“Thanks Alex, you can go,” he said without removing his eyes from me. “Right-o,” he replied and walked out of the room.
Once we were alone, I shifted my weight uncomfortably. I didn’t know what to say, how to bridge this gap between us. Walking to the island, I placed my briefcase down on a small clean spot and took off my suit jacket. Rolling up my sleeves, I joined him in the middle of the mess.
“Let’s get this cleaned up a bit,” I said, looking at him softly. He nodded without looking directly at me.
I pulled out the trash can and started loading it up as Aaron swept up the flour. There was silence between us and I couldn’t help thinking that I wanted to do this kind of domestic stuff with Aaron for the rest of my life. I wanted to be with this man.
When the kitchen was back in order, for the most part, I leaned against the island as Aaron put away the broom. Coming back to the kitchen, he stood in front of me and folded his arms. When his eyes met mine, I saw disappointment there.
“I’m sorry,” he said solemnly.
“For the article?”
“For the article, for this disaster of a dinner, for trying to buy the team in the first place,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I’ve screwed up everything.”
“No, you haven’t.”
“Listen, I want you to have the team. I’m withdrawing the offer.”
“Why would you do that?” I asked. It didn’t make sense now that I knew the sentiment behind his desire.
“Because I love you,” he said bluntly. My mouth fell open in surprise. I stood immobile as I watched emotions play across his handsome face. He bit his lip nervously. I could hardly believe that this was the same self-assured man I had met just a few short weeks ago. I had a feeling that not many people got to see this side of him.
“Good. Because I happen to love you, too,” I finally replied. His face transformed as my words registered. He looked elated and I couldn’t keep my distance any longer. Reaching out, I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and pulled him forward until our mouths clashed.
It was fiery, perfect, and over way too soon as Aaron pulled away. I let out a whimper. He pecked my lips once more but pulled back right away.
“So, you forgive me for the article? I wasn’t using you, I swear.”
“I know.”
“Then everything’s okay?”
“Not quite,” I responded, breaking out of his embrace and walking around the island to my briefcase. “I wrote this for you last night.”
I pulled the contract out of the briefcase and handed it over to him. “You’re letting me buy the team?” he asked, surprised.
“Yes. I understand now why it’s so important to you. I want you to be happy,” I explained. “I did have an idea, though. A compromise.”
Reaching out, I flipped the contract to the third page and pointed. Aaron read the page and looked up at me. “A partnership?”
“Yep. One person has to be the majority owner, per NFL rules, but you would have a minority stake in the franchise.”
“Wow. I never considered that.”
“I wouldn’t suggest it with just anyone, but I think it’s worth it to make us both happy. So, what do you say, partner?” I asked, holding out my hand for him to shake and agree to the deal. He reached out and grasped my hand, then pulled me back into his chest.
“I think I can think of a better way to seal this deal,” he said, kissing me fiercely.
“There’s just one more condition,” I said, after we broke apart for air.
“What’s that?”
“Never cook again.”
Epilogue: Jenny
“Go, Titans. Go! Go, Titans. Go!” We joined the crowd in a chant as the game began and our team took the field. It was the Titans’ first game of the season and we were hyped up about our first full season as team owners. Aaron’s arm was wrapped around my waist and I leaned into his chest as we looked out over the stadium from the party deck. Behind us, the pool was full of Aaron’s family, his nieces were doing cannonballs off the side with their dad while his wife fed their baby in one of the lounge chairs.
Inside the owner’s suite, Aaron’s mom was speaking with Grandpa, who had made a full recovery over the last nine months of physical therapy and diet restrictions. Damian was fawning over his wife Gigi, who was sporting a noticeable baby bump. One of Aaron’s other business partners, Hayden, was in the suite as well, waiting for his wife, the singer Sabine Baptiste, to make her way up to the suite after performing the national anthem.
We had taken over the team just weeks after deciding to form a partnership. It was a shared passion for us and we were deliriously happy running the team together. We still had a tendency to butt heads occasionally, but now our arguments usually ended in a passionate explosion in the bedroom.
