Any Way You Slice It
Page 13
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I was laden with paperwork when I walked into the law offices that next evening. I had contracts and forms and folders of information. I was also wearing a huge smile because my day had been fabulous. Assuming everything in the many pages of legal documentation I was holding didn’t hold any nasty little surprises Pied Piper’s Pies were about to become a national franchise.
I hadn’t called ahead because I wanted to tell Aaron all about it, in person.
Amy greeted me warmly from behind the reception desk. “Hi, Piper. I’ll let Aaron know you’re here.”
I didn’t even have time to put my pile down before he came racing into reception. “I’ve been so anxious all day. How’d it go?”
“It went really, really well.” I was grinning like the Cheshire cat and I didn’t care a bit. I was goofy and I was happy. And the weird thing was, as soon as the investors had left and Lucy and I had gathered ourselves together, the first person I had wanted to tell was Aaron which was why I was here.
“Yes!” He fist pumped the air. “I totally knew you’d blow them away.”
Which was why I had wanted to tell him; I knew he would be as excited for me as I was for myself.
“Give me that stuff.” He held out his arms for the folders. “And get in here so I can give you a kiss.”
It didn’t matter that it was for show. I wanted that kiss. I wanted to feel human contact from someone I liked.
“You guys are so cute,” declared the receptionist. When Aaron turned to look at her, she said, “Oops, did I say that out loud? Sorry.”
“You’re fine.” He laughed. “Come on, Piper. I need to hear all about it.”
We passed Ophelia in the hall. Her icy stare couldn’t even kill my buzz. She eyeballed Aaron and the files. “Taking on a new client?”
“Nah, just carrying my best girl’s books to her next class.”
I liked being his best girl.
I plunked my exhausted yet exhilarated self down on the sofa. “Oh my goodness. It was full-on. I mean, I knew they were keen and this was probably a formality, well, unless I screwed it up, but I was so nervous that I thought I would.”
“I had faith in you.” He smiled. “You’re a smart girl with a good product.”
“I hoped so, but you know it’s hard doing all this stuff alone.”
“And now you don’t have to. You have me.”
“I do.” And that was the thing, I did have him. Yes, he was marrying me out of convenience, but he did care about me. He did want me to succeed, and he was invested in my success. That wasn’t enough for a happily ever after, but it was enough for a happily right now.
He closed the door behind him. “Speaking of I do’s. While you’re here, I thought we should get the pre-nups signed. I took the liberty of making one from you to me, but you can get your lawyer to change it.”
“Pre-nups?” Of course there would be a pre-nup. The guy was a millionaire and I was about to be doing pretty well myself. “This makes it very real.”
“Yeah, I know. Even I was a bit freaked,” he said kindly. “It’s not personal. I wouldn’t marry anyone without a pre-nup. That money isn’t mine. My grandparents gave it to me; I feel like I’m just its steward. And you, you most definitely shouldn’t. You don’t want some Johhny-come-lately taking advantage of your success or your kind nature.”
He was right. “Okay, let’s do it.”
“Make sure you read both of them carefully.” He looked at me. “On second thought, you should just take them with you because, as a lawyer, I feel it would be wrong for me to suggest that you are in the right frame of mind right now. What you need now is expensive champagne and lots of it.”
“Do you know what I’d really like?”
“Spill.”
“Can we go to O’Shaunnessy’s and get beer and burgers? Cherie could meet us and Lucy and maybe a few of my other staff.”
I don’t think he wasn’t expecting me to say that. “Of course! Perfect. I was being selfish. I’ll call and tell them we want the pool room. You go text your people.”