T

here was no way to escape the cabin without getting past Aiden and his mother, unless I wanted to throw myself down the side of the mountain. Honestly, the more I considered it, that wasn’t looking like a terrible option.

Being that I’d never really been in a serious relationship before, it would also stand to reason I’d never met the parents before, either.

And let me tell you, this wasn’t how I’d ever imagined this particular scenario going down.

No pun intended.

These kinds of things were supposed to happen to irresponsible high school students who didn’t have private cabins in the mountains, to teenagers who got carried away in their bedrooms. Not successful business women in their thirties.

This was officially a nightmare.

I let out a little cry and buried my face in my hands.

I’d been so proud of myself too. Taking that kind of initiative. Doing something so daringly sexual when I really had very little idea what I was doing in the first place. Head isn’t complicated, but it’s also not something you want to be terrible at for lack of experience. And experience is exactly what I was lacking. So when I’d had the dream and woken up feeling so powerful and sexy, I just kind of said, “Fuck it!” and decided to wake my boyfriend up with a blow job.

And it had worked!

Like, really worked.

Until we both came so loud his mother appeared.

Aiden had gone outside, and I’d hurried to make myself presentable in five minutes and then died a painful death when I went downstairs and saw all our clothes strewn about from the Scrabble sex the night before.

Of course.

Of course his mother had seen that too. She probably thought Aiden brought a prostitute to the mountain to get his rocks off.

Holy shit.

I was sitting on the couch after having tried to erase all evidence that I’d been having lots of sex with her son, just waiting for them to return. It felt like waiting for the executioner.

When the door opened, and I saw Aiden’s face peak through, my stomach absolutely wanted to jump out of my throat. He saw me, noted that I’d put on clothes, and gave me a weak smile. But then he winked at me and I felt just a little better. Not a ton, but a smidge.

Aiden pushed the door open and let his mother in first.

I had never been more terrified in my life. Not ever.

Aiden and his mother looked absolutely nothing alike. In fact, it was almost hard to believe at first she was his mother. Where he was big and tall with dark hair and imposing features, she was small and fair. Delicate, almost. Her appearance alone made me feel a tiny bit better, but not much.

“Rose, I’d like you to meet my mother, Angelica.”

I held my hand out to her, trying to act as cool as I possibly could.

“Hello, Ms. Daniels. It’s wonderful to meet you.”

She was staring at me like I’d saved her life, like I was her favorite movie star. I was completely confused. I smiled wider, trying to appear not freaked out. She took my hand but didn’t shake it, just sandwiched it between her own.

“Mom,” Aiden said on a sigh, coming to stand next to me, putting his hand on the small of my back. “This is Rose. My girlfriend.”

Oh my God.

This was the first time he was telling someone I was his girlfriend and this was definitely not a moment I wanted cemented in my memory.

She let out a small cry and then pulled me toward her, wrapping her arms around me, catching me completely off guard.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” she said, sounding like she was near tears.

Aiden appeared behind her and mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

I awkwardly patted her back, but then just let my arms hang at my sides while she hugged me.

It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was better than getting the cold shoulder or being screamed at by some overprotective mamma bear type. I let her hug me even though it was weird and strange, and when she pulled away she kept her hands on my shoulders.

“I want you to know this was a big misunderstanding. It’s my fault, and I apologize.”

Oh, we’re going to actually talk about it?

I was planning on pretending I had amnesia.

“It’s fine,” I said, mainly because I had no idea how I was supposed to respond.

“Mom thought she was doing me a favor by coming to open the cabin for the summer.”

“Well, that was nice,” I said, again, because I was so uncomfortable.

“I was just bored on a Saturday and the drive is nice this time of year.”

She finally let go of my shoulders and then we all just stood there in awkward silence for a too-long uncomfortable moment.

“Mom, why don’t we all sit down,” Aiden said, ushering his mother toward the couch.

We all moved to the area of the great room with the couch and Aiden grabbed a chair from the dining table, and we took a seat. I looked at Aiden, trying to send him telepathic messaged to make the awkwardness disappear, but I knew nothing would help. This was a disaster.

“So, how did you two meet?” she asked, looking expectantly at her son.

“Well, Rose owns an event planning business and I hired one of her employees to plan the fundraising event for the foundation.”

“Event planning?” she asked, her tone pleasant and interested, looking at me with what seemed to be genuine curiosity. “You’re a wedding planner? Like those kinds of events?”

That was definitely not the first time someone thought of weddings first, and the assumption didn’t bother me like it used to, so I answered with my stock response.

