Page 88 of Friend Zoned

“We’ll see,” I say right above her lips. “I never lied to you.”

“Let me go,” she orders, and I do. I take several steps away to get my breathing under control. I turn the doorknob so I can get the hell out of here before I fuck her in this bathroom, but her next words stop me.

“Is the rest true? Are you going to be Co-CEO after your contract ends?” I take a deep breath and turn to face her. She looks into my eyes and holds my stare.

“Yes. I told you this already.”

“So, you’re going to be myboss? Wow. Just wow. You are unbelievable, Aiden, not to mention a damn liar.” She tries to go around me to get to the door, but I block her.

“I won’t be your direct boss. What’s the big deal? Katherine is Lincoln’s boss and they’re happily married. I never lied. Not once, so you can stop right there.” She purses those full lips that I love so much, but her eyes are missing their usual warmth.

“You cannot possibly be this obtuse. Lincoln knew that from the beginning, didn’t he? When he went to that dinner, he knew he was meeting his boss.” I open my mouth to speak, but she holds a hand up. “Please, don’t say that you told me. Just don’t.” She looks down, and when she looks up again, some of her light has dimmed. “You don’t understand.”

“Make me understand,” I tell her.

“Not here. I’ll deal with you after we get back to New York.” Her words put me on alert. She said when we get back to New York, not when we get home.

Part of me is upset at myself for making her feel this way. For dimming the light that first attracted me to her, but the other part isn’t. I did what I had to do. Knowing what I know about her now, if she knew the truth, she wouldn’t have given me a second look.

“We’ll clear this up at home.” She looks at me but doesn’t say a word. “Do you still love me?”

“Yes,” she says without hesitation. “This is not about me loving you, Aiden. God, you’re missing the point, and I think you’re doing it on purpose. You had so many opportunities to tell me.”

I cup her face and press a chaste kiss to her lips before she can pull away. “First, you had this job long before we met. You went to school for it. Second, let’s talk when we get home.” I decide I’m going to start referring to my place as her home from now on. There’s nothing better than coming home after days on the road or a late game to find her there, and I don’t plan on going back to how things were. “But I love you, and I’m not about to lose you over this or anything else. Let me say it again. Neither one of us is going anywhere.”

She stares into my eyes, and I hold my breath while I wait. She opens her mouth to speak, but we’re interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

“Uncle Aid? Jeannie? I have the tea set ready,” Shannon’s soft voice says.

Jeannie opens the door. Shannon grabs my hand and practically drags me out of the bathroom. Jeannie follows a few steps behind us, but I reach out my free hand to her. I stop walking and wait for her to take it. She looks down, and without any further hesitation, she takes my hand and the three of us walk back to the kitchen together.

Lincoln is standing there watching my sister as she stares at an onion as if it’s a mystery. Shannon pulls me to the table where she has an elaborate tea set waiting. This one is no toy set. It’s fit to host the queen of England. When I sit, she puts a hat on my head and a boa around my neck.

Jeannie giggles at the scene.

“You know what? I’m sick of wine. Let’s make some cocktails,” Katherine says. “I’m gonna need something stronger before I can demolish that onion.” She points to it and blows out her breath.

“I’m no cook, but I’m pretty sure demolish is the wrong word,” I tell her.

“Well, you’ve never seen your sister in the kitchen,” Linc says.

“Whatever. Aid, how about a mojito? I read somewhere that goes well with seafood. I’m making creamy spinach stuffed salmon in garlic butter.” That sounds a little ambitious for my sister, but I keep my mouth shut. I’ve never seen her make something as basic as toast. “Linc, look up the recipe for mojitos.”

“I can make it,” Jeannie offers. “I’ve made them before.” Then she gets a bout of shyness and looks away.

“The wet bar is right over there.” Katherine points to the other side of the kitchen. “I told Patsy to get all the ingredients for them. Patsy’s the house manager,” she says to Jeannie. “My kitchen is your kitchen. Well, technically, it’s Aid’s kitchen. The house goes to the male heir.” She points at me and gives me the finger. “But I told him I was taking it.”

Jeannie freezes at that declaration, and I make a note to wring my sister’s neck later. I know her. She didn’t say that by accident. She thinks she’s helping me by outing intimate family details.

Lincoln doesn’t come from money either. He went to college on an academic scholarship and worked his way up the ranks at The Walsh Group. The ironic thing about their relationship is that his family did not warm up to her until about two years in.

“Yeah, well I’d put you both out if not for Shan,” I joke. “You’re a family of squatters. And you have your own house.”

“Well, this kitchen is beautiful. Everything I’ve seen so far is.” Jeannie says. “Mojitos coming up. I make good ones.”

“Whatever alcohol goes in it, triple mine,” Katherine says. “I’ll give you a tour later. We can go swimming if you want. Shan loves it.”

“Swimming? It’s kind of cold, don’t you think?” Jeannie asks.

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