All Good Things Absolved (4 page)

"Please, marry me sooner."

She set serious brown eyes on me. "Why?"

"Because I want to wait to tell everyone we're expecting until after the wedding."

She waved her hand brazenly. I could see I was close to triumph. "Whatever," she shrugged. "I spent all that money on a dress I'm sure I won't fit in come two months anyhow."

The dress. Seriously? "You really are a woman." I stated. "It all comes down to the dress."

She nodded. "I'm a woman and I'm pregnant. So remember that the cake will be just as important to me as the dress." She grinned mischievously. What was she up to?

"I ordered you the lemon cake." I said. It was the one she'd liked the best.

"I don't think I want
just
the lemon cake."

That was a surprise. Was she trying to make planning this fiasco difficult? I wouldn't let her see my fear. Wedding planning was a piece of cake. Figuratively. And possibly literally. "What would you like?"

"I'm thinking I'd like the colors to be yellow, deep chocolate brown and white with hues of gold interlaced throughout." She grinned as though she'd won a race and I couldn't help but feel elated as I watched her. She was happy. And I was the one who made her that way. "So, I think we should ask him to do a three tiered cake with lemon and chocolate. Marriage is about compromise, not sacrifice."

I fucking loved this woman I thought to myself as I crossed the space between us to pull her into my arms. "It sounds perfect to me."

"Good." She pressed her lips to mine. "Because it sounds like heaven to me."

Little did she know, she was my angel and I was in her heaven.

***

A week had passed since we found out we were expecting. It had been a deliriously blissful week of lovemaking, work ditching, and dreaming aloud. I currently sat in Jace's office with him. He'd had a desk brought in for me. It had been strategically placed to the left of his desk, facing his so he could always see me. My neurotic man was simply ridiculous. But I loved him in all his obsessive qualities.

Despite the fact that he often drove me to the brink of insanity, I had to admit he also kept me from jumping off the ledge. If it weren't for Jace offering Franco an obscene salary to run the café for me, I would be drowning in stress. I'd finally come to admit there was no way I could possibly run the café bookstore at the same time as planning a wedding and coping with pregnancy. Never mind bending to Jace's irrational whims. There was simply no way.

Jace's phone rang and he glanced up at me from his computer. "Do you mind getting that?"

"I do, actually." I nodded, ignoring the phone. I saw his eyes widen and a frown marred his exceptionally beautiful lips as he answered.

"Rush," he barked. "Yeah. I'll send her out." He glared at me as he replaced the phone. I pretended I didn't notice. But I did. I knew I was in trouble, but I had to make a point. He just didn't know it yet. From my peripheral vision, I saw Jace rise from his desk, the computer no longer so important. "Why couldn't you answer that?"

I shrugged. "You need an assistant."

His eyes widened. "You're trying to prove I need an assistant?"

"Yes." I nodded as I stood, placing the strap of my purse over my shoulder. I knew the call was for me. I was meeting Trisha for lunch. It felt like it had been forever. "What are you going to do when bean comes?"

"Bean?"

"Yes. Bean."

"It's baby, Olivia." Jace frowned. "Why are you calling it bean?"

"Because it's the size of a bean." I smiled. He shook his head and the look he gave me said he thought I was completely, thoroughly insane. Maybe I was. "Anyway, you need an assistant before bean arrives."

Jace groaned, rubbing his brow tiredly. "Trisha's here."

"I know." I waved my phone. "She texted me."

"Of course she did." He ground his teeth and I knew what was coming. We'd talked about this all day yesterday. Jace didn't want me going to lunch alone with Trisha. I knew he was being paranoid. I hadn't received a letter from my savior in over a week. That was record time for him. "Where are you going?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know where I'm going, Jace."

"Tell me again."

"I'm going to the café, Jace." I ground out. "My café."

"Good. Nowhere else." He warned through stern blue eyes. "And who's driving you?"

"Jace, I'm not entertaining this." I said tiredly. "I haven't gone anywhere without you or Gabe in a week. I'm fine."

"Olivia, please humor me." Jace growled. "Who's driving you?"

