by Claire Adams
“You give me too much credit, Zayden.”
It was my turn to sigh. “The fact that you think that is also one of your greatest qualities. God, if you could only see yourself the way I see you. We will talk again after you have assumed your new role in the company for a few months. You’ll see what I’m talking about.”
She shrugged. “If you say so. I’m going to head out now. I have a wedding to plan,” she said joyfully and almost hopped out of my office, leaving me grinning with admiration.
Chapter 5
Aria
By the time I got home, I still couldn’t process everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, starting all the way from when Zayden proposed to me in class. A wedding in three weeks! As much as that thought freaked me out, it also excited me. Three weeks from tomorrow, I was going to become Mrs. Sinclair after our wedding in the city of my dreams. It was as though someone had taken a chapter from one of my favorite romance novels and sprinkled it all over my life. Giddy from the marvel of it all, I headed straight to Nick and Stacey’s room. I leaned over to their closed door to make sure that I wasn’t interrupting an intimate moment, but when I heard them argue about video games, I knocked excitedly.
“Come on in, Aria. We already know you’re engaged. In case that’s what the excitement with your loud knocks indicated,” Nick said.
“I’m getting married,” I said, turning the doorknob.
“Didn’t I just say we know that?” Nick looked confusedly at Stacey. “Am I inaudible Stace? Did I lose my power of speech?”
“In three weeks,” I added hastily. “I’m getting married in three weeks. In New York City. Code red.”
After a couple of gasps and hanging mouths, Stacey quickly assumed the role of my best friend. “I’ll get started on the cookies. You guys set shop in the living room. Yes, this is code red.”
---
An hour later the three of us were spiraled across the living room, stuffing our faces with Stacey’s amazing chocolate chip cookies.
“But, Fiona Davis!” Stacey exclaimed for the fifteenth time. “How did he? How is that even possible? I know he is some hotshot billionaire but even then. Fiona is booked for years. Years! Not months, years. And from my understanding she doesn’t even adjust her schedule for A list celebrities. I can’t believe Zayden pulled that off!”
“Well, I am not sure if I am supposed to tell you guys yet,” I said, beaming. “But he also booked her for your wedding next year.”
Stacey gasped the loudest I had ever heard her, as her eyes started to tear up. “What? How? Fiona Davis, for Nick and my wedding? That’s not…this is not real life. I’m going to go back to bed and be disappointed when I wake up to realize this was one awesome dream.”
“I’m serious, Stace,” I said, hugging her tight. “Fiona Davis will be planning your wedding.”
“No she will not.” Stacey broke our hug and frowned. “It’s not just about her schedule you know. I can’t exactly afford her. Neither can Nick,” she added when he cleared his throat.
“It’s already paid for,” I announced. “Zayden said he is grateful for you for helping with our relationship – first with convincing me it was a good idea to go out with him, then with helping with the ring – that it’s the least he could do. And for loving me or something.”
“Yeah, cause that last part is real hard to do,” Stacey quipped and rolled her eyes. “So we definitely need to be rewarded for it.”
“Shut up, Stace.” I giggled. “But seriously, Zayden is happy to do this so please just accept it, okay? This way we both get to have our dream weddings.”
After another few protests, Stacy finally came around. “Okay,” she said. “Fine. We will accept, but what can we do for him in return, though? I don’t have anything!”
“Cookies,” I said brightly. “I bet you a million dollars – shit I shouldn’t use such exaggerations anymore, should I? – okay, okay, I just bet you some love that Zayden has never had chocolate chip cookies that are perfect as yours. Make him an enormous batch as a thank you and I will take it with me when I move there tomorrow—”
“When you what?” Nick chimed in, looking rather disappointed. “Tomorrow?”
Shit. That was not how I was planning to break the news about my sudden departure at all. They were supposed to have been a few beers in, first of all.
“Okay guys, I know I talked about moving out soon but even I had no idea it would be this soon. But given that I am getting married in three weeks, it only makes sense that I live with him for a little bit before becoming his wife, you know?” I couldn’t hide the annoying grin from my face as I said this.
“Aria.” Stacey shook her head. “We love you and you know that. We would keep you with us forever if we could. You don’t have to pretend that this is something you’re doing out of necessity. You can’t wait to start living with Zayden, it’s all over your face. And the important part is I am fucking ecstatic for you…”
I mock frowned. “So you’re not going to miss me? Why aren’t you more upset by this?”
“You’re an idiot.” She rolled her eyes. “Of course I am heartbroken. We are,” she added, as Nick sat in the corner. “This is bittersweet. I couldn’t be happier for you Aria. You have met the man of your dreams who makes you ridiculously happy and would literally do anything in the world for you. Heck, he is going out of his way for your friends he barely knows, even! And you’re so in love it’s hilarious and adorable. So what I am getting at, I guess, is when should we start helping you pack?”
Those words brought unexpected tears to my eyes and before I knew it, Stacey and I were both bawling our eyes out and hugging each other.
“Wow, I sure feel the love,” Nick said sarcastically, so I went over and hugged him too.
