Victoria observed the stilted interactions with growing irritation. She had not come here to cast a shadow over her employees' weekend. She had come because she wanted to see James in a different environment, to watch him interact naturally with others without the constraints of their office dynamic.
"This is ridiculous," Victoria finally said, rising from her chair with fluid grace. Her voice carried across the room, causing everyone to turn toward her once again. "I can practically hear you all thinking, and it's giving me a headache."
A few nervous chuckles rippled through the group, but the tension remained palpable.
Victoria moved to the center of the room, commanding attention without effort. "I'm here to relax and enjoy myself, the same as all of you. I'm not here to conduct surprise evaluations or catch anyone doing something inappropriate. I'm certainly not here to dampen your spirits with my presence."
She paused, letting her gaze sweep across the assembled faces. "So here's what's going to happen. For the next two days, I'm not your CEO. I'm Victoria, a colleague who happens to sign your paychecks but would very much like to see what you're all like when you're not terrified of saying the wrong thing."
The silence that followed was different from before, thoughtful rather than fearful.
"Now," Victoria continued, settling back into her chair with renewed purpose, "I believe someone mentioned welcome drinks. I'd like another glass of this excellent Cabernet, and I'd very much like to hear about these icebreaker games Amara has planned."
The shift wasn't immediate, but it was noticeable. Conversations gradually resumed, though still somewhat cautious. People began to move more naturally, and the sound of genuine laughter started to punctuate the evening air once again.
By the time everyone had gathered for the official welcome activities, the atmosphere had warmed considerably. The icebreaker games Amara had planned were cleverly designed to encourage interaction and reveal unexpected sides of familiar colleagues. Victoria participated with good humor, sharing that her hidden talent was cooking and that her guilty pleasure was romantic comedies.
"No way!" exclaimed Elena from Marketing. "You watch rom-coms?"
"Religiously," Victoria admitted with a grin. "Don't look so shocked. I have excellent taste in feel-good entertainment."
The admission broke down another barrier, and soon people were approaching her with less trepidation. Still, Victoria noticed how they remained somewhat formal, treating her with the respect due her position even as they relaxed.
All except Diane, who seemed genuinely unfazed by Victoria's presence.
"You know," Diane said, settling into the chair beside Victoria as the evening's official activities wound down, "I was wondering when you'd finally accept one of these retreat invitations. I've been urging you to come to them for three years."
Victoria turned to study the woman with new interest. "You've been inviting me for three years?"
"Every single retreat," Diane confirmed with a knowing smile. "I always thought it would be good for company morale if you participated in these team-building exercises. Plus, the mountain air does wonders for stress relief."
"I don't typically indulge in stress relief," Victoria replied, maintaining her composed façade.
"Maybe that's exactly why you should," Diane suggested. "You know, I've been thinking about implementing a new wellness program for the company. Something that focuses on work-life balance. Studies show that employees who engage in regular recreational activities are 23% more productive."
As Diane continued discussing her wellness initiative ideas, Victoria found her attention drifting to the other side of the room where a group had gathered around James. He was helping some of the women carry their bags upstairs, his natural courtesy on full display. Even from a distance, Victoria could see how naturally he commanded respect, not through authority or intimidation, but through genuine helpfulness and warmth.
A junior associate from the design team, a pretty brunette whose name Victoria couldn't quite remember, touched James's arm as she thanked him for his assistance. The gesture was casual, friendly, completely innocent.
Victoria's wine glass paused halfway to her lips as a familiar sensation twisted in her stomach. The feeling was sharp, possessive, and entirely expected. She had always prided herself on being above such base emotions. Jealousy was for insecure people who lacked confidence in their own worth although it seemed James was talented in evoking new emotions in her.
Nevertheless, she had every right to feel territorial about what was hers. James belonged to her now, even if their relationship remained private.
The thought should have been comforting, but instead it highlighted the complexity of their situation. Here, surrounded by colleagues who had no knowledge of their relationship, she had to watch other women interact with him as if he were available. The restraint required was more challenging than she had anticipated.
Truly the urge to cross the room and interrupt whatever conversation was making that woman feel comfortable enough to touch her man was beginning to feel appealing.
Victoria maintained her perfect composure, her expression giving nothing away as she continued her conversation with Diane. Her poker face was unquestionable, honed by years of high-stakes business negotiations.
"...and I think a monthly team-building event could really boost morale," Diane was saying. "What do you think?"
"I think," Victoria said smoothly, "that you should draft a proposal and we'll discuss it when we return to the office."
Across the room, James caught Victoria's eye and smiled, that warm, genuine expression that never failed to affect her. Even surrounded by admirers, his attention found her naturally, as if drawn by some invisible force.
Victoria felt her lips curve in response before she could stop herself, though her expression remained professionally appropriate. The subtle exchange went unnoticed by everyone else, including Diane, who was still enthusiastically discussing her wellness program ideas.
The evening continued around them with increasing liveliness as inhibitions loosened and genuine connections formed. Victoria found herself genuinely enjoying the company of people she'd only known as names on reports and faces in meetings.
The weekend retreat was proving to be full of surprises, not least of which was her own willingness to step outside the carefully controlled boundaries of her professional life. As laughter echoed through the mountain cabin and James moved through the crowd with that natural charisma that drew people to him, Victoria realized she was about to venture into entirely uncharted territory.
And for once in her life, she was looking forward to the uncertainty.