by Sandi Lynn
“Well, wait,” I said.
“For what?” She looked up at me.
“I’ll take you home. Just give me a second to get dressed.”
“You don’t have to. I can take a cab.”
“Everly, I’m taking you home. I picked you up, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why wouldn’t I take you home?”
“Okay. I’ll wait.”
“Good. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
I went into the bedroom and gathered the rest of my clothes from the floor. What the hell was going on? Why was she in such a hurry to leave? Pulling out my phone, I called Damien to let him know we were on our way down.
“Are you ready?” I asked her as I walked into the living room.
“Yes.” She grabbed her purse.
We climbed into my car and Damien shot me a confused look. As soon as we pulled up to her building, I climbed out, held my hand out to her, and she willingly took it.
“Thanks again for tonight. I had a good time,” she spoke as we stood on the sidewalk.
“Me too.” I stood there with my hands tucked into my pockets. “I guess I’ll see you around sometime.”
“Yeah. See ya around.” She smiled as she leaned over and softly kissed my cheek. Good night, Asher.”
“Good night, Everly.”
When I climbed back in the car, I told Damien to wait until I made sure she was safely inside the building.
“This is a first,” Damien spoke as he pulled away from the curb.
“What is?”
“You personally taking a woman home.”
“Let’s not make a big deal about it.”
Everly
When I stepped inside the apartment, Daniel was sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand watching TV.
“Hey.” He turned his head. “How was your night with Asher Remington?”
“It was fun.” I grinned as I sat down next to him. “Is Diana in bed already?”
“Yeah. She said she was exhausted. ‘Fun,’ eh?” He gave me a smirk.
“Fun.” The corners of my mouth curved upward as I laid my head on his shoulder.
“Are you seeing him again?”
“Probably not.” I sighed.
“Do you think he believes you now?”
“I think he’s confused. Let’s leave it at that. I’m heading to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” I got up from the couch and headed to my room.
After changing into my pajamas, I climbed in bed and laid my head on the pillow. When I closed my eyes, all I saw was him and the events that took place in his suite. The sex was incredible, and it was one one-night stand I wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon. I couldn’t get out of my head the way my body reacted to him, and the way I could still feel him inside me. It felt as if a connection was formed and our souls were tied together. I didn’t want to think about it anymore for it freaked me out.
14
Asher
When my alarm went off, I angrily shut it off and threw my phone on the floor. I’d tossed and turned all night and barely slept at all. Everly King was in my head all night and on my mind. Her body, the way she moved, and the way she wanted to leave right after we’d had sex. I couldn’t stop thinking about that couple in the restaurant, and the things she’d told me. The logical part of me still didn’t believe her, but another part of me couldn’t help but to.
I had just finished getting dressed when I heard my elevator ding. I was confused because I wasn’t expecting anyone and there was only one person who had access to my penthouse.
“There he is.” My friend, Noah, grinned as he stepped into my foyer and set his suitcases down.
“Noah? What the hell are you doing here?” I asked as I gave him a hug. “You’re supposed to be in Paris.”
“We need to talk if you have time.”
“I always have time for my best friend.” I hooked my arm around him. “Coffee?”
“Please. My flight just got in a little bit ago and I’m so jet-lagged.”
“What’s with the suitcases?” I asked as I brewed him a cup of coffee.
“I’ve decided to move back to New York.”
“What? What about your job and Eloise?” I asked in total shock.
“Things weren’t really working out there with my job or her.”
“Man, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. Well, shit happens. Right? I was hoping I could crash here for a few nights until I get my own place. I have some appointments today to look at apartments.”
“Yes. Of course. You know you’re always welcome here. What about a job?”
“I have a couple prospects.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” I asked.
“I wanted to surprise you. Plus, you were going through your own shit. I didn’t want to burden you with my problems.”
“Listen, I have to go.” I looked at my watch. “I have a board meeting to attend. Make yourself at home and get set up in one of the guestrooms. When I get home tonight, we’re going to order a pizza, drink some liquor and talk.”
“Sounds like a plan, bro. I’ll see you later.”
Noah Reynolds and I had been friends since we attended Harvard together. After we graduated, I worked for my father and he went to work for a marketing company in Manhattan. After a few years, the company shut down. So he decided to move to Paris and work for a small marketing firm there. It had been a year since he left, and now he was back, and I couldn’t be happier.
I was in back-to-back meetings all day long. One of which was a board meeting to discuss the hiring of Richard Winters, our soon-to-be new Chief of Marketing. He was a man in his mid-fifties, and I was thrilled when he agreed to come in for an interview. My father and I had our eye on him for the past couple of years because we knew our previous COM, Lawrence, was retiring. I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, and he accepted.
Everly
“Morning,” I spoke to Diana as she stumbled into the kitchen. “Shouldn’t you be dressed for work?”