“We do all kinds of events, weddings included. But we specialize in corporate events and fundraisers, like we’re doing for Aiden.”

“So, you’re planning the party?” she asked me, her tone still sweet.

“No, I went to what I thought was a business meeting as one of my best employees fell ill, and I didn’t realize I was walking into a life-threatening situation.”

I found myself laughing and smiling at the memory of how Aiden and I had met.

“What do you mean?” She gasped, looking at Aiden for answers.

“I’d scheduled a meeting at a job site because I wanted Riley, the event planner, to see what I do, to get an idea of what the foundation is all about. So, we were getting ready to start a project and I figured it would be great. There were some supplies there already, including the port-o-potty. Anyway, I’m standing there looking at the river and all of a sudden some bear cubs come running at me. And I didn’t know where the mama was, but I wasn’t about to stick around and find out. The bears were between me and the truck, so the only place to go was the john.”

Ms. Daniels’ eyes were wide with worry, and I felt bad leaving her hanging, so I picked up the story there.

“So, I pull up in an Uber—”

“A what?”

“An Uber, it’s basically a cab.”

“Oh,” she says with a nod, listening carefully.

“The driver leaves and I see a truck, but no person. And then all of a sudden I’m being pulled into a port-o-potty with a stranger.”

“Aiden Christopher Daniels,” his mother said sternly, turning an angry look his way. “Did you scare this poor girl?”

Aiden’s mouth opened and he traded looks between me and his mother. I couldn’t help the grin that took over my face. He held his hands up in defense.

“First of all, I didn’t know it was a stranger. I thought it was Riley or Hadley. Second, I’d rather scare someone by startling them than have them get attacked by a bear.”

She rolled her eyes and turned back to me.

“Were you frightened?”

“At first? Yes. But I knew pretty much instantly that he wasn’t going to hurt me.”

“Then what happened?”

She was so genuinely curious, her smile friendly and warm.

“Well, he wouldn’t let me get an Uber back to the city, and so he drove me, and then after that he was just kind of relentless.”

“Can you blame me?” Aiden asked, his gaze locked on me, sexy smirk on his face.

“That’s always been one of his best traits, going after what he wants,” she replied proudly. “Sounds like you two may have that in common. Tell me, Rose, how did you decide you wanted to be an event planner?”

I was honestly surprised by the fact that after just a few minutes, all the tension was gone. She was just as warm and inviting as she may have been if we’d met under normal circumstances. Aiden had shared about his past and told me all about his mother, so I knew she was a kind and good woman, and an even better mother, but her grace in this situation astounded me.

I suddenly understood Aiden a little bit better.

His mother and I continued to talk for an hour, Aiden only piping in to get us drinks or give his version of a story, and soon we decided to drive down the mountain a little ways to a café for lunch. Aiden took his mother on a walk so I could shower with some privacy and then we were on our way.

Both Aiden and his mother knew the mountain well, and after a lovely lunch and a darling diner frequented by the few locals and the unending tourists who came through the area for recreational purposes, they took me on a tour of sorts.

There were a few spots, off the main road of course, that offered beautiful views of the valley and the mountain itself. We also drove to the famous lodge on the mountain that was the setting for a famous horror movie.

Angelica was nothing but wonderful the entire day. It only took a few instances of me calling her Ms. Daniels before she insisted I call her by her first name.

The afternoon was long and incredible, and on the way back to the cabin, Angelica insisted on stopping at the tiny grocery store to pick up everything she’d need to make Aiden’s favorite meal for dinner. I wouldn’t dare argue, and when I offered to help she shooed me away from the kitchen.

“Why don’t you and Aiden take some drinks onto the patio. It’s a lovely evening.”

“She doesn’t like help in the kitchen,” Aiden added. “She never has. She likes to fuss over people.”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here, Aiden. Or I’ll share this shepherd’s pie with Rose and you’ll get none.”

“That’s my cue to leave,” he said with a laugh. He kissed his mother on the cheek and grabbed a beer from the fridge. “You want wine, babe?”

I was stuck in the haze of a serious lust cloud. What was it about this man being sweet to his mother that totally turned me on?

“Beer is good,” I managed, swallowing down the lump of arousal that seemed to be in my throat.

He grabbed another beer and came to me.

“Grab your sweater, babe. It’s gonna be chilly out there.”

“Okay.” I hurried up the stairs and looked through my bag for the cardigan I’d packed. It wasn’t heavy duty like my new awesome boots, but it wasn’t terribly cold out and I figured Aiden would keep me warm anyway.

I came down the stairs and heard Angelica’s voice whispering.

