Chapter 101
Aria Pov
“He was I trailed off, remembering. “His stamina is on a whole new level sometimes p>
Olivia fanned herself dramatically. “Oh my god. DETAILS p>
“No!” I laughed, covering my face. “Absolutely not p>
“Come on! Throw me a bone here, best friend privileges p>
“Fine.” I dropped my hands, meeting her eager gaze. “It was… good. Really good. Better than I remembered, actually. And that’s all you’re getting p>
“Better than you remembered,” Olivia repeated slowly, her smile turning knowing. “So the Ice King can actually deliver. Good to know p>
“Can we stop talking about this now p>
“One more question.” She held up a finger. “Are you planning on a repeat performance p>
I hesitated. Grabbed a streamer and started unrolling it just to have something to do. The paper was smooth, sliding between my fingers.
“No,” I said finally. “Not for now, anyway p>
“Why not?” Olivia’s voice was gentler now. “If it was good”
“Because I don’t want to make myself look easy.” The words came out sharper than I intended. I set down the streamer, meeting her eyes. “Because twice is already more than I planned. Because I need to keep some control here, Liv. If I just… give in every time he looks at me like that, I’ll lose myself again p>
Olivia nodded slowly. Understanding settling across her features. “I get it, you need to protect yourself p>
“Exactly.” I let out a breath. “So no more sex. Not until I’m absolutely sure about what I’m doing. What we’re doing p>
“Fair enough.” Olivia squeezed my hand. “Though for the record—at least you can abandon the use of that constant vibrator now p>
“OLIVIA!” My eyes widened. “Can you please tone down your voice p>
She just laughed, the sound bright and unrepentant. “What? I’m just saying”
“You’re just saying nothing.” I grabbed a handful of confetti and threw it at her. “We are not discussing my sex life or my… personal items in the middle of my kitchen p>
“Fine, fine.” She held up her hands in surrender, confetti stuck in her hair. “But I’m happy for you, you know. Even if you’re being all cautious and controlled about it p>
“Someone has to be.” I started picking confetti off the counter. “Because if I’m not careful, he’ll consume me whole p>
“Would that be so bad?” Olivia asked quietly.
I didn’t answer. Just kept cleaning up confetti, the small pieces of paper sticking to my fingers.
“Speaking of sex” I turned to face Olivia fully, leaning my hip against the counter. “When are you going to enter a relationship? You’ve been sex starved too, you know p>
Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “Excuse me p>
“Don’t act shocked.” I crossed my arms. “You’re always in my business. Let me be in yours for once p>
“That’s different”
“How is it different?” I raised an eyebrow. “You’re beautiful, smart, successful. You should be out there living your life too p>
Olivia’s grin turned smug. She picked up a streamer, twirling it between her fingers. “Okay, first of all—mine was just for one year. Yours was for almost four years until recently p>
Heat flooded my face. “Okay, you didn’t have to say it like that p>
“But I did.” She laughed, tossing the streamer at me. “Four years, Aria. FOUR. I can’t even imagine p>
“Can we not calculate my dry spell, please p>
“Too late. Already calculated.” She was still grinning. “But to answer your question—I haven’t seen the right person yet p>
“Yet?” I caught the hesitation in her voice. “But there’s someone p>
Olivia’s smile faltered. She set down the pack of balloons she’d been holding, her fingers tracing the plastic edges. “There’s someone I’m interested in. But it’s kind of off limits p>
“Off limits how?” I moved closer, intrigued now. “Married p>
“No, nothing like that.” She let out a breath. “It’s just… complicated p>
“Olivia.” I touched her arm. “Who is it p>
She met my eyes, and I saw the conflict there. Her fingers twisted together. “Lucas p>
Silence. Then I burst out laughing.
“Wait—what?” Olivia’s eyes widened. “You’re laughing p>
“Girl, why wouldn’t I?” I wiped at my eyes, still grinning. “Did you think I’d be mad p>
“I thought,” she gestured helplessly. “He’s interested in you. He’s been pursuing you for months. I thought you might not like me”
“Pursuing me, yes. But realistically?” I leaned against the counter, shaking my head. “Lucas and I would never work out p>
“What?” Olivia looked genuinely confused. “But he’s perfect for you. He’s kind, successful, supportive”
“He is all those things.” I picked up a dinosaur napkin, folding it absently. “But there’s no spark. Not for me, anyway. He’s a good friend. A great business partner. But romance?” I shook my head. “It’s not there p>
“Are you sure?” Olivia’s voice was careful. “Or are you just saying that because of Damien p>
“Both, maybe.” I set down the napkin. “Even before Damien came back into the picture, I knew Lucas and I wouldn’t work. He deserves someone who looks at him the way he looks at them. Someone who gets excited when he walks in the room. That’s not me p>
“But it could be me?” Olivia’s voice was small.
