On the morning of the shoot, Aiden has to be at the location by five a.m. He refuses to go without me. Actually, I’m excited to see my husband in action. It’s funny how he completely becomes a whole other person. He is still my husband, and in private he shows me his vulnerable side, his warm, loving side. In public he commands a more powerful stance. He is a force of nature all on his own. He knows what works for him, and he is not afraid to say what needs to be done.
Brandy knocks on our door to make sure we’ll be downstairs and in the car in ten minutes. I put on my jacket as I walk out. It seems colder than the last couple of days. I shiver as the wind goes through me. In the car, I slide over to let Aiden in, then snuggle into him. He gladly lets me curl into his arms. He starts to rub my hands together. “Don’t worry, baby, in a minute you’ll be warm.”
Pulling my phone out of my purse, I look at the temperature. “Oh my god, it’s forty-one degrees. No wonder I’m cold to the bone!”
Aiden and Brandy start to laugh. I look between them both. “Laugh all you want, but I am really cold.”
Finally, I begin to feel warm, and just as I do, we come to a full stop. The driver turns off the car, walks around, and opens the door for us. Brandy is the first to get out, then Aiden. He holds his hand out for me to take.
The place is a skiing lodge. Stepping out, I look up at the mountains. “It’s absolutely breathtaking.”
In the lobby, there is a group of women, each have a pen and paper in hand, just waiting for us to enter. I should say, waiting for him to enter. They all start waving their pens at him, asking for autographs. I’m about to step aside, but he grabs my arm. “You are the only one I want by me.” After he signs about a dozen, Brandy lets them know that we have to leave. A couple of them boo a little, but most are gracious.
As we step into the back of the lodge, where they have a dressing room set up for Aiden, I recognize the photographer: the one and only Brock Quincey. He smiles and walks over to me, holding out his hand to shake. “Well, if it isn’t Mrs. Steffan.”
“Good morning, Mr. Quincey.”
“Please, call me Brock. All my friends do.”
“Really? I hadn’t realized we were friends. As a matter of fact, I was under the impression that you disliked me.”
He laughs rather loudly. “No, dear, from the moment I saw you and Aiden together, I knew that it was a forever kind of love. That’s why I asked him if I could be the one to take your wedding pictures.”
“He hadn’t told me about it, but I would be honored to have someone of your caliber take the pictures.”
Aiden steps out of the dressing room in tight-fitting jeans and a tan thermal shirt with three buttons. Of course, all three are undone. The ad is for the cologne he represents, Givenchy for Gentleman, the cologne that drives me crazy. Then again, if you ask my husband, I’m crazy all on my own.
As we head outside for the shoot, I shiver again, as it is really cold up in the mountains. The higher we go, the colder it gets. At the top there are a few people waiting for us. All the camera equipment is set up already. Brock yells out orders. “It’s freezing up here, so let’s get this right the first time around and we can get off this damn mountain.”
Aiden removes his coat. The makeup artist walks over to him. She fixes his shirt and makes sure that the sides open and fold outward. Then she hands him the skis and walks away.
I watch her closely. “That’s right, step away.”
I hadn’t realized that Brandy was standing behind me until she bursts out laughing. “Jealous, are we? Girl, he only has eyes for you.”
We both start laughing too loud. Brock turns our way and clears his throat. It feels as if we have been here for hours. I worry for Aiden. I know he must be cold, but being the professional that he is, he never complains. Finally, the words that sound like heaven: “That’s a wrap. Good work, people.”
Holding Aiden’s coat, I walk over to him. I help him put it on. When I touch his hands, they are frozen. We get in the trolley car to go down the mountain. The whole ride down, I have my arms around him.
Once in the lodge, we stand in front of the roaring fire and one of the hotel clerks brings us cups of hot cocoa.
“Do you want to stay here tonight? We could have a romantic night.”
The old me would have said something like, But I don’t have anything with me. The new me jumps at it. “Yes.”
Calling Brandy over, he tells her to go home. “We are going to enjoy the accommodations. Tell my parents we will be home tomorrow. Oh, but before you leave, book us a suite, please.”