“Aiden, if you mess this up, I don’t know what I’ll do. She’s absolutely lovely.”

“I know. I’ll do my best.”

Warmth flowed through me and a smile stretched across my face.

“Ready?” I asked as I came around the stairs.

“I’ll call you when dinner’s ready. Probably another half hour.”

“Great. Thanks, Mom.”

I gave her a smile, hoping it conveyed how grateful I was for her acceptance and approval. I followed Aiden outside and watched as he walked to a stack of chairs, removing one and setting it down on the concrete patio next to a little table with a glass top. He sat and then patted his lap.

“I can’t have my own chair?”

“If my lap is available, you need to be in it.”

I couldn’t really argue with him. I did want to sit in his lap.

When I got close enough for him to reach me, his free hand tagged me around the waist and he guided me down, sitting sideways so my legs were dangling off his lap to his side.

Once I’d taken a sip of my beer, I held it out to him and he took it, setting it down on the table next to his own.

“Your mom is amazing,” I said softly, enjoying the way I had his undivided attention. I loved the way his hands found a way to be on me, how he wanted to be as close as possible. Even in a chair next to him was too far away.

“I think so, too. She feels the same way about you.”

“This could have turned out very differently,” I said with a laugh.

“No shit,” he said, his laugh rumbling through his chest. “And even though my mom was a champ about it, and took it better than any mom I could ever imagine, I never want to relive that again.”

“Ha, me neither.”

“I think as soon as I explained how important you are to me, well, I think that’s what made the difference.” His hand squeezed my thigh and my heart constricted at his words.

“What did you tell her?” My voice was a low rasp, my heart thumping in my chest.

“I told her the truth. That I love you and that you’re the one.”

“You told her that? When?”

“When I took her outside so you could get dressed. I wanted to make sure she knew you were important to me, that no matter what she thought was going on, it was so much more than that.”

My hands came up to frame his face.

“You’re such a good man,” I whispered, never meaning words more than I meant those. The only thing I needed right then was to kiss him, so I did. He met my kiss eagerly, his lips parting and his tongue gently teasing my mouth. I startled, however, jumping in his lap when the shrill ringing of a phone sounded through the air.

“That’s weird,” he said, lifting me from his lap and setting me safely on my feet. “I don’t know who would be calling the landline.” He kissed me quickly. “I’ll be right back.”

I sat down again, picking up my beer and taking a pull, thinking to myself how I had never really given beer a fair shot. I’d only ever tried cheap beer in college and quickly determined I was a white wine and mixed drink kind of gal. But the beer Aiden had brought out for me was fantastic. I was examining the label when Aiden appeared again.

“Babe, Riley’s on the phone.”

“What?”

“Yeah, she says she needs to talk to you.”

“Okay.”

I stood and walked into the house, following Aiden to where the phone was secured to the wall. I put the receiver to my ear, fumbling with the curling cord sticking out of the end of it.

“Riley?”

“Hey, Rose,” she greeted, and I immediately knew something was wrong. “I’m so sorry for bothering you. I debated whether or not to call you a million times, but eventually we all figured you’d appreciate knowing what’s going on and making your own, informed decision.”

“Riley, you don’t have to apologize for calling me. What’s going on?”

I was panicking. I imagined the office in flames, people dropping dead from some weird outbreak monkey virus, or—I didn’t know—some flower emergency.

“It’s such a long story and there are so many pieces, but the most important tidbit of information, the part we’re currently struggling with, is that the Reigleman event for tomorrow evening is currently without a venue.”

My eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

“What do you mean? We booked the Hilton almost a year ago for that event. I confirmed on Wednesday and went over the contract myself.”

“Unfortunately, the Hilton had a small fire this morning, but it triggered the sprinkler system and the ballroom we’d reserved has had extensive damage.”

My mind froze for a moment. This was not good. But then I took a calming breath and started ticking through my list of backup options.

“Okay, if the Hilton isn’t available, we need to contact the alternatives.”

“I went through the list already. The biggest problem is that the Reigleman event is expecting one thousand guests, and there are very few venues left that can accommodate those numbers. Not to mention, the Hilton was providing the bar. So, unless the Reiglemans are okay with having a fortieth wedding anniversary party with no booze, we also need a vendor to supply enough liquor and staff for a thousand people.”

“Oh my gosh,” I said, bringing my hand to my head. “This is a mess.”

“What do you want me to do?” Riley asked, sounding worried.

I let out a sigh. “Are you in the office?”

“Yes. I’m at my desk.”

“Give me a few minutes to think and I’ll call you back.”

“Okay,” she agreed, but then continued. “Rose, I’m really sorry. I didn’t want to bother you.”

