Marisa’s eyes widened. “Whoa...how do you think he feels about you?”
That was the tough question to answer. Aria felt confident that he wasn’t using her and that he did feel a connection with her, but she didn’t know if he would call it love. She was too scared to ask him for fear that his response would break her heart and her happiness would die. “I think he likes me. We have a good time together. We have a great connection.” Yet, there was still that thought in the back of her mind how he was hiding his past from her. Was there a major reason for that? She shrugged. “Do I think he feels exactly the same way for me as I feel for him? I don’t know but for the time being, that’s all right. He doesn’t have to be in the same place as I am. I just hope that one day he gets there.”
Marisa thought on that before she asked a tough question. “How does he feel about kids?” she asked.
That was a subject they briefly touched on, but Aria still wasn’t completely sure of the answer. “I do believe he wants kids. Maybe not tomorrow but we had a brief conversation about it. He would like a son to carry on his legacy. And you know how I feel.”
Marisa nodded. “Which is why I asked. I don’t want you getting in too deep with someone that isn’t going to share the same passions and desires that you do.”
“Getting in too deep?” Aria asked. “I feel I’m already there, Marisa. We have a lot in common. Sure, we have some differences that make us a unique pairing but that’s okay. We shouldn’t agree on everything and I look forward to being able to grow with him as a partner.”
“Wow,” Marisa said.
“What?” Aria asked.
“I have just never seen you talk about someone like that. It’s clear Devon has you hooked, and that’s great but I also think that you need someone’s opinion on him.”
Aria frowned. “I need someone’s opinion?” she asked. “Meaning?”
“Meaning that I’m one of your best friends and I’m also a great judge of character. So, I think that you should bring him over here and we’ll have a barbecue or something. Does tomorrow afternoon work for you?”
Aria laughed. “Tomorrow afternoon? Nothing like asking him to face the firing squad and on such short notice too.”
Marisa snickered. “We’re not the firing squad, just simply wanting to know if he’s the right guy for you.”
Aria was worried about that. She didn’t want anything to spoil her mood but she finally agreed. “I’ll see if he’s free. He’s a very busy man, so he might just have plans already.”
Marisa nodded. “And if he does, then I’ll understand as long as he’s just not putting me off.”
Aria laughed at that. Devon wouldn’t just put Marisa off, or so she thought, but she did worry that he wouldn’t like the idea. He might just think that they were ganging up on him or something. He might not even go for it at all, but she would at least see what his thoughts were on the subject and then take it from there.
DEVON DIDN’T OBJECT to the idea. In fact, he seemed excited by it. “I’d love to meet your friends,” he said when she stopped by his place on her way home.
“You would?” she asked, not wanting to sound too surprised but feeling a little taken aback by his response.
“Of course. Why does that surprise you?” he asked, chuckling.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I just thought you might find it too high schoolish, like maybe this was a way for my friend to keep us apart.”
He raised an eyebrow at that statement. “Do you think that could work?” he asked. “Do you think they could be overprotective of you and want to keep you from the big bad man?” He winked at her and she considered that for a moment. Then shrugged.
“Anything is possible, but it won’t work. I’m already falling.” The minute she spoke the words, she cringed. Was that too forthcoming? She opened her mouth to take it back and he snickered.
“Come here,” he said. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him. His lips met hers and she wasn’t worried anymore. That was the best response he could have given her.
That night, they spent the night wrapped up in each other’s arms and when Sunday morning arrived, they got up and his maid made them breakfast. She felt like a princess being treated well. However, when they were done eating, she needed to go back to her place and changed.
“What time should I pick you up?” he asked.
“Noon. We’ll go to their house for lunch and they’re going to just cook out.” She hesitated and then looked at him. “I want to warn you, though. She has four kids, eight and under.”
He laughed. “You’ve told me that a few times. Kids don’t scare me.” He kissed her softly before letting her leave.
She looked at the time. She didn’t have long to get home and get dressed before she would be picked up. Halfway home she got a text message. She waited until she pulled in her driveway before she looked at it.
Marisa: Still coming, right?
Aria laughed. She had told Marisa they would be there the minute she got word and probably twelve more times after that. She didn’t need to bother confirming again but she did anyway.
Aria: Yes. We will be there. See ya in a few.
At home, she jumped out of the car and hurried to her door. Inside, she went straight to the bedroom to change. As she stood looking in her closet, she didn’t know what she wanted to wear. She finally closed her closet and went to a drawer. She grabbed out a tank top and pair of shorts, but then started freaking out that Devon wouldn’t have anything to wear. She grabbed her phone and typed out a message to him.
Aria: Please don’t wear a suit and tie. Lol. We are eating outdoors after all.
She put her phone down and began dressing when his reply came. She looked at her phone and a smile crossed her face.
Devon: What? You mean it’s not a black-tie affair? Don’t worry baby, I have it under control.
She stared at the message for a few minutes and couldn’t even begin to erase the smile from her lips. He had feelings for her. She could just tell that he did. She sent him back her response.
Aria: LOL. I seriously wanted to make sure. Okay, babe. See you in a bit!