These were seriously the two best people I had ever met in my life. The last few years living with them had been something out of a sitcom on T.V. I couldn’t believe that the time had come for me to move on. It was almost as though we were adults now. I was ready for that.
“It’s the end of an era,” Nick said, holding Stacey’s hand while we hugged.
Better words had not been invented to describe this situation.
Hours later, as we packed away my life, I was still explaining the mechanics of the wedding to them.
“So we will all fly over to New York that Friday and the wedding is on Sunday. Zayden is paying for our tickets, business class—”
Stacey gasped again. I was starting to get used to that as the background noise to my life.
“No!”
“Yes,” I said cheerfully. “I’ve never been in business class either. But I hear there is champagne. We will find out sooner or later. And that is just the beginning of it. He is putting us all up in fancy five-star hotels right in mid-town where all the action is supposed to happen. All my life I have dreamed of going to Times Square and now I will be staying so close to it while I prepare for my wedding at The Plaza. It’s insane is what it is.”
“Oh god, Aria, this is going to be like one of those weddings in the movies where you just have to think for a second if anyone in the world can afford such a thing. Now you can!”
“No, I can’t. Zayden can though and he wants to so why should I complain? Although, he did force a pretty heavy promotion on me so who knows, soon enough, maybe I would be able to afford such things myself?”
Stacey covered her face and fell flat on my bed. “I can’t anymore, Aria. Too much big news. Congratulations on the promotion. Although I should have seen that one coming a long time ago. You’re brilliant and Zayden knows this, so he would have offered you the promotion even if you guys were never romantically involved.”
“That’s what he said too.” I frowned, being unable to fathom why everyone thought I was so smart. I should just be grateful for the opportunity, but it was difficult to believe that I had made it this far on talent alone.
“Give yourself more credit, Aria! You’re the best
student in our year. The only time you got an A minus you crawled into bed and cried for two days straight. If it wasn’t Zayden, some other big shot at some other bank would be eager to take you.”
“Fine, fine,” I said reluctantly. “I earned the promotion or whatever. I still need to graduate from college, you know?”
“Yeah, how do you plan to do that with the demands of your new job and planning your wedding?”
“Well, I am taking all my final exams early – so later this week – for this semester and then I will be done with my junior year. I’m going to try and do my senior year online. The Dean has been understanding and willing to help me with it. She was worried if she didn’t try to work with me I would go elsewhere where and my diploma wouldn’t have their name on it.”
“Nobody has ever fought so hard to keep my name.” Nick snickered. “Yet you don’t think you’re intelligent enough to have earned that promotion. I think you need some therapy, Aria.”
“I think you guys need to shut up,” I said jokingly. “But anyways, I’ll have my degree and my job – and my soon to be husband, of course – so I am happy. I don’t really have to go in to work or start my new position until the wedding, which helps. Now that I have arranged to take my finals early—”
“When did you even manage to do that?” Stacey looked at me in awe. “Didn’t you just find out about all this earlier this afternoon?”
“I called the Dean on my way home.” I waved my hand to suggest it was no big deal. “You know how I like to be on top of things.”
“You are like from some other planet, my goodness. Any other girl – me for sure and Nick too and he is not even a girl – would be so consumed in the excitement of all of this that at least for a day school would be relegated to the back of our minds.”
“Well, school is important.” I grinned. So many wonderful things were happening and I had no idea why Nick and Stacey were insistent on showering me with so complements. Perhaps it had something to do with me moving away, but it sure as hell made me feel wonderful.
“So in summary,” Nick said, looking at a legal pad. “You are getting married in New York in three weeks, you are taking your finals next week and you start your new position at work after the weeding. And you’re moving out tomorrow?”
“Nick, have you been taking notes?” I burst out laughing. It was classic Nick.
He flashed me a confused look. “Shouldn’t I have been? As your – wait, what will I be doing in your wedding? Stacey is maid-of-honor. I can’t exactly be a bridesmaid. Wait, Aria, I am in your wedding right?” He looked horrified by the possibility that he might not be.
“You are the brides-dude-of-honor. I made up that title for you. You will be standing next to my bridesmaids with honor but you don’t have to put on a dress, a suit will do.” I smirked.
“Awesome, then as your brides-dude-of-honor, I have to make sure we document everything so there is no lag in any part of your wedding. And I also volunteer to be the errands guy. I love running errands,” he said with a straight face, making Stacey and I burst into a fresh pair of giggles.
“Pizza’s here,” I said when the doorbell rang.
It was as perfect as the last night with my two favorite people in the world could ever be.
Chapter 6
Zayden
I walked into the living room to find Aria fiddling with her boxes. A strange sense of accomplishment filled over me as I watched her unpack in her new home. My home. Our home. The thought of all the wonderful memories we were going to make here for the rest of our lives filled me with profound happiness. I couldn’t believe all of this was happening, that Aria was here, now and real, and willing to be mine.
Slowly, I walked towards her, which must have startled her because she jumped. She broke into the most wonderful smile. “Hi, there,” she said. “I was starting to think I would never see you. Which is odd, considering it was your idea that I move in here right away.”