A short time later, she comes back with the room card. “You have the honeymoon suite.”
“Thank you, and get some rest tonight. You have been working hard these past few months.”
After she is out of sight, I take the key from him. “Sweetheart, she’s been working hard for more than a few months.”
“I know, that’s why we brought her family here for her. We gave her a huge bonus and a rather generous raise.”
I slide the key card into the door. As I’m about to walk in, Aiden picks me up and carries me over the threshold. “Hey, exactly how many times do you plan to do that?”
“As many times as I damn well please.” He pours himself a glass of wine and asks if I would like my one glass now or after we shower.
“Now, please. It’ll help me to warm up.”
“Baby, I’ll take care of that part.”
While he pours the wine, I walk over to the French doors that open up to the balcony. I look out at the clear sky and the white blanket of snow covering the mountain. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Come sit with me.” I join my husband on the couch in front of the fire.
He hands me my glass of wine. “Oh, but I might not like this one. Remember, I only like the one from your parents’ vineyard.”
“This lodge carries our wine.”
I take a sip. “Thank you, sweetheart.” I set the glass on the table in front of us. I lift my leg to remove my boot.
“Let me do that for you.” Kneeling, he slowly slides them off. Then he begins to run his hands up my legs. As he watches my reaction, his eyes are hypnotizing. “You are my forever home. Wherever you are is where I belong.”
He stands and holds out a hand for me. “Come bathe with me.”
The tub is a claw foot one. Filling it just enough, we step in. I lie back against his chest. Aiden grabs the sponge off the edge of a seat next to us. Dipping it into the water, he begins to gently wash the side of my neck. Down my shoulder, and the length of my arm. Doing it again on the other side.
“Hmmm, I want to stay like this forever.”
“Just say the word, and we will never leave this room again.”
I turn my head to look at him. “Silly, remember the wedding is in a little over three weeks. I think your mom and dad would have something to say about that.”
“We will go home the day of the wedding, then come right back here again.”
“We have the rest of our lives to come back here.”
“Whatever makes you happy, bellissima.”
“Oh, Aiden, feel—the babies are moving.” I bring his hand to my belly. We stay still. Suddenly, they move again. This time I can actually see his hand pop up from the movement.
Sitting up, I turn to see his look of surprise. I can’t help but laugh along with him. The love we share is undeniable. It can weather any storm, anything that comes our way. Carrying these babies makes the bond we have that much stronger, into that forever kind of love you read about in fairytales. The kind they make movies about.
As Aiden crushes me against his chest, we kiss with all the love and fire we have for each other. He releases my mouth long enough to whisper, “I crave you. I need you. You are the only one who can put this fire out tonight.”
Rising from the water, he carries me to the plush rug in front of the fire. There we let our fingers, our hands, and our lips touch every single part of our bodies. Our minds and souls have no sense of time. The last kiss comes as the dawn rises. Aiden takes a few more of the throw pillows from around the fireplace. He lifts my head, lays them under me, then lowers my head back down. Pulling the blanket off the couch, he covers us. We fall asleep, warm and surrounded by love.
***
Entering the library, I hear the conversation between Aiden and the manager for One Republic. They are finalizing the last details of the music video. He puts a finger over his mouth, as he has the phone on speaker. I hurry over as quietly as I can, although they might be able to hear my heart beating rapidly from the excitement. Because of last minute changes in their tour schedule, they had to push the taping of the video from the last week of January to just a few days before the wedding.
Ending the call, he pulls me on his lap.
“Aiden, will they be able to finish shooting of the video before the wedding?”
“Baby, we start on the ninth. We should wrap it up by the eleventh, twelfth at the latest.”
“That’s cutting it close.”
“Don’t worry. I will make sure that you have the perfect day.”
“Hey, you two, save some for the honeymoon.” We both turn to see Brandy walking in. “I’ve got the proofs from the photo shoot. Brock sent them over for your approval.”
She spreads the sheets over the desk and we study each one carefully. “Personally, I love them all.”
“Well, you would say that about him.”
“What? My husband is one sexy hunk of a specimen.”
“Brock said he needs them back by this evening to get them to the printer.”