“Bitch.” I grabbed her hands. “If you want him, go for it p>
“But what if”
“No what ifs.” I squeezed her hands. “You light up when you talk about him. I’ve noticed how you laugh extra hard at his jokes. How you find excuses to stop by when you know he’s visiting p>
Olivia’s face flushed. “I didn’t think anyone noticed p>
“I notice everything.” I grinned. “And listen—Lucas is a good man. He deserves someone who actually wants him. Not someone who’s using him as a safe option while her heart is somewhere else p>
“So you’re really okay with this p>
“I can arrange a meeting,” I said immediately. “Sneakily. I’ll invite you both to something casual and let things develop naturally p>
Olivia’s eyes widened. “You would do that for me p>
“Yes.” I squeezed her shoulders. “Olivia, listen to me. What you’ve done for me? No one has come close. You helped me raise Noah. You were there when I had nothing. You’ve stood by me through everything.” My voice cracked. “If I can help you be happy, I’m going to do it p>
Tears welled in Olivia’s eyes. “Aria”
“Don’t.” I pointed at her. “Bitch, don’t cry over here. You’ll make me cry, and I have a conference call in” I checked my watch. “Twelve minutes p>
Olivia laughed through her tears, wiping at her eyes. “You’re the worst p>
“I’m the best.” I pulled her into a quick hug. “And I mean it. Just say the word, and I’ll make it happen p>
“Thank you.” She squeezed me tight. “But it’s just a crush. I’m not even sure he’d be interested p>
“Please.” I pulled back, giving her a look. “Have you seen yourself? He’d be lucky to have you interested p>
“You’re biased p>
“I’m honest.” I grabbed a napkin and handed it to her. “Now fix your face before Damien comes back and thinks I made you cry p>
“He’d probably panic and buy me a car or something.” Olivia dabbed at her eyes, smudging her mascara slightly.
“He absolutely would.” I laughed. “The man’s solution to everything is throwing money at it p>
“At least he’s trying.” Olivia fixed her mascara using her phone camera. “That counts for something p>
“It does.” I picked up the banner options again. “Okay, subject change before we both end up crying. Dinosaurs or dinosaurs with volcanoes? Dinosaurs with volcanoes.” I examined them grateful for the shift “it’s dramatic”
“Speaking of dramatic,” Olivia’s voice turned serious. The playfulness dropped from her expression. “Any more threats from Marcus p>
“Nothing in weeks.” I frowned, my stomach tightening. “Which is almost more worrying than constant threats p>
“Maybe he’s given up p>
“Men like Marcus don’t give up.” I pulled out my phone, the screen cool against my palm. No new messages. No threats. Just silence that felt too heavy. “They just regroup p>
“Well, until he makes a move, let’s focus on making Noah’s birthday perfect.” Olivia held up a T-Rex piñata, the papier-mâché rough-textured and painted bright green. “This good p>
“Perfect.” I smiled, imagining Noah’s face when he saw it. “He’s going to love it p>
We spent the next hour planning. My notebook filled with lists—guest count, food allergies, backup activities in case of rain. Olivia pulled up cake designs on her phone, and we argued over whether chocolate or vanilla was better. She insisted on vanilla with buttercream but I wanted chocolate with ganache.
“Compromise,” she said finally, zooming in on a photo. “Chocolate cake, vanilla frosting, dinosaur decorations p>
“Deal.” I circled it in my notebook, the pen scratching against paper.
The kitchen smelled like the coffee I kept refilling. Cold now, but I drank it anyway. Papers spread across the marble countertop—printouts of party games, supply lists, emergency contact forms for the other parents. Olivia had kicked off her heels, her bare feet tucked under her on the barstool.
It felt normal. Easy. Like we weren’t constantly looking over our shoulders for threats. Like I was just a regular mom planning her son’s birthday party.
My phone buzzed against the counter, vibrating loudly. A text from Damien.
Noah wants to know if he can invite his whole class. All 18 kids.
I picked up the phone, the screen warm from sitting in the sunlight streaming through the windows.
That’s a lot of children.
His response came immediately.
I know. But he’s very persuasive, he used his “please Daddy” voice.
I could picture it. Noah’s big blue eyes looking up at Damien. That little voice he used when he really wanted something. Damien probably melted instantly.
You’re a pushover.
Only when it comes to him. And you.
I stared at the message. My heart did that stupid flutter thing. Heat crept up my neck. I bit my lip, trying to fight the smile pulling at my mouth.
Fine. Invite the whole class but you’re helping supervise.
Deal. Anything for the birthday boy and his beautiful mother.
The smile won. I shook my head, but I was grinning at my phone like an idiot.
“He’s flirting.” Olivia read over my shoulder, her breath warm against my ear. “And you’re smiling. Progress p>