~Brie

“Did you guys hear?”

“Hear what?” Cynthia asked.

“The party the company's throwing” Megan chuckled.

“We're throwing a party?” I asked.

She nodded and we all walked over to a table near the window to sit after we got our food.

“I didn't know we were throwing a party,” I said before biting into my pastrami on rye.

“Well, we are. And it's not just employees only so you can all bring dates.”

“I'm sure Nick's going to be down for that” Cynthia smiled.

“And it'll be nice to finally meet him” Avery nudged her. “I'm the only one here who has just seen photos of him.”

“What about you Brie?” Megan asked. “You’re going, right?”

“This weekend?”

“Yep.”

I shrugged and swallowed.

“Maybe.”

Why would Aiden ask me to go to DC with him if the company's throwing a party?

“Maybe?” Avery pouted. “Why maybe?”

I shrugged again.

“Just maybe.”

“Ave!”

We all turned toward the door and Avery paled.

“Oh no.”

I narrowed my eyes at the young woman who was already bustling in, making a beeline for our table.

“That's your awful cousin?” Cynthia whispered.

“Yes,” Avery whined.

I looked on. Josie was petite with blonde hair and big blue eyes. She reminded me of Tinkerbell, and from the phone call earlier, I could tell she possessed the same feisty personality as the diminutive Disney character.

Josie plopped down across from Avery and plucked the empty wine glass her hands on her cousin's tray. Instead of saying hello or apologizing for crashing our lunch group date, she started to ramble.

“You are not going to believe what just happened,” she announced and gestured to the wine bottle in the middle of the table. “The sooner we get this bottle open, the better.”

“Josie” Avery said firmly. “There are people here!”

Her cousin looked around the table.

“Right. Hi. I'm Ave's cousin.”

“We've heard” Cynthia replied.

Avery sighed and Megan reached out to open the wine bottle.

“So, get this” Josie began the moment Megan filled her glass. “My sister just called and asked me to be a bridesmaid. Not her Maid of Honor, just a regular, old, lousy attendant. How insulting.”

Megan, Cynthia, and I exchanged looks.

“Who is going to be her Maid of Honor?” Avery asked.

To be honest, I could see Avery didn't care. But she asked anyway.

“Tori!” Josie exclaimed and then made a snorting sound.

She took a sip of wine and reached across the table to pluck a pizza from Avery's plate. “How rude, right?”

The irony.

Avery shrugged and plucked the other slice of cheese pizza up from her plate.

“I mean, Tori is her best friend. Since like first grade.”

“But I’m her sister. We’re related by blood” Josie shook her head and made a face. “I feel totally betrayed” she sighed and then pointed to Avery's untouched spaghetti. “You gonna eat that?”

Avery passed her spaghetti to her and I grabbed my wine and took a long, much-needed sip.

“So, how's your new job?” Avery asked, trying to get her to shut up about the wedding.”

“Fine,” Josie replied dryly.

“Yeah?”

“Everyone's super nice.”

Avery nodded and smiled genuinely.

“That's good.”

“I guess.”

For the first time since she arrived, there's a long moment of silence.

Finally!

“Oh, oh. Before I forget, did I tell you that Olivia is talking about carnations for the centerpieces? Yikes, right?”

Oh no.

“I’ve never minded carnations” Cynthia suddenly spoke up.

“Well I think it's not okay” Josie snorted. “I mean carnations?”

Avery shrugged her shoulders.

“Any particular reason why she's making carnations her centerpiece?”

“Apparently there’s some silly backstory or something with her and him and carnations. I don’t know. But, c’mon! So tacky. Right?”

Megan leaned back in her chair.

“Wrong,” she said. “Don’t you think that's sweet? Because it means something to them.”

“It means they’re cheaping out on flowers,” Josie said. “Lilies or roses is the way to go. Or peonies or I don’t know. Anything but carnations. Yuck!”

“So, anyway,” I spoke up, trying to steer the conversation back to the party this weekend I was still confused about.

“Can you even imagine what hideousness she’s going to choose for the bridesmaid dresses? I shudder to think” Josie kept going. “My sister's never had the best fashion sense.”

Avery gave me an apologetic look and I suppressed a frustrated sigh and just sipped my wine.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The elevator door opened and we filed out.

“I am so sorry about Josie” Avery apologized for the umpteenth time.

“Ave, it's okay” Cynthia smiled.

“Yeah. I have an annoying sister, you have an annoying cousin... it's okay” I rubbed her shoulder.

“So you girls aren't mad at me?”

“No way” Megan chuckled. “It's not your fault Josie's like that.”

Avery smiled gratefully.

“Yeah. And that's all over now. We can finally have some peace and—”

“Ms. Nolan.”

I froze.

Oh no!

“Mr. Herve?” Cynthia called out before I could turn around.

“You're back?” Megan added as I turned around.

He tucked his hands in his pockets and looked at us.

“Yes, I am. Now get back to work. Your lunch break ended two minutes ago.”

We exchanged looks before parting ways.

