37. Commitment And Love
37
COMMITMENT AND LOVE
“ C an I admit I’ve never been to a New Year’s Eve party this big before?” Tori said the following week when Hyde came to get her from her office.
It was going to be one long day since they’d both worked and were going to the party right now. She would have loved to take the day off, but since she had less than two weeks before she started her new job, she really couldn’t.
He laughed. “For a second I thought you were going to say you haven’t been to a New Year’s Eve party before.”
“I’m not that much of a loser,” she said, bumping her hip into his. “And you look nice today.”
“Not much different than I always look,” he said. The blue Oxford shirt made his eyes almost sing a high note for everyone to look his way. “And just so you know, I’ve never been to a New Year’s Eve party this big either. This is my first one too.”
Which she should have realized. It’s not like Hyde lived here prior as an adult and he’d have no reason to attend the huge party the Fierces held each year, not working for the firm.
Employees and some tenants in the building were invited. Not all. That’d be way too big. It was mainly the people signing the leases, which meant her boss was invited and Molly had mentioned she might stop in later on.
There’d be all sorts of people from the other buildings here too and the co-owners of those buildings with the Fierces.
Tori knew she was going to feel overwhelmed but was just glad that she knew as many as she did and that Hyde was by her side and was an outgoing person too.
“But you’ve got pink stripes in your shirt and it looks awesome on you. Not many men wear pink or can even pull it off like you are.” They were thick stripes too so it could be considered half and half.
Everything made his eyes just pop. Those soul-snatching eyes of his that grabbed her and wouldn’t let go.
She refused to think of all the other women that had happened to because Hyde had shown nothing but his commitment and love to her.
When it came down to it, no matter how nervous she was about being in a relationship, she didn’t have much to complain about lately.
Even getting past the holidays with his family and not feeling so out of place had helped.
They’d accepted her into their lives better than her own family had.
“I look good in anything,” he said, then leaned in close to whisper in her ear, “or nothing at all.”
She felt the heat swirling in her body. The hum and the pulse of it. Her heart had never gotten as much of a workout as it had since she’d met Hyde with the way it jumped and fluttered.
“I will agree with that,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “And there is my bestie.”
“Let’s go say hi,” he said. “Not that I haven’t seen her on and off all day.”
She laughed and walked toward Raina, who was talking to Megan, who worked with Kara in the accounting department and was Raina’s sister-in-law, married to Raina’s oldest brother, Jonah. Roni just moved over too.
“Where are your brothers and husband?” she asked Raina.
“Cody is on his way. I left to bring Duke to my parents and kiss him for the night. Cody went home to shower and change and say night to Duke too. He should be here in thirty minutes,” Raina said.
“Trent is here,” Roni said. “He’s talking to someone, somewhere. He does that often.”
Tori smiled. She remembered a time when she thought Raina’s brothers hated her. They sure the hell looked it when they came down to get their sister and knock some heads together when they found out what happened to Raina.
Since then though, they were different people towards her.
Hadn’t everyone changed in their adult lives?
“Here comes my hubby lumbering across the floor,” Megan said. “Woozers, he’s a hottie.”
Megan had always been outgoing and outspoken and was fanning her face as she giggled.
Tori turned her head to see Jonah all but dominate the room in his presence. The dude was huge and in great shape, owning a gym and being a personal trainer.
“Hey, everyone,” Jonah said, putting his arm around his wife. “Hi, Tori. Long time no see.”
She reached up and hugged Jonah. “You too. You haven’t changed much.”
“You have,” Jonah said. “Do I have to intimidate your boyfriend here or is everything good? I’ve heard it’s good, but you know, need to hear it from the source.”
She got the warm fuzzies that Raina’s brother was trying to protect her. “It’s all good,” she said. “I can hold my own as he’ll tell you. Hyde Person, this is Jonah Davenport. We know you’ve heard of him, but haven’t met him by the sounds of it.”
Hyde shook Jonah’s hand. “No,” he said. “Not yet, but Megan likes to run around bragging about you.”
Jonah rolled his eyes. “She’s like that.”
“Hey,” Megan said. “Can I help it if I’ve got a hot husband? Tori knows what it’s like now to have a smoking significant other, right? Everyone talks about Hyde’s looks in the office.”
