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“Nana,” Brielle calls out as she stands to hug Nana from the café. I can’t help but smile at Aiden as I stand to greet her, happy to see a familiar face.
“Hi, darling, how are you?” she asks kindly.
“Nana, I’m great, thanks. Nice to see you again… how are you?”
A hint of a smirk crosses her face. “Have you figured it out yet?”
I narrow my eyes on her. “Figured what out?” I ask as Aiden and Nana chuckle, looking at me as if I’m the butt of their well-kept private joke.
Aiden hugs Nana, peering at me mischievously. “Jeni, I’d like you to meet my father’s mother and my grandmother.”
I open my eyes wide. How the hell did I not figure this out? “So, she’s your real Nana?”
“Yes, honey, I sure am.”
I shake my head in disbelief that I was too senseless not to realize that she could be his actual grandmother. I never even bothered to ask why Aiden called her Nana when I met her the first time, thinking it was something she simply liked to be called. I chuckle along with them when a waiter appears. “Would anyone like a drink?”
“Jeni, do you like white wine?” Aiden’s mother asks curiously.
“Yes, I do, thank you,” I reply with a kind smile.
“White wine for the ladies and Macallan for the men,” Callie instructs, sounding ever like the matriarch she is.
“Coming right up,” the waiter replies.
Callie looks at me with beautiful kind eyes. “So, Jenifer, what do you do for a living?”
I assert myself. “I work as a receptionist at an auto repair shop.”
Callie nods in acknowledgment. “And do you like your job?”
“I do. I meet some very interesting people.” I look sideways at Aiden, who smirks.
Aiden turns to his brother. “So, Killian, how’s the gallery coming along?” Aiden asks, shifting the conversation.
“It’s going exceptionally well. I sold a couple more photos to Vogue.” He claps his hands together once and smiles. It’s obvious he’s proud of his achievements.
Aiden turns to me. “Killian’s a photographer and has his own gallery where he displays his works and sells them.”
“Congratulations, Killian. I’ll have to come by and see your work one day.”
His face lights up like a little boy on his birthday. “Yeah, that would be fab.” His tone and demeanor are nothing like his much stronger, masculine brother, but he’s just as handsome.
We laugh with him as the waiter shows up with our drinks. Everybody’s seated at their respective tables when I see Aiden’s father approach the stage. He’s holding a small glass of what looks like whisky on the rocks and taps the microphone a couple of times. He clears his throat to gain everyone’s attention, and the general sound of people chatting hushes into silence.
“Welcome, everyone, to the farewell dinner for one of O’Connell Finance’s best, longest-serving, and most loyal employees, Vice President of O’Connell Finance, Donald Parker.”
Mr. O’Connell continues with a long-winded and boring monotone speech about Donald’s service with O’Connell Finance. A few other speakers, who also like to hear the sound of their own voices, take the stage and proceed to give their drawn-out speeches. I’ve all but tuned out when Niall announces Donald to the stage. He’s an elderly gentleman, quite rotund in the stomach, with gray hair in a combover. His equally gray suit looks particularly expensive as his burgundy tie conveniently matches the décor of the night.
Aiden’s father and Donald shake hands as I slump back in my chair, bored out of my freaking mind.
“Thank you, everyone, for attending this evening. It means a lot to know that you’re all here. I’ve spent the last forty-odd years with Niall at O’Connell Finance getting to know all of you. Working with this team has been my utmost pleasure. Thank you for this big farewell…” He continues to drone on and on with his speech, forcing me to tune him out.
Everyone laughs, grabbing my attention, and I listen back in. “Here’s looking at you, Aiden and Matthew. One of you will be taking over my position. Good luck, boys, and may the best man win.”
My eyes widen at Aiden in surprise. Now I understand Matthew and his inside joke. Aiden waggles his eyebrows at me.
Niall, which I now know is Aiden’s father’s name, raises his glass. “To Donald,” he toasts.
