A Family For The Billionaire ✅

8.

Aubrey sucked in a deep breath as she saw Aston slip through the coffee shop door. Her stomach churned, forcing her to leave her café au lair untouched. She had no idea how to act after their last encounter.

No idea how to return to business as usual.

The week he had been out of town since Auntie's fall should have helped give her some perspective. Frankly it hadn't. Because her thoughts of Aston had turned very personal and she had no idea how to combat that. Except to only talk about business.

She could do that, right?

But his smile as he sat down wasn't business as usual. It sped her heart up a little.....Okay, more than a little. This wasn't right.

She glared at the green ring sparkling in the sun for a moment.

"Everything okay?" Aston asked as he sat down with his coffee

"Sure," Aubrey said, consciously forcing herself to relax, "I appreciate you coming" reaching down she pulled several small poster boards from her bag, "I've put together some visuals for you to see what the decorator is suggesting."

"I'm amazed you're only letting me view pictures, rather than insisting I attend an actual meeting with her"

Aubrey froze for a moment. Was he complaining because she's excused him? "Well, with you of towns then her going out of town, I just thought this might be easier."

To her shock, his hand lightly covered hers, "it's okay Aubrey. I'm just teasing you."

"Teasing me?" He almost swallowed her tongue, because teasing had never been on Aston's agenda.

"Yes," He said, drawing out the word, "after all, you've stuck to your stipulation that I attend every planning meeting pretty hard. I can't believe you're letting me slide on this one..."

Feeling like she's stepped into an alternate reality, one that tempted her with the idea that Aston might actually be human after all, she grinned.

"Well, everyone should get time off for good behavior."

His laugh rang out, starling her. The sound was oh, so sexy. Over his shoulder, she saw several patrons glance their way, most grinning in response to his amusement. Only one didn't seem amused, a rather dour, expensive dressed man at a choice table by the window overlooking the river.

Aubrey would rather focus on the man opening up right in front of her. She pointed out the various options depicted in the photographs. The dark purple-and-black color scheme was her favorite, with highlights of white and bright red. The elaborate table schemes included taper candles and crystals to mimic the chandeliers. Lots of rich fabric and sparkling highlights.

Event planning was her passion, so she could have gone on forever, but notices the minute Aston's gaze started to glaze over, "Okay" she conceded, "I think I've tortured you enough."

"Honestly, give me the details of a ship's engine any day as opposed to decorating details. I only agreed to meet in the coffee shop so I'd have tho to keep me awake," he lifted his coffee a few inches off the table. But it was the sheepish grin that got to her.

She'd never imagined seeing that expression in this driven businessman's face. Unfortunately, she liked it. Too much.

"So how are Ms. Andrews and Luca?"

"Oh, she'd like you to call her Auntie" he nodded, his expression remaining open in a way she wasn't quite used to or comfortable with, "physical therapy is going well, although she hates it."

Aston shrugged, "Who wouldn't? It's torture."

"Even more so for her, because she thinks it's a burden to everyone that we're juggling her appointments with our jobs and Luca's care. As if that mattered to us girls"