Epilogue

CARLY

 

 

Four Months Later

 

We’ve just left Aiden’s mother’s house after Sunday dinner. Audra moved to her own place when she got out of rehab. She got off easy with community service for slapping that cop and she loses her license for a year. There’s also the punishment of being the face of many rich bitch memes that circulate and have given her a bit more than the usual ten minutes of fame.

She and I get along pretty well. She’s kind of high-maintenance and occasionally makes little digs that have to do with her being a bit of a label whore when I’m perfectly happy wearing clothes off the rack, but we do get along for the most part. Her relationship with Aiden isn’t all roses, but they’re both trying.

She’s sober, continuing with AA. And she’s also not with Aiden’s father. Her and Quinten are cordial, though. She’s with Sienna’s father, Roger Greer, though they don’t live together yet.  His divorce is proving rather ugly.

Apparently, Quinten was stopping that relationship from progressing and at some stage, changed his mind and gave it his blessing. Aiden’s ex is apparently livid that she might wind up Aiden’s stepsister at some stage. I think it’s kind of funny. Aiden says that’s her punishment for threatening me… to get Audra for a wicked stepmother.

Aiden’s Dad’s health is good, too, so everyone is thankful for that.

Quinten and Audra are cordial enough that once a month there’s a family dinner with all of the Carmichaels together. Last month, my parents were here visiting and we all had that family dinner together at Aiden’s condo. My Mom and Audra are kind of polar opposites, but they bonded over a love of an indie author they both read. Our dads bonded over football.

Caitlin is doing a year in jail for her breach of probation for her former assault and forgery charges so of course she’s sober, whether she wants to be or not. She seems like she wants to be. She’s been writing letters to me, and to my Mom. She seems like she’s finding the old Cait again. Aiden and I are going to see her on visiting day next month.

She told me where the rest of the jewelry was pawned. We didn’t get it all back, but I did manage to get two more pieces. It’s something, at least.

I’ve got a full-time job with CC and so does Ally. George came back to work and got promoted to VP of Marketing. Aiden is now President of Carmichael Consulting. I got promoted to George’s old job of Marketing Director and I promoted Stacy and Blake and brought in a new intern, Sonia from my old office in Buffalo. She works in our NYC office.

Stacy now has the job I came here to do, and Blake moved to the New York office to take over for Kieran.  The Irish alphahole didn’t take too well to my promotion, although I tried to make it work. He wasn’t at all flexible, so I fired his lazy pompous ass.

George moved to an office down the hall a week ago and so now my office is now next to Aiden’s with a perfect view of Ally’s cubicle.

As much as looking at the back of her head, which changes color about every month or two, is fun, I kind of miss the view from before. Now I have to come out of my office to see him.

***

It’s five o’clock Monday and I’m getting ready to wrap up my day.

My boss’s boss comes in with a big envelope in his hand.

“Your name plate for your door,” Aiden says. “Bigger and fancier than the old one.”

“Oh, goodie. A fancy nameplate!” I clap my hands.

He drops one of my blinds.

I frown.

He drops another one.

“Aiden?”

He winks at me and drops the final blind. He closes the door and locks it.

I smile. “What are you up to?”

He hands me the envelope.

I take it and give him a questioning look.

“Open it,” he says.

I reach for the letter opener in the pen cup on my desk, smiling.

“Why did this need to be a private unveiling?” I look inside the envelope, so I can fetch the brass name plate with the sticky tape on the back and spot that there’s a ring box in here, too. I gasp.

I carefully spill them both onto my desk.

I see the name plate.

“Carly Carmichael”

I gasp.

“Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” Aiden asks.

“Ring?” I’ve got my eyes on the ring box.

He grabs it and opens it. A beautiful diamond engagement ring is sitting there, sparkling at me.

“Aiden…” I whisper.

“Marry me,” he says.

“Are you asking or telling?” I giggle. He’s now down on one knee in front of me, between me and my desk.

“I’m begging you. I love you so much, peaches.”

“Love you more. Yes, I’ll marry you,” I say, emotion leaking from my eyes a little.

He slips the beautiful ring onto my finger and then grabs my ankles and I squeak in surprise as he hauls me off my chair onto his lap.

“I’m gonna fuck you on your office floor, now, peaches.”

“Sounds good to me, Hot Sauce,” I agree.

He lifts the hem of my navy-blue dress and slides it up and pulls the dress over my head, leaving me in just a coral bra and panties. His mouth closes over my nipple as he frees himself from his suit pants. He slides my panties to the side and guides himself inside of me.

I moan. “Ohhh, Aiden. That’s so nice.”

“It sure is,” he whispers against my lips and then he’s rubbing his nose sweetly against the tip of my nose.

“You’re gonna be mine forever.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and keep moving up and down. I’m going to get rug burn. Then again, Aiden gives me rugburn regularly  --- at work, at home here in San Diego, at the other apartment in New York City when we’re there… almost as soon as it heals, I’m getting it again. My knees are willing to take one for the team.

“Forever and ever.” I suck on his neck hard.

“Mm, you’re gonna leave a mark,” he mutters, picking up the pace, gripping my hips as a way to move me.

“Good. You get this ring to mark I’m yours. Until you’ve got a ring on your finger, I’ll have to keep my mark on your neck, so people know you’re mine.”

“You want a big wedding that takes a year to plan with all sorts of red tape and seating arrangements and fights with our parents over roast beef versus roasted chicken and shit like that or you wanna do a destination wedding, say, next week on a beach? Then you’ve got your ring on my finger. Though… I’m okay with the hickies, too.”

“Huh?”

“Whoever comes comes, and we get married with your little toes in the sand and have a huge party?”

“Next week?” I laugh. “That’s crazy talk.”

“So…” he slows down and looks into my eyes. “You’d rather the big wedding? Whatever you want peaches, I’ll give it to you.”

“I love the idea of next week on a beach, Aiden. As long as all our family and our closest friends can come.”

“I knew you would,” he says, still moving inside me, his eyes gentle and on me. That’s why I already booked it.”