The Arrangement

Chapter Sixteen: New Developments

Miriam was six months old when I returned to work.  It was no easy feat, but I was able to push through not seeing my baby all day everyday.  I had originally told Maverick that I'd return at five months, but I kept pushing it back, coming up with excuses.  Mostly, the excuses were about finding the perfect nanny for her.

It was three months after I'd returned to work when I also wasn't going to go straight home to Miriam.  Normally, Maverick and I both went straight home after work, and that was what kept me sane throughout the day when I worried about Miriam forgetting me.

Today, I was looking forward to shopping for a wedding dress with Rose and Clara- seeing as she was my maid of honor and my only friend.  My mother and my sisters wouldn't be coming to town until the week of the wedding.

Thank god.

Don't get me wrong, I missed my sisters and all, but I really didn't like the idea of Avan even attending my wedding.  I had to because of my mother, though.  Really, I was hesitant to invite my mother even, but I eventually just decided to.

Maverick walked into my office, which was just across the hall from his now that our companies had merged, as I was taking my phone out of my desk drawer and putting it into my purse.  I smiled at him, but my disappointment from not being able to see Miriam immediately after work must've been visible.

He smiled, reassuringly, and walked over.

"Are you excited?" he asked.  I nodded.

"It'll put me one step closer to marrying you," I said, my smile completely happy now.  He smiled and wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing his lips to mine for a short kiss.

"I love you," he whispered.  I smiled.

"I love you, too," I returned.  I pulled away. "Now, you gotta go before I bail on my plans."

He chuckled and nodded.  I pressed my lips against his for a short kiss.

"Now, go," I urged, playfully shoving him towards the door.  He stopped in the door frame, turning back to me and smiling.

"I'll see you tonight," he said.  I smiled, and he walked out of my office.

I made sure I had everything before walking out of my office and turning the lights off.  Just as the door closed, my phone rang.

"Hello..." I looked at my phone. "Rose.  What's up?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie, something's come up, and I can't make it today... I'm so sorry," she said. "It's just that it's really busy here at work."

"Oh, that's fine, Rose," I assured.  Then I added, jokingly, "As long as you don't miss the wedding."

"Of course not," she returned in the same tone. "I'm really sorry.... Okay, I'll let you go now.  Send pictures!"

"I will," I said. "Bye."

"Bye." She hung up, and I got into the car with Clara.

"Are you ready to try on a million beautiful wedding dresses?" she asked, excitedly.  I smiled and nodded.

The driver pulled out of the parking spot and onto the road.

"Rose isn't able to make it," I said.  Clara nodded and seemed a bit disappointed. "And Flynn's going to be there about thirty minutes late."

"Because my boss works me to the bone," he'd joked, but I knew for sure that he was with his boyfriend because he'd called in asking for the day off.  He literally told me he had to get it on with his boyfriend, Ethan, before Ethan got bored and left him.