157
She stood by the mirror, smoothing her shirt and fixing the chain around her neck, her reflection catching the low amber light from the living room.
The faint thump of soft RB filtered through the apartment — a playlist perfectly curated for laughter, wine, and the kind of memories that would linger long after the night ended.
Behind her, Ericka was still in the bedroom, the sound of hangers sliding in the closet mixing with the low hum of conversation coming from Amanda's phone — the group chat lighting up nonstop.
Leah: ETA 10 minutes!
Do we bring anything?
Amanda: Just your energy and maybe an appetite.
Carter: Say less.
I've been hungry all day.
Jamie: I'm bringing the good wine.
Don't let boss lady judge my pour.
Maria: Already in the car.
Don't start without me.
Leah: Oh we're definitely doing shots the second we walk in.
Amanda laughed softly, shaking her head. "Of course you are."
She gave the living room one last look and she couldn't help but feel proud.
Everything was perfect. The playlist pulsed low in the background a mix of SZA, H.E.R.
, and smooth classics that made the whole place feel alive but intimate.
The table was layered with snacks, neatly arranged boards, sparkling drinks on ice, and a little handmade card she'd put near the bar that read 'Game Night Champions — Losers Do Shots. '
The couch was draped with a soft throw blanket, fairy lights glowing faintly along the shelves, and the scent of vanilla and citrus candle wax hung in the air. It felt like home not the sterile kind of space most CEOs had, but something real, warm, and lived-in.
The doorbell rang.
Amanda chuckled and grabbed her wineglass. "Showtime."
When she opened the door, the sound of voices and laughter flooded in immediately. Leah was the first through, carrying a large paper bag of snacks.
"Okay, wait a minute," she said, stopping dead in the entryway. "You weren't kidding this looks amazing."
Jamie stepped in behind her, eyes sweeping across the room the candles flickering, the low lights, the perfectly arranged snack boards. "You guys have ambiance. Like, this could be a lifestyle magazine shoot."
Carter whistled. "I see pizza, I see sliders, I see a stocked bar yeah, I'm officially moving in."
Amanda grinned, hands on her hips. "You'd have to file a roommate request with HR first. Might take six to eight business days."
The group burst into laughter.
Leah nudged Carter. "We need to convince boss lady to let us come over more often."
Amanda poured a round of shots, passing them out one by one. "Convincing her requires bribes, and possibly flattery."
Jamie smirked. "You mean like, 'Ericka, you're the best CEO we've ever had, and this charcuterie board changed my life?'"
"That might work," Amanda said, laughing. "But let's save it until she's out here."
"Speaking of," Maria asked, glancing around. "Where is the boss lady?"
Amanda smiled slyly. "She'll be out in a second. You'll know when she arrives."
"Everyone ready for the first shot?" Carter said, raising his glass.
"Ready!" the group cheered.
Amanda lifted hers. "To surviving deadlines, loving what we do, and not talking about work tonight."
They clinked glasses and downed the shots in perfect sync laughter and coughing echoing through the room.
Just as the noise settled, the soft click of heels echoed from the hallway.
The chatter died instantly.
Ericka rounded the corner in a deep red fitted dress, her hair down in soft waves that caught the low light. She looked radiant the kind of beauty that quieted a room without trying.
For a beat, nobody spoke. Then Leah whispered, "Oh. My. God."
Carter dropped his empty shot glass on the counter. "Boss lady's serving power tonight."
Jamie nodded, grinning. "Okay, game night just became fashion night."
Ericka laughed lightly, cheeks warming. "If I'd known, I would've brought a trophy."
Amanda handed her a glass of wine with a grin. "You already won."
Ericka took it, brushing her fingers over Amanda's briefly. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Ms. Parker."
"Noted," Amanda said with a wink.
Ericka's gaze softened as she reached her. For a second, the room disappeared the music, the chatter, even the candlelight blurred.
Without hesitation, Ericka cupped Amanda's cheek and kissed her.
It wasn't rushed or uncertain. It was slow, deliberate a kiss that spoke of comfort, love, and ownership all at once. When she pulled back, her voice was soft but certain.
"I missed you."
Amanda's arm slid around her waist, her voice warm, low, and tender. "I missed you too, baby."
Every jaw in the room dropped.
Leah clapped a hand over her mouth. "Did that just happen?"
Jamie whispered, "I knew it. I knew it."
Maria pointed between them, eyes wide. "Are we are we supposed to act normal?"
Carter grinned. "I don't even care. That was iconic."
Amanda turned to them, her arm still comfortably draped around Ericka's waist. "Alright, everyone breathe. It's still game night. Let's not act like you didn't already know."
That broke the silence laughter exploded again, and cheers filled the room.