“Are you two lovebirds ever going to get around to redecorating in there?” Grandpa asked as he stepped out onto the deck.
“Maybe,” I shrugged. “We aren’t in a huge hurry to make changes.”
“Yeah, we’re happy with the way things are,” Aaron agreed.
“You two make an old man so happy, you know that?” Grandpa asked, reaching out to put a hand on each of our forearms. “I had feeling about you two.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I just had a notion that you two would be great together, so I put you in a situation that would allow for you to figure that out.”
“You played matchmaker with us?”
“Yep,” he replied smugly.
“Good job, Gramps,” Aaron grinned and held his fist out to Grandpa. Grandpa bumped their knuckles together and I laughed at how ridiculous that looked.
“I just wanted you to be happy, Lil’ Bit,” Grandpa said, looking at me warmly.
“Thanks, Grandpa,” I pulled him into a hug. “I’ve never been happier.”
“Jenny, come on. You have to get out here,” Aaron called out as I grabbed a soda from the kitchenette. It was halftime, so I had no idea why he was rushing me so much.
“I’m coming,” I yelled, idly. Don’t we have a box of popcorn in here?
I was perusing the cabinets when Aaron walked in the kitchenette area with his hands on his hips. “What are you looking for?”
“Popcorn. Didn’t we order some?”
“Come on out here, please. You can look for that later.” Something about his voice caught my attention. He seemed tense.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, not at all. Everything’s great. I just want you to come out here with me. I’ll make you popcorn after, I promise.”
“No, you’re not making anything in any kitchen. After what?”
“Just after halftime, come on,” he seized my hand and pulled me back out to the deck. Stanford had sent its marching band for the halftime show and as I looked down, I saw that it had taken the field. It started playing and I was amazed at the shapes and words they could form while playing. That must take so long to coordinate.
Aaron stood behind me with his arms wrapped around my middle and his chin resting on my shoulder. We swayed to the music until he pulled away and came up beside me. “Do you like the show?”
“Yeah, it’s neat,” I replied with a smile.
“Wait until you see the finale.”
“Finale?”
“Watch,” he said, gesturing to the field, where the band was scrambling around, forming letters.
J-E-N-N-Y
What? Did that say Jenny?
They were scrambling again, and I tilted my head in confusion. Why did they spell out my name?
W-I-L-L
Y-O-U
M-A-R-R-Y
M-E?
I gasped as they formed the last two words and whipped around to face Aaron, but he wasn’t standing beside me anymore. He was kneeling. Looking up at me in awe, as if he’d never seen anything more perfect, he held out a ring.
I brought my hand up to my mouth as the situation sank in. He was proposing to
me. There was no need to think about the answer.
“YES!” I shouted, and the world exploded into a cacophony of sound.
Looking around wildly, I saw that we were displayed on the Jumbotron and the entire stadium had been watching with bated breath. As thousands of people celebrated with us, Aaron leapt to his feet and engulfed me in a hug, letting out a whoop of joy.
I giggled as he slipped the ring on my finger. Looking back on the journey we took to get here, I could hardly believe that I once considered this man my enemy.
THE END OF BOOK FOUR
About the Author
Marcella Swann is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of heart-thumping and heart-melting contemporary romance. She's plied her trade in the newspaper business, written and produced a way off Broadway play, and is the proud mama of a singer-songwriter. When she's not trying to save newspapers from imminent doom (by subscribing to them all), she loves to take her readers on dreamy journeys to that place where all the men are hotties and the women are beautiful and strong. She also swings a mean kettle bell at the gym and likes to people watch at Grand Central Station on a busy day. For more information, visit www.marcellaswann.com. Marcella loves to hear from her readers! You can follow her @MarcellaSwannRomance on Facebook and @Marcella_Swann on Twitter or contact her at [email protected].
Also by Marcella Swann
My Dream Job
Redeemed – Lost Love Book One
Reunited – Lost Love Book Two
Rekindled – Lost Love Book Three
Reclaimed – Lost Love Book Four
A Merry Little Christmas
Tech Titans: The Complete Billionaire Romance Series Page 39