“I called in. I have the flu.” She took a seat at the island and placed her hand on her head.
“Oh no. Can I make you some tea?”
“That would be great. How did your night go with Asher?”
“It was fun,” I spoke as I reached up in the cabinet and pulled down a mug.
“Fun? Please elaborate on that.”
“We did the dirty deed.” I grinned.
Her jaw dropped as she stared at me.
“Shut up! How was he? Wait. Don’t answer that. He’s one of my bosses.” She laid her head down on the island. “I can’t have that image in my head.”
I let out a laugh as I waited for the water in the tea kettle to heat up.
“Let’s just say I’ll never be the same again.”
She slowly lifted her head and arched her left brow at me.
“He was everything you knew he would be?”
“And more.” I bit down on my bottom lip.
“So, now what?”
“Nothing. He said he’ll see me around sometime, and I said okay.”
“I’m not surprised.” She rolled her eyes.
The tea kettle went off, so I poured some water into the cup with the tea bag in it and handed it to her. When she took the mug from me, our fingers touched. The corners of my mouth curved upward as I stared at her.
“What?”
“Nothing. I just had a really good time last night.”
“You’re not like falling for him, are you?”
“No way. You know me better than that.”
“Just making sure. I’m going to take this in my room and lay down. Ugh. I feel so sick.”
“Get some rest, I have a couple clients to meet today.”
Little did Diana know she didn’t have the flu. She was pregnant, and I was so happy.
15
Asher
“What’s this?” I asked as I set my brief case down and walked into t
he kitchen. “I thought we were ordering a pizza.”
“I know,” Noah spoke. “But I thought making you a nice home-cooked meal after you worked so hard all day would be better.” A smirk crossed his face.
“Stop being a douchebag.” I took off my suitcoat.
He let out a laugh as he turned to the stove.
“What is that? It smells delicious.” I asked as I walked over to the stove.
“Coq au Vin, my friend. It was one of my favorite dishes over in Paris. I loved it so much that I learned how to make it.”
I walked over to the bar and poured myself a bourbon.
“How did the apartment hunting go today?”
“Not so great.”
“What about your old building?”
“I already checked. They don’t have anything available.”
“You know, I got to thinking. Maybe I can stay at one of your hotels until I find something. That way we both have our privacy if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t mind you staying here at the penthouse. But if you would rather stay at the hotel, I’ll call and get you a suite. You can stay as long as you like.”
“Thanks, bro. I’d appreciate it. Dinner’s ready. Wait until you try this.”
It was good to have my friend back in New York. I missed him and the fun we’d have when we went out.
“I’m sorry to hear about you and Eloise. I know you really liked her.”
“Thanks, Asher. But it’s all good. It was a mutual decision. I wasn’t happy with my job and after we broke up, I figured it was time to come back here and start over. How about you? Anyone special?”
“No. And you know better than to ask that.” I pointed my finger at him.
He let out a chuckle.
“Anyway, how did you figure out what your uncle and lawyer were doing?”
“Everything was in my father’s journal.”
“I still don’t get how you knew to look in the vent in his bedroom closet.”
“It was by pure accident.”
I wasn’t about to tell him about Everly because he’d think I was crazy. It was best I left her out of our conversations.
Later that evening, I was lying in bed and thoughts of her went through my head. Why the hell was I thinking about her so much? She’d definitely left her mark on me. Picking up my phone, I started to send her a text message.
“Hi. I was just thinking about last—”
I stopped, deleted it and set my phone down.
One Week Later
Everly
“Hey, got a minute?” I asked Diana as I stood in the doorway of her bathroom while she tried to get ready for work.
“I guess. But I can’t make any guarantees I won’t throw up during our conversation. I have no idea why I can’t shake this flu. I guess I’m going to have to call the doctor today.”
“Yeah. You better or I will,” Daniel spoke as he walked into the room.
I felt bad for her. She’d been sick as a dog all week. She only called in sick the one day because they were on a deadline for a project and she had to be at work. Every night when she’d come home, she’d take a bath and go right to bed. Daniel was getting worried and I couldn’t keep what I knew to myself anymore.
“You two ladies have a good day,” Daniel spoke as he kissed my cheek and then kissed his girlfriend goodbye. “You better call the doctor.”
“I will. I love you.”
“I love you too, baby. I’ll see you later.”
As soon as he left, I took hold of Diana’s hand and led her over to the bed.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay. What is it?” she asked with concern.
I couldn’t help but smile at her.
“You don’t have the flu, Diana. You’re pregnant.”
“What?” She cocked her head at me. “No I’m not. I just had my—oh my God.” She jumped up, grabbed her phone and pulled up her period app. “According to this, I’m a month late.”
“That’s because you’re going to have a baby.” I grinned.
She slowly made her way to the bed and sat down, gripping the edge as tightly as she could.
