Chapter 24
CHAPTER 24
AARON
A WEEK LATER
I sat at the head of the table in the boardroom, as usual, ready for our weekly management meeting to start. My father insisted on joining, no surprise. Harrison was the last one to be seated, giving me a smile and a wink.
For the first time in my entire career, I wasn’t nervous before a presentation. In fact, I was eerily calm, which was ironic considering that the past week had been a whirlwind. I didn’t know if everything would suddenly click into place, or if my life would fall apart like a house of cards. There was only one way to find out.
“I have an announcement to make before we get started on the agenda,” I stated. “This is a personal update that I want to share with the team.”
“Personal?” my father snapped.
“Harrison, could you join me please?” I continued.
Harry got up and walked around the table to stand beside me, placing his left hand on my shoulder.
“I’m very happy to announce that yesterday, Harrison and I got married. I’ve never made my sexuality a secret, but I’ve also never come out formally. But it’s time. A press release regarding our nuptials is being issued as we speak. Given this news, I’ve made some changes. Harrison will now report directly to Gillian Ross,” I glanced at our head of marketing, who nodded in return. “We will continue to work diligently as we move forward on our path to revitalize our brand and expand our partnerships. And I hope that both Harrison and I have your continued support.”
There was shocked silence, until one VP after another stood up and came over to offer us congratulations. Everyone except my father.
“Is this a sick joke?” he bellowed.
Everyone in the room stopped to stare at him.
“I don’t take coming out as a joke,” I insisted. “Or my getting married.”
“Outside, Aaron! Now!” my father demanded, his face filled with rage.
“No,” I snapped. “This is my meeting. If you want to leave, then leave.”
My father did just that, storming out and slamming the door. He was probably already on his phone to the other board members. I didn’t care what they had to say, and Harrison was right. If they so much as hinted at removing me from my position, I’d be on the phone to my lawyers. In fact, I’d already discussed it with them in detail, before Harry and I applied for our marriage license.
“Alright then, let’s get on with this meeting so I can take a few days off and enjoy my honeymoon,” I quipped.
Thankfully, none of my VPs seemed fazed by my news. Only time would tell. Harrison gave my shoulder one last squeeze and headed back to his seat. Staring at my husband, and the gold ring on his finger, had me feeling all kinds of things I never expected.
An hour later, and despite Patrick’s best attempt to hold him off, my father battered his way into my office.
“Do you have an appointment?” I snarked. “My schedule’s packed today.”
“What kind of game are you playing at, Aaron? This marriage with Harrison is a sham. You hate his guts. You didn’t want to hire him in the first place. Now a month later, he’s your husband? I call bullshit!”
“Hated. Past tense. I was wrong about him,” I bit out. “And neither my job, nor my marriage, is a game.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Think very carefully, Winston. I’ve already spoken to my lawyers. If you attempt to fire me, I’ll sue you for discrimination. And that was the last management meeting you’re sitting in on. Go back to your board meetings and stop interfering with my running of the company. This is my one and only warning.”
“Or what?” my father scoffed.
“Or I’ll have you removed from the board.”
He sneered at me. “You ungrateful little bitch.”
“Get out of my office,” I hissed. “Before I have security remove you.”
I’d never been so angry in my life. Angry, and empowered at the same time. Fuck him. He could threaten me all he wanted. And even if he did succeed, I knew that there was life beyond this company. I didn’t know what or how, but Harrison was right. The company needed me more than I needed them.
“Marrying a man? You’re a disgrace to the family name,” he spat out.
“Maybe I should take Harrison’s?” I replied. “Aaron Ducker has a nice ring to you, don’t you think?”
My father huffed and made another dramatic exit, while I sat back in my chair and rolled my eyes. Good riddance.
“You can come out now!” I yelled.
Harrison stepped out of my bathroom and the smile on his face had my heart kickstarting.
“You showed him who’s boss around here,” Harrison replied as he stepped up to my desk and sat on the edge.
“I did, didn’t I?”
“Baby, it was epic. But one more insult and I’d have come out of that bathroom and punched him in the face.”
