Page 128 of Parting Shot

“You guys shouldn’t have been eavesdropping.”

Astrid pursed her lips together tight.

“Yes,” Max agreed, sounding bereft.

We all heard the front door open, and Aaron called out to me, “I hope you’re ready, because I’m just changing, and then we’re picking up Max and⁠—”

“We’re here already.” Max forced a smile for his brother as he charged into the room.

Aaron was always gorgeous in a suit—in anything really—but in a three-piece, like he was wearing today, I would bend over for him anywhere, anytime. There was something so hot about him all buttoned down when I knew what his body could really do.

“Hi, Aaron,” Astrid Takahashi greeted him, blushing because she was still getting used to calling the real estate mogul by his first name.

She and Max had been dating for six months, and in that time, she had gone from being a faceless ASA—assistant state attorney—to the girlfriend of the billionaire’s little brother. The one thing she said she missed was not being able to get Starbucks in her sweats anymore. She really hated putting on makeup to go to the gym.

“Hi,” he answered, giving her a trace of a smile, not really focusing, distracted.

“Hey.” I smiled, shoving one of our cook’s potato pierogi into my mouth from the bowl I held in my hand. She made them for me by the ton now that she knew how much I loved them.

Aaron had instituted changes in my life in the last six months, but I’d made adjustments to his as well. For one, he made me stop making my own breakfast in the morning because I didn’t want to bother the cook. What I had failed to realize was, I had hurt her feelings by doing it myself. Mrs. Kappel wanted to feed me; I needed to let her. So, suddenly, I had someone making my meals for me, and I, in turn, had changed where Aaron ate.

No longer did we have breakfast on the patio or in the salon. We ate in the kitchen with Mrs. Kappel. She slid crepes off the pan right onto our plates, filled first with eggs and ground spicy sausage, fennel and spinach, then later with strawberries and mascarpone, rolling them up and dusting them with powdered sugar. It was fun to watch her fuss over Aaron and tell me what a good eater I was. Sometimes Miguel would join us, and that was nice too.

“So, what’s your costume for the Halloween party?” Astrid queried Aaron.

“I’m going as—sorry.” He crossed quickly to me, peeling off his topcoat and dropping it on the back of the couch on his way. “What are you… what do you have on?”

I was wearing a ruffled shirt, a thick leather belt, and black breeches, tucked into knee-high black leather boots. A real sword hung from a scabbard at my side. The answer to the question was obvious. “This is the pirate costume you got me.”

His breath rushed out. “I, what?”

The man was flustered, and it was adorable.

“I certainly don’t remember it looking like that.”

“I didn’t put this on when it was delivered. You said it wasn’t necessary because your tailor made everything with the measurements you’d sent him.”

“I did?”

“Mmhmm,” I murmured.

“I don’t remember.”

“Well, it was right after we went to court and testified against Mr. Wells and Nick McCall, so your mind was occupied with bigger issues.”

“Uh-huh.”

I grinned. “Max and Astrid are Romeo and Juliet.”

“Before,” Astrid added.

“That’s funny.”

“Thank you.” She beamed at me.

“May I speak to you upstairs for a second?” Aaron asked, and his voice was low and husky.

“No,” I responded, licking the side of my mouth to catch a drop of filling. “We gotta hurry or we’re gonna be late for the event. Alzheimer’s is one of your pet projects, and since your company is hosting the benefit, you need to be there on time.”