrilled.

I pointed dramatically toward Theo. “Don’t act like you weren’t warned.”

“I was hoping you’d forget.”

“You’ve known me too long to believe that.”

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Chapter 250

More laughter spread through the room as guests slowly stood and gathered closer.

I motioned toward Camille. “Game number one is called How Big Is The Baby Bump?”

Camille immediately looked proud of herself.

I held up one of the measuring tapes. “We have several measuring tapes available. Your job is simple. Guess the circumference of Camille’s baby bump.”

Several people immediately started debating.

“Oh that’s impossible.”

“No, I got this.”

“You absolutely do not.”

I continued. “Write down your guess. At the end of the party we’ll do an official measurement.” I pointed toward the prize table. “And whoever gets closest without going over wins.”

That immediately got everyone’s attention.

Competitive energy filled the room almost instantly. Within minutes, people were lining up with measuring tapes, squinting suspiciously at Camille’s stomach. One employee crouched down dramatically. Another walked around her twice.

A third pulled out their phone calculator.

Camille looked delighted by the entire thing.

Theo looked deeply concerned. “This feels invasive.”

“It’s for science,” Devin informed him.

“It is not.”

“It might be.”

The second game went even better.

Baby Bingo. Everyone received themed bingo cards filled with baby–related words and phrases.

Diapers.

Bottles.

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Cravings.

Morning sickness.

Pacifiers.

Strollers.

At one point Rowan somehow became aggressively competitive. I still wasn’t entirely sure how. But ten minutes later He was staring at his bingo card like it had personally insulted him.

“You have three cards.”

“That is irrelevant.”

“You are playing against pregnant women.”

“I intend to win.”

“Rowan.”

“I said what I said.”

W

By the time someone finally got a blackout, the entire room had dissolved into laughter again. Then came the final game.

The jellybean count.

A large glass jar sat on the gift table filled with pink and blue jellybeans.

Guests crowded around it immediately. Some counted. Some guessed. One person claimed they had a mathematical

system. Nobody believed them.

Eventually slips of paper were collected and placed into a decorative bowl.

Devin volunteered himself to announce the winner. Mostly because he enjoyed having everyone’s attention.

The room slowly gathered around while he stood near the front holding the bowl. “Alright everybody.” He dramatically cleared his throat. After extensive calculations.”

“You counted pieces of paper,” Theo interrupted.

“After extensive calculations, Devin repeated louder, “we have a winner.”

Everyone laughed.

Chapter 250

He reached into the bowl with only one guess and pulled out the winning guess.

Before Devin could say anything though, the front doors opened.

The entire room fell silent. Instantly. Conversations stopped. Laughter disappeared. Every head turned toward the

entrance.

My stomach dropped.

Because standing just inside the doorway was Avery.

She looked frozen.

Like she hadn’t expected forty–five people to immediately stare at her.

A small gift bag hung from one hand. Nothing expensive. Nothing extravagant. Just a simple baby shower gift.

And suddenly nobody in the room seemed to know what to do.

Including Avery. Her eyes darted around the room. Then landed on me.

For a second she looked like she might turn around and leave. Before anyone else could react, I moved.

I crossed the room quickly, keeping my expression as relaxed as possible. “Avery.”

She let out a breath. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

The silence behind us somehow became even more noticeable.

I ignored it.

1

“I’m glad you came.”

Avery glanced toward the crowd of people still staring. “I wasn’t expecting…” She gestured vaguely. “All of this.”

I laughed softly. “Yeah. They can be a little intense.”

“A little?”

Okay. Very.”

That earned the smallest smile.

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Good.

I gently took the gift bag from her hand. “Come on.”

I guided her toward the gift table first.

Camille immediately brightened when she saw her. “Avery!”

The warmth in her voice seemed to break whatever tension remained.

Avery relaxed slightly. “Hi, Camille.”

“You came.”

“I did.”

Camille smiled. “I’m glad.”

I set the gift bag with the others before steering Avery toward what remained of the pizza station. Which wasn’t much.

A few lonely slices sat abandoned in open boxes. The casualties of Camille’s appetite.

“There’s still food,” I said.

“Barely.”

“Take what you can get.”

Avery laughed quietly. The sound made something in my chest loosen.

At the same time, I caught Devin’s eye across the room. He was still standing at the front holding the bowl. Waiting.

I subtly motioned for him to continue.

His eyes widened in understanding. Then he immediately snapped back into host mode. “Right!” he announced loudly.

Everyone’s attention shifted away from Avery.

Thank God.

“The winner of our highly scientific jellybean competition is…” He unfolded the slip dramatically.

The room erupted into cheers.

…Janice from Legal!*

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Chapter 250

A woman near the back gasped. “No way!”

“Way!” Devin shouted.

Janice practically bounced out of her chair while everyone applauded.

Just like that, conversations restarted.

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7/7

11:12 Sat, May 30 M

Chapter 250

A woman near the back gasped. “No way!”

“Way!” Devin shouted.

Janice practically bounced out of her chair while everyone applauded.

Just like that, conversations restarted.

Comments