Terms of Agreement

11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Aiden

I was barely paying attention to the team’s updates. Instead, I stared at the screen in my hands, willing Charlotte to text back. The memory of her speedy getaway was enough to bring a smile to my face, one that I’d had to cover with my hand to avoid letting Alfie and the team catch on to how distracted I really was. There was very little about this current debrief that was smile-worthy.

Come on, Cupcake. Reply.

It wasn’t that I wanted to talk to her, I didn’t. But she’d asked for time to think over my proposal and yesterday, before she’d run out on me, she’d said she had. What she hadn’t said was whether she’d do it.

And I needed to know.

Blowing out a frustrated breath, I set my phone beside my keyboard and forced my focus back to the matter at hand.

Alfie had only just wrapped up when my home-screen flashed with an incoming notification. Thanking the team for their time and promising drinks after work tomorrow, I exited the call and picked up my phone.

Cupcake:

Who is this?

I frowned at the screen as I punched in my reply.

Me:

Do you flee from most people you meet in grocery stores?

Cupcake:

Aiden? How did you get my number?

Me:

Ms Au.

The little busybody had been only too happy to pass on the number of the leng lui . She hadn’t even asked why I’d needed it, only smirked with smug satisfaction. I watched as three little dots appeared at the bottom of the text thread and waited for her reply. They vanished only to reappear a minute later.

Cupcake:

Oh.

That’s it? What kind of answer was that? I frowned, pushing away from my desk and heading for the sofa.

Me:

So… you’ve thought about it?

Cupcake:

Yes.

I bit down on a smile, strangely unannoyed by her unhelpful replies. The memory of her panic-filled expression teased the corners of my mind, and I wondered what expression she was wearing now.

Me:

And?

Cupcake:

And it’s not an equal exchange.

What the hell was she talking about? An equal exchange?

Me:

What?

Cupcake:

It’s not an equal exchange. A wedding is a whole day event. You were only at my place for a couple of hours.

I frowned, scrubbing a hand over my face as irritation steadily smothered my good mood.

Me:

I didn’t know IOUs were conditional.

Cupcake:

It’s in the fine print.

I choked out a laugh, shaking my head as I grinned at my screen. I didn’t know her well—didn’t know her at all, really, but I should have learned by now that Charlotte Hall was full of surprises. And that alone was enough for me to want to see this through.

Me:

Oscar would have died without me.

Those three little dots appeared and disappeared a couple of times before I got her next reply.

Cupcake:

I’d be lying to everyone. That makes this a bigger deal.

Me:

A bigger deal than your cat’s life?

Cupcake:

Can we leave Oscar out of this?

Me:

Fine.

What do you want in exchange?

Cupcake:

I have to go. I have a call. We can meet up over the weekend to discuss?

Realistically, I’d known we’d need to meet in person—that it wouldn’t work to just show up at the wedding with Charlotte on my arm. But the idea of spending any more time with Charlotte than was strictly necessary caused my bravado to dry up, my heart to race, and my stomach to twist with unease. My fingers were frozen above the screen when her next text came through.

Cupcake:

If you agree to this we should meet. I’m sure we’d both like to discuss terms.

I took a deep breath and then forced the air from my lungs as I smashed out a response.

Me:

Your place or mine?

There. Done.

Cupcake:

Neither.

Somewhere neutral.

I slouched into the sofa, pinching the bridge of my nose. Why was she making this so complicated?

Cupcake:

A coffee shop, maybe?

Me:

Our Place.

Cupcake:

I’m sorry?

I sighed. I was going to kill Louise. Her and her stupid coffee shop. Opening my Maps, I shared the location.

Me:

Saturday. 11am.

Cupcake:

Okay.

Me:

Okay.