“Shhh,” Hyde said. “Don’t get me in trouble. I can’t help the genes given to me.”
Tori lifted her eyebrow. “Oh really? My best friend failed to mention that.”
Raina leaned into her. “Nothing to say or worry about. It’s a joke that Hyde can stop traffic with his looks just by walking on the street. Doesn’t mean anyone is after him. They know he’s taken.”
“That’s right,” he said, slipping his arm around Tori. “Everyone knows I’ve got a woman of my own and she has me lassoed in tight.”
She wasn’t sure she liked hearing that. It made her sound controlling, which she’d never been, but since there were so many smiling faces, she was going with it as a joke.
“Did my wife tell you she’s not drinking tonight?” Jonah asked. “No one bring her a glass.”
Her eyes went a little wide and she turned to look at Megan who was grinning. Roni and Raina didn’t seem surprised so the family must have known what was going on.
“Are you pregnant?” she whispered.
“I am,” Megan said, jumping up and down. “We told the family last week at Christmas. I was going to let the Fierces know tonight. I wanted to tell Diane and Carolyn in person. You know, they had a big hand in this.”
“Don’t remind me,” Jonah said.
“Well,” Megan said. “I went after you on my own, but they were there encouraging me to keep going back when you weren’t showing much of a sign of wanting what I had to offer.”
Tori burst out laughing at the way Megan slid her hand down her hip.
“Is Megan trying to seduce my brother in front of everyone again?” Trent asked, moving over. “Hey, Tori. Give me a hug.”
She hugged Raina’s other brother. “Megan is sharing the Fierces’ part in her hidden baby bump. Trent, this is my boyfriend, Hyde Person. Hyde, Trent Davenport.”
“Nice to meet you,” Hyde said.
“The same. I’ve heard good things about you. Hope it continues,” Trent said. “If the Fierces have any hand in this, which we know they do, then there is no reason for me to give you shit. Jonah would have already done it and Raina likes you, so that helps.”
There went her heart off to the races again. “You two are just so sweet. Thank you.”
“You’re part of the family,” Raina said.
“A family that is now expanding,” Megan said. “Oh, there is Carolyn and I need to share the news. Raina will let you know the details. Let’s go, hubby.”
Megan took off, pulling Jonah along.
“Okay,” she said to Raina. “Details.”
“She’s due early June,” Raina said. “So just out of the first trimester. And she told us on Christmas morning. As you can tell, she’s looking and feeling great. Now we are just waiting for Roni to add to the clan and give Eli a sibling.”
She looked at Roni. She knew Roni had a child from a previous relationship and there was split custody. Which Raina had told her Trent hated, but nothing he could do about it since it wasn’t his child, but he’d taken Eli in as his.
“Oh boy,” Roni said, laughing. “We need to get out of here. We are going to get enough of those comments tonight from other people.”
“I’m trying hard,” Trent said sheepishly. “My body can only do so much.”
“Let’s go,” Roni said, giggling and pulling her husband along too.
“Are you ready to get bombarded tonight?” Raina asked her.
“Why?” she asked. “Everyone knows we are dating.”
“They do,” Hyde said. “But they’ve been talking about it all week to me too.”
“You haven’t said a word about it. Why?”
“Maybe I didn’t want you to change your mind about coming and then I’d have even more explaining to do. Didn’t want them to think I got in trouble.”
Tori held her frown in place. She had to make sure she didn’t react negatively all the time when he joked, but she hated that so many knew about how their relationship started out and she hoped they didn’t think she was some kind of a bitch.
“Not in trouble and I wouldn’t have changed my mind. What is everyone saying and who?”
“Don’t worry,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. “It’s nothing more than everyone that has been in our shoes before in the office just saying that the elder Fierces are going to double down on being nosy tonight. It’s their thing. I don’t say much in the office and it drives them insane.”
“Oh,” she said. “Okay. Not a biggie. I can handle it. I know what Raina went through and have heard the same about others through her.”
“See,” he said. “Not a big deal.”
Hours later, it wasn’t a big deal, but it was tiring.
Who would have thought the sheer number of people at this party that had been set up? And not even all of them were here because they didn’t work with or for Fierce, but were just friends with the kids.
