Part of Your World

Thanksgiving

 "Thank you again, Mrs. Ford—"

"How many times have I asked you to call me anything but Mrs. Fordson, Maks?" she said with a quirk of her brow. Everyone around the massive dining room table chuckled, and I grinned in response, relenting with a raised hand of surrender.

"Fine, fine, thank you, Janine. It was amazing."

I patted my stomach, so full I felt I could burst, this strange tradition one I now vowed to keep. Who didn't want to spend an entire day soaking in utter gluttony without judgement? I glanced at Aria, who was grinning and signing to Nick about Porter. She'd been worrying obsessively since I'd said it was time for his training, but we both knew he'd be in good hands.

"You can call her Mama Fordson, I found that's what most of the men know her by," Ellie said, eyes glossing more with each sip of luscious red wine. Janine winked, clinking their glasses.

"Shame your brothers couldn't make it. Would have been nice to catch up," James, Nick's father, said, leaning back and swirling his glass of whisky. I nodded, giving a slight frown. They had heaps of work left to do in New York, and I wasn't all too sure I trusted them to get it done—not when father had demanded a meeting upon my return. Part of me wanted to leave Aria here until the fiasco with Natalia's family was smoothed over, but the thought of being apart from her was almost more than I could bear—even if I knew this was the safest place for her.

"They need to focus their priorities and learn the business," I said with a slight shrug. James nodding, seeing the truth in my statement. I reached for my vodka, downing the remnants. They had good shit, a notion that shouldn't have surprised me; Janine had a wine cellar that would put any respectable vineyard to shame. Aria's eyes had almost leapt from her skull when she'd been given the tour.

"Soooo..." Ellie said, eyes shifting to Aria, who blushed. I narrowed my eyes at her as she squirmed, the two clearly keeping something from me. As I glanced at Nick, it was apparent he wasn't in on whatever they were concocting, either.

"Spit it out, pipsqueak," I growled. James chuckled, standing to retrieve refills for me and himself, noticeably capping Jonah's bottle of scotch. He was snoring at the end of the table already.

Aria bit her lip, giving me that doe-eyed look that she knew would allow her to get away with anything she fucking wanted.

Can Ellie and I go shopping early tomorrow morning? she signed. I grit my teeth, crossing my arms as I glanced over at Nick, who was glaring at Ellie, who was innocently sipping her wine. Elbows on the table, he clasped his hands, his eyes boring into the side of her quickly heating face.

"Where?" he said, gruff. She shrugged.

"Maybe Port Angeles...Sequim...Seattle..." she listed off, still not meeting his gaze. James sat, pushing my glass to me. I raised it in thanks before taking a long sip, itching for a cig as my anxiety began to simmer, my eyes on a nervous Aria. The thought of the two venturing off into the city on their own didn't sit well with me.

"No."

Nick's tone held all the finality I needed, but as Aria's shoulders slumped in defeat, my heart sank. We'd had a rough go these past few weeks, between the looming decision on her surgery, the shit with my father, and the whole thing with her ex.

"Seriously? I'm an adult, Nick, and I lived in New York for a year—"

"With body guards as your neighbors," he bit back. A fiery glint entered her eye, her jaw set.

"What if I go with?" I suggested in an attempt to diffuse the situation. I saw Nick's point—more than anyone—but I couldn't keep Aria on such a short leash. She would end up hating me, and that wasn't how I intended this relationship to go.