Chapter 12
Aaron
We hadn't brought up work a single time.
For the last three hours, we had been so engulfed in each other's presence, laughing, talking, and enjoying the live acoustic music drifting down from the loft, that the looming Jolt Noir presentation hadn't even crossed my mind.
The multi-million-dollar pitch was tomorrow morning at eight sharp, but for the first time in my career, a part of me didn't feel the need to worry.
My rigid rule book had vanished under the spell of her hazel eyes.
"I'll be back in just a sec," Pepper said softly, sliding her chair back to head toward the restroom.
The second she disappeared around the corner of the metal spiral staircase, I pulled out my phone. I opened the group chat with Jalen and Cal, my thumbs flying across the keyboard as I sent a single emoji—the one with X's for eyes.
Jalen's response popped up almost instantly: Bro, Cal told me what's going on. Hang in there.
Just have some fun for once, Cal followed up a second later, practically mocking me through the screen.
I shook my head, a helpless smile tugging at my lips, and tucked my phone away just as she returned to our table.
"I'm a little tipsy," she confessed with a small, breathless laugh as she settled into her chair. "That espresso martini is seriously strong."
"I warned you about the bourbon," I teased, leaning my elbows on the dark wood, watching the way the dim candlelight caught the freckles on her face.
The late-night crowd was starting to pile into Leo's, the ambient chatter growing louder around us. Looking at her, I decided to go against my better judgment. I didn't want to share her with a crowded room.
"Hey... you want to go for a walk?" I asked, my voice dropping into a low, private register.
Pepper smiled, her eyes shimmering. "I would."
My heart did a violent, happy flutter against my ribs. I wanted to be alone with her. I didn't want the night to end, and even though we hadn't gotten an ounce of actual work done, a quiet voice in the back of my mind whispered that maybe this had been my subconscious plan all along.
I paid the tab and stepped out of the lounge, the damp, warm evening air hitting us instantly.
We were both a little buzzed from the drinks, our shoulders occasionally brushing as we walked up the lit street.
Local vendors were scattered along the curb, and the heavy wooden doors of nearby pubs stood open, welcoming patrons.
When we turned down the next block, the chaotic energy of the nightlife melted away into serenity. Row after row of historic brownstones lined the streets, shaded by towering trees.
Pepper looked around the quiet neighborhood, then turned her face up to meet my gaze. "Where did you grow up, Aaron?"
The sudden curiosity caught me off guard, but I didn't mind it. Not with her.
"Detroit," I said, my voice cutting through the quiet air.
"Oooo, the mitten!" she joked, a bright grin splitting across her face. "Seven Mile, better mile!"
I burst out laughing, amused. "What do you know about Seven Mile, Red?"
"I actually have family there," she said proudly, swaying her hips as we walked. "I visited my uncle a lot when I was a kid. I haven't been back in a while, though."
"That's dope," I smiled, a wave of nostalgia hitting me. "Yeah... I love my city. But I had to get out."
"I can understand that," Pepper said softly, her eyes searching my profile. "Is your family still there?"
The question hit me like a physical blow, and a familiar, heavy pang of grief washed over my chest before I could stop it. I looked down at the pavement, the shadow of my past creeping into the warm night.
"Uh... nah," I murmured, my throat tightening. "My dad died when I was a kid. And my mom passed away my senior year of high school."
An unbearable stillness filled the space between us. I heard Pepper breathe out a painful, deeply empathetic sigh, her footsteps slowing until we both came to a stop under the amber glow of a streetlamp.
"I am so sorry, Aaron," she whispered, her voice tight with emotion.
"It's okay," I said, forcing a small smile. "It made me stronger."
I could see the realization hitting her eyes, the pieces finally clicking as she understood why I clung to structure and control. I didn't have a safety net. I never did.
"I played college ball," I continued, wanting to lift the mood. "That’s where I met Cal and Jalen. But football wasn't my passion. It wasn't until Cal and I started messing around with videos and editing podcast segments that I grew an interest in film."
Pepper looked up at me, her face framed by red curls under the lamplight. Her expression was soft, shining with a profound respect that made my chest ache.
"You called me brave back at the park," she said, stepping into my space until I could feel the heat off her skin. "But you have no idea how tough you have to be to survive without family. And to become this successful? Aaron, I admire you."
I froze. Nobody had ever said that to me before. They saw the success, but never the survival.
"I appreciate that, Pepper," I whispered, defenseless against the live wire standing before me.
As we circled back toward the parking lot, a booming voice echoed from the open doors of a lively pub. A guy stood out front with a bullhorn, shouting to the street, "Winner takes a hundred dollars!"
The sound made Pepper spark. She didn't even know the game; all she heard was the word winner. I let out a helpless laugh as she grabbed my hand, dragging me straight into the crowded bar.
The announcer shouted to the room, "We have a lady who thinks she can down ten shots in under twenty seconds for a hundred bucks!"
Pepper looked back at me with a wicked laugh. "Please. Free money."
I glanced at the heavy row of glasses. "Pepper, that’s a lot of liquor. You sure?"
"Easy money!" she yelled over the music.
Before I could stop her, she snatched the bullhorn and shouted into the mic, "Bring it on!"
The crowd erupted as the bartender lined up ten shots on the counter. I winced at the thought of tomorrow's hangover, but she was impossible to tame. I tucked her mini clutch under my arm, stepping back as she braced herself.
"In three, two, one... GO!"
And just like that, Pepper went to work.
She slammed back the first glass without a flinch, her throat swallowing the liquor like an absolute pro.
Down went the second, then the third, her rhythm flawless as she averaged a second and a half per glass.
The rowdy crowd caught the energy, shouting the countdown in a booming chorus that shook the sticky counter.
By the time she threw back the tenth shot, slamming the glass down so hard it nearly shattered, she had cleared the bar in a ridiculous thirteen seconds flat.
She grabbed the bullhorn from the stunned announcer, tossed her hands in the air, and let out a victorious, "Woooo!"
I burst out laughing, clapping along as her mini clutch sat ridiculous and tiny tucked under my arm.
She was completely crazy—a pure live wire—and I loved every single bit of it.
But watching her face flush from the heavy liquor, a sudden wave of solidarity hit me.
I didn't want her navigating the upcoming intoxication alone.
I stepped up to the sticky wood, catching the bartender’s eye. "Give me ten."
Pepper’s eyebrows shot straight up, her hazel eyes wide with sudden panic. "Oh, noooo, Aaron! Don't do it! Protect your liver!"
"Hey, I can't have you being drunk by yourself," I said, a dangerous smirk spreading across my lips.
I braced my hands flat against the bar, took a breath, and started throwing them back. One by one, the burning alcohol slid down my throat, clearing the entire row in a neat, unbroken sequence. Pepper watched in total disbelief, a stunned, breathless smile overtaking her face.
"You are so bad," she breathed, shaking her head as the crowd erupted into cheers for a second time.
"And you are a terrible influence," I laughed, an instant, heavy buzz already blooming in my chest.
From that point on, the night dissolved into a blur of pure chaos.
The rigid corporate world and the Jolt Noir brief vanished.
We spent the next few hours shouting over a blaring karaoke track, completely butchering a classic hip-hop duet while the remaining pub-goers cheered us on, lost in our own beautiful world.