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CAN I JOIN IN THE HUG?
AIDEN
“Why are you so late—oh.” I watched Ivy’s blue eyes widen when she glanced beside me.
“Hey, Bug,” Hayden grinned, looking at his little sister who stood at the doorway. Zara, the Princess of Azmia and fiancée of my best-friend waved at Ivy.
Ivy didn’t miss a beat and lunged in her arms and hugged her as much as she could with a huge bump between them. I had asked Hayden in the car if they were having twins and, by the look of horror between the couple, I knew my answer.
Hayden had called me when I had left the hospital. I had pressed down the guilt that surged when I saw his name and his annoying selfie on my phone. He and Zara were arriving early and wanted me to pick them up from the airport.
I wonder how he would react if I tell him that I like Ivy. More than like her. He would be stupid not to notice my attraction towards her for all these years. He had warned me and his friend groups that she was off-limits to us, always glaring at any male acquaintance she had. He was protective of her, and I could understand his reasoning. Their father didn’t care what happened to them as long as they were alive. Hayden could live without their love, but not my sweet Petal. Hayden had been the only one to offer her any sort of sibling love.
“I missed you so much,” Ivy mumbled, hugging her brother. I smiled at them, Hayden’s light brown hair falling on his forehead as he kissed his sister’s hair. I gave them some space and walked inside the house as the royal guards followed me in their dark suits with bags of the royal couple.
After the recent events in Azmia, Hayden and Zara were forced to have two guards around them all the time, but since they were living in Hayden’s house, they were allowed some freedom from the guards.
“Aiden,” I turned around and slid my hands in my pockets when Hayden stepped inside his old room that he would share with Zara. “Did something happen between you and Ivy?”
I didn’t reply, knowing I couldn’t lie to him.
“Did you find any name for the baby?” I asked.
He narrowed his blue-grey eyes at me. “Don’t change the subject.” But it worked. “No, we haven’t decided yet. Zayed, the Sheikh of Azmia, and the biggest pain in the ass, made an entire presentation why we should name our child after him.”
“Huh, that seems eventful.” He seemed happy, despite the mild annoyance. Every time he glanced at Zara, he had an odd, vulnerable look on his face as if he couldn’t believe she was with him. “You look happy. You should’ve got together sooner with her.”
Hayden scoffed, “You are the one to say that after dropping my phone in the Indian Ocean.”
I remembered that. Two years ago, after he had been whipped by some beautiful lady in Azmia for the night, he had been checking his phone constantly. Even after boarding the ship as we left the country together. We had a small fight, and we both watched in pure amusement and horror when his phone fell in the Indian Ocean. He had been so frantic that he was ready to jump into the ocean to grab his phone or even command the captain to stop the ship until he could get the phone back.
Just for the hope that she, aka Princess Zara, would call back.
“Well, it worked out way better, don’t you think?” I teased as Zara waddled in. She was slim and tall, but with the huge bump, she looked like a little penguin.
“I hope I’m not disturbing any precious bromance.”
“No, your highness,” I said, bowing my head because she hated being addressed as that. “I already have someone that I prefer.”
“Do I want to know who it is?” Hayden asked, raising his brow as he held Zara’s hand when she sat down and started putting a pregnancy pillow on the bed, books, water, and a dagger on the nightstand.
Before I could open my mouth and tell him the truth, Ivy called us down for the dinner.
I left them to freshen up and decided that it would be best to be honest about my intentions with Ivy and Hayden. I didn’t want to sneak behind my friend, my only friend, to kiss her. I wanted him to know I was serious about her.
“What are you thinking about?” Ivy whispered, watching her serve delicious lasagna on four plates. The royal guards had checked the house and, after confirming it was safe, they were staying in the house across the road.
I lightly held her arm, her eyes peering at me. “We should tell Hayden.”
She faced me, shock and surprise flickering on her face. “What would we tell him, Aiden? That we had sex in your office.”
If I still had arms after talking to her brother, I would use them to give her a lesson for speaking like that. As if it was just sex for her.
“Yes, that and how serious I am aboutthis,” I said. “I don’t want to hide it from him.”
Ivy bit her bottom lip. “I don’t want you to regret it.”
I wanted to embrace her and assure her that I meant what I said, but we both heard footsteps coming downstairs. I kept the plates of our dinner on the dining table as Hayden ruffled her hair, asking her about her studies. Zara wanted to know more about Ivy’s ex so she could give him a lesson, but Hayden calmed her down.
