“I figured you’d have to go home first and it’s fine. I understand. I would like you to come over later and spend the night with me. I’ve missed you so much, Addison. The days and nights you weren’t with me were pure hell.”
I climbed out of my seat and into his lap, wrapped my arms around his neck, and softly kissed his lips.
“I know, and I missed you too. It’ll all work out. We have to have faith.”
****
“Oh my God, you’re home!” Emma practically knocked me down the moment I stepped through the apartment door. “How are you? We’ve been worried sick.”
“I’m fine.” I smiled. “All is good. Where’s Jasper?”
“He’s having lunch with Lucas. They’ve been spending a lot of time together. So, tell me, is everything fine or are you lying to me?”
“Andrew and I talked and the two of us are good.”
“As in friends?” She narrowed her eye at me.
I sighed as I took my bag to my bedroom.
“No. We’re more than friends.”
“He’s married, Addy. Have you forgotten?”
“No, and he’s getting divorced.”
“When?” she asked.
“As soon as Ellie signs the papers.”
“From what you told me and Jasper, she isn’t ever going to sign them.”
“There’s something else I need to tell you.”
“Shit. What now?” she took a seat on my bed.
“Remember how I always talked about the boy from the Hamptons? The one who was my best friend?”
“AJ, wasn’t it?” She cocked her head.
“Yes. Well, AJ is short for Andrew James.”
“Okay and…?”
I placed my hands on my hips and cocked my head at her.
“Holy shit! Are you saying that Andrew is AJ?” she exclaimed.
“Yes.” I took in a breath.
“What the fuck, Addison? Did he know who you were all this time?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“And he didn’t tell you?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“And you don’t think that’s really fucking strange?”
“We talked, Emma. We’re past everything and starting over.”
“There’s something you aren’t telling me.” She narrowed her eye at me.
“No, there isn’t.”
“Yes, there is!” She pointed at me.
As much as I wanted to tell her about Charlie, I couldn’t. I had to quickly think of something else because she always knew when I hid something from her.
“Fine. Andrew brought me to New York. He had been keeping tabs on me for about a year.”
“Huh? You can’t be serious? That’s what I like to call stalking, Addison.”
“He didn’t want to tell me who he was because he wanted to see if the connection to him on my end was still there.” I kind of lied to her.
“So then why didn’t he tell you after he knew the connection was still there on your end?”
“Because of Ellie. He was afraid I’d reject him. I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s done with. We talked. We’re good and starting over. So please, let’s just forget about this.”
“Fine. I still think it’s weird. But I know he loves you and you love him. You’re a real gem and I hope he realizes that. I don’t think I could ever forgive a guy who lied to me like that.”
She got up from the bed and gave me a hug.
“I’m happy you’re back. I have to go to work. Are you staying home tonight?”
“No. I’m going to stay at Andrew’s.”
“Have you told Madeline yet?” she asked.
“No. That’s one thing I still have to do.” I sighed.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Two Weeks Later
My life was getting back to normal, at least somewhat. Things between Andrew and me were great, actually better than they were before everything that happened. If that was possible. I went back to work for LAC and Lucas was thrilled. As far as everyone there was concerned, I had been out on a medical leave. Andrew and I went back to seeing each other in private, which was my decision. He told me he didn’t care anymore what people thought and he wanted to take me out every night. I felt it was only right to keep us under wraps until this whole divorce situation was cleared up. Lucas and Veronica were the only two in the company that knew, and Lucas said he didn’t blame Andrew at all because he’d met Ellie a couple times and said something was always off with her.
I was sitting at my desk when Andrew walked in and shut the door.
“Hi there.” I smiled.
He walked over to my desk, grabbed hold of me, stood me up, and smashed his mouth into mine.
“Andrew.” I laughed. “What are you doing?”
“She signed the papers, Addison.”
“What?!” I exclaimed.
“I told you I was going to see her this morning and we talked, and she signed the papers right in front of me. I just dropped them off at my attorney’s office.”
“Why would she do that all of a sudden after all this time?”
He placed his hands in his pockets and paced around my office.
“She told me she’s better now and she has accepted that we will never be together. Apparently, her therapy is working. She said she wants nothing but happiness for me and she wants to start her life over. She’s being released in a few days.”
“And where will she go?” I asked with concern.
“Back to our old apartment. She wanted that and a lump sum of money. I agreed, and she signed.”
“That’s great news, Andrew. I’m so happy for you.” I walked over to him and kissed his lips.
“My attorney is filing the paperwork as we speak and he’s going to put in for an expedited court date. Addison, this could all be over within a couple of weeks.” He pulled me into him.
As happy as I was, something wasn’t sitting right with me. But I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“I’m taking you out to celebrate tonight. Sound good?” He grinned.
“I can’t wait.” I smiled.
He kissed my forehead and left my office. I took a seat behind my desk and sent a text message to Charlie.
“Hey, Bobby. Ellie signed the divorce papers.”
