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She nods, her eyes on mine. She’s no longer the little girl she used to be, either. Far from it.
“May I?” she asks, and I nod without thinking.
Aria smiles and turns my laptop toward her. Her fingers fly over my keyboard, and my first instinct is to panic. I hate it when people touch my work, and Aria has little to no work experience. I tense, but before I can even stop her, she runs the script. She runs it… and it doesn’t crash.
“What the fuck?”
I grab my laptop and stare at the screen, analyzing each line of changes she made. I’m in fucking awe. I knew she was good based on what I saw in Brad’s software, but this is something else. Some people are good coders so long as you tell them what they need to do, but they aren’t always good problem solvers. Aria… she’s an out of the box thinker. I suspected it when I saw her work, but damn.
Something about her way of coding looks familiar. I had the same thought when I saw Brad’s software. It feels like holding a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit anywhere. Something doesn’t add up.
“What the actual fuck,” I repeat, and she chuckles.
“You’re welcome, Gray,” she says, a blush tinting her cheeks.
I grab her hand and squeeze. “Come work for me,” I tell her.
Aria’s eyes widen and she looks away, wrapping her arms around herself almost protectively. When I first told her there’d always be a place for her at my firm, I didn’t think much of it. All I thought was that she wanted to work for my company and that I was in a position to make it happen. But now? Now Ineedher to work for me. It isn’t even about Noah asking me to help her have a fresh start. This is pure selfishness. I’d be a fool not to hire talent like hers.
“I mean it, Aria. I’ve been working on this shit for close to an hour now. You barely glanced at it and fixed it instantly. You’re good. I’d pay top dollar to poach you from whoever you’re working for. Let me make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
She stares at me as though she’s trying to gauge my sincerity, and I throw all my charm at her. “I’ll offer you a position as a senior software developer in my elite team, and you can stay with me while you settle in. The views from my penthouse are stunning, and you’ll love it. It’s also absolutely massive, with a home gym and a rooftop heated pool. I’ll give you a signing bonus too. One that’s large enough to repay Noah’s med school bills.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?”
I nod. “I’m dead serious, Aria. I want you.”
She smiles at me, her brows raised. “Youwantme?”
I freeze and Aria bursts into laughter.
“I like it when you get all wordy with me,” she says, and I shake my head, feeling oddly flustered. “Gray,” she murmurs, her smile melting away. “I’d be beyond honored to work for you. Honestly, if you told you you’re taking me on as an unpaid intern, I’d jump at the chance. What you’re offering me… it’s too much. Considering I have no relevant work experience, it’s too much, but you know I can’t say no.”
I smile at her and lean back in my seat. “So that’s a yes, then? I’ll get HR to draft you a contract. I’m flying back tomorrow, but I don’t expect you to come with me so soon. I imagine you need some time to pack.”
Aria’s expression hardens and she shakes her head. She glances out the window, her mood dropping. “I’ll come with you. Tomorrow.”
I nod, my own excitement waning. I hate seeing her hurting and I’m worried that moving with me so suddenly means she won’t get the closure she needs.
“Stealing my sister away, are you? I feel like you should probably paymea poaching fee,” Noah says. Aria and I both jump in surprise. Neither one of us noticed him standing in the doorway.
He walks up to us and sits down next to Aria, his arm wrapping around her. “Congratulations on the new job,” he says. “A fresh start is exactly what you need, and I won’t have to worry about you if Gray is looking out for you.”
She drops her head on his shoulder and nods. “Will you be okay by yourself? I know we don’t see each other as much as we used to, but if I move away, we won’t even be able to have weekly dinners.”
Noah chuckles and presses a kiss on top of her head. “I’m a big boy, Ari. I can take care of myself. Besides, you know how much I work. If you’re with Gray, then at least I know you won’t be alone all the time. I won’t have to worry about you so much.”
Aria nods, but I can tell she’s feeling conflicted. I wonder if it might actually be better for her to have Noah around. I hope this move will be good for her, but I can’t help but worry.
“It’s done, then,” Aria says. “We leave tomorrow.”
13
Aria
I’m anxious as Gray and I make our way through the airport. I can’t control the way my thoughts are spiraling and I hate that I’m doing this to myself. I’m second-guessing everything.
I can’t believe I’m really doing this. I can’t leave Noah behind like this. We’ve never lived far away from each other, and now there’ll be a five-hour flight between us. He’s the only family member I’ve got left, and leaving makes me feel like I’m losing everything.