Not everyone stayed long, but just stopped in and Tori was getting tired herself.
It was eleven and she’d been up since six, working at eight, and then came right to this party and had been mingling and eating since five. One more hour and they could pass out in bed.
She’d had one glass of wine two hours ago and then switched to water or soda because she was more fearful she was going to fall asleep if she drank more.
Even Hyde was only on his second beer that she could see and he’d just gotten that.
“I can’t believe how long of a day it’s been,” she said when Hyde came back to her side. He’d been talking to Drake while she kind of stood next to him. She was fine with that as even her voice hurt with all the talking she’d done today. Had to be loud with all the people too.
“I know,” he said. “We can leave at any point. We don’t have to stay to the end. Not everyone does.”
“I noticed that,” she said. There were a few with young children that went home to them in the past hour.
She thought Raina and Cody would have, but they said with Duke spending the night at Raina’s parents, it was nice to have the night to themselves and not worry.
“Do you want to leave?” he asked.
“No,” she said. “You finish your beer. It’s not like we’ve got plans tomorrow. We can sleep in. I’m going to get another soda though. Maybe the caffeine will wake me up.”
He leaned in to kiss her. “Give you some energy for when we get home. But I’m okay with doing all the work. You like it that way.”
She felt the heat hit her face. “Stop trying to embarrass me.”
“You don’t embarrass easily,” he said, winking, his hand trailing down her arm as she smiled and walked away.
“Now is our chance, Carolyn,” Diane said. “Looks like Tori is alone.”
“Let’s go,” Carolyn said.
The two of them had been watching Tori and Hyde all night but hadn’t had a chance to make their move without someone pulling one of them away or getting Tori away from them.
“Mom,” Ryder said to her. “Where are you going?”
“Later, Ryder,” she said. She was finally onto everyone. They were purposely keeping her and Carolyn away from Tori.
Ryder shrugged and mumbled he tried and she wasn’t even going to be offended over that.
“Tori,” Carolyn said. “How are you doing?”
“Great,” Tori said. “What a wonderful party. I can’t imagine the amount of work this takes.”
“It’s a lot,” Diane said. “But Carolyn and I have been doing this for years. We’ve got some help now.”
Payton did all the food and desserts. Jade and Kara would come down from work and help set things up too. Even Megan and Raina helped this year too.
“That’s nice,” Tori said.
“Speaking of nice,” Carolyn said. “You and Hyde look nice today. Almost like a perfect couple.”
Tori laughed. “I’m not so sure there is such a thing as a perfect couple.”
“Never,” she said. “But we all like to think it. No one is perfect and never will be. It’s how you work through those imperfect times that matter.”
“And as I’m sure you both know, Hyde and I have had a lot of those imperfect times.”
“Nonsense,” Carolyn said. “We all have been there. Ryder and Marissa butted heads a lot. I mean, no one else can say they didn’t talk for nine years, right? Look at how well they get along now.”
Tori frowned. “Guess I never thought of it that way.”
“And Elise and Gabe,” she said. “Have you heard about those two? They couldn’t even be in the same building, let alone the same room, for years. I mean years . And if they were, everyone kind of stood back so they weren’t burned by the sparks flying. They were tense ones back then, now they are love ones.”
“I don’t think I knew that,” Tori said. “But I know you set them up.”
“We like doing things like that,” Carolyn said. “No harm in it.”
“No,” she said. “No harm. Everyone has their own set of boundaries, so it’s following those lines.”
She looked at Carolyn and the three of them laughed. “Heard loud and clear.”
They watched Tori return to Hyde.
“She’s a tough one to crack,” Carolyn said.
“She is,” she said. “Which makes her perfect for Hyde.”
“How is that?” Carolyn asked.
“Because he needs someone in his life who doesn’t always fall for his looks and charm.”
“From what we’ve heard, that might be the thing that could have caused the most problems with them,” Carolyn said.
“That and him putting his foot in his mouth,” she said, laughing. “He did that as a kid too.”
“Tori seems pretty flexible when it comes to Hyde too. This one has been interesting to at least watch from a distance.”
“That seems like the only thing we’ve been able to do,” Diane said.