“Not you Ms. Nolan” he stopped me before I could pass by him. “Let me see you in my office.”

We're back to this?

I rolled my eyes inwardly and followed him into his office.

“I'd like to have the card” he spoke up the second I shut the door.

“Excuse me?”

He sat down in his chair.

“The memory card containing the pictures you took on the trip. I need to look through and turn in the best ones for publication.”

Right, right.

I nodded.

“Of course. It's in my bag. I'll just go get it.”

He nodded. I turned away and hurried to my camera. My phone dinged with a text from Emmett.

Em: Hey Brie. So Mom and Dad are available to take care of the kids tonight so don't worry about having to babysit for now ;)

My heart skipped a little.

I can have dinner with Aiden then!

With a big smile on my face, I picked up my camera and flipped it over. Then I took out the card and hurried back to Miles Herve's office. I knocked and waited for a response before entering.

“Here you go,” I said sliding the card onto the table.

He nodded stiffly.

“Thank you, Ms. Nolan.”

I nodded back and turned away. Then I paused and turned back to him.

“Did you need anything else?” he asked, already watching me.

“No” I replied. “Actually yes... I mean no.”

He arched a brow at me.

“I'm sorry. But I have to ask... why are you back?”

He chuckled a little.

“Not very subtle are you?”

“I can be... but I gotta know so.”

He nodded.

“You'd rather I didn't come back?”

“Me and every employee on this floor... yes.”

He chuckled.

“I see. Well, rest assured that I won't be here for long. Right after the party this weekend, I'll be gone.”

“For good?”

He chuckled again.

“You really hate me don't you?”

“You haven't been the best boss so.”

Herve nodded.

“For good” he replied.

I nodded back.

“Awesome. I will not miss you at all” I smiled.

He tapped his desk with a pen.

“And I will also miss you least of all, Ms. Nolan.”

I fought back a small smile and nodded.

“Good. Well if you'll excuse me, Mr. Herve.”

“By all means” he smiled.

Weird.

I turned and walked out, making a beeline for Aiden's office. I knocked and poked my head through the door.

“Err Iris, I need to go. Call me when you get there okay?”

He didn't wait for an answer and just hung up.

“When I said I'd see you later I didn't think it'd be this soon” he grinned.

I stepped through his office door and closed it.

“Why didn't you tell me about the party this weekend?”

Realization dawned on Aiden and he groaned.

“I forgot about that.”

I arched a brow.

“You forgot?”

“I'm sorry, my love. It escaped me. And I haven't exactly been able to think about anything else but you.”

I fought back a smile.

“Cynthia didn't seem to know either.”

“Because we're supposed to tell everyone else tomorrow.”

I hummed.

“Wait, how'd you know?”

“Megan told us at lunch.”

Aiden shook his head.

“Ron must have let it slip.”

“I suppose.”

“And I supposed that means our trip to DC is—”

“Postponed” I cut in.

Aiden chuckled.

“I wasn't going to cancel.”

“Yeah, but I wanted to say it first” I folded my arms. “And also tell you that I'm free to have dinner with you tonight.”

He gave me a look.

“I thought you were babysitting.”

“Not anymore. My parents are available. Meaning I'm free and all yours.”

“Just tonight?”

“Forever” I smiled.

He broke into a smile and my heart warmed. He made his way over to me and took my hands.

“Well then. Iris is gone out of town and today happens to be Juanita's day off.”

I bit my lip.

“Perfect timing huh?”

He hummed and pressed kisses to the back of my hands.

“Why don’t you come over around 7 p.m.?” he asked.

I nodded.

“It's a date.”

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

My hand hovered over the doorbell for a minute before I pushed it and waited. The wood door creaks open less than a minute later, and I’m hit with a version of Aiden I don't think I'll ever get over. I blinked twice to confirm he was wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. He had a new pair of glasses with a tortoise-shell pattern. 

My eyes dragged across the contours of his body before landing on his naked feet. His entire outfit seemed like a completely unfair war tactic against my racing heart.

It’s... He's just so… Ugh! 

I smiled.

“Hi.” 

Aiden made a show of checking me out. Somehow, he made me feel underdressed in my bell-bottom jeans and vintage T-shirt.

“Hi,” he smiled back.

He opened the door wider, giving me space to enter. But not enough, because his body remained in the middle of the door frame, forcing our skin to brush against each other. 

“I still can't get over how nice your house is, Aiden,” I said as he locked the door behind us.

“Thank you. But I'm still not royalty” he smiled and took my hand.

He led me toward the dimly lit living room fit for a family of fifty. The massive couch reminded me of a cloud I'd want to dive into while the carpet was plush enough to take a nap on. Aiden pointed me toward a cushion on the floor and I smiled.

“For me?”

He smiled.

“Yes. And I hope you're hungry because I cooked.”

“I wouldn't expect anything less.”

I dropped onto the cushion and crossed my legs. He moved into the kitchen and came back with two plates of something that smelt heavenly. I straighten my spine.

