by Mindy Carter
As soon as he loosens his grip, I make my escape. Just before I run to my room and lock myself in indefinitely, I turn around with my eyes tightly shut to avoid getting another eye full.
“This didn’t happen, and we will never talk about it. I know things about you, Kaleb, embarrassing and destructive things.” With that, I turn on my heels and run to my room, slamming my door shut and locking it. Jumping on my bed, I then bury my face in my pillow.
A few minutes later, there is a soft knock at my bedroom door.
“Go away,” I yell.
“Aimee, it’s Reese. Open the door.”
“No,” I mumble into my pillow
“You know I can just have Kaleb jimmy the door for me,” she threatens.
Ugh! I hate having a determined best friend sometimes.
When I finally grunt and remove myself from my bed to open the door, Reese is standing on the other side with the biggest smirk on her face, wearing a robe.
“You can wipe that smirk off your face, Reese.”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“You don’t have to; I can practically read your mind.”
“What did you expect, Aimee?”
“Not to find you two naked and smelling like sex.” I’m not used to her having sleepovers. So much has changed in so little time.
She smiles at me, and I catch a hint of a blush.
“You’re blushing over sex with Kaleb James?” This is new.
“It was pretty great, by the way.”
“Please, just stop there. I can’t listen to you talk about sex with Kaleb. He’s like a brother to me.” I am happy for her, don’t get me wrong, and I love them both, but I can’t deal with what just happened. I may need to seek therapy.
“What was so important that you needed to wake me up this early on a Sunday?” She looks in my eyes then down to what I’m wearing, noticing I’m still in the dress from last night. “Wait, did you just get home? Were you out all night?”
“No, I just thought I’d sleep in this dress since it’s perfect nighttime attire,” I tell her, starting to get flustered over this entire conversation. I wish I had simply bypassed her room altogether. I could be sleeping soundly and not worrying about having nightmares for the next week.
“I’m not leaving until I hear it, so you might as well just spit it out.”
I let out a loud huff and decide that she will not, in fact, leave until we talk. “I spent the night with Keegan.”
“I figured as much.”
“You know he came to the party last night with Gretchen.”
As the usually calm and laid back Reese tenses, I can’t help being concerned.
I tell her everything about last night, and then she listens to me spill my guts about everything I have been feeling for him and how I thought he lied about Gretchen and him being together.
“You know all of this was inevitable with you two,” she states.
“All I know is that this is a second chance for us, and not just for being together, but getting back what we lost eight years ago.”
What my grandmother said all those years ago flashes in my mind. “Aimee, if it’s meant to be, you will see each other again.” I don’t know if it’s timing or what. I know he sought me out for the interview, but why now? I know I should have put my big girl panties on and asked him all this last night while we were alone, but I was afraid of his answer and that our whole reunion would end.
I stop having this inner conversation in my head when I notice Reese looks like she wants to tell me something.
“What?” I ask.
“Since you and Keegan left, we had to share the car with Gretchen. She’s really something else, Aimee. I wanted to bitch slap her.”
I laugh at her reaction to Keegan’s assistant.
Reese continues, “She complained the whole way to her apartment about how Keegan was up to his old tricks and that his infatuation won’t last. I don’t know if she’s stupid or just that much of a bitch. I mean, she wouldn’t shut up, and the entire time, she kept touching Kaleb. Like, hello, I’m sitting right here. She’s trouble. I just want you to be careful.”
“I will, but she’s his assistant, and apparently, they have known each other since college.”
Looking at me with concern, she gives me an enormous hug. “If you say so. Love you, girlfriend.”
“Love you, too, Reese’s pieces.”
Once she leaves, I change into my pajamas and grab my phone from the kitchen where I left it. I find a message from Keegan telling me he’s going to miss me and sending me sweet dreams. I reply that I will miss him and hope he has a safe trip before I huddle under my covers and fall into a peaceful sleep.
When I wake hours later, I realize that was the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.
I don’t hear from Keegan for the rest of the day, but I do receive a call from my dad. He congratulates me on my article and asks me how Keegan is. I don’t go into detail, because well, it’s my dad. I do tell him Keegan and I have been spending time together and catching up. As always, he tells me how proud he is of me and that he loves me. Then he goes on about what he’s been up to, which includes a lot of golf and plans for a fishing trip with some of his friends.
My dad never remarried, but dated some, never settling down. I thought maybe he didn’t want to confuse me when I was younger, but now that I have left home, he is really happy with his bachelor, retired lifestyle. I guess there was only one woman for him, and we both lost her years ago.
While Kaleb stays the entire Sunday, I try to avoid him, but he keeps looking at me with a smirk, one I want to slap off his face. I eventually give in and watch a movie with them. Although they invite me to dinner afterward, I decline, telling them I’m going to get to bed early.
I’m snuggling down in bed when I receive a text from Keegan that wakes me up.
Just landed safely and wanted to wish you a good night.
Happy you’re safe. Hope you have a productive trip. Miss our kisses, I message back.
I miss you more than the kisses.
There goes my heart again, busting wide open.
***
I wake the next morning and get ready for work.
