by Zoe Ann Wood
Sebastian realized his mistake the very next morning. He shouldn’t have told Lorelei that he was willing to wait months for her answer. It was true—he wasn’t about to rush her—but that also meant he was now sentenced to excruciating uncertainty for however long it took her to reply.
If she chose to reply, that was.
He put on a burst of speed, running at full sprint for the last three hundred yards of his morning run. Welcoming the burn in his lungs, he finally slowed to a stop on his doorstep and let himself into the house.
He was half tempted to stay home all day, glued to his phone, but that was a surefire way to drive himself mad. He might distract himself with work—though Evan had commented on his scattered state of mind just the previous afternoon.
Arriving at the office an hour later, he greeted his coworkers, nodding this way and that until he reached his secretary’s desk.
“Morning, Joan,” he said, accepting his usual cup of espresso from her.
“Morning, Mr. Lynch.” His secretary glanced at the closed door of his office, then back at him. “I’m sorry for giving you no warning, but she arrived just minutes ago.”
Sebastian stopped in his tracks. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s a woman waiting for you in the office. She didn’t have an appointment, so I wanted her to wait elsewhere, but Mr. Munroe said she could go in.”
Joan was clearly agitated at having permitted this stranger entry into Sebastian’s private domain, but he waved her off. His insides were twisting into a pretzel, and he took a step toward the door before stopping himself. “Did she leave a name?”
Joan glanced at her notes. “Lorraine Hirsch,” she told him.
“Lorelei,” Sebastian muttered. “Her name is Lorelei.”
“What was that, sir?” Joan asked from behind him.
But Sebastian was already moving forward, and then the door was open and Lorelei was standing at the window, observing the teeming traffic below.
She turned to him while he closed the door behind him; he wanted privacy for this conversation, however it was about to unfold. His chest compressed with anxiety, but there was hope, too, a tenacious sprout of optimism. She’d come. She was here—she hadn’t merely left a note with his secretary, telling him to leave her alone.
“Hi,” she said, her voice small and unsure.
Sebastian stepped deeper into the room, moving slowly. “Hello.”
They stared at each other, and he realized she was studying him intently. She was unbelievably beautiful. Over the past week, Sebastian had half convinced himself that his attraction to her had been exaggerated by their unusual location, vacation, and possibly some champagne.
But no—she was a classic beauty, with shiny dark hair and serious brown eyes. She was wearing another sundress printed with deep-red poppies and a dark-blue cardigan. She looked fresh and somehow untouchable, so he didn’t approach her. Instead, he let her dictate the tone of this meeting. Until he knew what she’d come to say, he was flying blind.
Then he noticed the large box of memorabilia he’d sent her in an attempt to show her how much he cared. It was open on his desk, and he saw the top of that trophy glinting inside.
Suddenly, he was embarrassed by the entire thing. What a stupid idea it had been, sending her some old junk and expecting forgiveness. She might be here to tell him that she would be issuing a restraining order if he ever came near her again.
“I came to return these,” she said, breaking the silence. “They seemed very important to you.”
Sebastian glanced back at her, meeting her gaze. “Is this why you came all the way here? You could have mailed them back.”
She pursed her lips, glancing out the window again. “Well, I came to ask you something.”
He spread his arms slightly to indicate she should ask away.
“What was your dinosaur’s name?”
Sebastian barked out a shocked laugh. “What?”
Lorelei’s lips quirked up at the corners, her eyes twinkling. “Your dinosaur. Surely it has a name?”
Heat rose up his neck, and he was certain he was blushing. “Er, yes. He does.”
Lorelei lifted her eyebrows. She wasn’t going to let this go.
Closing his eyes, he muttered, “Mr. Roar.” At Lorelei’s giggle, he opened his eyes again. “If you ever tell Evan about this, I’ll…” He couldn’t think of a punishment severe enough, so he just shook his head and glowered at her.
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” She was grinning now, her lovely face alight with mischief.
“Is that the only reason you’re here? To ask about my dinosaur?” Sebastian moved an inch closer, almost cheering in delight when she didn’t step away.
Instead, she trailed her fingers on his desk, seemingly lost in thought. “Well, I also came to ask you out on a date.”
Sebastian’s breath caught in his throat. He took another step forward, pulled toward her and incapable of resisting. “I’m free now.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
She closed the flaps on the box, then turned to him again. “We have a lot to talk about,” she murmured.
“Lorelei,” he breathed, relieved beyond belief. “Thank you. For coming here. For being willing to forgive me.”
She shrugged, now close enough that he put his arms around her, and happiness burst inside him. She didn’t retreat from his touch. Instead, she put her palms on his chest, her warmth radiating through the fabric of his suit. “Well, you made a pretty good case for yourself in your letter.”
Then she went on her tiptoes and kissed him, keeping her eyes open, as though gauging his reaction. He forced himself to go slow, to return the kiss with the same gentle pressure, even though he wanted to sweep her into his arms and never let her go. But Lorelei’s hands slid up his shoulders to tangle in his hair, and he groaned, slanting his head to the side and deepening the kiss. Their breaths were one, their heartbeats racing, and the weight on Sebastian’s chest lifted for the first time in days.
