by Mindy Carter
Morning comes too soon, the annoying blare of my alarm clock alerting me to another day. I stare at the ceiling before pulling myself out of bed, heading to the kitchen for my much needed java where Reese is already up, coffee in hand. I do my usual morning routine, and then we are heading into work for another day.
The sun is shining, and even my disappointment of not hearing back from Keegan hasn’t affected me. Once I’m in my office, I power up my computer as always and start checking the society pages. The thing about the city is there is always something going on.
I look at the screen and am taken back when I see Keegan, and he’s not alone. I can feel the jealousy in the pit of my stomach. Looking as beautiful as ever, he attended a fundraiser with none other than that blonde bombshell he calls his assistant. They are close with his arm around her, and she’s wearing a beautiful gown that I can’t help noticing her cleavage is popping out of. I look down and realize my boobs are tiny compared to hers before I snap out of it. I refuse to compare myself to this woman.
The thing that takes me aback is the way he’s looking at her intensely in the photo. Anyone who sees this would assume something else is going on, that they are a couple. He told me he doesn’t date, especially people who work for him. Maybe this is the reason he hasn’t responded to me; maybe this is who he is now. He’s interested in blonde, big-busted women who fall at his feet.
Apparently, I misjudged Keegan James. The hopes that I found my best friend again are gone. I decide then and there that I will get through Saturday evening gracefully and that there will be no moments between us. I need to pull myself together and let this all go, because everything is out of my control. I can’t expect anything more from him.
Chapter Nine
The week goes by at a snail’s pace. It’s almost torturous, especially since Reese has been floating on air with a permanent smile on her face. Regardless, I’m happy for my best friend, and the last thing I plan to do is bring her down with my issues.
I’m not at all surprised that Keegan hasn’t contacted me. My assumptions seem to be correct about him, after all. I’m not sure what I was expecting from him, but I did hold out a small hope that I might actually be wrong about him. I guess you could call it wishful thinking on my part.
Saturday, I dress in a midnight blue, one shoulder, sleeveless A-line dress that stops right above my knee and opt for a pair of silver heels to match. My hair is down with my dark waves flowing around my shoulders. Looking in the mirror, I feel pretty as I finish up the look with my mother’s diamond stud earrings.
When there is a knock on the door, I look through our peephole, and smiling back at me is none other than the man who has put that gorgeous smile on my best friend’s face. Opening the door, I smile back at him and move out of the way, inviting him in.
“She will be out in a few minutes,” I tell him.
He looks as handsome as ever in his black suit and tie, and his dark hair is again styled perfectly. What is with these James brothers and their perfect hair?
He steps into the apartment and looks around, eyeing a photo of both Reese and I. He picks it up and smiles at it, and I know then and there that he returns Reese’s affections. At least something good has come out of all of this—two of my favorite people in the world are together.
I have already explained to Kaleb that he would have to answer to me if he ever hurt her. I wouldn’t be the friend that I am if I didn’t. I may look sweet and innocent, but cross my bestie and you are in for a world of pain. Of course, I may be projecting my anger just a bit.
“Did you want to ride with us?” he asks.
“That’s not necessary, Kaleb. I can get a cab. That way, I won’t be the third wheel on your date.”
“Third wheel? Not at all. I would be the talk of the party if I showed up with the two most beautiful women in all of New York.”
I lightly squeeze his arm, letting him know I appreciate his compliment, and Reese chooses that moment to appear.
“You are not taking a cab all by yourself.”
I know that arguing with her will be useless, so I simply nod my agreement.
Kaleb is staring at her, and I don’t blame him. Reese is beautiful. Her short, blonde hair is curled into tiny ringlets to set off her face. She is wearing a jet-black, sleeveless, satin dress that hugs her body and hits right above her knee.
After a few moments, Kaleb gives her an approving smile and moves toward her, kissing her cheek and whispering something in her ear.
Reese giggles, smiling back at him. I feel like I’m invading a moment, so I walk out of the room and retrieve my clutch from my bedroom. When I return, Kaleb is holding Reese’s hand.
“Are you ladies ready?” he asks.
We both answer yes at the same time.
As we exit the building, the driver of a black town car jumps out and opens the door for us. I get in first, allowing Reese and Kaleb to be close to one another. They both follow and immediately hold hands, making me a little envious.
There are a lot of people outside the Four Seasons when we pull up. I can only assume that, because of Keegan’s status as one of the city’s most eligible bachelors, everyone wants to get a picture. Then again, that status will probably be removed after the pictures I saw of him on the society page surfaced earlier in the week.
Once we exit the car, we start to walk in together with no one paying us any attention, which is perfectly fine by me.
Suddenly, I hear the crowd start screaming. I turn around, there is none other than Keegan, wearing a gorgeous grey suit and tie. Then I look at who is standing next to him, Gretchen in a little, red dress that barely covers her assets. As cameras start flashing, I turn around and pick up my pace to catch up with my friends.
I wish we had arrived a few minutes earlier to avoid the scene.
