Chapter 48

FREYA

The waiter placed our plates and wine before leaving us to our meal.

“So, is this the date you talked about?” I asked, cutting the ravioli in half. Aiden had called, asking to have lunch. Obviously, I agreed. And here we were, at a really nice Italian place.

“No,” he smiled into his wine. “This is just lunch, you know, where people talk about their day.”

He was teasing. The nerve! I offered a smile. “Oh, okay, then. How was your morning?”

“Back-to-back meetings,” he replied in a bored tone.

“Sounds fun,” I mumbled, relishing the ravioli. This had just become my favorite Italian place.

“How did your day go?”

I paused, considering my answer. I had to tell him about Connor and the deal, but I wasn’t sure. After lunch that day, I wasn’t sure he’d react kindly to the news that I’d visited him. They had some kind of weird relationship.

“Pretty good, actually,” I muttered carefully.

“Huh?” He leaned back, waiting for details. I swallowed my food, taking a moment to frame what I was going to say. I blurted it out: “I met with Connor Warren.” And it didn’t seem to do much good, considering how Aiden stiffened. Every muscle in his face tightened, and I immediately regretted bringing it up. I’d possibly ruined our perfectly good lunch.

“Met him where?” he asked, his voice cold and low. His face was blank, guarded. I didn’t know why. What was his deal with Connor anyway?

“I went to his office earlier today.” His expression became even more closed off.

“So, remember that day I had lunch with him, and you sort of circled me?” Nothing on his face indicated he’d heard me. He just stared into my eyes.

“How do you know him?” That earned a response. His jaw clenched.

“What does he want with you?”

I forced myself to ignore his unanswered question; I felt that not replying would worsen the tension.

“Remember I said it was about business? He recently acquired Inks and Pages. He wants to remodel it into a bookstore-cafe. He wants me for the cafe part.” Still nothing. I wasn’t expecting him to celebrate, but damn, anything was better than that very handsome, stony face. I felt like I was being interrogated.

“We’ll start with one of the stores now, and then we can go from there. He gave me the papers today.”

Still nothing. I sighed, exasperated. “Are you going to say something?”

“What do you want me to say?” He drummed his fingers on the table.

“He said you two went to the same college.” I hadn’t missed the tightening of his jaw. Aiden didn’t like this guy, for whatever reason.

He breathed deeply. “What else did he say?”

“Nothing. But I feel like there’s more.” I almost wished he’d change the subject or just… not reply.

“We were very close,” he said, meeting my gaze. “Then I found him in bed with my girlfriend. End of story.”

That certainly wasn't on my list of top ten expected responses. That explained his dislike of Connor and justified his actions the previous day.

“Jesus,” I said. “Do you think I can cancel this whole deal?” From our conversations, I thought Warren was a good man. Betraying his best friend by sleeping with his girlfriend dropped him many spots in my estimation.

“Why would you do that?” Aiden muttered quietly.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. You were so territorial that day, and now it makes sense.”

Apparently, my words didn't sit well with Aiden. His eye twitched, his face clouding.

“Make no mistake, Freya, I am territorial. I don’t fucking share.” The low tone sent a shiver up my spine. Some weird part of me liked his possessiveness. Was something wrong with me?

“There will be nothing happening between me and Connor.” I needed to clarify, because I understood where he was coming from. Being betrayed really does a number on a person.

“Is that right?” His gaze sharpened. He was trying to intimidate me, but it wouldn’t work. I held his gaze.

Aiden stared for a few seconds before nodding slightly. “Then we don’t have a problem.”

He held out his hand. I placed mine in his, and watched as his fingers brushed my skin. “This is a huge opportunity for you. And if he tries anything, let me know.” His grip tightened, emphasizing his seriousness. I nodded.

“Well, I need a lawyer to review the papers before I sign. Do you have someone in mind?” I asked, sipping my wine. One casual lunch had turned serious in minutes. But it was something. This was the first time Aiden had shared something personal with me.

“I’ll have my lawyer meet with you.” He returned to his food.

“Great, thanks.”

“So, there’s this fundraiser gala I need to attend,” he said. “You’ll be my date.”

When I raised an eyebrow, he amended it: “Will you be my date to the gala?”

I grinned. “Yes, since you asked so nicely.” Getting him to say things without ordering wasn't easy, but he'd get there. I'd help him.

“When is it?”

“Tonight,” he said, precisely cutting his steak, as if it were the most normal thing to say.

“I’m sorry, what?” He looked up, confused. “It’s tonight, and you’re telling me now?”

“It slipped my mind.”

I stared incredulously. He forgot! He forgot to mention a gala! Did I even have anything to wear?

“Your dress will be at home in two hours,” he said, as if reading my mind.

“I’ll need to call a sitter,” I muttered, still annoyed. Guess I was attending a gala! Yay!

AIDEN

I checked the time for the fourth time. The dress had been delivered hours ago, and Freya had locked herself in her room. She’d come out once when the babysitter arrived. If we left now, we could make it, but I doubted it.

It didn't matter much, anyway. This gala was important, but more than that, it was an excuse to see Freya in a pretty dress. She’d be ethereal in that dark red dress. I knew it the moment I saw it. I was a very patient man, because I knew the sight of her would be rewarding.

As if on cue, I heard her footsteps. Everything seemed to slow as she walked into the hall. My heart skipped a beat.

Fuck. My heart… My imagination didn’t compare to reality. Her hair was styled up, with loose strands framing her face. And that dress fit her perfectly, showcasing every curve. Suddenly, this gala didn’t seem like such a good idea.

“I’m sorry. I know I’m late. I couldn’t decide what to do with my hair.” She waited for my comment, while I struggled to form coherent words. When I remained silent, she prompted, “What do you think?” She looked nervous. Jesus! If only she could see herself through my eyes.

“I think you look way too beautiful to be out in public. And that I want to kiss you.”

A blush rose to her face as she chuckled, surprised. “So you want to ditch the gala?”

“Yes,” I didn’t miss a beat. I wanted to stay in with her, especially considering how she looked.

“Not happening. I love this dress, and I spent a lot of time getting ready. And the sitter is already here. We’re going.” She walked closer, right in front of me. I shoved my hands in my pockets and watched her. Her eyes gleamed with amusement.

“And no kissing. Behave, and before the night ends, you might get a kiss.”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her boldness. She was normally a blubbering mess, and I wouldn’t lie—I liked her teasing smile. She walked past me and pressed the elevator button.

This was going to be a long night, and suddenly, I wasn’t feeling very patient anymore.