One night stand with my president(chapter 432)

 Chapter 432: Announcement

After pouring his heart out, Sam waited, but Joyce still didn't say a word.

The silence made him even more anxious.

He had braced himself for a possible rejection.

But her utter lack of reaction? That was worse.

It left him hanging, his heart twisting in uncertainty. He didn't dare push her for a response, only stood there quietly, waiting.

Finally-after what felt like forever-Joyce opened her mouth.

"I heard you," she said calmly.

Her voice, though soft, made Sam panic even more.

Sam thought, "She heard me? What did that even mean? Is she turning me down?"

Then, all of a sudden, Joyce lifted her gaze and looked straight at him. "So that's how you confess? No flowers? No gift? No cake?"

Sam blurted out in alarm, "There is! I mean-l have all of that-I'll call someone right

now!"

Before he could finish, Joyce let out a laugh. 

"I'm messing with you."

She just thought things were getting a bit too tense and wanted to lighten the mood.

Ironically, that only seemed to make it more awkward.

Still, seeing her smile made Sam's heart settle just a little. Even so, he remained unsure. "Did this mean she said yes, or no?"

Then Joyce stood up and said, "Let's go."

Sam blinked. "Go... where?"

She glanced at him. "A date. Obviously."

Even after they arrived at the plaza glowing with vibrant lights, Sam still felt like he was floating.

Sam thought, "We're on a date. That meant we're together now, right? It has to mean that." The plaza was crowded. A skateboarder lost control and came flying toward them. Joyce was right in his path.

Just as the man hit Joyce, Sam instinctively reached out, pulling her close and stepping aside just in time.

The skateboarder whizzed past them with an apologetic smile, and the moment passed.

But Sam didn't let go.

He looked down at Joyce, and without thinking, wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her tightly into his chest.

Joyce was stunned by the sudden embrace.

The plaza was full of noise, yet at that moment, she could hear his heartbeat-loud and fast. And hers too.

It took her a long moment to come back to her senses. Slowly, she raised her arms and wrapped them around his waist.

They stood like that, quietly holding each other.

"Joyce..." Sam murmured.

"I'm here," she answered softly.

"We're... together now, right?" he asked, almost afraid to hope.

Joyce let out a quiet laugh. "What do you think, dummy?"

Sam was over the moon. He let her go, fumbled with his phone, and asked, "Can we take a picture? I... I just..."

He couldn't even finish his sentence.

"You want to post it?" Joyce guessed.

He nodded enthusiastically. The urge was overwhelming. He wanted the whole world to know that he was with her and that Joyce was his girlfriend now, and one day, she would be his wife.

"Then let's take one," Joyce said with a smile.

Sam turned on the camera and tried taking a selfie, but the results were... rough, to say the least. After a few shots, Joyce couldn't take it anymore.

"Give it here. I'll do it," Joyce said.

Sure, they both looked good, but that wasn't an excuse to butcher the photo.

Sam obediently handed her the phone. She took a few nice shots, then pulled out her own phone.

"Send me those. I want to post too."

If he was going to make it official, she wasn't going to keep things low-key either.

Sam sent them over right away, then eagerly opened his post app, struggling to think of a good caption.

After minutes of blankly staring at the screen, he gave up and just posted two happy emojis and the best of their photos.

Within minutes, the likes and comments started pouring in.

And he received many private messages.

Then the group chats lit up like fireworks.

"Dude, Sam, what's going on?"

"Don't tell me this is an announcement?"

"Mrs. Juarez is gorgeous!"

"Wait-can we call her that? Mrs. Juarez?!"

Sam had never posted pictures with a girl before.

Even when he brought girlfriends to hang out, no one ever called them Mrs. Juarez.

So his friends weren't sure if it was fine this time.

Then someone in the group asked directly, "Can we really call her Mrs. Juarez?"

Sam replied without hesitation: "Of course you can. You should."

He thought nothing of it. But that one sentence set off a storm.

"No way! Sam's seriously settling down?”

"Never thought I'd see the day."

"He must've found the one."

"Anyone know who she is?"

"Never seen her before."

"Ask Harrison. He'll know."

"Harrison's overseas with his girlfriend. You dare bother him?"

"Wait-he has a girlfriend too?!"

Once upon a time, Harrison was famous for keeping his distance from women, and Sam? A walking heartbreaker.

Now both were officially off the market.

Sam had just set his phone down when it rang. It was from his mother.

She definitely saw the post.

"Hey, Mom."

"You little brat!" Regina's voice came in loud and excited. "That picture you posted with Miss Monroe-is she going to be my daughter-in-law?! Tell me now!"

Sam glanced at Joyce, who was sitting beside him, head down, checking her own feed. Her post had blown up too.

"Of course she is," he said with a grin.

"Oh my God," Regina breathed, clearly overwhelmed. "I've waited so long for this day... I can't believe a girl that gorgeous actually likes you."

"Wow, thanks, Mom," Sam said dryly. "You can't your son."

"I know what kind of trouble you've been. Listen to me, Miss Monroe is a proper, decent girl. Now that she's yours, you have to treat her right. And wipe that playboy nonsense clean off your record."

Regina had once held a grudge against Joyce.

Back when Sam was hurt by Callan, she'd blamed Joyce for all of it. After all, that was her son-of course she was protective.

But later, when she thought it through, she realized it wasn't Joyce's fault.

And truthfully, she'd always liked Joyce.

So the second she saw Sam's post tonight-her heart just about burst.