Page 30 of The Billionaire's Wife

I kneel on the floor, grabbing his wiggling body into a hug and letting my tears dissolve in his fur.

Chapter 18

Alec

“Sounds great, Marcus,” Asher says, leaning over the phone. “I’ll have my assistant touch base with yours to finalize the contracts.”

“Sounds good, boys,” Marcus’s voice says from the speaker phone.

Aiden and I say our goodbyes, and Asher hangs up the phone, letting his excitement explode with a punch to the air. “Hell, yeah!” he says.

The three of us take turns high-fiving and practically jumping for joy.

“I can’t believe it,” Aiden says with a shake of his head, a stupid grin on his face. “We did it!”

“We did it,” I repeat, pulling him in for a hug.

“I have to call Olivia,” Asher says, picking up his phone. “She’s gonna be so excited.” He dials her number and puts his phone to his ear, heading out of the office.

Aiden and I remain, still grinning at each other like kids. “Man, did you ever think our company would come to something like this?” he asks me.

I shake my head, laughing. “Never.”

Aiden pulls out his phone, obviously texting someone. “Who you texting?” I ask.

“Lilly,” he answers without looking up. “Want to share the good news.”

I smile, but I can’t help the small tug at my heart knowing that there isn’t anyone I want to share the good news with. It’s that same tug I’d felt when Asher and Olivia had announced her pregnancy on the boat. Not jealousy, per se. I mean, I’m elated for them both. And I get to be an uncle. That part hasn’t really sunk in yet. But at thirty-seven, shouldn’t I be on my way toward that as well? I’m not necessarily ready for a kid, but shouldn’t I at least know who I’d be having kids with? Will I ever have that? A family? A wife and kids? It never really seemed important to me until right now.

I suddenly notice that a long pause has amassed between Aiden and I. He’s looking at me funny. “How’s Ella?” he asks.

I frown. “Fine, I assume,” I answer. “I sent her the money yesterday.”

Aiden snorts. “Not what I meant.”

I raise an eyebrow. “What did you mean?”

Aiden shakes his head. “You haven’t seen her since the trip?”

It’s only been a few days. While she came by to walk Betty yesterday, I was at work. In fact, I made sure I was at work, but I’m not going to tell Aiden that. “Why would we talk?”

Aiden makes a face at me. “You’re not serious.”

I make a face right back at him.

“Come on, man. You are the most obtuse guy I know.”

“Aiden, just say what you wanna say,” I snap, suddenly growing irritated by this conversation. Although why, I’m not sure. Aiden’s teasing has never truly bothered me before.

“Why aren’t you dating her?” he asks me.

“Dating?” I repeat. “I hired her for a job, and she did that job.”

“And you spent the entire trip making goo-goo eyes at her. And she made goo-goo eyes back, by the way.”

“Doesn’t mean we should date.”

“Why not?”

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