She’d come, she’d accepted his awkward apology, just as he’d hoped. Sebastian gathered her close, relishing the feel of her slighter body against his, and silently promised himself he’d open up to her.
He broke the kiss, caressing her lips with his thumb, and smiled.
“I don’t know any good lunch spots in DC,” Lorelei said, taking a half-step back but not pushing away from him.
It was ten in the morning, way too early for a lunch break, but Sebastian didn’t care. What was the point of being the boss if he couldn’t bend the rules a little? “I can think of a few.”
He took her hand and led her out, grinning at everyone who watched them pass. He didn’t even care that people were gawking and not working. He was the happiest man on Earth.
Twenty
Lori
Five months later
Lori shut down her computer in the office of the Honey Bee Travel Agency. It was almost noon on a Saturday in early November, and the day was unusually fine for this time of year. This meant not a single walk-in customer had come by the office, so she didn’t feel guilty about closing early. She’d had an early morning appointment at the salon because Sebastian was taking her to a charity event in the evening, and then she’d sat at her desk, working on establishing a new honeymoon package in Bora Bora. It would be romantic, luxurious, and unforgettable for any couple who chose it as their destination.
She and Hannah had opened their new office three months ago in a busy neighborhood in Washington, DC. Shops on their block included a bridal salon, a spa center, and a hairdresser, so they felt right at home there. With people planning for the next year’s wedding season, business had started booming, especially with some incredible help from Sebastian’s company.
Lori had refused flat-out to let him invest in their company, but she wasn’t stubborn enough to turn down his help in the advertising department. With Evan’s clean and eye-catching design, their little
company had taken right off, and Sebastian’s business advice had proven sound time and again.
Hannah was the best coworker and roommate Lori could ever have asked for. Their small apartment was a rental, but thanks to Sebastian’s real estate connections, they’d gotten a place with an affordable rent with a twenty-minute commute to their office, which was nothing short of miraculous.
Locking the door and pulling down the security grille, she called Jim, her driver. She still wasn’t used to being driven around town, but Sebastian had balked at the idea of her using public transportation. She’d argued with him about it until he pointed out that Hannah would also benefit from it, since they often made the same trip together.
Jim took longer than usual to arrive, apologizing profusely for the traffic. She chatted with him about his kids’ softball tournament, and he asked about her clients. This was their everyday routine, and Lori wouldn’t change it for the world. The drive to Sebastian’s house took nearly an hour, so it was inconceivable that she would spend the entire journey pretending Jim wasn’t there. By the time the Tesla turned onto Sebastian’s street, Jim had made her promise to send him her grandma’s recipe for a pumpkin pecan pie, and she was taking notes on turkey basting.
This Thanksgiving would be the first she celebrated with Sebastian’s family. She’d met his mother and sister right after moving to DC, and they’d welcomed her with open arms. His sister’s dry sense of humor was disarming, and his mother, while still burdened by her husband’s passing, seemed to be thrilled that Sebastian had found a partner. Lori wasn’t quite sure how she’d found herself in such a nice, loving family, but she was more than willing to immerse herself in it—starting with preparing the holiday dinner.
She’d created a secret Pinterest board for wedding ideas, because she thought it might be time to have a talk with Sebastian about their future. Their dates were romantic, the weekends they spent together wonderful, and she wanted more. A husband she loved with all her heart. A family. Maybe she could prod him a little over the holidays, see whether their ideas aligned.
The car neared Sebastian’s beautiful house. A number of vehicles were parked in the street, a van covered in flowery stickers blocking the driveway.
“Oh my,” Lori said, leaning forward in her seat. “What’s going on?”
Jim cleared his throat. “I’m not sure, miss.”
Lori glanced at him. The back of his neck had turned a ruddy red, and he wouldn’t meet her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Jim?”
“We’ve arrived,” he said, parking by the curb and nearly tripping over himself in his haste to get out of the car. He opened her door for her, then stood aside. “Good luck.”
Lori frowned at him, not understanding why she’d need luck for visiting her boyfriend. Muttering a goodbye, she marched up the driveway toward the front door.
The door opened, and Hannah ran out, carrying two large, tall plastic tubs, heading toward the flower van. She squeaked when she spotted Lori.
“What’s going on?” Lori asked. Hannah had been to Sebastian’s house for parties and dinners, but she didn’t normally visit in the middle of the day. Behind her friend, more people milled in the entranceway. “Hannah?”
Her friend put the tubs on the ground and stepped up to hug Lori. “I think it’s best if you find Sebastian. He’ll…” She glanced over her shoulder to motion urgently at someone.
Lori couldn’t see what was happening, but there was a small commotion inside. Boxes fell over and someone cursed.
Hannah looked back at her. “Sebastian will explain everything.” Then she enveloped Lori in another hug. “I love you so much, you know that, right?”
Surprised, Lori hugged her friend back, squeezing her eyes shut and fighting off a sudden wave of emotion. “I love you, too.”
Hannah let out a big sigh and disentangled herself from Lori. Then she gave her a small nudge toward the house. “Go find your man. We’ll talk later.”