“It’s not your fault, Riley.” I meant that. It wasn’t her fault. But it still sucked. “I’ll call you back.”

I hung up the phone and both Aiden and his mother had worried eyes on me.

“This is a disaster,” I said, rubbing my hands up and down my face.

“What’s up?” Aiden stepped closer to me, his hand coming to my back, offering support.

“Basically, we need a new venue and a bar to throw a party for a thousand people. Tomorrow.”

“Oh, man.” Aiden looked just as perplexed as I felt.

“This is a mess.” I walked to the dining table and slumped down in the seat. “Riley says she’s exhausted the list of backup options, but the guest list itself rules out a bunch of places. I’ve never had a problem with the Hilton, so it never even occurred to me to prepare for a backup venue.”

“Well, everything’s going to be all right. We just have to brainstorm,” Angelica said, taking the chair across the table from me.

Even though the two looked nothing alike, in that moment I could definitely tell Aiden was Angelica’s son. They shared the same compassionate expression and thoughtful, worrisome look. I was already in love with her son, but it would be easy to fall in love with Angelica too.

“What about the zoo?” Angelica offered with instant enthusiasm. “They have events there all the time, and I know they serve alcohol during them. I went to a concert there once and had some wine.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” I said thoughtfully. “Babe.” I turned to Aiden. “Can you get me my phone? I need to make a list.”

He was on his way to my purse in a nanosecond.

Ten minutes later, I called Riley back with a short, but hopeful list of options. Only three of the seven had Riley and the team not already investigated.

“Okay, I’m going to look into these options, and while I’m at it, Jasper is going to make some calls to see if there’s even a vendor in town who’s not busy tomorrow who can handle a crowd that size.”

“Sounds good,” I agreed. Then I made a decision. “Riley, I think you’re doing a great job, and there’s nothing you haven’t done or anything I would have done differently, but I’m going to come home and help handle this.”

Riley groaned. “I understand. I didn’t want that to happen, but this is bigger than just a little problem. I’d want to be here too if I were you and it were my business.”

“Once we leave the cabin, I won’t be reachable for a bit, but I’ll call you as soon as I have some more service. Just do your best, Riley. That’s all I ask.”

“Always,” she replied, not unkindly.

We hung up and I looked at Aiden.

“I’m sorry. I have to go back to Portland.”

“Of course you do,” he replied instantly, completely understanding. “We can be out of here in ten minutes if we hurry.”

“Five. You go. I’ll close up. Maybe stay the night and read a book.”

“You don’t mind, Mom?” Aiden asked.

“Of course not. I planned on staying overnight anyway. I know how to turn off the electricity and close everything up. You guys should leave. I hope everything works out.”

“Oh my gosh,” I said, getting up and walking to Angelica. “Thank you so much. I know it’s silly, but I really appreciate that you’d do that.”

The next five minutes were a flurry of activity and Aiden and I ran around like mad people packing the few things we’d brought with us. I got one glimpse of the hot tub as I hurried down the stairs, absolutely crushed that we wouldn’t get our opportunity to enjoy it while watching the sky darken.

“Next time,” Aiden whispered in my ear, coming up behind me.

“Okay,” I agreed with a small smile.

We hugged his mother goodbye, and she stood at the door waving at us as Aiden’s truck rumbled down the long gravel driveway. Once we were on the freeway, I couldn’t keep still, my leg bouncing uncontrollably.

“C’mere.” He hooked his big hand around my thigh and pulled me across the bench seat until I was right next to him. He didn’t let my leg go, but instead fit his hand even farther into the crease between both of them and left it there.

I didn’t mind.

In fact, I took the opportunity to lean my head against his bicep and take a few calming breaths.

“I know it seems out of control right now, but everything will work out.”

“I’ve never had to cancel an event, Aiden. Never. And I hate that the one time I decided to take a few days off, everything fell apart.”

“Babe,” he said in a tone that let me know he was a tad irritated by my statement. “This would have happened regardless of where you were. Your geographical location has no bearing on the sprinkler system inside the Hilton hotel.”

His comment made me laugh. In part because he was right, but also because the idea was ridiculous. But silly as it seemed, I still bore the brunt of the responsibility. If this event was a failure, that would be on me.

There wasn’t much else to say, nothing to do, as we drove back down the mountain, heading toward the city. So instead of worrying further, I let Aiden’s presence comfort me. Let his scent keep me calm, his strong body make me feel safe, and I thought about how—no matter what happened in the following twenty-four hours—I knew he’d still be there when it was over, offering the same unwavering support.