She put the phone down and quickly finished dressing. She was just applying the finishing touches to her hair when she heard her doorbell. She put down her brush and shrugged off the worry. She looked all right but she still wanted to impress him.
She hurried down to the door and opened it. The smile deepened across her face when she saw him standing there. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a t-shirt that had sail boats across it. If she wasn’t certain he didn’t have any time, she would have thought that he had gone out specially to make the purchase.
“Now you look amazing,” he said.
She beamed with pride. “I must admit that your attire surprises me. Borrow it from the Butler?” she asked.
He laughed. “No ... the pool boy.” He winked at her and that brought another wide smile to her lips.
“Well, he has good taste.” She knew he was teasing but it was nice being able to see that funny side of him and not just the busy side.
“You ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded. “Let me grab my purse and we’ll be out of here.” She went to the table, where she had discarded her purse earlier, and grabbed it. When she got back outside, he closed the door after them.
At the car he opened the door for her she leaned up and kissed him. “Not that I’m complaining but what was that for?” he asked.
“I wanted to thank you,” she said.
He frowned. “Thank me? For what?”
“For agreeing to this. I’m sure it brings you outside your comfort zone.”
He shrugged. “It’s nothing really.” He stepped back so that she could get into the car, closed the door behind her and walked around to get into the driver’s seat. The truth was he knew that if he went outside of his comfort zone, it wouldn’t be any different for her to go outside of her own and he had set th
ings in motion for that to happen within the week. He was ready to see just how far she would push that envelope.
When he started the car and backed out of the driveway, she started talking about Marisa, Paul, and their kids. She went over each kid, their personality, ages, mannerisms, and likes and dislikes.
“I should have brought a tape recorder, so I could take down this information,” he teased.
She laughed. “You’ll figure it out soon enough,” she said.
She directed him to Marisa’s house and when he reached across the seat to take her hand, she could feel that his palms were a bit sweaty. It was clear that he was anxious and it made her fall even deeper but she found it interesting that he would be so nervous. This had to be a piece of cake for him. Instead, he looked a little scared.
When she pointed out Marisa’s house, he turned into the driveway. He got out of the car and went around to help her out and hand in hand they walked up to the door. She glanced at him, still feeling the uneasiness.
“Are you nervous?” she asked.
“Of course not,” he shot back. “I handle billion-dollar companies. This is nothing.” That was the confident Devon she had come to know. They reached the door and she turned to him. He smiled and moved in for a kiss. They stood at the door in an embrace that should have been over within a few seconds, instead it lingered to the point where the door opened and they were met by the exasperation of an eight-year-old.
“Ewwwwww,” she said.
Aria laughed as she pulled back and turned to the little girl. “And this is Jackie,” she said.
He turned to her and he nodded. “Hello, Jackie. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.” She turned to Aria and then back to Devon and back to Aria. Aria had to fight the laughter that was sure to spill out.
“Mom!” she hollered and literally ran away from them.
That was it. Aria couldn’t stop the laughter and he frowned. He wasn’t sure what was so funny to her. “What?”
“Babe ... she’s eight. Not eighty. You might have to just tone down your vocabulary just a hair.”
He nodded. He hadn’t really thought about that. The truth was he hadn’t much experience with children, but he wanted things to be nice for Aria, at least. He heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to face them. The woman, who he knew had to be Marisa, was walking down the stairs. She was moving slow. Her hand was on her back and wasn’t looking too great.
Aria noticed too. “Um ... Marisa ... you OK?” Aria asked.
Marisa put on a smile but through the smile, Devon could tell that she was fighting through some discomfort. “Um yeah ... I’m doing all right. Just tired today. That’s all.”
Devon wondered why they were there if the hostess wasn’t feeling up to it.
“I think she’s in labor,” Aria said, concern in her voice. She looked past Marisa to find Paul heading their way. Marisa groaned. “I’ve been through this before,” she said. “I have had labor pains four times before and this isn’t it.”
Aria wasn’t quite sure about that. Marisa did look like she was in pain and her face was a sheet of white. “Are you sure?” Aria asked. “I would seriously hate for you to go into labor in the backyard. I don’t know how to deliver a baby and I doubt Devon does either.”
Devon quickly shook his head. He wanted no part of that, but Marisa chuckled. “Paul has seen plenty of deliveries. I’m sure I’m in good hands.” She laughed but no one joined in. She cleared her throat and looked at Devon. “I’m sorry for my rudeness. The name’s Marisa.” She held out her hand and he shook it.
“Devon. It’s a pleasure to make your...” He then clamped his mouth shut. He didn’t want to seem like a goody-goody in front of them. They were supposed to just be enjoying a barbecue. “Thanks for having me,” he quickly replied.
She nodded. “You’re welcome.” She motioned with her head. “And, of course, that is Paul. He’s a nervous ninny whenever I’m even close to my due date,” she laughed.
“When are you due?” Devon asked.
“Not for another two weeks. I’m sure this is just nothing. No need to fret over something so tiny.”