The five star hotel is the perfect spot for the launch. We walk the distance to the cosmopolitan suite where a giant magazine cover is on display. I look away from the image of the powerful, altruistic CEO Keegan to find Olivia, who is wearing a white, one-shouldered, tea-length gown. I greet her and let her know Mr. James isn’t too far behind. I don’t want to interfere, so I head over to the bar to make myself scarce as Kaleb and Reese continue to be stopped by several people saying hello.
When I reach the bar, the bartender says hello and asks me what my poison is.
Glancing at his nametag, I say, “Hi, Sam. I’ll have a dirty martini, two olives, please.”
“Coming up.” He winks.
After he finishes with my drink and hands it to me, I take a huge gulp, the alcohol quenching my thirst. It’s a strong drink, and I feel its effect immediately.
Not wanting to seem like a lush, I look at Sam who is staring at me. “I’m really thirsty,” I tell him.
“The bartender never judges.” He eyes me curiously.
“I’m Aimee, by the way.”
“Aimee, has anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful eyes.” Whether he’s flirting with me for tips or not, I’m still flattered. My cheeks are suddenly warm, and I know I’m blushing.
I quickly take a sip of my drink and look at him. “Not today.”
“Well, they are very beautiful,” he tells me again.
We talk some more about nothing in particular before I order another drink, feeling a bit buzzed. I’m laughing at a joke Sam tells me when I suddenly feel someone standing right behind me, and my back stiffens. I know exactly who it is. His scent is permanently ingrained in my senses.
Keegan interrupts by ordering two drinks. One for him and one for his girlfriend, I assume.
I finish my second drink and set the glass down, escaping to the bathroom to distance myself from the man who hasn’t even said hello. Once I’m in the bathroom, I heave a sigh of relief and decide to slow down on the drinking.
This is important for the magazine, I tell myself as I look in the mirror while I take my lipstick from my clutch and reapply. Then my phone flashes with a tex
t, and I can’t believe what I see on the screen.
You look amazing tonight!
I do a double-take, seeing the sender is Keegan. I was right in front of him, and he didn’t even say two words to me. What game is he playing?
I’m interrupted from my thoughts when none other than Gretchen, also known as I-can’t-find-a-dress-that-fits, walks into the bathroom and stands next to me.
She looks at me for a split second with not an ounce of recognition on her face, even though I’m pretty sure her memory isn’t that short. I put my phone away then make myself busy by washing my hands while she takes a lipstick out of her purse and applies the dark red color to her lips. I look down at her purse for a moment and catch a glimpse of a square foil package, and I suddenly feel nauseous.
I hear a pop of her lips as she finishes applying her scarlet red color. She then fixes her hair, which is pulled tightly in an up do before she turns on her heels and walks out of the bathroom as if I wasn’t even standing right next to her.
I look at myself in the mirror and take a deep breath, deciding I am done hiding out. I head out to find Reese and Kaleb in hopes that Keegan will be nowhere near them.
As I scan the dimly lit room and take notice that the crowd has increased as soft music plays, across the room, my eyes meet Keegan’s, and I see he has Gretchen glued to his side.
“He’s a fine specimen,” Olivia interrupts.
I pull my eyes away from his.
“I suppose, if you’re into that sort of thing,” I tell her.
She looks at me with a smirk on her face. “That man looks to be into you.”
“I doubt that,” I say, annoyed.
“You know, Aimee, I consider you a friend, so I’m going to go against my better judgment and be honest with you. I don’t know what happened between you and him, but he looks at you like you’re his next breath. And to prove to you that he has some type of interest in you, I am going to confess something.” She pauses, giving me a pointed look. “He reached out to us for the interview and magazine spread, specifically asking for you.”
What do I do with that revelation? I have no clue and am honestly speechless. None of this was necessary. All he ever needed to do was pick up a phone or write a letter, for Christ’s sake.
“Why are you telling me this? He’s obviously with someone else.”
He broke my heart eight years ago, and now he’s doing it again. With everything seemingly spinning off its axis, I need answers for my own peace of mind, but I have no clue where to start getting them. What’s worse, thinking about all of this is making the room start to feel smaller, and I just want to leave, but I can’t. .
“I just want you to understand that whatever is between you two isn’t one-sided,” she tells me.
“I’ve known him since I was six years old. We grew up together, and the first time seeing him after eight years of silence was in our interview,” I admit to her.
She looks at me with understanding, gives my shoulder a squeeze, and then says, “You know what I would do if I was you?” She doesn’t wait for an answer. “Show him what he’s missed out on all these years. Aimee, you deserve so much more, so let loose and enjoy yourself. You should be proud of yourself and what you have accomplished.”
As she walks away, I catch a glimpse of Reese and head in her direction.
“Are you all right?” she asks as I reach her.
“I will be,” I reply.
I will spill out my heart to her later, but this is not the time or place.
“Kaleb left to get us drinks. Did you want anything?”
“No, I’m good. That handsome bartender already made me a couple potent cocktails.” I point to the direction of the bar which is now crowded with party goers.
“Did you talk with Keegan?” she asks.
