Page 110 of More Than Words

“Glad to know I’m a better supervisor than Chip. Not that it sets the bar that high. Anyway, I’ll see the two of you at the office on Monday. I’m planning to take off after the speeches are over.”

Sloane walked away, and I turned in Adrian’s arms, grasping the plackets on his suit jacket as I looked up at him. Since I’d given up on high heels, our height difference was even more pronounced lately.

“You could have told me.”

He smiled, leaning down to kiss my nose, pulling me closer with a hand on the center of my back. “It was the same week we found out you were pregnant. You were freaked out enough and I honestly never even considered it. I’m right where I want to be.”

“I love you,” I whispered.

He murmured the affectionate words back and his hand slid down my back to grab my ass, tucking his face into my neck. “Maybe your idea of disappearing was a good one.”

Before I could agree and convince him to play hooky, a low voice from beside us sent a chill up my spine.

“Isobel, is that you?”

Adrian pulled back, tilting his head and glancing at the man standing a few feet away before giving me a questioning look.

“Oh, uh... I didn’t know you were back in Boston,” I stuttered as Adrian shifted to stand beside me, wrapping a protective arm around my back. My ex still worked for a local magazine, but he’d gone remote when he’d relocated to Colorado. Too bad he and his new family didn’t stay there.

“Yeah, we moved back a few weeks ago. Trina’s residency was over in Denver, and she got hired to take over pediatrics at a clinic near Cambridge.”

“That’s...” I wracked my brain, trying to recall if I knew his yoga instructor was a physician.

“She’s at home with the baby right now. Lei told me you knew about the adoption and everything.” I hated he was using my best friend to keep tabs on me.

“She did. That’s great. Happy for you two.”

He nodded, the conversation stalling. Adrian squeezed my waist and extended his hand toward Grant. “Adrian O’Neill. I’m Isobel’s fiancé.”

My eyes widened as he claimed me with a title we’d never discussed, but as Grant’s face fell, I didn’t bother to correct him. “I didn’t know you were involved with anyone.”

“Well, neither of us felt the need to notify people who are firmly in our past. It’s kind of tacky to broadcast that stuff all over social media. The only people who need to know about the important milestones of our lives are still actively involved in it.” Adrian’s wrist flexed, clearly squeezing hard before letting go of Grant’s hand. “How do you know Is? The only ex she’s told me about is her ex-husband. But he was an ass who threw away this stunning creature, so... can’t say I’m sorry he’s out of the picture.”

“I’m the ass,” Grant replied sheepishly. “Sounds like Isobel has told you some stories about me. But you know there are two sides to every relationship and she…”

Adrian held up his hand, stopping Grant before he said anything else. “I’m gonna stop you right there. The only other thing either of us needs to say to you is thank you. If you hadn’t been incapable of behaving like a real man, we wouldn’t be welcoming this baby in three months.”

“Is, can we...?”

“No,” I interrupted, reaching down to clasp Adrian’s hand. He squeezed it back, letting me finally get closure with my past. “I would say it was nice catching up with you, Grant. But I can’t because you’re still as much of a selfish asshole as you were over a decade ago. I’m sorry I ever tied my self-worth to how you treated me, but I’ve found someone who understands what it’s like to be a partner. I’m not interested in investing any of my time into worrying about what people with the emotional maturity of a gnat think of me.”

Grant’s eyes widened as I took a breath and prepared to really give him a piece of my mind. Adrian could tell I was about to lose my shit and wrapped his arm around me, laying the final blow. “See ya later, cunt... I mean Grant.”

Adrian pulled me to his side, steering me toward the exit of the restaurant, my heart beating out of my chest as I realized what I’d just said.

“Oh my God,” I gasped. Adrian grabbed our coats from the coat check and helped me into mine before he tugged me out the door. “What did I just...”

But Adrian stopped me, pulling me around the corner and backing me into the bricks on the side of the building.

His mouth covered mine, and he kissed me desperately, thrusting his tongue into my mouth while his hands grabbed my ass and pulled me tightly against him.

“You stood up for yourself, and you were fucking amazing,” he panted against my lips when we separated. “I fuckin’ love you, babe.”

“But...”

“Nope.” He shook his head, reaching up to push my hair behind my ear. “No second guessing putting that asshat in his place. He was your past, but he’s never going to be a part of our future.”

“I love you,” I whispered, leaning into his warm embrace.

---