Page 44 of Mister Curb Appeal
“What?” He nudges his hips against mine “Don’t you trust my better judgment?”
“I know what your impromptu plans are like, and sometimes they’re a little nuts.”
“Oh dear, should I cancel the mariachi band?”
I pull him into my arms. “Not a chance. I think it might drown out the voices in my head.”
“Good to know you’re easily distracted.”
We kiss and the world could stop. I love this man, and he wants to put a baby in me. Not today, perhaps, but someday, and I can’t explain the way my stomach flutters when I think about being barefoot and pregnant with his kid. Something else I didn’t know I even wanted, but it makes perfect sense. I was dating absolute donkeys until I met my stallion.
“I think we need to put that practice into motion, you know, for when we do want kids for real.”
He grins, caging me against the wall. “Spoken like a true princess.”
“I’m so pleased everything went well,” Ali says a few days later when she’s back in the office. Of course, I texted her the second Monica signed. I’m still pinching myself after Monica came back out from her phone call and declared that she didn’t really need another walk around. She was happy with what she’d seen already and was ready to sign on the dotted line. Ali and I have talked on the phone briefly about the details. With the storm, the phone lines were down for a few hours, and I have to say, I really liked having a break from technology.
I think going away for a weekend every now and again with no phones or laptop might be the ultimate vacation. As long as Josh is by my side.
“Yes, about that,” I start, but I’m interrupted by a knock at the door.
We both turn to look at the intruder. We have a lot to catch up on, and I wanted to tell Ali today about my weekend with Josh. She still hasn’t put two and two together that we spent the weekend in the cabin. I’m assuming she thinks Josh left.
The delivery guy has a giant box in his arms. I notice the familiar pink cupcake design right away, and the scrawl across the side. ‘Sweet Confetti Bakery.’ Uh, oh.
“Aww, will you look at that?” Ali says as the delivery guy hands her a card. We thank him and I stand there stunned. “Oh, it’s for me.”
“What does it say?”
She frowns. “It says:Alison Archer, favorite realtor and second-mom-to-be, I come bearing gifts, but the biggest gift of all would be if you’d not yell at me the next time you see me, Joshua x.”She looks up at me. “What is going on?”
Panic hits me and she flips the box, staring into the contents. I wince, trying to think for a moment, then find my voice. “Well, about the weekend, there’s something that I probably need to tell you.”
Ali is still ignoring me, at least until I clear my throat. Then she looks at me, her eyes flicking back at the box. She starts to laugh. “I don’t believe it.”
“What?” I come to look over her shoulder then I gasp.
Oh, Joshie. He went all out.
There’s a dozen or so red velvet cupcakes staring back at us with gorgeous pink icing. He’s even spelled out; I love your P.A. across the top of them in a darker pink — or rather, Chelsea has, from Sweet Confetti Bakery.
He’s even scrawled a note on the inside lid of the box as if to explain himself even further.
I’m in love with your PA. Please let her date me. We both love you, but we love each other more. We both want this. I don’t want any other woman. Just her. Lexi. My princess.
Then Alison takes off her glasses and reaches for a tissue. “About fucking time,” she laughs, wiping her eyes.
“W-what?”
“I said, about fucking time. You two have been eye-fucking for years, and frankly, it’s exhausting!”
“Wait, you’re not mad?”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Mad? I’m dating his dad, a man I used to hate but now I love with all my heart. I would never be mad at you for loving who you want, that isn’t up to me.”
“But all that stuff we said about privacy and pillow talk.”
“You won’t tell Joshua anything, and I won’t tell Tristan anything, the same as they won’t. We still respect our clients, and our prospective businesses,” she says. “That doesn't mean to say that we can’t have a little fun in the sheets with the men we love, even if they are on the opposing team.”