I shake my head, and it is enough confirmation to tell her to drop the subject.
Thankfully, Kaleb chooses that moment to arrive and hand over a glass of wine to Reese. Then he drapes his arm around his date and smiles at me.
“Can I get you anything?” he asks.
“No, thank you. I think I’m going to walk the room and greet a few people,” I reply.
As I see several people I know, quite a few congratulate me in passing on my article, which puts me in a better mood.
Suddenly, I’m parched, so I head to the bar for a water. I’m just taking a sip of the refreshing ice water when Keegan appears in front of me by himself.
“Water?” he questions.
“It would appear so,” I answer, pursing my lips.
He looks at me like he wants to say something, but holds back.
“Is there a reason you are avoiding me?” he finally asks.
“Excuse me?” I question.
“You’re avoiding me, and I want to know why.”
“I’m not avoiding you, just enjoying the party,” I lie.
“You look like you’re having a ball with your water.”
“Don’t you have a date to get back to? I’m sure you would rather annoy her.”
When he laughs at me, I start to get even angrier with him. Why can’t he ignore me like he’s done the past eight years? I was fine before he came back into my life. I want to return to my mundane, Keegan-less existence.
“Do you mean Gretchen? You know she’s my assistant, and she attends these things with me from time to time.”
I look at him, dumbfounded. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, we’re just friends, actually have been since college.”
Did he say since college? What the what?
“Since you two are such great friends, then you don’t need me, do you?” I bark at him.
“Aimee, I’ve needed you since the day we met. You should realize that by now.”
“Wow, what a load of crap. I’m not playing these games with you, Keegan. I’m not a child anymore, and I know exactly what this is.” I wave my hands between us. “Why couldn’t you just leave me alone? You left me, Keegan, without an explanation. It’s been eight years, and suddenly you need me? Where were you when I needed you? I’m not the girl I was before you left. I’m stronger, and you know what? I. Don’t. Need. You. So do me a favor and pretend I don’t exist. You’ve had plenty of practice, so I’m sure it won’t be too hard.” By the time I finish, my breathing is hard, and he’s staring at me with what I would swear is a hint of desire in his blue eyes.
“There’s that fire I’ve missed.”
I let out a laugh. “If you’ll excuse me, the air in here is stifling.”
With that, I turn and walk toward a set of French doors that lead to the outside terrace, my breathing fast and my body trembling from the confrontation.
I hear footsteps behind me and know he has followed so without turning to face him, I ask, “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t, Aimee. I want to fix this between us.”
“You have ignored me all week. I get that your busy and important and all—”
“You think I’m important?” He smirks at me.
“Hello? This is all for you. Everyone is here for you.”
“And I’m only here for you.” He closes the distance.
My heart plummets. I’m on the verge of tears. What the hell is he saying?
“What?”
“You. I’m here for you. I miss you, Aimee.”
“Really? Then why did you ignore me all week? Why are you here with someone else? Keegan, I’m no fool, and I refuse to be played with.” I let out an exasperated breath. “I guess you have changed.”
He steps closer to me. “The way I feel about you hasn’t changed, and I explained why Gretchen is here tonight. She’s part of the team along with Kaleb. I only ever wanted to be good enough for you.”
Unable to hold back the tears any longer, my eyes start to water. Keegan steps even closer and grabs my face with both hands, using his thumbs to wipe away my tears.
“Don’t cry. I’m here
for you and nothing else. I only care about you.” He looks into my eyes, closing the remaining distance then brushing his thumb along my lower lip.
As soon as he says he’s here for me, I can’t help melting in his arms. My legs lose all feeling, and I may just pass out from his touch.
Staring at me, he says, “I’ve wanted to do this again for eight years.”
His lips drop to mine, and I close my eyes, relishing the moment. I can taste the scotch on his lips, and it’s divine. I pray he doesn’t hear my heart pounding as he kisses me slowly, his lips soft and tender. Then he let’s go of my face and pushes me against the railing behind me, pressing his warm, hard body against mine, and I deepen the kiss as I wrap my arms around his neck, the sensation of our lips moving feverishly sending me to heaven.
Too soon, he breaks the kiss, and I whimper at the loss. He places his forehead against mine as both of us try to catch our breath.
“I’m here for you,” he whispers.
I nod at him, holding him close, not wanting to lose this feeling.
Chapter Ten
Is this really happening after all this time, or am I dreaming? I just want to stay like this forever, right here in the warmest embrace. This is by far the most perfect moment of my life. No words need to be spoken, because everything was shown in that epic kiss. I am falling deeper into him. I don’t even care what’s next.
I break the silence without moving away from Keegan’s embrace. “That was much better than the first time.”
I feel a rumble in his chest as the most beautiful laugh comes out of him.
“So do you still want me to leave you alone?” he asks.
“Don’t you dare.” I painstakingly remove myself from his arms to look into his eyes. “Promise me something?”
He looks down at me. “Anything, Aimee.”
“Promise me you won’t leave me after tonight,” I say with desperation.
Keegan grabs ahold of my hands and moves both of them to his beating heart. “I promise.”