"Gabe." I said tiredly. I placed my hands on either side of his face and leaned in to kiss him. He sighed against me and I eagerly soaked up some of his stress. He worried too much. It was going to put him in an early grave and I simply couldn't live like that. I couldn't. "And when I get there, I will text you."

"I love you, Olivia."

"I know you do, Jace." I said gently. "But please stop worrying. I can't handle it."

"I'm trying to give you space, Angel. But you know I'm not going to stop worrying." From the determined lock of his jaw, I knew he didn't want to even try. He liked worrying. Although I would never know why. The thought of having a little child running around and constantly having to worry about it made me feel as though I were about to have an anxiety attack. I didn't want to live my life consumed by worry. If something happened, it happened. I just didn't want to live in fear.

"I'll see you later." I promised as I sashayed to the door. "I'll bring you a soup."

"I know you will." He was standing with his hands in the pockets of his suit as he watched me open the door. "You're going to make me gain ten pounds before our wedding."

I laughed. "Impossible. With the amount you work out, you'll never gain weight." And it was true. He had a gym in his office. The man was set to be fit for life.

I blew him a kiss before I let the door fall closed behind me. I was on my way to meet Trisha. We were seriously overdue for some good girl-talk. I missed her.

"Liv!" She yelled as soon as I rounded the corner into the reception area. Laura jumped at least two inched from the surface of her seat, clutched her chest and laughed at Trisha as she pulled me into her arms. I thought for a moment she was about to squeeze the life out of me, but she released me at the last second.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm good." She grinned as she held up an elegant yellow and white invitation with cursive brown writing. "I can't believe this is happening! And on October 19
th
."

"I know." I rolled my eyes. "You know Jace."

"That man loves you way too much." She beamed and I laughed.

"I know." I rubbed my rumbling stomach. "I'm starving. Let's get out of here."

"Deal." She hooked her arm through mine and we waltzed to the elevator together. I waved to Laura as the doors rolled closed. Life was perfect. I didn't have a worry in the world. It was blissfully, deliriously fantastic.

***

Trisha stepped out of the SUV and I followed before she shut the door. "That was awkward." She stated. "I can't believe you let him drive you everywhere."

"I thought you thought he was hot." I teased.

"I did." She stated. " Correction, I do. But he doesn't talk."

"He's a man of very few words." I said in his defense. But I fully believed Gabe didn't talk around Trisha because he could see the way she looked at him. With hungry eyes. In all honesty, Trisha would never settle for a man like Gabe. He was too serious. Of course he excited her because he was different and mysterious. But he wasn't the kind of man she would lose her heart to. That kind of man had yet to be discovered. But I had faith she would find him. She was an amazing woman with a heart of gold. Any man would be lucky to catch and hold her.

"Whatever," she shrugged. "So, what's new with you? Other than planning an insane wedding in an insanely short time frame."

"Nothing much." I shrugged. I wasn't good at vague and I most definitely wasn't good at keeping things from Trisha. I was dying to tell her she was going to be an aunty. But I had to wait. For Jace.

We settled at a table and waved to Franco as he appeared from the back. An enormous grin lit his face and he pranced across the space to our table. "Ladies. How are we today?"

"We're fabulous." Trisha grinned. "Don't you look delicious?"

"Do I?" He shifted his stance to a pose fit for vogue and I laughed. "I purchased the goods with my new salary."

Again, I laughed. "I'm sure you did."

"Honey," he looked down at me. "You've got one hell of a catch."

"I know." I beamed. "Jace is amazing."

Franco nodded obstinately. "He really is." His eyes turned dreamy for a moment and my mouth dropped. Oh, he so was not thinking about my man like that! "Anyway, what'll we be having?"

Trisha shook her head, marveling at the ease with which he jumped from one topic to the other. And even I had to admit it truly was an exceptional talent only he possessed. He wasn't even fazed by my dropped jaw. He was just scandalous! And, as odd as it was, it was kind of why I liked him as much as I did. He was unique. He walked to his own drumbeat. That was inspiring. The world needed more people like him.

"I'll get a tomato parmesan soup with a raspberry juice." My mouth watered as I ordered the juice.

Trisha raised her brows at me. "I'll get a tomato soup with a coffee. Thanks Franco."