When I walk into the kitchen, Kaleb is standing there, dressed in a dark suit and holding a cup of coffee toward me.
“Peace offering.”
“Thank you,” I tell him with a smile. In all seriousness, it’s hard to stay mad at him. He’s not that kind of person. Plus, he offered me coffee, and that’s like gold in the morning here.
“Can we call a truce?” he asks
“I think that can be arranged. I mean, since you have apparently moved in. Just please do me a favor and keep your clothes on when I’m around, okay?”
He agrees to try his best, although he’s not making any promises. I think him making an effort for me is better than a promise.
Kaleb leaves for work, and I put my cup down to give him a hug good-bye. A few minutes later, Reese appears, freshly showered and dressed for work with another huge grin on her face.
The happiness is coming off both of us in waves, and I can’t help wondering how long it will last, at least for me, anyways.
Chapter Twelve
Monday morning at work goes as usual. We have our ten a.m. meeting where a lot of us discuss how successful the party was on Saturday. Our online subscription has rocketed, making Olivia ecstatic. She started Framework magazine with just seven employees, and now our workforce has increased to thirty. I love working here and am unbelievably happy the magazine is doing so well.
Just after one, a man wearing a white baseball cap with the words Magnolia Bakery appears at my office door. The famous New York City bakery is one of my obsessions. If you have ever eaten a cupcake from there, you would understand why.
“Aimee Brennan?” he asks.
“Yes…”
“I have a delivery for you. Where would you like them?”
“You can put them her
e.” I point to my desk.
I watch as the box is placed on my desk before pulling out my purse and giving the deliveryman a tip. He leaves, telling me to enjoy.
The sweet smell of chocolate and sugar invades my nose, making my stomach growl as I open the box. Assortments of my favorite cupcakes are found. I look to see if there is a note attached, and although I don’t find one, leaving it a mystery, I’m pretty sure Keegan is behind this gift. My love of cupcakes has never been a secret.
I immediately grab one adorned with chocolate icing and sprinkles. Removing the wrapper, I bite into it, and my senses go on overload. I let out a moan at the best cupcake I have ever tasted. These are meant to be enjoyed.
“You’re eating cupcakes from Magnolia? Seriously, I thought we were friends.” Reese walks into my office, eyeing the box.
I finish the cupcake I’m eating and swallow before I answer her. “They were literally just delivered.”
“Who sent them?”
“There isn’t a note, but my guess would be Keegan.”
She sits down, and as soon as I offer her one, she doesn’t hesitate to enjoy the rich chocolate and vanilla baked goods with me in silence.
After we have devoured the box, Reese wipes her mouth and says, “You need to start putting out. Maybe then he’ll send cheesecake.”
I look at her, my mouth hanging open. “I can’t believe you just said that to me after I shared my cupcakes.”
She stands up. “Maybe it’s not me you should be sharing your cupcakes with.”
As she turns and walks away, I grab the first thing I see—my apple shaped stress ball—and I throw it at her. The soft foam hits her in the back, and she turns back around and picks it up off the floor.
“I’m taking this. I’m sure you can find other ways to relieve your stress.” She sashays out of my office, squeezing my stress ball. She’s always had a dirty mind, but thinking of being with Keegan that way scares me, even if it also excites me.
Finding my phone and dialing his number, my heart beats with anticipation at hearing his voice. It rings four times before the deep timber of his voice comes across the line.
“Hello, cupcake,” he answers, leaving no doubt now that he’s the mystery sender.
“Hello,” I say back, trying to sound sexy then cringing at how ridiculous I must sound.
“How are you?”
“I’m great. I just devoured an entire box of these divine cupcakes.”
“Oh, did you now?” he says.
“Yes, I wanted to thank the sender, but there was no note or card attached.”
“How would you thank this sender?” he asks seductively.
Thoroughly enjoying our flirting I respond, “I can think of a few pleasurable ways, but alas, there wasn’t a note, so we may never know.”
He growls through the phone, letting me know I’ve elicited the reaction I was going for.
“Easy, tiger,” I tell him, making him chuckle into the phone.
“I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes,” he says.
“Thank you, really. It was the best surprise, and I’ll formally thank you this weekend.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“I’m sure you will.”
I’m now even more excited to see him.
I hear a women’s voice in the background asking him a question then hear his response of, “Just one more minute, Gretchen.”
My heart takes a dive south. I know she’s his assistant, but hearing her voice reminds me of her words from Saturday.
“You sound busy. I just wanted to thank you.”
“I’m glad you called.”
“Have a great day,” I tell him
“I’ll call you later when things are less hectic, cupcake.” He ends the call.
I lean back in my chair and hold my phone close to my chest. How is it possible to miss someone so much? It’s only been a day, yet I’m already dreading the long week before I get to see him again. Then my mind wanders, and I wonder what his evenings will be like. Will he be taking Gretchen out?
Pushing my jealousy aside, I decide I need to focus on something else, so I turn my computer on and spend the rest of the day doing research on my next article. Surprisingly, the rest of the day flies by, and before I know it, Reese and I are on our way home.