“What is that?” I asked.

“Veal cutlets and herb-stem gremolata” he answered. “And there's lobster Mac 'n' cheese in the kitchen. Plus I made cinnamon squares for dessert.”

I chuckled.

“Well, now I'm just excited for dessert.”

“Okay, but you gotta eat this first.” 

I rolled my eyes playfully at him.

“Fine. But don't I get a kiss first?”

“It's part of the dessert package. Now eat. I don't want it to get cold.”

A ghost of a smile crossed my lips.

“Well I'm not upset at all” I muttered.

Aiden chuckled and pressed a smile kiss on my cheek before settling down on his cushion. He took a bite of his food with every bit of elegance I'd expect from some who claimed he wasn't royalty.

If only I looked half that good while eating.

I bit into my food and a small moan escaped me.

“Aiden, God... this is amazing!” I gushed.

He smiled.

“Thanks. It was my mom's favorite. But we could hardly afford it so we ate it only on Christmas.”

My fork scraped against my plate and my entire chest ached at the look on Aiden's face.

“Aiden.” 

His throat bobbed and he shook his head. 

“I’m sorry, Brie. I didn't mean to bring her up and ruin the mood.”

I grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“You're not ruining the mood and you shouldn't ever apologize for talking about your family, okay?”

He cleared his throat and nodded.

“How's Roman?” he asked. “Has he found an after-school activity he doesn't suck at?”

“Hey!” I chuckled, tossing a couch pillow at him.

“I'm kidding, I'm kidding” he laughed. “But has he?»

“No” I sighed. “For a kid as smart as he is, he sucks at every vigorous activity.”

“Every?”

I nodded.

“I'm not sure he sucks at every vigorous activity. His mom's great at a very particular one.”

“Aiden!”

He laughed.

“What? It's just us here.”

“So? Nanny's barely ten. No sex talk.”

He chuckled and pushed his empty plate away before reaching out to the couch to pick up his laptop.

“Well I've been going through the after-school activities on his school's website and I've narrowed it down to one activity I can help with.”

“Wait what?”

Aiden readjusted his glasses in a way that had my thighs pressing together to stop the dull throb between them. I cleared my throat.

“What activity is that?” I asked.

Aiden looked up from his laptop and gave me a little smile.

“Fencing” he replied, lifting his glasses to rub his eyes.

I narrowed my eyes playfully.

“Fencing? Like with the sword?”

“And the whole getup, yes.”

I shake my head.

“No. No way.”

“You know they're perfectly safe right?”

“Yes but fencing? Roman? No way.”

Aiden removed his glasses and dragged a hand down his face.

“My love listen. He wants to feel protected right? Fencing is all about protection. I mean hockey? Too ruff. Ice hockey? Out. Football? You know what's going to happen.”

“Aiden...”

“I took fencing lessons when I was younger. I taught Iris. I can teach Roman and I promise he'll do great.”

“You don't know that, Aiden.”

He nodded.

“Yes, you're right. But Breanna, if I'm going to marry you and be baby Eden's dad, Roman is going to be my son and I have to start somewhere with him right?”

I blinked as my jaw dropped.

“What?”

My pounding heart felt like it might escape through my throat.

Holy shit. He wants to marry me?

“You heard me, Breanna. This isn't some game or whatever. I love you. And Roman means so much to you so of course I love him too.”

“Aiden” I whispered, looking away for a moment. “Aiden you wanna marry me?”

The words left my mouth in a rush, sounding clunky and unrehearsed.  He leaned over the table, gently cupped my chin, and turned my head to face him.

“God, I'd marry you right now if you'd let me.”

My lashes immediately become damp from the unshed tears.

“But I wanna do this right and I'm not letting anything come between me and the woman I'm all consumed with.”

Oh my goodness.

“While I’m sorry Beckett hurt you so much, I’m not sorry he let you go.”

I immediately shot him a wobbly smile.

“Are you always so selfish?” 

His eyes glinted.

“With you, yes.” 

I shook my head with a small smile on my face.  Aiden tucked my hair behind my ear before tracing my earrings with his finger. I shivered, and goosebumps exploded across my skin. 

“I might be many things, Breanna, but I’m no cheater. And while I was terrible to you in the beginning, I won’t do that ever again.”

I smiled and put my hand over his.

“I know, my love. I know” I sighed happily, leaning into his touch. “I love you Aiden, so, so, so much.” 

He leaned in and pressed a featherlight kiss against my lips.

“I feel like I don't tell you much” he sighed.

“It's okay, my love. I know you do.”

“Yes, but I’ll feel better proving it to you right now.” 

I chuckled.

“How so?” 

His eyes brightened in a way I’d never seen before.

“Would you rather me show or tell you?”

His husky tone made my skin break out in a wave of fresh goosebumps. And the smile on his face? Absolutely, positively devious.

But the way he crawled over to me on his knees? I’d agree to anything from that one action alone.

Double Update!
Yayyyyy!
Thank you so much for reading! ✨