“That’s wonderful news, Rosebud. Now the two of you can move on with your lives.”
“She’s getting out in a few days and something doesn’t feel right.”
“You’re being paranoid, Addison. Forget about her and focus on your future with Andrew.”
****
One Month Later
Andrew’s divorce was final, and I couldn’t be happier. I still hadn’t told Madeline about him yet, but that would change as of today, because we were heading to Connecticut for the weekend.
“Do you think she’ll remember me?” Andrew asked as he grabbed hold of my hand and interlaced our fingers.
“I’m sure she will.” I smiled.
“I’m a little nervous.”
“Why?” I laughed.
“What if she doesn’t like me and doesn’t think I’m good enough for her daughter?”
“She’s going to love you, so stop worrying. She loved you as a child and she’ll love you as a man.” I grinned.
Andrew pulled up to my childhood home and took in a deep breath as he got out of the car.
“Don’t be nervous.” I grabbed his hand.
We walked up to the porch and when I opened the front door, the smell of cherry pie smacked me in the face.
“Mom?” I shouted.
“Edward, she’s home!” I heard her voice speak with excitement.
She came flying from the kitchen and hugged me tight.
“It’s so good to see you, Addison. Let me look at you.” She broke our embrace and planted her hands on my shoulders. “You look wonderful. A little thin, but wonderful.”
“Thanks, Mom. Hi, Edward.” I smiled as he hugged me.
/>
“Welcome home, Addison.”
“Mom, Edward, I would like you to meet Andrew London,” I nervously spoke.
Madeline stood and stared at him for a moment.
“London? As in the company Addison works for?” she asked him.
“Yes.” Andrew nodded. “It’s my company now that my father passed away.” He held out his hand.
“I’m a hugger, Andrew.” She wrapped her arms around him. “It’s so good to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, son. Welcome to our home,” Edward spoke as he shook his hand.
“There’s something about you that seems so familiar,” Madeline spoke as she placed her finger on her chin.
I cleared my throat before telling her who he really was. Then, I took in a deep breath.
“Mom, he seems familiar because you already know him.”
“I do?” She cocked her head at me.
“He’s AJ.”
She inhaled a sharp breath before her jaw almost hit the floor.
“AJ from the Hamptons? The little boy you were best friends with?”
“Yeah, Mom.” I smiled.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Edward spoke.
I rolled my eyes while Madeline placed her hands on each side of his face.
“You always had the prettiest eyes.” She smiled. “I can’t believe this. How on earth did the two of you meet again? Come in the kitchen and you can tell us all about it over dinner.”
Andrew took my hand and looked over at me with a smile. We followed Madeline and Edward into the kitchen and all sat down at the table for dinner. We improvised our story to fit what Madeline needed to hear.
“What a wonderful coincidence. The two of you were inseparable as children every summer, and here you are, together again after all these years.” She had a tear in her eye.
After dinner, Edward and Andrew went into the living room for a drink while I helped my mom clean up.
“Hey, Mom?”
“Yes, darling.” She smiled.
“How could you not know about London Arc Corporation when I told you about my interview? I mean, you were friends with Andrew’s parents.”
“To be honest, Addison, I forgot about them. I never saw them again after that summer.” She turned away. “And we weren’t really friends. We were more of acquaintances who would occasionally have dinner with them when we were there. It’s not like we kept in touch after the fact. I wanted to erase every memory of that place after your father died.”
I could feel the sadness of talking about Charlie overcome her, and knowing he was alive and that I couldn’t tell her was killing me inside.
“Do you love, Edward, Mom?”
“Addison Rose!” she exclaimed. “How can you even ask me such a thing? Of course I love Edward. He has been nothing but good to us and he loves you like his own daughter.”
“I know he does, Mom, and I love him too. I’m sorry.”
“I’ve made up the guest room for Andrew,” she spoke.
“Mom, you shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble. He’s staying in my room.”
“Addison.” She glanced over at me with that disapproving look. “You know the rules.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Mom. I don’t know of any such rule because I’d never had a guy spend the night. I’m twenty-five years old and me and Andrew sleep together pretty much every night. Just because we’re here, that’s not going to change. Besides, I remember you having Edward spend the night all the time before you were married.”
“Are you giving Addy a hard time about the sleeping arrangements?” Edward asked as he walked into the kitchen with Andrew.
“It’s okay, Madeline. I can stay in the guest room,” Andrew spoke.
“No, Andrew. It’s fine.” She sighed. “Addison is right. She is twenty-five years old and I remember what I was like at that age.”
“You still are, sugar.” Edward smiled as he slapped her on the ass.
I looked over at Andrew in embarrassment as he stood there with a wide grin across his face.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Spending the weekend with Madeline and Edward was great, but it was good to be back home in New York. I was sitting at my desk looking over some specs with Lucas when my phone dinged with a text message from Andrew.