“You’re sure?” she asked.
I gave her a look as I got up from the bed, went into my bedroom and grabbed the pregnancy test I picked up at the store.
“If you don’t believe me, take this.” I handed her the test. “I’ll be sitting at the table on my laptop.” I smiled as I patted her hand.
Ten minutes later, she emerged from her bedroom holding the stick in her hand.
“It says I’m pregnant.”
I could see the tears forming in her eyes. But they weren’t tears of sadness, they were tears of joy.
I got up from the table, walked over to her and gave her a big hug.
“Congratulations. Now you can go to work knowing you don’t have the flu.”
“I’m in such shock, Everly. I can’t believe I didn’t even think that I could be pregnant. I can’t wait to tell Daniel.”
“He’s going to be very happy.” I smiled as I gripped her shoulders. “Now go finish getting ready. You don’t want to be late. Your new boss is starting today.”
“Thank you.” She hugged me. “But how did you know? I thought you can’t see things with the people you’re close to.”
“I usually can’t, and I can’t explain it. But when I handed you your tea, I just saw it.”
After my client call and having not left the apartment all day, I decided to go out and take a walk down fifth avenue and do some window shopping. It was a beautiful warm sunny day and I wanted to spend some time outside. After browsing for a while and buying a new casual sundress from Anthropologie, I stopped in Starbucks to grab an iced coffee and a Chicken Caprese Panini. When my order was ready, I took it over to a small table by the window. Suddenly, the song “At Last” by Etta James started playing. While I was eating my panini and sipping my iced coffee, my phone rang, and my grandmother was calling.
“Hi, Grandma,” I answered.
“Hello, darling. How is New York treating you?”
“It’s great. How have you been?”
“I’ve been good, darling. I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
“How’s Daniel doing?”
“He’s good.”
“And Diana? How is she feeling these days?”
“You know?” I smiled as I stared out the window.
“Of course I do, and I’m very excited for them. Now all Daniel needs to do is put a ring on her finger.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
I could sense someone standing at my table and when I turned my head, I saw Asher standing there holding a cup of coffee.
“Grandma, I need to call you back.”
“Alright, darling. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Hi.” I smiled as he stood there staring down at me.
“Hi yourself. May I?”
“Of course.”
He took the seat across from me.
“Is this your office setting today?” He smirked.
“No.” I laughed. “I was just doing some shopping.”
“Ah. I see.”
“What brings you by? Shouldn’t you be at the office, Mr. CEO?”
“I just came from a meeting and was passing by here and thought I’d grab a coffee before heading back to work. I certainly didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I guess this is one of those ‘I’ll see you around sometime’ moments.”
“Yeah. I guess it is. The corners of his mouth curved upward into a full-blown sexy smile. “I’m happy I ran into you, though. Would you like to go to dinner again, sometime?”
“I would.” I bit down on my lip.
“Are you free tonight?”
“I am.”
“My suite at seven o’clock?”
“Seven o’clock it is.” I smiled.
I looked up and all around the coffee shop whe
n that song came on again.
“Is something wrong?”
“No. It’s just the second time I’ve heard this song since I’ve been sitting here.”
“Well, I better get to the office. I look forward to dinner tonight,” he spoke as he stood up from his seat.
“Me too. I’ll see you later.”
16
Everly
I slipped on my new black floral spaghetti strap sundress and looked at myself in the mirror. It was perfect for tonight’s dinner with Asher. While I was in the bathroom redoing my hair and makeup, I heard Diana walk in.
“There you are. Is that a new dress?”
“Yes.” I smiled at her through the mirror. I just bought it today.”
“I love it. Are you going out or something?”
“Asher asked me to dinner.”
“Say what?” She took a seat on the toilet. “Seriously?”
“Yes. We’re having dinner in his suite again.”
“Oh. I see. So it’s a sex date.”
“Yeah.” I grinned as I turned and looked at her. “I believe it is.”
She sat there and laughed as she shook her head. “You know I don’t approve, right? He’s my boss.”
“I know and I’m sorry. But his body makes my body really happy.”
“You’re bad.” She reached over and slapped me on the ass.
“How is your new boss?” I asked as I leaned over the sink and put on some mascara.
“He seems really nice. His name is Richard and that’s what he wants to be called. He isn’t into formalities. He has a wife and two daughters. Emily just turned twenty and Laurel is eighteen.”
“He sounds like a nice family man,” I said as I dabbed some blush on my cheeks.
“He is and he’s really cool. Seems like a fun and open guy. He’s pretty cute for his age.”
I glanced over at her with an arch in my brow.
“Knock it off. And stay away from him. You’re already sleeping with one of my bosses and that’s bad enough.”
My jaw dropped when she said that as she laughed and walked out of the bathroom.
As I knocked on the door of Asher’s suite, the butterflies in my belly were at their peak.