"I'll be right back with your orders." Franco smiled and turned on the heel of a shiny black shoe. I bit my tongue and buried my laugh as I looked at Trisha.

She smiled. "So, when did you start drinking juice?"

I waved, "Oh, it happens every once in a while." I reached into my bag, eager to change the topic. Jace would be livid if Trisha found out I was pregnant before we had a chance to tell his mom. "I have something for you."

"Ohh," She leaned into the table. "I love surprises."

"I know." I grinned as I slid a little box over the table. "For you."

Trisha's eyes widened as she stared at the box. "You're not proposing to me, are you? Because I would totally say yes and we would live life happily ever after, driving Jace insane with jealousy."

I rolled my eyes. She could be such a comedian. "I'm not proposing. Open the box."

"All right, all right." She lifted the lid to find a small white gold band with an infinity symbol over the top. The symbol was encrusted with mini diamonds. It caught the sun, shimmering the reflection over her face. "You are proposing!"

"Will you be my maid of honor?" I asked, clarifying quickly the type of proposal. "You've been my best friend, my sister, my family...forever. I love you like crazy and I can't imagine anyone else I would rather have walking me through this time in my life. But the job doesn't end on October 19
th
. It's a position that needs to be filled till the very end." I felt my eyes grow moist with tears as I stared at my best friend. She was already crying and nodding. But she hadn't spoken yet. "Will you?" I asked.

She nodded. "Under one condition." Her face was serious.

I hadn't been expecting this. "What's the condition?"

"You need to name your first born child after me." There was no joke in her tone and I felt my mouth drop in shock. She couldn't be serious?

"I don't know about that one," I said hesitantly and she burst out laughing.

"You seriously considered it! Jeez Liv," she shook her head. "I don't even like my name."

I crossed my arms over my chest at her snickering. "Seriously, Trisha." I shook my head. "You're ridiculous."

"But I'm your maid of honor!" She yelped the last word as she slid the ring on her right hand. "Now I've got to find a man so I can get you one of these flashy things."

"Sometimes I don't know why I love you so much." I laughed.

"You love me because I'm awesome." Her face turned serious. "And because I love you too."

"So, any men in your life?" I asked as Franco set our soups on the table.

"Apart from me?" He feigned hurt.

Trisha ignored him as she shook her head. "Apart from Trey," she shot him a look. "And Franco here, nope. No men for me."

I waved my hand. "And these relationships you do have are platonic?"

"Absolutely." She nodded. "Franco is so not going there." She shot him a warning look. "And Trey's been there done that. He's just a friend."

"I don't know how you stay friends with the men you sleep with." It had always surprised me how easily she switched from romantic to friendship. It was weird.

She shrugged. "If they can't handle it, they go. That's that."

Chapter 4

"I'll see you later." I said to Trisha as I stepped out of the back seat and onto the sidewalk in front of Rush Industries. I carried Jace's soup with me as I waved to Gabe. I knew he would wait at the curb until I walked inside before he took Trisha home. He had to be certain I was safe. With a shake of my head, I walked into the tall building and the car disappeared from sight.

"Miss LeRoux," Bethany called out to me from the desk as I walked past. I was confused. Was there an issue? What did she want?

With a head full of questions I closed the distance between us. "Yes, Bethany?"

"A package came for you." She smiled as she passed a box over the counter and my stomach dropped. It was pretty. The box was white and it was tied with a lace ribbon into a bow at the top. It wasn't large. But it wasn't small either. It was the size of my laptop. And it was a terrifying sight. "I think it's a pre-wedding present." Bethany added when I failed to make a move toward the box.

"Do you know who dropped it off?" I asked when I finally found the ability to speak.

Bethany shook her head. "No," she looked uncomfortable. "He said he wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh," I nodded, gathering myself. She probably thought I was insane. "Thanks." I picked up the box and found it was disconcertingly lightweight. If there were more pictures...

I pushed the thought from my mind as I walked through the lobby with the box in my hand. I rode the elevator with a pounding heart. It seemed to take three times as long as usual and when I finally arrived on Jace's floor, I felt the need to turn around and run. But Jace was standing there waiting for the elevator.