“Hello, gorgeous. I have a phone conference at six o’clock, so I’ll have to meet you, Lucas, and Jasper at Per Se. Philip will take you home and drive you to the restaurant. I love you. See you later.”
“Sounds good. Try not to be too late. Love you too.”
“That was Andrew. He has a phone conference later, so he’s going to meet us at the restaurant.”
“Oh, okay. You can catch a cab with me and Jasper if you’d like. I’m picking him up around six thirty.”
“Thanks, but Philip is going to take me. In fact, why don’t you and Jasper just swing by the penthouse and Philip can drive the three of us to the restaurant?”
“Sounds like a plan, Addy. I’ll give Jasper a call and let him know.” He smiled.
The three of us arrived at Per Se precisely at seven o’clock and were seated in a round booth. I pulled my phone from my purse and sent Andrew a text message.
“Just wanted to let you know we’re at the restaurant.”
“I’m just getting out of the cab.”
Within a few moments, Andrew climbed in next to me and kissed my cheek.
“Sorry I’m late,” he spoke.
“You’re not late. We just got here ourselves.” I smiled.
“Let me guess,” Lucas spoke. “Paine & Finch?”
“Yep. And what a pain he is.” Andrew chuckled.
The waitress walked over to the table and Andrew ordered us a bottle of champagne. As we were sitting there sipping it and talking, a woman who stood five feet five with long brown straight hair and blue eyes stood at the table. Instantly, I knew who she was, and an uneasiness settled inside me.
“Ellie,” Andrew spoke.
“Hi, Andrew. How are you?”
“I’m good. What are you doing here?”
“I’m meeting someone for dinner. Hello, Lucas.” She glanced over at him.
Lucas picked up his glass and took a sip of his drink.
“Hey, Ellie,” he spoke in an uncomfortable tone.
“And you are?” Her eyes diverted to me.
“Ellie, this is Addison.” He paused. “She works for me.”
She extended her hand, and with a small smile, she spoke, “It’s nice to meet you, Addison. So, this is a business dinner? Do you also work for Andrew?” She turned to Jasper.
“Nope. I’m just the boyfriend.” He smiled as he grabbed Lucas’s hand.
“Well, it was good to see you, Andrew. I should get going.”
“Enjoy your dinner, Ellie,” he spoke.
As soon as she walked away, Lucas picked up his glass.
“Damn. Talk about uncomfortable.”
****
As soon as we entered Andrew’s apartment, I went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
“Have I told you how sexy you look in that red dress?” he whispered in my ear from behind.
“No.” I smiled as his hands made their way up my dress and cupped my ass.
“Then I must apologize for being so rude.”
His tongue slid across my neck as the warmth of his breath spread through me like a wildfire.
“I’m afraid I can’t accept your apology just yet, Mr. London,” I spoke.
He turned me around and smashed his mouth into mine while his fingers unzipped my dress, letting it fall to the ground. With one swift grab, he ripped my panties right off me, lifted me on the counter, and spread my legs with his muscular body as he stood between them. I stared at him as he stripped out of his clothes. The look in his eyes was ravenous and I knew he was going to devour me. He placed one hand on my breast and leaned into me as I was sprawled out on the marble counter top.
>
“What’s it going to take for you to accept my apology?” His finger dipped inside me as he stared into my eyes.
I gasped and took my bottom lip between my teeth as his lips wrapped around my hardened nipple.
“Am I forgiven now?” he growled as his tongue slid down my torso.
“No. I’m afraid not,” I spoke with bated breath.
He stood up tall, grabbed my hips, and pulled me to the very edge of the counter, giving me that stern sexy look that always sent my body into an orgasmic state. With one hard thrust, he was inside me. I threw my head back as a moan escaped my lips. He moved in and out of me like a wild beast as he moaned with each thrust. My sounds of gratification heightened as my body flew into the depths of a beautiful and fulfilling orgasm. Andrew’s movement slowed as he pushed deep inside me and his cock exploded. He leaned over me, his lips mere inches from mine as beads of sweat fell across his forehead.
“And now?” he whispered.
A smile fell across my lips as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“You are definitely forgiven.” I kissed him.
With a grin on his face, he lifted me from the counter and carried me into the bathroom.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Drawing us a bubble bath.” He smiled as he put me down.
Leaning over the tub, he started the bath while I grabbed the lavender-scented bottle and poured a capful under the streaming water. Andrew climbed in first and I followed, snuggling against his body while his arms wrapped around me.
“Why didn’t you tell Ellie that I was your girlfriend?” I asked.
“I knew you were going to ask me about that. It’s none of her business. I’m no longer in her life and she’s not in mine. Whom I date is none of her concern.”
“I understand that, but what if she sees us together?”
“Then she sees us together. I don’t care. I just want to put that part of my life and her behind me.” He kissed the top of my head. “So, no more talk about Ellie. Deal?”
“Deal.”
After our bath, we climbed into bed. Andrew did some work on his laptop while I decided to text Charlie.
“Hi, Bobby. I met Ellie today.”