AIDENI didn’t sleep that night. I had Layla curled up against me, her body warm and her breathing even as a metronome. The moonlight was streaming through my curtainless windows, and I caught the down notes of the band playing at the bar across the street. How many nights had I spent sleepless, staring at the ceiling, listening to that bar’s live music? More than I could count. I’d never needed much sleep, and since the company got so busy, I needed even less.I was tired now though. Bone deep weariness that came from being in an impossible situation. I’d crossed the line with Layla, but there was no way in hell I was going to cross back. It had been hard enough to resist her when I didn’t know what it would be like between us. Now I knew, and nothing was going to keep me from her.Not even Jack.The exhaustion moved into my bones. I’d have to tell him eventually. If this had been a one-time thing, maybe we could have gotten away with it, but it wasn’t going to be that.I turned my h
LAYLA I got away with wearing Aiden’s t-shirt with my jeans and blazer that first day. After that, we were more careful. I went to my place first to get a change of clothes, and then after a couple weeks, I began keeping things at his place. We were careful in other ways, too. Careful not to be alone together at the office, careful not to let our gazes clash for too long. It was easy enough during the workday—it was the happy hours, working dinners, and the last baseball game of the season that made things tricky. Inhibitions lowered. Stolen glances lingered for too long. More than once, we found ourselves sneaking off to find a place to be alone. Still, we got away with it. Liv and Bran were the only other two souls in the world that knew about us, and even Aiden didn’t know about that. I wanted to tell him, but he had been so adamant that we had to keep this a secret just between the two of us that I didn’t know how to tell him it wasn’t. I’d never been a particularly secretive p
AIDEN I was late meeting Jack because Blake Morten had invited Layla to a charity ball being held by a wealthy fan in order to raise money for his foundation. He wasn’t inviting her as his date, he swore. He knew she was new and this would be a good chance to see more of his brand. Or so he said. “His brand is YouTube,” I said when Maureen–not Layla–mentioned it on our way to get our second cup of coffee on Monday afternoon. “She can see all of his brand that she wants without leaving her house.” My heart was pounding an ugly rhythm. Electricity had shot into the palms of my hands, and I’d curled my free hand into a fist instinctively. Then I shoved it in my pocket because Blake Morten wasn’t here to punch. “ItwasYouTube. Then he hired us to expand on it,” Maureen reminded me. She seemed distracted. I shot her a sideways look. I didn’t expect Maureen to feel the same defensive rage at the idea of our client trying to move in on one of our team members as I did. She wasn’t secre
I swallowed uneasily, well aware I’d just made things worse. When this all came out–and it would all come out–Jack was going to remember that he’d sent me to New York City to protecthis daughter, when all along, I was the asshole he should have been worried about. But I’d painted myself into this corner, and when I did something, I did it well. There was no way out. “Then I’ll go, Jack.” I did my best to make my voice sound relaxed rather than placating. “No problem.”Finally, some of the tension eased out of his jaw. He picked up his beer again and took a long drink. When he set it back down, he looked like my old buddy Jack again. “Not like you have anything better to do, right?” he asked, half-joking, half-prying.“Nah, nothing better,” I agreed.“You don’t sound too worried about it.”“I got divorced for a reason, Jack.” I stretched my arms over my head and did my best to put off the impression of what I had been just a few months before–happily single, enjoying my bachelorhood. I
LAYLAI sensed Aiden’s mood even before I saw his face. It was the way he moved when he came out onto the balcony. A stiffness in the set of his shoulders that was echoed in his face when he turned around. He lowered himself into the chair beside mine without kissing me first.I closed my book, keeping my finger between the pages to save my spot. I had a pretty good idea what this was about.Aiden didn’t waste time getting to the point. “You went around me.”“I went up the chain of command,” I countered. “I report to Maureen.”“I don’t give a damn who you report to at work. You went aroundme.” He bit off the words. “Not as your boss, but as your–whatever the fuck we’re doing is called.”“I think that about describes it,” I drawled, hoping to tempt him out of this fight. I dogeared the corner of my page and set it down beside my chair.Aiden wasn’t tempted though. Or amused. If anything, his face grew stormier. “If that’s all it was, I wouldn’t bother.”I stood up and slid into his lap
Joe glanced at me, sensing for the first time that this news might not be as benign as he thought. “Um, yesterday?” He scratched his nose and eyed me, checking to see how that information went over. When my face darkened, he added, “Maybe. I don’t remember.”“Well I just talked to Maureen about it yesterday morning, so either it was yesterday or it was really early this morning,” I said evenly.“Yeah, it was probably yesterday.” Joe pulled an apologetic face. As if he were the one with something to apologize for. Then he wrapped up his uneaten egg sandwich and made a quick exit.I stayed in the break room for another few minutes, trying to get a handle on my anger. My tendency was to go with the emotion–let it swell and break and deal with the cause of it. I didn’t like to let things fester. This time, though, I really did try to tame it. I asked myself if I was being unreasonable–maybe this wasn’t actually Aiden treating me like a child. Maybe there was some way in which he could ask
