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I look down, my cheeks warming. “I understand.”
“We’ve got your back as much as you have ours, Aspen,” Flint adds. “And we’re really glad we found you.”
“Hell yes, we are,” Caden hoots, raining kisses all over my body until all of my doubt has officially melted away.
CHAPTER 22
Aspen
I can’t breathe. My heart rate is all over the place, and I feel like I’m experiencing a cardiac episode.
The mirror tells me I look presentable for the occasion, in a black pantsuit with a simple ivory blouse and a string of pearls that Caden purchased on our outing. My hair twists up, leaving several loose tendrils hanging, and I have a dash of red lipstick on, bold but not brash. All of Flint’s tips play in my mind. Have I followed all his instructions to a tee? Will they look at me and realize I don’t belong here, doubting my reliability due to my background?
But I am reliable. And I have three men—and an amazing little girl—who care about me.
It’s a hard pill to swallow when I’ve never known the true sense of family in my life.
The knock on my bedroom door doesn’t offer an answer.
“Aspen?” It’s Flint. “Aspen, they’re going to be here any minute. Are you almost ready?”
Dizziness floods me, and I have to sit down, panting escaping my lips.
“Aspen?” The door opens, and Flint rushes to my side. “Oh, my God! What’s wrong? What happened?”
I stare at him, pale and shaking, and he immediately recognizes the problem.
“Look at me and breathe. Deep breath in, hold for four seconds, and out for four seconds. Again. In for four, out for four.”
We do this a few more times, and I finally have a grip on my erratic breathing.
“What happened, darling?” he asks, worry creasing his brow. “You’re white as a sheet!”
“Nerves?” I offer weakly. “I’m terrified I’m going to screw this up today.”
“You won’t,” Flint replies with far more confidence than I’ve ever experienced in my life. He cups my cheek gently to not muss my makeup and smiles. “You look ravishing. If we didn’t have an interview in five minutes, I’d rip off all your clothes right here and now.”
That makes me feel better.
“Five minutes isn’t enough time?” I tease, and he snorts.
“You know it’s not.” He helps me to my feet, and even in my three-inch heels, he still stands tall over me. Arm-in-arm, we walk out of the bedroom and into the hallway.
“Where did you learn that breathing technique?” I ask. “Caden?”
“Hm? Oh, no. I’ve had to use it on my brother. He’s something of a basket case.” I eye him, and he snickers. “No, really. That kid is rife with anxiety twenty-four-seven.”
“Why does he run the company if it causes him so much stress?”
“Familial guilt.” He stops and looks at me. “But enough about that right now. Let’s get you in the right mindset for what’s coming up.”
The doorbell chimes downstairs, and my pulse ricochets in my ears. The nervousness resurfaces tenfold, but Flint holds onto me steadily.
“You’ve got this, Aspen. I’m trusting you. Caden and Pike are trusting you. But most of all, Lily is trusting you.”
My heart immediately settles at the reminder. “I’ve got this,” I agree.
“Flint?” Zoe calls up the stairs.