Leah raised her empty glass. "To boss lady and Ms. Parker finally making it official!"
Ericka rolled her eyes but smiled, one hand resting over her small bump unconsciously. "You're all impossible."
Amanda brushed a soft kiss against her temple. "Yeah, but they're our kind of impossible."
Jamie pointed dramatically. "You two just set the bar for every office relationship in history."
Maria chimed in, laughing. "No one's topping this energy."
The group scattered to grab snacks and refill their glasses while the music rose again. The lights glowed softer, laughter spilled louder, and the tension that had once existed between what was private and what was public dissolved completely.
For the first time in a long time, Ericka didn't care who was watching.
She leaned into Amanda's side, whispering, "You realize I'm never living this down on Monday."
Amanda smiled, rubbing her back. "Good. Now they know what I've known all along."
Ericka tilted her head up, eyes gleaming with affection. "And what's that?"
"That you're mine," Amanda murmured.
Ericka laughed quietly, the sound mixing perfectly with the hum of the night. "And don't you forget it."
Laughter filled the apartment again, soft and chaotic in the best way. The team scattered toward the bar and snack boards, trading jokes and refilling glasses as the music shifted to something with a heavier beat a song that pulsed through the dim lights and carried the buzz of celebration.
Amanda leaned against the counter, her arm still comfortably looped around Ericka's waist, the two of them sharing small glances and quiet smiles as the group got louder by the minute.
Carter poured another round of tequila, lining up the shot glasses with exaggerated precision. "Alright," he declared, "round two for the brave or the foolish."
Leah laughed, already reaching for her glass. "Those are the same thing."
Amanda grinned. "I'll take one." She took the nearest glass, tilting it toward the light. "To team Mathews Co. somehow surviving another quarter."
"Cheers!" everyone shouted, clinking their glasses and knocking the shots back in unison.
Jamie coughed, shaking his head. "Why do I always forget how strong this is?"
"Because you never learn," Maria teased.
Amanda laughed, grabbing a wedge of lime. "That's the spirit."
She looked over at Ericka, who was standing beside her, swirling the bubbles in her glass of sparkling cider. The golden fizz caught the light, glinting against her red dress.
Leah noticed and blinked. "Wait a second, boss lady is that cider? Not wine?"
Ericka's lips curved into a smooth, knowing smile. "Guilty."
Jamie gasped, mock-offended. "You're not drinking with us?"
Ericka chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Not tonight. Someone has to stay composed while you all start spilling secrets and regretting life choices."
Maria smirked. "So the real reason is you're scared we'll get to see you tipsy."
"Exactly," Ericka said, raising her glass of sparkling cider like a toast. "If you ever saw me drunk, I'd never live it down. Can't risk the blackmail material."
That got a chorus of laughter from everyone.
Carter grinned. "She's right. I'd have screenshots, videos, quotes the whole archive."
Ericka rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "And that's precisely why I'm not giving you the chance."
Amanda leaned closer, her voice playful and low. "Smart woman."
Ericka gave her a side glance, her tone teasing. "You're the reason I need to keep my composure in the first place."
Amanda grinned. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Leah clinked her shot glass against Ericka's cider. "To the boss who's classy and smart enough to dodge hangovers."
"Cheers," Ericka said, her smile lighting up the room.
They all drank the others wincing and laughing while Ericka took a calm sip of her cider, unfazed.
Jamie pointed at Amanda after his third shot. "Okay, but real talk you two look disgustingly good together. Like, this is unfair."
Maria nodded in agreement. "They walked out of a magazine cover, and we're just... background characters."
Amanda laughed, grabbing a piece of fruit from one of the boards. "We're just normal people, I promise."
Leah arched a brow. "Normal people don't look like that or host game nights like this. You two are basically setting the standard for romance and interior design."
Ericka chuckled, taking a seat at the edge of the couch. "You're all impossible. But... thank you."
"Don't thank us yet," Carter warned, shuffling the cards on the table. "We haven't even started the games. I'm aiming to expose everyone's deepest, darkest truths before the night ends."
Amanda raised a brow, smirking. "So, a normal Friday night then?"
Laughter erupted again as everyone found seats, drinks in hand. The shot glasses gleamed, the music swelled, and the night stretched ahead warm, mischievous, and easy.
Ericka leaned back into the couch, watching Amanda laugh and joke with the team, her eyes soft and proud. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed this the noise, the camaraderie, the rare moment of being surrounded by people who felt like family.
Amanda caught her gaze across the room, her smile gentle but knowing the kind of smile that said, I've got you.
And as the first card was drawn and the next round of laughter began, Ericka lifted her glass again, the sparkling cider catching the light like champagne.
To her, it tasted like peace.