Devon smiled but he was glancing at Aria and noticing the worry on her face. That caused him to be worried, as well. “Let’s get the kids all around and we’ll head out to the back. Won’t take long to grill us up some burgers.”
They all agreed, and Aria said she would fetch the kids from upstairs. Devon wanted to rush after her. He didn’t want to be left there to make small talk with two people he didn’t know. You’ve got this Devon. It’s not like you don’t meet with people you didn’t know all the time. That was his job. He shouldn’t be worried about Marisa and Paul.
He followed them out to the backyard. The grill was open and the burgers were ready to be made. “Do you want any help?” he asked.
“I’ve got the grilling under control, Devon. Just relax.”
That was easier said than done. He was left in an awkward silence, trying to wait it out until Aria finally got back downstairs. When she walked out of the house, she was holding the youngest in her arms. Her hand was holding another toddler’s and the older two were already running around the yard. He watched her briefly and her eyes connected with his. It was nice to see her in that element, comforting two young kids and looking like she had done it a million times before.
She walked over and put one kid in a high chair and lifted the other one to sit on a booster seat, then walked over to him. “Everything all right?” she asked.
He smiled and nodded. “Everything is just fine,” he said. He meant it but he was looking forward to the day being over. He was going to make the best of it but being with Aria alone always trumped everything. This was no different.
ARIA DIDN’T LIKE THE fact that the meal seemed awkward. The conversation seemed forced and there were several minutes of silence and the silence was almost unbearable. She had to find ways to make conversation and that just seemed strange.
“How are you feeling now?” Aria asked Marisa.
Marisa situated herself in her seat. She had moaned or flinched several times, each time someone at the table would ask if she needed to go in and lie down or better yet go to the hospital. I’m not in labor. That seemed to be her go to response.
It got to the point where no one wanted to say anything because they knew that she would come back with a lame excuse. She turned to Devon when they were just finishing up with the food and held a smile on her face but she was fighting through the pain, everyone could see that.
“Is your work what you want to be doing? Is that your passion?” she asked.
He was taken aback with her question. As he considered it, he realized that the answer wasn’t easy. Many days he could give a resounding yes, but there were some days where he wanted to be sure he was living the life that he wanted. On this particular day, he believed that what he was exactly where he should be, so he nodded.
“I have always wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and I have accomplished more than I ever imagined I could. So, yes...this is the job that I have always desired and it’s the job that I feel that I will always want for my happiness.”
She nodded, and Aria glanced at her. Through the meal, she hadn’t been able to gauge whether Marisa liked Devon or had issues with him, but that was mainly because she was more interested in whether Marisa’s water would break or not.
Marisa smiled at Aria and Aria felt comforted to know that Marisa didn’t hate him. Devon seemed to be very unsure of the barbecue but at least something was going right. Marisa got up to clear the table, but Aria stopped her. “I’ve got this,” she said. “You just stay down and relax.”
Marisa groaned and nodded. Someone needed to try to point out to her that she didn’t need to do it all on her own. Marisa glanced at Devon and he felt another question coming on as Aria left them at the table. “What are your feelings for my friend?” she asked.
“Marisa,” Paul said, groaning. He looke
d at Devon and he shrugged. “Sorry, man. I knew it would probably come sooner or later.”
Devon chuckled. and he looked over to where Aria was cleaning up the area by the grill. A smile rested on his lips and Paul laughed, bringing his eyes back to him. Devon could feel the warmness in his cheeks. “She’s a special kind of woman,” he simply replied.
“That she is,” Marisa said. She then winced and held her stomach. She looked up and took a couple short breaths. Devon stared at her, as Paul wrapped his arm around her.
“That’s it. We’re out of here,” he said. “I have to take you to the hospital. You are in labor.”
She looked up at him. “I don’t want to ruin the barbecue.”
Devon arched an eyebrow and Paul snickered. “What will ruin it is if we stay here and force Aria and Devon to see the birth of our son,” he laughed. “Come on.” He helped her stand up as Aria returned.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Paul looked at her. “Just as I suspected. My wife is in labor. Will you stay with the kids?”
Aria quickly agreed. “Of course. Call us when you know anything.”
He smiled. “I will.” He led Marisa from the table and walked her to his car. Devon turned to Aria, who was grinning.
“Leave it to my friend to outdo herself at this party,” she laughed.
“Mommy’s going to have a baby?” Jillian asked. She was clapping which caused Aria, Jackie and Joe to laugh. Devon, however, just sat there. He didn’t know what to do but he did know that he felt awkward staying there to help take care of the kids. He stood up.
“Um ... that was an abrupt ending,” he said. He tried to smile but he was feeling ready to bolt.
“You can say that again,” she said. She s could tell he wasn’t into babysitting. She wouldn’t force him to stay there with her. “You can leave. I can have Paul take me back home whenever he gets here,” she said.
Devon breathed a sigh of relief. That was an escape he would gladly latch on to. He opened his mouth to say that it was for the best when he heard the five-year old’s voice.
When I Dream of You: A Valentine's Day Romance Page 17
