“We really need to fix that,” Owen tells Layla.
She shrugs. “So, let’s fix it.”
Royce, Owen, and I all stop chewing and stare at her. Owen has been asking her for months when they can set a date. Hell, he was asking the minute he proposed.
“What are you saying, Layla?”
“I’m saying this little guy will be here in a few months, and it might be nice for his mom and dad to have the same last name.”
“Tell me when and where and I’ll take care of it.”
“As long as Ronnie and Linda are there, I don’t really care.”
“We’ll go to them.”
“Um, I want your family there as well.”
Owen looks at us, and I nod, but it’s Royce who speaks up. “You tell us when and we’ll make it happen, brother.”
“How about we get married on the beach?” Owen asks her.
“I do love the beach.” She smiles up at him. There is so much love and devotion shining through in that one look. It hits me deep in my gut. I want a woman to look at me like that. No, not just any woman. I want Aurora to look at me like that.
“Call Mom,” I tell Owen. “She’ll be all over this.”
“Lay?” he asks.
“I would love nothing more than for her to take care of it all. I just want to worry about this little guy.” She rubs her belly. “The rest is just semantics. I know your mother will make it a day we will both remember. I’ll help with anything she needs, but honestly, I don’t even know where to start.”
Owen drops to his knees and wraps his arms around her waist. Royce and I share a glance before stepping away and going to our own offices, giving them a moment alone. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I set it on my desk while I fire up my laptop. The urge to send Aurora a message is strong, and I’m not sure that I should in this moment, for fear of what I’ll say, but I do it anyway. Grabbing my phone, I type out a message. She wants real. I’m going to give her real.
Me: How is it possible that I miss you already?
I hit Send before I can think better of it. It’s cheesy as fuck, and if my brothers were to read this message, they would crucify me. However, it’s also a valid question. I want to know how I can miss her already. I barely know this woman, but she’s under my skin. She has me thinking about things I’ve never thought of before. Dreaming of a future that I once thought was so far beyond me in years, that it would be a while before they ever came to mind. Not now. Not after meeting Aurora.
Aurora: Is this a trick question?
I can’t hide my chuckle.
Me: Not a trick. I just… can’t wait for our date tonight.
Aurora: Some date I am. I have to be home by eight to go to bed.
Me: I’ll take any amount of time you’re willing to give me.
Aurora: There they go again.
Me: What? Who are they?
Aurora: The butterflies. You’re always making them flutter around.
Me: I give you butterflies?
I’m smiling like a fool. I can’t help it. It’s been difficult to get anything out of her. This is progress.
Aurora: Every day.
Every. Day.
Me: I’ll be there at three-thirty.
Aurora: I thought we agreed to four?
Me: I can’t wait that long.
Aurora: I’ll be waiting.
I have to force myself to shove my phone in my desk drawer to keep from texting her again. I need to get some work done, especially since I’m leaving early. I have a date that I refuse to be late for.
“You win the lottery or something?” Conrad says from my door.
“Nope. Just having a good day.”
“Does it have anything to do with these?” He holds up his half-eaten red velvet cupcake.
“Not so much the cupcake as the creator,” I admit.
“No, shit. You’re joining them on the other side?” he asks.
“By them, I assume you mean Royce and Owen? And on the other side, I assume you mean a relationship?”
“That,” he says, shoving the rest of the cupcake in his mouth.
“I hope so.”
He swallows and wipes at his mouth with a napkin. “Didn’t expect you to admit it.”
“Why? I have nothing to hide. She’s incredible.”
“You barely know her.”
“That’s why we’re dating to get to know one another. And what I do know, she’s incredible.”
He begins to sing “Another One Bites the Dust,” making me laugh. I grab a highlighter from my desk and toss it at him, hitting him in the chest.
“We’re all going to fall, Con. It’s just a matter of when and for who.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “But not for a while. I’ve got more wild oats to sow.”
“These are so good,” Marshall says, stopping to stand next to Conrad. “I think I might ask her to marry me. Can you imagine living with someone who can create these?” he asks. There is a light in his eyes that tells me he’s picking a fight, and he’s going to get one.
“Fuck off. She’s taken.”
“And then there were two,” Marshall says dramatically.
“Go.” I laugh, waving them out of my doorway. “I have work to do.”
“Hot date tonight?” Marshall asks.
“Yes, and you jokers need to leave me alone so I can get shit done and get to her.”
“Oh, it’s worse than I thought, Con,” Marshall quips.
“Fuck off.” I toss another highlighter. Their laughter follows them down the hall. They can give me all the shit they want. It’s not going to change a thing.
Not with her.
Never with her.
Chapter 10
Aurora
“Tell me, dear sister, what date is this?” Aspen asks from her spot on the side of the tub.
“I don’t know.” Lies. I know exactly how many dates this makes for us, but I’m not going to admit it.
“Liar,” she calls me out.
“Fine,” I sigh dramatically. “Eight.” I pretend to not notice her smile of victory.
“Eight.” She nods. “How long, like two weeks?”
“Three.”
“I like him.”
My shoulders relax. “Yeah, I like him too.” I really like him—more than I should. I was supposed to be focusing on me and my business, but Grant Riggins is hard to resist.
“Are you happy?”
“We’re just dating.” That’s what I keep telling myself, but I know my heart doesn’t understand. With every message, every phone call, and every date, I fall harder for him.
My sister throws her head back in laughter. “If you call the way Grant looks at you ‘just dating,’ then the rest of us are screwed. Quite literally screwed. That man is more than just dating you, Aurora.”
“I thought maybe that was in my imagination.”