“Sorry, I was taking care of some business. I came here as fast as I could though. The thought of you unpacking all alone at home was not making me happy,” I said and sat down on the couch. “Come here,” I told her and welcomed her with my arms.
As she walked towards me, I tried to take a mental picture of the scene so I could keep this perfect moment savored in my memory forever.
She sat next to me and put her head on my chest, looking tired but content.
“How was your last evening with your friends?” I asked gently. “Were they upset? Are you?”
“It was bittersweet,” she said without removing her head from my chest to look at me. “We were happy together. And drunk at some point. They sent you a little present. It’s over at the kitchen counter. How do you feel about chocolate chip cookies?”
“I don’t feel strongly about them.” I shrugged.
“Well, that is about to change then. Stacey makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. And she sent you an enormous batch to thank you for everything.”
“I take it you told her about my plans with Fiona for their wedding?” I said amusedly.
“Was I not supposed to?” She looked up at me. “I’m sorry.”
“No, no, no! Don’t apologize. I am glad you told them. I was merely amused that you guys seem to have a system of sharing news as fast as possible. Which is why I am quite surprised your friend Stacey didn’t tell you about the ring.”
She giggled. “We know to keep it tight when it really matters. They were so thrilled, Zayden. Stacey couldn’t stop crying. She can’t believe you’re real sometimes.”
“Is that so? If I weren’t real,” I said and moved my hand across her body to slide a few fingers underneath her panties, making her shudder. “How come I just made you do that?”
Aria moved away. “As much as I would like that train of thought to continue,” she said and grinned. “I have a lot of unpacking to do so no room for distractions.”
“That game huh? Whatever, I have some important matters to discuss with you anyway.”
“Is everything alright?” She looked immediately alarmed and for some unknown reason, it made her appear more adorable. She was such an insanely genuine person.
“Yes, everything is alright. Pretty fucking perfect, actually. I just wanted to talk to you about your mother’s hospital bills—”
“Oh right. I suppose since we are getting married, the contract is no longer valid. Don’t worry about paying for the last two months; I don’t want it to be a conflict of interest. With my new promotion, I am sure I could handle those payments myself. And since we have been paying all the other amounts on time, the hospital should allow me some extra time. I will probably incur some interest but that hardly matters in the grander scheme of things.”
“Aria,” I said with an urge to laugh. “What on earth do you think you are talking about?”
She raised her eyebrows. “My mother’s hospital bills. I am guessing that’s where you were going with bringing up that subject?”
“Quite on the contrary. Have you not realized by now that I will gladly turn over my entire fortune for you? My money is your money. What I wanted to discuss,” I said, planting a kiss on her mouth, unable to help it. “Is that I paid off the rest of her bill. Since I am marrying her daughter, it’s the least I could do. She is giving me far more than I have given her. You were right on one account of course; the contract is no longer valid. You are going to be my wife now. We don’t need some stupid contract.”
“Well, I have actually been thinking about that,” Aria said softly and slowly, as though weighing her words in her mind. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, Zayden. You know I love you a lot, more than words can ever describe. If you don’t then you’re just stupid and shouldn’t be allowed to run such a huge empire.” She giggled. “I love you with all my heart and want us to be together forever. But life is strange and sometimes things happen. In the case that we ever find ourselves in a situation that is unpleasant as far as our union
goes—”
“What are you trying to say, Aria?” I felt myself stiffen. I didn’t like hearing those words.
“Well, I guess what I am really trying to say is that the last thing in the world that I want is to feel like I am in some way taking advantage of you. As you know, I have nothing but some annoying amounts of debt. You have quite a lot. In the case that we were to,” she choked up trying to formulate that idea. “In the case that we ever, you know, split up for any reason, I want you to feel like your assets and everything you own are secure and yours. Which is why I think a prenuptial contract is important. To protect you.”
“Are you joking?” I stared at her closely to make sure that she was being serious.
Her words at once annoyed me greatly but also made me admire her even more. Any other woman would be thrilled that I hadn’t brought up a prenup or tried to convince me to ignore it if I had brought it up. Aria would be the only person to care so much about protecting me because she didn’t want me for my money. She wanted me for me.
The part that annoyed me was that she thought that such an arrangement would even be necessary. That was absolutely preposterous. I saw no situation in any part of our future where divorce would ever even cross my mind and I highly doubted that she did too. So she must think somehow that I might change my mind about how much I loved her down the line…she simply did not get that what I felt for her was beyond everyday romance, beyond my concern for my own life…
“I am not joking, Zayden. I want you to feel secure. It is important to me that you know that I am marrying you for the right reasons. I appreciate the promotion I got at work and it will certainly help me grow into my own going forward. As such, even though we are nullifying our contract, I am going to pay you back for the money you paid towards my mother’s hospital bills, just like we had planned. I want us to be equals in this relationship, I couldn’t stress that more. In fact, down the line I expect to pay for half the costs we incur during this wedding. I know you don’t need the money, but it’s really a matter of principal at the end of the day. Do you understand what I am getting at?”