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„I’m more worried about you,” he says. „I love my job—at least, most of it—but I don’tneedit. It’s different for you.”
„Well…”
„Besides, I could still teach, even if I’m no longer a full-time professor,” he adds. „I could be a guest lecturer or something like that. I could do without the administrative side of things, to be honest. There are other options, especially for people like me, who don’t need the income.”
I bite my lower lip, absentmindedly stroking along his strong upper arms, before I rest my head against his chiseled chest.
„I’m sorry,” I say, my voice muffled from the fabric of his shirt. „I’m sorry for the way I acted. I was…I am a little confused at the moment.”
„It’s okay,” he assures, while gently stroking my head. „I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have done what I did. It was insensitive and dangerous.”
„I wouldn’t say that,” I say, looking up at him with a smile. „It’s not like I didn’t enjoy it. I just wanted…”
„More,” he finishes my sentence. „I know. And so do I.”
„What do you mean?” I ask.
„I don’t want to hide any longer,” he says, and my heart jumps in surprise. „I want to be with you. That’s the most important thing to me.”
I stare up at him in disbelief, searching the depth of his green eyes for something that negates his words, something that would reveal this all to be too good to be true.
„I’m serious,” he says, as if my insecurity was written all over my face.
„It took almost losing you to realize how much you mean to me, but I no longer want to play in the shadows with you Claire. I love you. You’re mine.”
His words hit me by surprise, and I see fear on his face when my eyes widen in shock.
„I’m sorry if I—”
„No, it’s not…it’s…” I begin to stutter, as my insides are churning with butterflies. „I love you, too, Aston.”
He sighs with relief, before a wide smile appears on his face.
„Well, then let’s finish what we started last time, shall we?” he asks—before he leads me down to the basement.
Behind my back, I hear the familiar pitter-patter of Pi’s paws following us across the marble tiles.
Chapter 40
Aston
~ five months later ~
„See, this is why I didn’t want to have a wedding while I’m still pregnant,” Madison laments as she rolls her eyes in Chase’s direction, her hand resting on the curve of her growing belly. „Everybody gets to drink champagne but me!”
She pouts and reaches for her extravagant mocktail, while making a face, and the other girls, Ella, Kat and Claire all start laughing, while Chase lifts his hands in a defensive motion.
„Don’t blame me!” he argues, but the girls shake their heads in unison.
„I think she gets to blame you a little,” Ella says, and they share a giggle, before she turns to Madison and adds, „If it’s any consolation for you, I’m not planning on drinking too much tonight either.”
„Why not! It’s your wedding!” Kat chimes in, raising her own flute of champagne. „To the bride and groom!”
We all reach for our glasses and repeat the toast in a chorus, before sipping at our drinks.
I knew that Gabe’s and Ella’s wedding would be the perfect opportunity for Claire to finally meet everyone. She has met Ella and Gabe before, and the last time was just a little over a month ago, when we united them with their two new family members Serena and Lucy, two senior cats from the shelter. But she has never met Chase and Madison and Logan and Kat before, until this week.
„Well, that’s exactly why I don’t want to get too drunk tonight,” Ella responds to Kat. „I still have to be able to talk to people, since they are all here for me—usI mean. Speaking off, where is my husband?”