Later that evening, Kaleb arrives at our apartment to pick Reese up for dinner, and Reese asks him why he didn’t send her any delicious sweets. He responds by telling her that he’s all the sweet she needs then grabs her, and they start a pretty hot and heavy make out session.
When they break their lips apart, I say, “I think you both just got me pregnant.”
“You are not the father,” Kaleb says in his best Maury Povich voice.
“You kids have fun.”
They say good-bye, but not before asking if I want to join them. I politely decline, not wanting to see another game of tonsil hockey between them. I mean, a girl can only take so much.
Settling in for the night, I watch my guilty pleasure, The Voice. Adam and Blake’s “bromance” is on full display tonight.
When I catch myself dozing off, I decide to get myself to bed. I’m crawling under my covers after setting my alarm when my phone dings with an incoming message from Keegan.
Hi, Cupcake! Been a busy day! Counting down the days till Saturday.
I reply, Poor baby! Can’t wait till the weekend. Hurry up, Saturday.
After putting my phone back on my nightstand, I get out of bed, turn my light on, and walk to my closet. I lift up on my tippy toes and grab my keepsake box off my top shelf then head over to my bed to sit down.
Pulling out a square box, I open it, finding the star pendant Keegan gave me all those years ago. I stand up, taking the necklace with me and clasping it around my neck, then stare at myself in the mirror, loving the feel of the cool chain around my neck and feeling a little bit closer to Keegan.
When I finally put the box away and get back into bed, I sleep peacefully with dreams of myself and a beautiful boy lying on our backs in my backyard, staring at the stars.
Chapter Thirteen
After a slow and torturous workweek, it’s finally Saturday. Last night, Olivia, Reese, and I went out for drinks. They reminded me that, before I see Keegan, I must not forget to shave my legs, and my undergarment choice—and I quote Reese—“must be hottie tot hot.”
After a week of not seeing Keegan, I’m not sure what to expect, even though we have talked on the phone and sent a multitude of flirtatious texts. I’m nervous, yes, but also excited.
Andrew will be picking me up soon to take me to Park in the Sky. I have been promised a special tour, and I’m not sure what that will entail, but if Keegan is giving it, I’m definitely on board.
My lovely best friend assures me she has me covered and would help me choose a sexy outfit. When I tell her that I want to be comfortable, so a tight, low cut dress is out of the question, she gives me a frown and tells me I am no fun. After much debate, we opt for a pair of black, skinny pants; a blue, off-the-shoulder tunic top; and a pair of black ballet flats. Then I decide to wear my hair down with curls flowing down my back. I have been wearing my star pendant since Monday, and I’m hoping when Keegan notices, he doesn’t think I’m strange for being sentimental.
Reese and Kaleb are out. No surprise there, since they pretty much spend every waking moment together except when they are working. It’s sweet watching them together, and even though I’ve told her multiple times that I don’t want to hear about them having sex, she tells me, anyways. Apparently, the things he does with his mouth are what dreams are made of. I’m not sure my bleeding ears can take much more of her play-by-plays.
As soon as the downstairs buzzer alerts me to Andrew’s arrival, I let him know I will be right down through the intercom. Then I grab my purse and a little something else to surprise Keegan with later and lock the door, but not before popping a couple Altoids, the mints instantly refreshing my mouth.
<
br /> Andrew is waiting in the front of my apartment building as I exit. “Hello, Ms. Brennan, so nice to see you again.”
“Nice to see you again, Andrew.”
“Shall we?” Andrew motions his hand toward the waiting Range Rover.
I nod and follow him. He opens the door and gives me his hand, helping me into the car. I spot a single red rose sitting on the seat and smile. Red roses are my favorite flower. My heart warms to how Keegan still remembers everything that I love.
Andrew eyes me in the rearview mirror as I sniff the delicate flower. Then he smiles and starts up the car, immediately pulling into traffic. The ride to Park Avenue is a smooth one with few bumps. Andrew really is the best driver, especially in the crazy New York traffic.
When I can see Park in the Sky, I look out the window in amazement. The structure is scary tall, making my stomach begin a slow plummet as we pull to a stop. I read somewhere its actual height is one thousand three hundred ninety-six feet. Andrew opens my door and helps me out of the car then leads me to a set of glass doors. I can feel my sweaty palms, so I quickly wipe them on my pants, hoping my escort doesn’t notice.
Once inside the building, we are greeted by the doorman who wishes us a good evening, and looking up, I see a massive crystal chandelier that cascades down above a giant desk. The room is beautifully furnished with a shiny, black baby grand piano positioned in front of one of the tall surrounding windows.
We reach a set of open elevator doors where Andrew pulls out a small key and inserts it into a keyhole inside the elevator. As I enter, he pulls the key out then presses the button for the ninety-sixth floor before he tells me to have a good evening and leaves me to the closing doors. Then the elevator begins moving and dings at every floor, eliciting a new pounding in my heart.
Finally, the doors open to my destination, and I step forward, poking my head out. There is an expansive living room in front of me, so I figure this must be the place, but there’s no Keegan in sight.
I hesitantly make my way out of the elevator, and the doors immediately close. I call out to Keegan, but there is no response. The place is huge, which I, of course, expected, but what I am drawn to is what I see out the windows.