AIDENWhen I heard that Layla had gone home sick, I texted her.Are you going to my place? I’ll try to leave, too.She didn’t answer. I figured she’d take a nap, but hour by hour crawled by without a response. At lunch, I stepped outside and called her. It went straight to voicemail. I texted again, but I was starting to get the bad feeling that this silence had nothing to do with a cold or a nap.At four, I told Maureen I was leaving early.“You’d better not be sick, too,” she warned.“I’m not. I’ll be online.” I was too distracted to worry about whether she thought it was suspicious that I was leaving early.“What about the happy hour?”I’d already been walking toward the door, but now I pulled up short. I’d forgotten all about the damn happy hour. It wasn’t for anything in particular, just a monthly get together where I got face time with anyone who wanted it, and we patronized our favorite local bar. It wasn’t the most important thing in the world, but I tried to never miss it.“S
“Layla went home sick. I’m just checking up on her.”Our footsteps echoed loudly on the uncarpeted steps. By mutual agreement, we’d both turned toward the stairwell rather than waiting for the dodgy looking elevator. Bran was ahead of me, and I thought I saw a ghost of a smirk on his face as he turned to go up the next flight. But all he said was, “Cool,” in a voice so indifferent I wondered if I’d imagined the smirk.Thanks to Bran, I didn’t have to knock. The door was propped open on its deadbolt because they were clearly expecting him. He walked in and gestured for me to follow.I’d never been inside Layla’s apartment. I’d only waited out front while she ran in to grab something. It was… fine. Not the kind of place I thought she should be leaving the door propped open, but it could be worse. It had style, even if I wasn’t impressed by the elevator or the security.“Layla,” Bran called. “Your boss is here.”Two voices came at once. An unfamiliar one that said, “I’m on a call!” and t
EpilogueRachelSeven months later.I’m heavily pregnant, and I feel like the broad side of a barn. I can’t see my feet. I can’t feel my ass. I’m just fat everywhere, and I love it so damn much. I haven’t had the easiest pregnancy, but it’s been wonderful nonetheless because my dreams have finally come true.After we made-up, things went into hyperdrive. Max settled in New York, buying a huge apartment for us to share, and I moved in with him right away. We converted one of the spare bedrooms into a nursery, and my boyfriend has been going crazy furnishing it with a crib, dresser, and a plethora of stuffed animals that our baby won’t be able to play with until he’s at least a year old. But even if it’s over the top, I love it. Max is beyond excited to be a father, and I’m so happy that that’s the case.Not only that, but Max has cut back on his traveling because he wants to be here for me and the baby. Don’t get me wrong: my boyfriend is absolutely in demand, but he restricts his busi
“I know,” she says in a muffled voice. “And I’m so sorry for the mix-up.”I merely wipe her tears away with my thumb.“Rachel Champion, I can’t believe you think I’d take up with a brat like Katy when I am desperately in love with you.”At that, she looks up, her eyes wide and surprised.“What did you say?” she whispers.But my motivations are true, and I pull her against me once more.“I love you, Rachel. I think I fell into lust that first afternoon when I came upon you sunbathing by the pool. But it turned into something more during the time we spent at the cottage, and now, I want to be with you, sweet girl. Permanently.”She sobs even harder, and I stroke her hair and continue.“I’ve been trying to figure out how to get in touch with you over the last few days, and came up with nada, so honey, don’t be angry, but I went to your parents’ apartment and got your address.”She gasps then, staring at me.“You told Maurice about us?”“Your mom, too,” I say with a small smile. “Thankful
MaxI rush to the East Village like a madman. I wouldn’t be surprised if my hair is on fire, I’m that desperate. But when I come to Rachel’s apartment building, I pause for a moment. There’s no sense in looking like a crazy person, even if I am one.Fortunately, one of her neighbors exits right when I’m entering, so I don’t have to buzz up. Instead, I climb the rickety stairs to the third floor and stand before Rachel’s door with my hand poised. Then I knock in what I hope is a firm, assured manner.To my surprise, the curvy girl answers immediately. She must have been expecting take-out because she’s got her wallet in one hand, already open. But then she gasps, her eyes wide.“Max?”I look at her for the first time in far too long and notice all the little things. She’s gorgeous. Her hair is in a messy bun piled on top of her head, and she’s in baggy sweats, but they don’t do anything to conceal those sassy hills and valleys. If anything, she looks better natural like this, and very