In each picture, I notice how he had been staring at me. Through the whole photo shoot, he never took his eyes off of me. No matter the angle, he watched me with the intensity of the fire burning in him. A fire that he claims I can only put out. The camera may have caught his features, but I caught what he was saying to me. It would be a night of pleasure, and it was.
***
After Aiden marks the pictures he approves of, Brandy gathers them to send off to Brock. I make an excuse to Aiden that I need to speak to her about the bridesmaids’ dresses and walk out with her. We go to the foyer where he can’t hear us.
“What’s wrong with the dresses? Why do you need to talk to me about them?”
“It’s not that, but he can’t hear this. Is everything set for my wedding present to Aiden?
“Everything is taken care of. They arrive here on the thirteenth. Don’t worry about a single thing. I have it all under control.”
I clap my hands together. “He is going to be completely surprised. I can’t wait to see his face when they come in.”
“Alexis, your wedding will be the biggest event this city has seen in forever. Hell, it will be right up there with the royal weddings.”
***
Riding Italia is one of my favorite pastimes, and having Shannon with me on this beautiful, cold day just makes it that much more perfect. The horse she likes to saddle is Winterbourne, a white stallion. He blends in with the snow.
“I’m glad we’re having a girls’ day. With everything going on, there hasn’t been any free time for us to do anything, just you and me.”
“I know, things have been crazy. I can’t believe it’s already the eighth. One Republic arrives tonight, and tomorrow the shooting of the music video starts.”
The ride is just what we need. It’s serene and relaxing. We don’t let the horses gallop; we keep them at a slow walk. It’s the only way Aiden or the doctor will let me ride. I had to beg them just to let me do this, and I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that this will be my last ride until after the babies are born. What’s funny is that my husband doesn’t think we realize a couple of the ranch hands employed by Papa are following us. I know he means well. He just wants to protect me and the babies. At least they’re keeping their distance. I suppose I should be grateful for that.
Back at the barn, Johnny is talking to the ranch foreman. As I’m about to dismount, he orders me to wait for him to come over to help me down. Shannon winks at me and nods to let him. “The boys would like their uncle to assist you.”
Italia stands perfectly still as he helps me down. The two ranch hands enter as I land safely on the ground. They take the horses to their stalls to brush and feed them. I kiss Italia on the head, telling her I will see her tomorrow and I love her. She shakes her head.
Johnny laughs and says, “It’s as if she knows what you are saying to her.”
We walk out of the barn. “She does understand me.”
***
Even though it’s not even nine yet, we go to sleep early. Aiden has to look rested for the video. Shannon and Johnny retire early as well. She isn’t about to let me go without her to see our favorite band. We have both loved them for years now, all through high school and then through college. Since Shannon’s going, so is Johnny. He’s not going to miss this either. Not really because he wants to see them, but to protect her. When he told us that, though, we both said it was Ryan Tedder and the rest of the band members that needed protection from us.
“Goodnight, baby. I love you.”
“Goodnight, Aiden. I love you too.”
***
Arriving at the high school where the cameo of Aiden will be shot, Shannon and I are both on the lookout for the band. We are escorted into the gym, where the band manager explains how and what is expected of Aiden. The scene is of a prom. The nerdy guy who is in love with the most popular girl of their class wants to try and dance with her. When he comes in, though, he finds her in the arms of the most popular guy. The nerd, unaware of the girl’s misery and the way the guy treats her, is about to leave. So, as he also walks out, they bump into each other and he gets his wish. They dance out in the parking lot. After the dance, they kiss, and that is how the video ends.
Thinking of Aiden being a nerd in the video makes me smile. The manager turns to me. “Oh, Aiden’s not going to be the nerd. He’s the popular guy.”
I shake my head. “I should have known. Well, at least my popular man doesn’t make me miserable.”
As we wait for him to get in costume, we laugh and talk about how long he is actually going to be on video. All in all, it will be around twenty seconds.
The complete cameo takes more or less an hour to shoot. The manager thanks him and tells him they’ll let him know when the video hits the air. We leave without seeing the band. Boy, what a disappointment!