I stood up and pulled him into my arms. “While I appreciate the sentiment, and you acting caveman turns me on, I wouldn’t want you to do that. He’s not worth it.”
“No, he’s not.” Harry leaned in and kissed me soundly. “But you are.”
Harrison
It was nearing on six and I finally managed to get Aaron out of the damn office.
“I thought we were going back to my place?” Aaron asked as we stepped outside. “And this is not the way to the parking garage.”
I steered him down the street, heading west.
“We’re having dinner out first,” I admitted.
“Dinner? Where?”
“And don’t get mad—” I started.
“With you?” Aaron laughed and then grabbed my arm. “Harry, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. We’re just going to attend our…wedding reception.”
“Our what?” Aaron stopped short.
“Patrick helped me organize it. Morgan and Cole are hosting it at Fin. Shane’s coming, my sisters, some of our management team. Ollie and Rian flew down too. Oh, and my mother.”
“Your mother!”
Aaron squeezed my arm tighter, a panicked expression on his face.
“We’re married Aaron, didn’t you realize you’d meet my mother at some point?”
“But I’m not ready,” he mumbled and reached for his tie. “I have nothing to give her, and my suit’s rumpled and?—”
“You look gorgeous,” I reassured him. “And you don’t need to give my mom anything. She’s going to love you.”
Aaron’s worried gaze hit me right in the chest.
“This wasn’t part of our agreement, Harry.”
Our marriage contract was supposed to be just that. A temporary means for Aaron to get what he wanted, his father off his back, and in return, I got what I wanted. No, not money. Not for me. I wanted Aaron to create a college scholarship fund for LGBTQIA+ students. Aaron told me we didn’t need to get married for that to happen; he was ready to commit. I had a feeling he wasn’t just talking about the scholarship. This marriage was more than a contract, but neither of us was ready to admit it out loud.
“Consider it an amendment,” I countered and reached for him, kissing his concerns away.
“Your lips are a very effective bargaining tactic,” he whispered.
I smiled at him. “I know.”
We entered Fin ten minutes later, greeted by guests yelling ‘congratulations’ as they pelted us with rice and confetti.
“Isn’t this supposed to happen after we leave the reception?” Aaron chuckled as he swiped at his hair.
“Run with it,” I replied with a grin.
Inspired by the moment, I grabbed hold of my new husband, dipped him low, and kissed the fuck out of him. Hollers and whistles echoed around us, and I couldn’t help but smile against Aaron’s lips.
Was this the craziest thing I’d ever done? Marrying a man I barely knew and worked with? Yes, hell yes. Did I question my decision? No.
I kissed Aaron again, harder this time, and teased him with my tongue.
“Kissing can wait. My six-course dinner on the other hand, can’t!” my brother yelled out over the din.
I finally let Aaron up for air and gave my brother my best finger. “Wait until it’s your turn.”
Morgan shook his head. “No freaking way.”
My bestie, Cole, nudged Morgan with his arm. The two of them glared at each other before Cole turned back to me. Cole was several inches shorter, but no less imposing, than my brother. With a shaved head, dark green eyes, and plenty of tatts, my best friend always stood out in a crowd. I put my arm around Aaron and ushered him closer to my friend.
“Aaron, I want you to meet my best friend, Cole.”
“You’re brave marrying this guy,” Cole teased as he shook Aaron’s hand. “Then again, Harry knows how to convince people to do just about anything.”
“That he does,” Aaron replied. “Thank you for hosting us tonight.”
“It’s my and Morgan’s absolute pleasure.”
Aaron licked his lips nervously and glanced around the room. “Where’s your mom?”
“She’s helping out in the kitchen,” Cole replied with a grin. “And driving Morgan crazy.”
I looked over and sure enough, there was my mom, standing in the kitchen station, plating what I assumed was the first course. Like everyone in our family, she had thick black hair, styled in a bob, and of course, the Ducker dimples.
“Come on,” I urged Aaron.
Then I spotted my sister Hailey and Lily alongside her. No wonder Morgan looked frazzled. A chef’s kitchen was sacred and not to be tampered with. By anyone. Not even family.