MaxIt’s been seven days since Rachel left in the middle of the night to go back to New York to deliver a baby. It’s been six days since I last talked to her. Five days since I got called away for a last-minute job doing make-up for a young debutante. Evidently, Katy Mellon is graduating from high school and wanted her hair and make-up done professionally. She’s a brat, but the job paid well, and I decided to take it.But now, I need to talk to Rachel. I’ve called her a million times, but she never picks up. Not only that, but my emails and texts have gone unanswered. What the hell?As a result, it’s come to this. I’m standing in front of her parents’ apartment building, ready to ring the bell. I need to get in touch with his daughter, and now Maurice is my only hope. Surely he won’t kill me for dating his daughter. Or will he?I groan into my hands. Of course he’s going to kill me because a man never expects his oldest friend to bang the little girl he raised. And I did it on his pro
My best friend gazes at me from the video screen with a concerned look on her face, likely because I’m pale and trembling.“I’m pregnant,” I say without any preamble.Her jaw drops. “The test results came back!”“Yes, they did. I am absolutely, one hundred percent pregnant. They did a blood test and all that.”Laurelin’s eyes go wide as she bounces her baby on her knee.“Holy shit, Rach. Do you know if it’s Danny’s child? Or Max’s?”I let out a slow exhale.“It’s Max’s for sure because Danny and I didn’t have sex for months before we broke up.”She lets out a big breath. “Oh, thank God.”“Small favors, right?”She nods.“So have you told the father yet?”I take a deep breath.“No, not yet. I mean, it’s just so unexpected! This whole thing, I don’t even know how to describe it. We were only at the cottage together because of a scheduling mistake by my parents!”Laurelin nods.“Yes, but Max knows how babies are made. And you did say you guys were going at it like rabbits.” I nod, biting
RachelI wake up the next morning feeling groggy and out of sorts. My muscles are sore from falling asleep in a weird position, and I stand to stretch. Oof! I need a massage, but that probably won’t happen today. Instead, I get up and head into the bathroom for a much-needed hot shower. The water feels good pounding on my frame, and by the time I’m dressed and made-up, I’m feeling more alive.I walk into the kitchen and open the fridge. The date on the milk is only one day out, so I open it and lift it to my nose. But the smell makes me so nauseous that I literally gag and run to the sink before pouring it out with my nostrils pinched shut. Ugh, that was so gross and I flush the entire mess with a bolt of water from the faucet. How disgusting.I decide to cook some eggs and waffles, but those also make me horrifically sick, so I give up and just nibble on some dry crackers. I wonder if something’s going around?At that moment, Laurelin calls and asks if I want to meet her for sushi at
RachelAfter four blissful days and nights wrapped in Max’s arms, suddenly I’m leaving. One of my clients has gone into early labor, and I have to get back to the city asap.I wake Max in the darkness of the pre-dawn morning. At first, he’s sleepy and growly, but then he sits up when he sees I’m dressed and packed.“What’s going on, sweetheart? Is everything okay? Are your parents okay?”I smile in the darkness.“Everything’s fine. I just have a patient who’s in labor really early. I need to head back to the city.”He lets out a breath and says, “Okay, give me a few minutes, and I’ll drive you.”I shake my head.“No no, it’s okay. Go back to sleep. Rest. I do this all the time, so I’m used to getting dragged out of bed for false alarms. The baby probably just wants to make herself known, so she’s kicking up a storm right now. It’s fine.”“You sure?” he asks, frowning.“I’m positive. Go back to sleep. We’ll talk soon.”He nods.“Okay. Will you be back tonight?”I sling my pack over one
Suddenly, it strikes me. Rachel’s absolutely beautiful. Not just her face and her curves, but her soul is gorgeous. I find myself regretting the fact that soon enough, life will take us on our different paths. Rather abruptly, I interrupt.“How long do you think you can stay at the cottage?”Rachel’s face falls a bit at the change in subject. She laughs, but there’s a regretful undertone to it.“To be honest, I probably need to head back before the weekend.”My heart contracts. Fuck. It’s already Tuesday, which gives us only a few more days together. Suddenly, I want her to stay, and I want our idyllic vacation to continue forever. But she can’t because there are babies waiting to be born, and I can’t either, because I have a business to tend to. So instead, I school my expression into neutrality.“Of course. A job is a job, and these kids come when they feel like it.”She merely smiles faintly. “Yes, that’s true. But what about you, Max? What does the next chapter hold for you?”I lo
MaxOur food arrives, and we dig in, the conversation dying down a bit. In the middle of her lobster roll, Rachel looks up and blinks.“Do you ever miss being in one place? After a lifetime of travel, do you think you could settle down?”Wow, that’s a big question, but this woman already means a lot to me, and she deserves an honest answer. I sit back from the table for a moment and just look at her pretty features. “I don’t know. I never did, at least not until recently. The Max Wyndham brand has been around for a while now, and it’s pretty established. I don’t have to hustle the way I used to, that’s for sure.”Rachel nods, her eyes wide.“Of course, everyone knows you, even people not in the beauty industry. You’re huge, Uncle Max!”I nod.“Yeah, and it keeps me on my toes. I have a deal with Sephora where I need to do an appearance whenever they open a new store.”Rachel gasps, her brown eyes wide.“But there are so many Sephoras, and they’re always opening new locations all over