Twenty-One
Sebastian
Evan was going to drive him mad. His friend was currently pacing around the study, wearing a hole in the carpet.
“But how can you be sure she’ll say yes?” Evan asked for the seventh time in the past hour.
Sebastian looked up from where he was sitting at the desk, going over his vows. It seemed unfair to give Lorelei so little time to prepare her own, but if anyone could come up with the right words to say in an emotional moment, it was her.
“She might say no. She might hate the idea of a surprise wedding. But she might love it, and I have to try.”
“And you took care of the marriage license?” Evan peered out the window, his fingers drumming against the windowsill.
Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Yes, everything is set up. One of the perks of living in DC.”
He blew out a breath and hit the print button. The vows were as good as they were ever going to get, and according to Jim, Lorelei would be arriving soon. He’d thought they’d have a little more time to put the finishing touches on the house, but he’d been planning this for two months. Not much could go wrong—apart from Lorelei rejecting him, of course.
He didn’t think she would. Their relationship had progressed rapidly ever since their first date, and even more so since she’d decided to move to DC. It had been a relief not to have to move the entire company—and possibly his family—to Philadelphia, but he’d been looking into options on doing just that before she’d come up with the idea of opening the travel agency in the capital.
And he didn’t want to wait anymore. He needed her by his side, every day, forever. He would make her his wife and be the best husband she could ever have imagined.
Evan stopped in front of the desk, tugging on his tie. Sebastian studied him for a moment—his friend wasn’t usually this unhinged.
“What’s going on?” he asked, reaching over to where the printer spit out a single sheet of paper.
Evan suddenly blurted, “Your sister said my shirt looks nice.”
Sebastian stared at him. “And?”
His best friend turned around, groaning. “This is too weird. You’re her brother.”
“Yes, and she’s my sister,” Sebastian replied. This was getting them nowhere, and he needed to make sure the caterers had brought enough ice.
“Yeah.”
Evan’s defeated sigh had Sebastian glancing over at his friend again. “Are you…and Sophie?” The thought had occurred to him before, but then nothing had happened, so he had no idea what Sophie or Evan really felt.
“No!” Evan whirled around, his eyes wide. “I wouldn’t! I mean, she wouldn’t…”
Sebastian stepped closer, clapping a hand on his friend’s back. “Breathe, man. It’s fine.”
Evan looked at him sideways, then suddenly swept him into a bear hug, crushing Sebastian’s chest and thumping him on his back, as though his Highlander genes had suddenly surfaced. “I think we’re doing this best man thing wrong,” he mumbled. “I’m the one who should be calming you down.” Then he released Sebastian and took his shoulders. “Lorelei is lucky to have you.”
Sebastian grinned at him. “And you’ll get to dance with Sophie at the party.”
Evan grumbled, but his smile was telling enough. Sebastian wished him well, glad that he wasn’t the only one who would soon get his happy ending.
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
“Come in,” Sebastian called.
The door opened, and Lorelei stood there, her brown eyes wide and her face pale. “Hi,” she breathed, taking in first Evan’s tuxedo and then homing in on Sebastian.
“I’ll, uh, let you two talk.” Evan hurried out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Lorelei approached Sebastian, and he closed his arms around her, his chin coming to rest on top of her head. The delicate scent of her hair, the feel of her hands gripping his back—this was home. Wherever this wonderful, kind woman went, he would go, and he hoped she’d agree to wearing his
ring for the rest of her life.
Speaking of… Sebastian released Lorelei, and she stared up at him.
“What’s going on? Are we hosting the charity tonight? You didn’t say anything.”
It wouldn’t be the first time they’d hosted a party together, but none of the gala events they’d ever attended would hold such meaning as this one.
Sebastian reached into his pocket, fingers closing around a small, velvety box. Suddenly nervous, he cleared his throat. “Lorelei, I have to ask you something.”
She raised her eyebrows but remained silent.
“When we met…” he started, knowing full well he was stalling. “I mean, in Vienna.”
“Yes?” she said, nodding as though to help him along. “You broke my phone.”
Sebastian groaned. “This again? You broke your phone.”
Lorelei laughed. “We’ll have to agree on the correct version of the story before we start telling our grandkids about it.”
“Grandkids?” Sebastian repeated, suddenly picturing small brown-eyed children running around the study or chasing each other in the enormous backyard. They hadn’t talked about having kids yet, but he now wanted to so badly, his insides twisted with longing.
“I mean, yes, in time,” Lorelei said, laughing, but the sound of it was off. “If we agreed…” She trailed off, glancing at her shoes.
Sebastian looked at her, snapping himself out of his reverie. She was blushing, clearly miserable.
Oh, man, he was messing this up. She probably thought he would freak out at the mention of grandkids.
“Lorelei, I—”
“I don’t want to rush you, but I do want kids,” she blurted. “I mean, if you don’t, please tell me now, because this feels like something I should know about you.”
Sebastian took her hands. “Lorelei. Stop. Listen to me.” He waited until her gaze met his, then said, “I’m sorry for being clumsy with words just now. I had a whole speech planned, but, uh, it’s not important.”