“Mom!” I called out and she looked up, her smile as big as ever.
“Harry!” she called out, and stepped around the station to greet us, my sisters following. “I can’t believe my baby’s married!”
I felt Aaron stiffen beside me, and I pulled him in even closer to reassure him.
“Aaron, this is my mom, Elsie.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aaron,” my mom added and pulled us in for a group hug. “Harry called me this week and talked my ear off for almost two hours. Not that long conversations are unusual with him but all he talked about was you.”
Aaron’s cheeks flushed. “It’s very nice to meet you, Elsie. I didn’t realize it would happen today, or I would have been more prepared, and I?—”
“Nonsense,” my mom waved his concerns off. “You’re family now. And we’re not ones for formality. Let’s get you some champagne and get this party started.”
While my mom motioned for the bartender, I introduced Aaron to my sisters. They were a big fan of his company’s products and inundated him with question after question. Aaron was in his element and soon my husband (holy shit, Aaron was my husband) began to relax. Watching him interact with my family made me happy in a way I’d never expected.
Then Shane joined us, offering more hugs and congratulations.
Until Shane pulled me aside, the serious look on his face making me concerned.
“Aaron told me everything.”
Shit. I bit my lower lip. “It’s not what you think. I mean, it is, but it’s…more.”
Shane stared at me and finally nodded.
“I know. He didn’t say it, but he didn’t have to. Given his parents’ history, I figured Aaron wouldn’t ever marry. And I doubted that he might ever come out either. But I guess it’s true.”
“What?”
“The right person changes everything.”
I smiled at Shane and nodded.
“He does.”
Shane gripped my shoulder tight. “But, as his best friend, I need to warn you. I might live an ocean away, but I can still fly back and kick your ass if you hurt him.”
I let out a laugh. “That won’t be necessary. He’s in good hands.”
“I trust so.”
“Everything alright?”
I turned to find Aaron standing behind me, three glasses of champagne in hand.
“Everything’s amazing,” I replied.
“I just caught a glimpse of our wedding cake.” Aaron grinned as he handed out the glasses. “It’s the Millenium Falcon. How did you manage that?”
“The pastry chef made it special, as per my detailed instructions.”
“It’s the most elaborate cake I’ve ever seen in my life. At first, I thought it was a real model,” Aaron mused.
“Did you see the figures inside the cockpit?” Shane asked.
“No, I didn’t get to take a closer look. Morgan told me I had to wait until after dinner,” Aaron replied. “Why?”
“No reason,” Shane chuckled darkly.
“Harry, what did you do?”
Aaron gave me a haughty glare reminiscent of my interview and it got my blood beating fast and hot. I wondered if there was time for us to sneak off together before dinner…
“Nothing. Well, not really,” I replied. “Okay, I had the chef create two groom figures for the cake. And it’s possible that he may have misinterpreted what I wanted, and that I look like Hans Solo and you look like?—”
“Tell me you didn’t?—”
“—Princess Leia,” I grinned. “But don’t worry, you’re cute as fuck with those big hair buns.”
Aaron let out a frustrated growl. “Let’s cut the cake now, Harry, so I can shove your face in it.”
“Don’t talk to me like that, you know it gets me going,” I hissed, hoping like hell I wouldn’t get a boner in front of all our guests.
“And with that, I’m out,” Shane laughed and skirted around us, heading for the bar.
“There’s something else we forgot to discuss,” Aaron whispered and pulled me into his arms.
“Hit me with it, boss,” I teased.
“I’m serious. What about our living arrangements?”
Oh. Oh yes.
“Well, I assumed that I’d be moving in with you for the duration,” I admitted. “Are you okay with that?”
“Yes, more than okay,” Aaron replied and gave me a lingering kiss. “But given our volatile history, and how fast things are moving, aren’t you concerned?”
I shook my head.
“I’m not. I can’t explain it any other way except it feels right,” I confessed. “Besides, you have a couple of bedrooms, so there’s no worry.”
“Is that what you want? Your own bed?” he asked tentatively.
I cupped his face in my hands and ran my thumbs along his lips.
“Only if you’re in it.”